Pre-Op Counseling: Should It Be Mandatory?

[PhotoNut]

I've heard so many people say that they were completely blindsided by the emotional aspects of having weight loss surgery.

Sure, we were able to pass a psychological test and we attended an informative meeting that talked about the medical aspects of the surgery, and yes we heard the words "it's just a tool", but many have found that there is far more to this journey than numbers on a scale.

Many of us find that our love of eating extends beyond the social enjoyment. Others find that there really was more to their obesity problem than change in their lifestyle.

A small percentage of bandsters actually do just need the boost of WLS and find it easy to get their heads in the game and reach their goals in record time, but the majority struggle with psychological issues such as addiction, fear of being thin, and eating disorders.

In my opinion, people would benefit far more from six months of counseling than they do from a six month supervised diet.

I'd love to hear your opinions on this topic.

NOTE: Though this topic could be in the Doing the Headwork Forum, I decided to place it here in hopes that the discussion might help those considering or preparing for surgery.

[brelee85]

I couldn't agree more! My surgery is next week. I'm doing my 2 week pre op diet now.....I'm realizing how unhealthy my relationship with food has been. I find myself crying because I want to eat.... Its really making me question myself. I know I'm going through with the surgery...there's no doubt. But its going to be much more then a physical change. Gotta get my mind right...

[Neal R.]

I was in the small minority that did okay without it. But having been around the block a few times, I certainly see the benfits if what your saying. i honestly think the 6 months supervised diet is a waste of time and a time stall for the insurance companies. But, I can see where 6 months of counceling would be very benefitial.

[savannah smiles]

I was in the small minority that did okay without it. But having been around the block a few times, I certainly see the benfits if what your saying. i honestly think the 6 months supervised diet is a waste of time and a time stall for the insurance companies. But, I can see where 6 months of counceling would be very benefitial.

I agree that it would likely be more useful to do 6 months of therapy vs. 6 months of a diet. Most of use have done diets up the wazoo, heck most of us are probably expert dieters, so I don't think it's a good use of time. Getting to the why's of our eating would have more long-term impact.

[THETwinkles]

I'm completely on the boat of get rid of the 6 month supervised diet and let's do the 6 month supervised counseling. However, I think the counseling should happen after being banded, maybe 1-2 months before, then 4-5 months AFTER.

I had an INCREDIBLY difficult time, emotionally, the first 3 months after being banded. I went to my OBGYN thinking I was a completely insane mental basket case. I was put on liquid Zoloft for a few months until I felt I could control myself better. PMS turned into some crazy insane PMDD and my poor husband didn't have the slightest clue on how to deal with me, hell, I didn't have any idea on how to handle myself. I was able to take myself off the Zoloft in November and have been a happy little camper ever since. I was so not prepared for the emotional toll all this took on me.

Not sure if anybody has every heard of this, but my Gyno told me that estrogen can be stored in fat. So when we are overweight, our body is producing a lot more estrogen and it is stored in our fat cells. When we lose mass amounts of weight like we do, our bodies have yet to get that memo so our estrogen production is still up but since there isn't as much fat as before, our bodies are flooded with all the extra estrogen therefore making us pretty damn crazy (lol, how I love my Dr.). He said it would take a few months for my body to realize that the extra estrogen production wasn't needed, he was right I think because I've been find since about 4-5 months out of surgery.

I also was losing very quickly, at 2 months, I had lost about 45 pounds. 3 months, about 55 pounds; 4 months, about 65 pounds. I think those first couple months, my body was in a serious state of shock and quite frankly didn't know my head from my ass. After I leveled out and was consistently losing 10 lbs a month or so, that's when mentally, I leveled out as well.

Wow, what a journey this has been. :D

[LAPBANDJERSEYGIRL]

Sue, I also agree that it should be 6 months of counseling and not supervised diet. I'M doing ok with not cheating. But I do feel like I lost a best friend(food). Food was always there for me in happy times, sad times and stressed times. It numbed me. So now having to really feel all these feelings is a little overwhelming. But I have to give myself a pat on the pack cause it's been almost 5 weeks and I haven't turned to food (not saying I didn't want to). I just keep reminding myself this is the year for me(I decided that when I went ahead with the surgery, my boys are grown and my hubby can handle himself). POSITIVE THOUGHTS!!!!! POSITIVE THOUGHTS!!!!! That's all I keep saying.

[MommaStone]

I agree that it would likely be more useful to do 6 months of therapy vs. 6 months of a diet. Most of use have done diets up the wazoo, heck most of us are probably expert dieters, so I don't think it's a good use of time. Getting to the why's of our eating would have more long-term impact.

So Susan, maybe this could be a discussion item at the SF conference, to somehow get as a suggestion to insurance industry?

[PhotoNut]

So Susan, maybe this could be a discussion item at the SF conference, to somehow get as a suggestion to insurance industry?
Great minds think alike, Deb. :thumb:

[MoOrLess]

I agree completely -- forget the pre-diets -- that IS the problem with our world, the word DIET just doesn't work - if it did we wouldn't need weight loss surgery!!!

I had to attend 2 nutritionist meetings - another ONE meeting with a separate nutritionist, and offered support group meetings. None of it cut it when it came to actually LIVING with a lap band.

I agree 100% -- we need nutritionists and head-work mandatory appts prior to band surgery AND for the first YEAR after banding. So much changes as we re-learn how to eat and what to eat and how it all affects us physically and emotionally.

I bet that if I had this type of help for my first year I NEVER would have ended up too tightly adjusted for almost two years and would be near goal. Instead, I am battling and re-learning a lot in my 4th year.

[THETwinkles]

I agree completely -- forget the pre-diets -- that IS the problem with our world, the word DIET just doesn't work - if it did we wouldn't need weight loss surgery!!!

Seriously!!! I stopped using that hated D word a few years ago. To me, that D word means I'm going without something. When you go without something, the only thing you think of is what you are going without until you finally just SNAP, then, boom, it all goes down hill, yet again. Those 20 pounds we lost then become a 30 pound GAIN.

If you go into this thinking you are D&*%*NG (lol), I think subconsciously you are setting yourself up for failure. YOU CAN'T DO THIS. You are not going to be (enter blasphemous word here), you are CHANGING YOUR LIFE. The D word is temporary, life changes are not.

Have I said how much I LOVE this forum, lol.

[MommaStone]

I agree, I don't think of the way I eat now as dieting but simply as the way I eat............sounds so simple but I can't describe the mental difference it makes.