Would therapy have been useful pre and post op?

[yorkiegal]

Just wondering after reading the thread on emotional eating, and also reading about how many people get depressed after surgery. Did any of you have therapy NHS or private, specifically to help get your head ready for the surgery and to help you manage the new restricted diet afterwards?
If so did it help?
If not, do you think you should have had some therapy?

 

[heatherlynn68]

I would love to go to therapy but did not see anyone before my op but have asked my GP recently if there was any type of therapy available on the NHS and they referred me to Options which you only get one - one hour meeting so I did not bother to go. I need to talk to someone for longer than an hour to find out why I have issues with food.

 

[yorkiegal]

yes an hour is no good at all is it? I can't afford to go private for surgery but I think I could just about afford seeing a private therapist a couple of times a month, so if I do get my funding I plan to do that. Just need to find one with experience in eating disorders.

 

[Twiggie]

yes an hour is no good at all is it? I can't afford to go private for surgery but I think I could just about afford seeing a private therapist a couple of times a month, so if I do get my funding I plan to do that. Just need to find one with experience in eating disorders.

You'll be assessed by a psychiatrist specialising in ED's as part of the process if they think it necessary. I'm sure you could even request it if they don't mention during initial assessments. On the otherhand, am I right in thinking you're currently under a CMHT? Could you perhaps ask if there's somebody you could speak to about it within your team?

 

[yorkiegal]

no i'm not under the cmht. i have access to the local mental health line for life, and see my gp every two months. My pdoc signed me off over a year ago. They like people with borderline pd to look after themselves and not get too reliant on the services I think.

 

[Twiggie]

no i'm not under the cmht. i have access to the local mental health line for life, and see my gp every two months. My pdoc signed me off over a year ago. They like people with borderline pd to look after themselves and not get too reliant on the services I think.

Hehe tell me about it! I've been left to my own devices for almost 3 years now. I saw the psych a year ago to [STRIKE]beg[/STRIKE] ask for some new meds to help stabilise my moods. I'd been [STRIKE]begging[/STRIKE] asking for 3 years until he finally gave in. Been so much better since starting on these meds... if only he'd listened to me before <sigh> ....but when you have the BPD label they don't give a damn about you

 

[fatbutnot4eva]

I too was assessed by a pyschological doctor and the meeting lasted around 30 minutes and they discussed my childhood, parents siblings, husband how i felt about my body etc... had me in tears twice but thats it and in all honesty I went because I had to, I dont think I would have gone if it was an option however becuase i am post op I look back and think maybe they should focus more on our emotions rather than our eating.
Helen
x

 

[tiarasandtantrums]

I've been having regular weekly therapy sessions for the last three years. It's not cheap, but I've found it essential. I started because I had an extremely bad time during my mum's illness and her subsequent death.

My therapist and I have built up a tremendous relationship and she is extremely supportive regarding my weight surgery decisions. It also helps that she has lost over twenty stones herself! xx

 

[samsmum]

Yes I think they would. I have only learnt how to deal with my problems because I had councelling years ago and have applied the same type of approach if you know what I mean.