I have an appointment for the psych consult next week for the Lap Band. I'm currently on a 6 month plan with my insurance company where I meet with a health coach by phone (I'm actually enjoying those meetings). The psychiatrist told me that he will be giving me a weight loss plan to follow also. Can they do that? I thought they just needed to qualify us for surgery.

It's a bit odd, in my book. I am a psychotherapist in my "real" life. I also had to have a psych eval prior to surgery. Mine was very simple: a questionnaire with about 50 items and then a 50 minute clinical interview. You might want to try to follow the plan, though; if you don't your insurance might find that a reason to "reject" payment for your band. Just a thought.

I'm definitely following the plan with the "health coach". I just don't want the psychiatrist to mgive me an ultimatum like "lose 3 pounds by our next appointment or you fail". I'll find out this week.

I've never heard of talking with a health coach over the phone lol. I am waiting on my psych evaluation and I'm starting my 6 month diet thingy tomorrow by having a 1 hour appt with my nutritionest and 1 hour appt with dietician.