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Anyone Denied based on psych eval?



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Anyone ever been denied based on the psychological evaluation? If so, what kind of questions did the doctors ask? (cross-post in Gen. Discussion)

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Anyone ever been denied based on the psychological evaluation? If so, what kind of questions did the doctors ask? (cross-post in Gen. Discussion)

About 12 years ago was trying to go for a gastric bypass. I had to do the 3 hour psych appt. I was given a MMPI (Minnesota Multi Phasic Peronality Inventory.) It was a really long test (like 500 questions) I also talked about how my mom had been verbally and mentally abusive my whole life.

I was denied because of "lack of family backup".

When I went for my lapband psych eval about 4 months ago, I was not given the MMPI (my understanding is most psychologists have found it does not do much good, when it comes to pre surgery evals).

I was very sure NOT to mention anything having to do with my family this time (though my life has changed drastically since then...I now have a husband and small daughter) I just stayed very positive and talked about how much I beleived the lapband would help me, and how positive I felt about the whole thing. I ended up with a very positive eval.

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I can't see someone being denied unless they were unsure about the surgery. If you are highly motivated and want to loss weight like most of us have been this is the thing.

If you were to go in and were more concerned with another issue than what you went in for or were unsure about getting it. What could the advice but WAIT.

This is just my opinion. It's routine, and mandatory and no one wants to prevent you from getting the surgery if you've been approved.

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I can't see someone being denied unless they were unsure about the surgery. If you are highly motivated and want to loss weight like most of us have been this is the thing.

If you were to go in and were more concerned with another issue than what you went in for or were unsure about getting it. What could the advice but WAIT.

This is just my opinion. It's routine, and mandatory and no one wants to prevent you from getting the surgery if you've been approved.

Asking because I saw an episode of Big Medicine on TLC where they follow the stories of people who decide to get bariatric surgery. One of the ladies was denied based on her psych evaluation. The psychologist determined that she was not ready for the surgery.

Rose being denied the surgery - Topic Powered by eve community

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It seemed to me that my evaluation was just a formality. I got the impression the Dr. wanted to approve me. The questions were not that in depth. Good luck, I am sure you will be fine.

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I've heard stories of people committing suicide after having bariatric surgery. They think that losing weight will make all their problems go away and of course they don't. So I would think this may be the insurance company's way of saying they checked before approving the surgery. The eval I had about 200 of the 300 questions were about my mental state and about being suicidal.

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Did you see the recent episode with Rose? Not only the Psychologist is denying her the insurance, and the surgeons are too. Rose needs help before she can have surgery. In my opinion she will be unsuccessful and it's sad she has so many things going on including a severe shopping addiction. Why is that important? Well for one thing her insurance requires up front money and she's saying she has no money but part of what the psychologist finds at home when calls for help is astounding. She has $2000.00 worth of handbags crammed into her daughter's dresser because she was hoping to hide it from her husband and she had no other place. I wish that I knew when they will air this episode again so you can see that's there's more to the story.

I was told when I went for my visit that it was not her job to deny me but to make sure I am mentally ready for WLS and afterwards. We all know that this decision was not an easy one to make. I went into this visit with the attitude I had when I decided to have WLS. I am doing this for me and my health and no one else. I am more than 100% committed to this. I have a strong support system and no one will stop me from achieving my goals but me.

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      Soooo I am coming to a realization
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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