Why have a pre-bariatric surgery psychiatric evaluation?
- Your insurance requires it.
- Your surgeon requires it.
- To learn more about your own unique triggers and challenges to eating, reasons for your habits, barriers that prevent you from staying on track and come up with the best plan to help get you on your way for post-surgical success.
- You want to discuss the impact (psychological, behavioral, relationship, etc.) that surgery may have on you.
- To have an ally on your side to better prepare you for surgery.
What does a pre-bariatric surgery psychiatric evaluation entail?
- Your eating habits. We understand that you may not have the healthiest habits. We will not judge you. Many people have unhealthy eating habits and this is NOT a reason to deny someone surgery! We will discuss these habits with you so that she can make recommendations for a more successful transition into your new lifestyle.
- Your mood and emotional stability and psychological history. It is normal for people to have ups and downs at times as well as normal bouts of sadness or anxiety. This is not a reason to deny someone surgery!
- Your understanding of the weight loss surgery procedure, any risks involved, and the necessary long-term behavioral changes that you will have to make so that you are most prepared for success. Having surgery is serious – we just want to make sure that you have done your homework, are prepared for surgery, and understand what to expect!
The evaluation is not a pass or fail test. It is more of a discussion to help you identify potential problems that might lead to difficulty after surgery. Since many obese individuals may suffer from depression, anxiety, binge eating, and other problems, these are typically NOT reasons to delay or deny surgery. If there is anything that concerns us, we will share it with you during the visit and we will work with you to develop a plan to better prepare you to have surgery. The majority of patients that we evaluate are ready to have surgery. Those who may need treatment prior to surgery will be given specific recommendations and referrals. Ultimately, your surgeon will make a decision as to whether he or she will proceed with the surgery – not the psychiatrist.
How long will the pre-bariatric surgery evaluation take?
- Meeting with us will take about 30-45 minutes.
What happens after the pre-bariatric surgery evaluation?
- After the evaluation, we will prepare a report and send it directly to your surgeon. Our policy is to guarantee that your surgeon will have the report within 7 days of your evaluation date or before.
