Treating the mind first?
I agree with the majority of what you said. A lot of us do have food issues that need to be dealt with. I am a revision and did a lot of self exploration regarding why my first surgery didn't work. I think it was partly because the lapband sucks but I also think it had to do with me thinking the WLS would do the work for me.
Although I agree that therapy would be beneficial pre and post op but I worry that people would not be able to be totally open if they fear doing so would affect their chances of getting surgery. Perhaps keeping the therapy separate is the best option. I don't know.
Although I agree that therapy would be beneficial pre and post op but I worry that people would not be able to be totally open if they fear doing so would affect their chances of getting surgery. Perhaps keeping the therapy separate is the best option. I don't know.
HW: 365, SW (August 11, 2012): 351
I think that any person who was unwilling to agree to some kind of pre op treatment prior to surgery would probably be a poor candidate for surgery anyway. There are a lot of things that you have to do after surgery in order to be healthy and successful and if they aren't able to comply prior to surgery then the chances are they won't be much better afterwards.
WLS 10/28/2002 Revision 7/23/2010
High Weight (2002) 240 Revision Weight (2010) 220 Current Weight 115.
6 therapy visits would/could help but really... this is a lifetime battle. The "head stuff" is the hardest and most important component to WLS and it doesn't end. The day after you reach that magic goal weight # on the scale... no balloons fall from the sky it's just more of the same... rinse, lather, repeat, FOREVER. Life will happen. It could be a family party or a trauma or just a frustrating day with kids or work or.... something will come up that will send you seeking your old frienemy food.
So IMHO we'll always be a work in progress (this is not a bad thing) and we need to take each day one day at a time with support (friends, family, forums, support groups, therapists, medication whatever YOU need), try to figure out our "stuff" and the why's of why we became obese and work on it. Some days we'll succeed (healthy choices, moving the body, being kind to ourselves in body & mind, knowing our triggers and avoiding them, slaying old demons, etc.) some days the enemy will get the upper hand... we've got to just keep moving forward.
Just my 2.5 cents ;) (inflation)
~Michelle "Shelly"
So IMHO we'll always be a work in progress (this is not a bad thing) and we need to take each day one day at a time with support (friends, family, forums, support groups, therapists, medication whatever YOU need), try to figure out our "stuff" and the why's of why we became obese and work on it. Some days we'll succeed (healthy choices, moving the body, being kind to ourselves in body & mind, knowing our triggers and avoiding them, slaying old demons, etc.) some days the enemy will get the upper hand... we've got to just keep moving forward.
Just my 2.5 cents ;) (inflation)
~Michelle "Shelly"
bigbadjon
on 8/31/12 2:59 pm - OH
on 8/31/12 2:59 pm - OH
Thank you for bringing this up. First, to answer your question... I think a comprehensive psych eval should be one of the first things to occur when a patient expresses the desire for WLS. I do not agree, however, that counseling be mandated in order for insurance approval - not everyone needs it.
I was looking for this exact topic on the forum because I dropped out of one program due to my emotional issues; and am now seriously considering getting back into another program. My greatest fear is that I will have surgery, but will not lose or will gain back my weight. I've lost before on diets. Seven years ago, I lost 200 pounds on a dr. supervised diet. I have since gained back 250 lbs. It isn't the diet itself that scares me. It is the fact that I suffer from clinical depression; and often use/abuse food as a coping mechanism. The first time I entered a WLS program, my NUT and I talked about my emotional eating. She questioned how I was going to be able to change that after WLS. At the time, I answered that I hoped the WLS itself would force a lifestyle change. I didn't believe my answer at the time. The NUT's frank questioning scared me to the point of dropping out. I knew that I did not have my head straight. I could see myself falling into a deep depression and drinking a bottle of Karo syrup.
So, now once again, I'm scared that I could have WLS because I feel desperate. But I'm not prepared to deal with the emotional issues I've had my entire life. I do believe I will require myself to go through extensive counseling prior to entering a program.
I was looking for this exact topic on the forum because I dropped out of one program due to my emotional issues; and am now seriously considering getting back into another program. My greatest fear is that I will have surgery, but will not lose or will gain back my weight. I've lost before on diets. Seven years ago, I lost 200 pounds on a dr. supervised diet. I have since gained back 250 lbs. It isn't the diet itself that scares me. It is the fact that I suffer from clinical depression; and often use/abuse food as a coping mechanism. The first time I entered a WLS program, my NUT and I talked about my emotional eating. She questioned how I was going to be able to change that after WLS. At the time, I answered that I hoped the WLS itself would force a lifestyle change. I didn't believe my answer at the time. The NUT's frank questioning scared me to the point of dropping out. I knew that I did not have my head straight. I could see myself falling into a deep depression and drinking a bottle of Karo syrup.
So, now once again, I'm scared that I could have WLS because I feel desperate. But I'm not prepared to deal with the emotional issues I've had my entire life. I do believe I will require myself to go through extensive counseling prior to entering a program.
On August 31, 2012 at 2:59 PM Pacific Time, bigbadjon wrote:
Thank you for bringing this up. First, to answer your question... I think a comprehensive psych eval should be one of the first things to occur when a patient expresses the desire for WLS. I do not agree, however, that counseling be mandated in order for insurance approval - not everyone needs it.I was looking for this exact topic on the forum because I dropped out of one program due to my emotional issues; and am now seriously considering getting back into another program. My greatest fear is that I will have surgery, but will not lose or will gain back my weight. I've lost before on diets. Seven years ago, I lost 200 pounds on a dr. supervised diet. I have since gained back 250 lbs. It isn't the diet itself that scares me. It is the fact that I suffer from clinical depression; and often use/abuse food as a coping mechanism. The first time I entered a WLS program, my NUT and I talked about my emotional eating. She questioned how I was going to be able to change that after WLS. At the time, I answered that I hoped the WLS itself would force a lifestyle change. I didn't believe my answer at the time. The NUT's frank questioning scared me to the point of dropping out. I knew that I did not have my head straight. I could see myself falling into a deep depression and drinking a bottle of Karo syrup.
So, now once again, I'm scared that I could have WLS because I feel desperate. But I'm not prepared to deal with the emotional issues I've had my entire life. I do believe I will require myself to go through extensive counseling prior to entering a program.
I strongly urge you to read this thread---I think you'll find a lot of good info there.
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