Question:
Getting a second psychological opinion - how will it affect approval?
I just got back from my psych evaluation. This doctor took me in for the appointment knowing full well why I need the approval and proceeded to tell me he was biased against the surgery due to his personal beliefs, which include his belief that the stomach houses the center of your preconsciousness and cutting into it puts your soul in danger. I'm not one to knock anyone's personal beliefs, but the man is refusing to give the go ahead letter based on his own bias, even though he admitted to me that he finds me intelligent, capable and competant. Now what? Everything else has gone along without a hitch. — Laura D. (posted on August 6, 2001)
August 6, 2001
I would RUN, not walk, to another psychiatrist/psychologist for the
recommendation. Has this clown (excuse me, but I refuse to consider someone
who would be so unprofessional a doctor) already written a letter refusing
to approve you? If not, it shouldn't make any difference if you go to
someone else. If he has, you have a right to know what he has given as his
reason for not approving you. If he gives his true reason, no surgeon in
his right mind would take his opinion over that of another, competent
psychiatrist. You may want to ask the surgeon's office for a referral to a
WLS friendly psych. Good luck. Maria
— Maria H.
August 7, 2001
Call the doctor back, tell him that you do not need his recommendation and
that you would appreciate his not contacting your surgeon to divulged the
information you discussed with him in confidence. If he does, I would call
the medical board and bring a charge on him for ethics. Then If it were me,
I would contact a psychiatrist (since they are medical doctors) and tell
them flat out on the phone you need an evaluation for WLS, and would they
will willing to give an objective opinion. What I have done with my other
doctors is to request that they give me their letter of recommendation and
I would deliver it to my surgeon. My surgeon didn't seem to have a problem
with that, and I got 5 doctors to recommend it, and I delivered everyone of
those letters to my surgeon. Just be upfront and cut to the chase. If you
get all that out of the way on the phone, then it will save you a lot of
time and money.
— K T.
August 14, 2001
Thanks to you both for your support. I have met with a new psychiatrist,
had a wonderful session and have MMPI testing tomorrow. Within a week I
will have my packet complete and in my surgeon's hands. I'm so excited -
thanks for helping me get over that terrible gap in the path.
— Laura D.
August 14, 2001
My first phyc recommended I seek counceling before he could approve the
surgery so I found another phyc that was wls friendly and understood that
everyone who is 100+lbs overweight has some level of depression! It did
not effect my insurance approvel since they approved me before phyc did!!!
Good luck..you'll be fine!
— shirley J.
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