[Rachael]

A e-mailed a friend of mine who is a doctor. Okay, so she is an associate professor, adolescent medicine section in the department of pediatrics, but she is still a doctor!!

She is someone I trust completely and is a very good friend so I thought I'd ask her about WLS. Here is her response:

Hi- I think it would be a good idea but needs to be gone into mindfully
and with plenty of psychotherapy behind that- there is a higher incidence
of depression in those who get the bypass with weight loss- but I think
it is because therapy is usually not part of the process unless you are
in a study like the LATS study at the u- have you looked at that site?

I can't find the study she is talking about anywhere, so I'll have to call her back. I don't know exactly what this study is supposed to be, but I assured here that I am receiving therapy (well, it isn't given to me like a gift, I do pay for it LOL) and that because of the way my insurance is set up for this, it IS a part of the process.

Seems her only concern is psychological rather than physical.

[MsVickie]

I can understand that. I posted earlier this week about my PCP thinking im suffering from Post Tramatic Stress Disorder from the complication I had following my inital surgery. She totally understood this part. My surgeon .....bless his heart has went above and beyond the call of duty with me. However there is no ......like debriefing that goes afterwards. Im ok with how my body is changing. That dont bother me. Its what happened to me while in the hosptial. That is why I think that a pre pysch eval is needed and mabye even follow up appoitments.

Dont it feel good to have other Drs agree with your decison. My GYN, Orthopedist, PCP and the Dr I worked for were all behind me. Makes you feel so good.

[not quite Barbie]

I had talked to my PCP over a year ago about WLS and he just said he didn't recommend it. Then this year, when I was finally ready and determined to get the surgery I had to ask him again for the recommendation and was expecting a fight. I was so surprised when he quickly agreed! He said the reason he didn't recommend it a year ago was because the bariatric surgery center didn't have a great reputation for follow up and that was his only concern - that they wouldn't take good care of me! Not because he didn't think I should have the surgery. I love my PCP.