Counseling/Therapy

[Caseyb 0]

I was just told that I have to seek therapy and be cleared by that Therapist/Counselor before I can begin the next step to getting my LB. I have a BMI of 41 and I have been overweight for 13 years. I am feeling so discouraged that all I can do is cry. I think my main issue is that I have been thru so much in my life.. why discourage me now. 4 out of the nurses, dr's and whoever else I saw said I am a good candidate for LB now this.

Any comments... I would love to hear anything:thumbdown:

[josephine 1]

Casey,

From my understanding they do not ask many questions. I have never gone through a therapist for approval but I heard they whip you through there.

Personally, I wish I would have gone through therapy because I truly believe once you have made it to your goal, the mind, MY MIND changed dramatically and I thought that I needed it then. I don't doubt that I still need it now. In fact, it wouldn't even hurt my husband to go through therapy as I consisently hear, EVER SINCE YOU LOST YOUR WEIGHT, and EVER SINCE YOU QUIT SMOKING......... He is having a tough time. What he doesn't realize, in which I have told him was, you will never understand throughout my life what I have gone through and you will also never understand how much I love you for putting up with me and how lucky I am to still have you since I went through weight gain and weight loss with him. All the time that I bought clothes and then threw them out because they couldn't fit me anymore. Skinny, fat, skinny, fat..........and, he never had a weight problem in his life. He needs therapy as well as I do, still because I still have tough times trying to accept and be happy with who I am. Big huge life change is headed your way as long as you commit yourself. Just remember the most important outcome of this whole process and that is to become healthy and live a more happy life.

You can get through this and we are all here for moral support.

Josephine

Edited August 28, 2009 by josephine
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[Caseyb 0]

Thank you so much for responding. I am just at my whits end. I waited a few stressful days to hear if I was approved or not approved. I think my problem right now is that I have ghosts and I dont want to talk about them. I did my psych eval and the test they had me take is what she is baseing her decisions. The psychologist said she doesnt think I will be able to handle the dicipline of the life change with out therapy. I disagree. Anyway the only way I can be cleared is with a private therapist.

[josephine 1]

Casey,

I thought you would have received other responses but maybe with you saying the word GHOSTS you scared them away. We all have ghosts, trust me. My sister believes that I should see a therapist just to get to the root of why I allowed food to run my life. She truly believes I have an underlying problem of why I turned to food instead of the reality of the situation. She may very well be right. I will tell you something though. If they believe you need to see a therapist try to find someone who has gone through a weight loss surgery themselves since they think you can not handle the weight loss process. I bet if they saw that you were a self pay there wouldn't be a question about it. They want to be sure you will not waste the insurance money that people are paying for you to become healthy including yourself that is. It isn't an easy road ahead and the psych goes along with it. When you get the band it is all fine and dandy. You begin to lose weight, hopefully you will begin to exercise and listen to what your doctor tells you to do and then you begin to get adjustments. Now, I have never had a fill during my weight loss process but, I hear how people who have loved beef and now they can't eat it anymore. The same with chicken and any other kind of Protein. Most people I know that are obese have an obsession with white carbs and these are the okay things to eat every once in awhile but a friend of mine at work has the band also and daily she eats that type of stuff and her weight loss has been extrememly slow. Your food habits have to change according to the band and they want to be sure you can overcome that obstacle. I understand we are not to expect miracles but when I hear on these websites that the band has failed me it is hard to understand that. The band is a piece of plastic that is around your stomach and is allowing you to eat less than what you are used to. The rest is up to you, trust me. Good choices make for a successful weight loss, with or without the band. This I have finally learned. Choose your therapist wisely. I think we all have demons inside of us and we should all get rid of them if we can.

Casey, I am here if you need me.

Josephine

Edited August 29, 2009 by josephine
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[TicTac 0]

Hey Casey, Sorry to hear about the psych eval. I guess I would think back to my answers on the test to see where the psychologist may have come to the conclusion? If everything is related to weight (as it is in my case) then you would be an excellent candidate for clearance right away. If you have a lot of past experiences that need working through, then getting counseling would be a great benefit to you. I just went through family counseling last year with my parents because of an issue with my sister and it was the best experience of my life (and all of our family). I know how disappointed you must be, but seeing a private practice counselor (a good one!) will speed you through to approval. You will get there!

[GraciesMom 0]

Hi Casey,

I am so sorry for your frustration and dismay, but I have got to say, hip hip hurray for whoever decided that you needed some more, shall we say... guidance. It was a a wise and well trained eye that saw for your precious well being that you should have more that what the "norm" ( what is that anywhooo???) is.

IMHO if more of us were forced to do more counseling pre and post surgery there probably would not be so many people thrown back to the depths of depression due to failure after surgery.

Please try and see this as your own personal weightloss journey where EVERYTHING you are to do is for you...allow yourself to be special enough to have all this just to make your journey the most perfect that it can be! Do NOT allow all those past ghosts you refer to, continue to take your happiness and joy. Just march into the therapist office, lay all those ghosts all at her/his feet, and LEAVE THEM THERE!!! Your new life is coming, and you will have some struggles perhaps due to the WLS, but for heavens sake, allow yourself some peace and happiness, and go with the recommendation, and enjoy your journey.

Keep us informed on your progress, I for one will be thinking about you.

Cheryl

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I am going to a behavioral therapist WITHOUT being required to. I can tell you that the band helps with physiologic hunger but it has a cost (like any good tool!) and that the biggest challenge for many of us is that old "brain", not the stomach. I personally think requiring people to do 6 months of therapy instead of a 6 month diet makes more sense. No, everyone does NOT need it. All obese people don't need the band. We aren't one size fits all; but if a person has issues that cause overeating and that are not hunger, then why not get help? As a quote I once saw reads: "If the problem isn't hunger, food won't fix it".

Try, if you can, to embrace this as a chance to get healthy, and give it all you've got.

Edited August 30, 2009 by RestlessMonkey

[kechianyree 0]

Casey I read some of your posts and not all but just wanted to respond to one thing you said... If you have ghosts then you should clear them up you can't go foward if you haven't dealt with your past, it's just impossible even if you think you can get past it.... make sure your mentally ready for this it's more then just a physical journey it's a mental battle as well you have to be ready to fight yourself (your toughest oponant) so take that advice for what it's worth it would be horriable to come this far and fail wouldn't it. I hope it all works out for you and don't be discouraged be determined.

[chocolate_snaps 3]

Its so worth the extra hassle. The real reason for being overweight, the flood of post surgery hormones, and the weird-invasion-of-the-body-snatchers feeling are definately worth a deep discussion with a psych prior to surgery (so is continuing therapy after surgery imhop). Trust me, that first step is a doozie.

Edited September 2, 2009 by chocolate_snaps

[Caseyb 0]

OMG, I never thought I would get this much support.. I went for my first appointment and it wasnt that bad, but she spent more time worrying about my boyfriends baby mama than what is going on with me. When I say ghosts I just mean, my childhood was not all that great. I was "adopted" by my best friends family and I still spend every holiday with them rather than my birth family. Anyway, so I have another appy tomorrow and I know it will be great. I have another discourageing test. I have to be tested for sleep Apnea and I have a fear of sleeping without my kids and my man. I dont like it. I hated being in the hospital with my Hysterectomy. but I was drugged and could sleep thru the fear. How are my kids gonna get to school if I am in the hospital. My man works outta town and leaves really early. Anyway, I just dont think this nurse really likes to apporve for surgery. Then to top if off I have to pay $200 for classes (which I can take online) before I can even get a surg date. If I have sleep apnea then I have to be on the machine for 2 weeks before the surgery.. what more must I endure before I can get this much needed WLS.

[losingit37 0]

It took me nearly 6 years to finally get a date. Trust me, it's worth it. Every moment of it . You'll get your date, and you'll come through it just fine.

I know how frustrating it is. Just be honest. Don't try to fake any answers and feel free to tell them how you really feel about all of it. They're paid to know if you're lying, and chances are if you lie they'll not clear you.

As for the other tests, trust me, you won't care after you get approved.

[cruzlady 0]

My Dr. requires a visit with a therapist .. It was a short one hour visit .. Just talking about life in general and what my expectations were after the surgery ..

I see the Dr. the 14th and hope to set date for surgery.

(BTW- I am a self pay patient)

[Caseyb 0]

I will have to see a counselor/therapist for as long as it takes for her to clear me. If it takes 10 visits then thats what it takes... That is not what frustrates me its now that I am getting the run around with the sleep test. I dont have sleep apnea but now I have to spend a night away from my family to get tested. But before I can get this test I have to have my PCP send a request, so I spend $40 to see him for a minute then spend another $40 to see the sleep consultant. I guess if it was easy it wouldnt be worth it...

[cruzlady 0]

Can't you just fax your PCP and ask him to forward the

approval.. i faxed my PCP and had them fax referral to the cardiologist I chose.. Saved me a $50 office visit .

[Rosetta L 0]

I'm new to this site but hopefully this can help as far as sleep test goes - my dr said you can have test done at home, they will bring machine, tell you how to hook up and then pick it up the next day. Good luck!