You’ve been contemplating weight loss surgery for some time.

You’ve talked to your primary care physician who believes you’d benefit greatly from the procedure. So you check out several websites and learn everything you can about the gastric sleeve.

 

Then you make an appointment with a local weight loss surgeon.

He goes over all your options and discusses time lines and food phases. Then says something that has you reconsidering your decision. Before you are approved for surgery, you must first meet with the psychologist.

 

What? A psychologist? Are they kidding?

 

Sadly, NO!

 

In fact, in most American weight loss surgery centers, you can’t opt out of a psychological evaluation. They are deemed medically necessary.

 

So, why must you have a psychological evaluation, what’s the honest to goodness real answer?

 

Well, according to various studies there are psychosocial factors that have the potential to affect your long term success. Some of those factors include lifestyle regimens and your overall weight loss outcome. The physicians want to be sure you are prepared for the life altering changes that you are about to take on.

 

However, these psychological evaluations are limited to within the United States. Other countries, such as Europe, don’t require them.

 

And, it’s not something we require of you if you choose to come to us.

 

I mean seriously, you’ve spent countless hours reading everything you could about the gastric sleeve procedure. You’ve done your homework. You’ve asked questions. You’ve watched hundreds of videos. You know what you want.

 

The question should be, “are you mentally ready” to be thinner and healthier?

 

You say, “YES”!

 

Yet, what if the American doctors don’t like your answer, what if they prevent you from getting the very thing that will improve your health? Can they do that?

 

Ultimately, if you want to have surgery with those doctors, then yes, they can prevent you from undergoing the very surgery you need to be thin and healthy.

 

You make decisions all day long without consulting a psychologist. Yet, the moment you decide you want to be healthy and rid yourself of the extra weight and weight related illnesses your mental thinking is put under the microscope.

 

One of the aspects that’s mentioned in these various studies is a “social support”. The doctors who prescribed a psychological evaluation want to know if you have a support system. Friends you can count on, family members to give encouragement and groups you can visit to keep on track with your goals.

 

My patients can attest to the support we give you before, during and after surgery. We treat you like family. And we encourage you to ask questions, to call, to email and to even send us videos.

 

I have never once (out of almost 11,000 patients) had someone say, “you know I should have had that psychological evaluation prior to surgery.” The patients who come to Endobariatric know exactly why they’re having surgery with us, how it’s going to work for them, and where to go to ask questions if the need arises. And they know they will get a support system to help on their weight loss journey.

 

If you’d like to learn more about Endobariatric and how we help our clients become thinner and healthier, then I invite you to visit our website. While there check out the hundreds of before and after pictures, the awesome testimonial videos and read more of our blogs. I would also encourage you to follow us on our various social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube) and if you Snapchat, you can connect directly with me (Dr Alvarez) by entering: gmoalvarez in the Add Friends section under Username.

 

For even more information, you can visit us at ObestityHelp.com and read over our profile and what over 800 patients have said about us.

 

Saving Lives…One Sleeve At At Time.