Hello all. I’m so glad to have found this forum. I’m just starting the process. I meet with the nurse practitioner in February. I am concerned about passing the psych evaluation as I have a history of mental health issues. Does that automatically disqualify me from having weight loss surgery?

It will not disqualify you as long as you are receiving treatment and the issues are well managed.

welcome and good luck!

Mine was no big deal - Just stay focused and keep saying you want to get healthy -

Now like me Even if you do see Dead People and have visions of being a viking in your mind, Do not tell them that. And as for the ink blots you Never see Fairy Dust and Unicorns - Just happy pastures and flowers

I have joked above but do not fret it was no big deal, Do not worry about it

From what I heard from another bariatric buddy is that what they look for is if you can handle the extreme life change with food so that you don't continue with the habit that got you there in the first place.

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My evaluation was by a team who specializes in Disordered Eating and all they really wanted to know was did I recognize that I have a problem, some things that I've identified as contributing to the problem, and how I intend to manage it after surgery. I told them about my disordered eating and all my psych issues which are pretty much stable. Then I told them about this site and how much information and help it was giving me to prepare me mentally, emotionally, and spiritually for the change I am about to make.

It took about an hour, and that was the end of it. Beforehand, I agonized over what was going to be asked and whether or not they were going to derail my train to WLS. It was so much easier than I could have ever imagined.

I have been taking meds for bipolar for a number of years. Took MMPI-2 as part of my psych eval and showed I am totally "normal". Really shocked my psychologist. I will stay on meds though to be sure I stay stable.

If you have mental health issues, they just want to be sure that you are:

(1) stable on meds and continue under treatment

(2) Addressing any eating problems.

(3) You have adequate social support (family, friends, church, etc.)

I was pretty stressed about psych eval because my history. Don't stress about it. If you have a current therapist, see if your bariatric center will accept psych eval by him/her. Who knows you better?

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