And so it did...... so it did. Now you have rendered help to those who wonder "what is this all about?"

Good job,
Mark56

Had my eval in May. Was wor'ried like you too. Dr. Sent me to a psych who does this type of eval all the time. Make sue they have done this type of eval before. My friend went for an eval and the psychologist didn't know what an scs was!!
The questionnaire took about 15-20 minutes. She asked me what my pain issues were, how the affected my life and what the scs is and what I expected the outcome to be. Very easy over all. I made sure she understood my pain levels and how my life was effected. Then she asked what my expectations were. Sounds like there are many versions of the eval. Be honest and they will understand where you are in life and how you understand the scs and how it might help you.

Good Luck
Sandy Kay

Thanks so much Saffy! Posting the questions was so helpful and it was so nice of you to take the time to do so!

And thank you too, Sandy Kay! Sharing your experience also gives me a better idea of what this is all about.

But that story about your friend...imagine talking to a professional who didn't have a clue...

SO........ imagine this as well, in my Social Security hearing, the government calls its pre-arranged expert witness. Apparently an old sound of flatulence [It's a four letter word] he was. He gave all of his considerable studied and thoroughly practiced shuck and jive to the matter at hand, opining first that I fit this category and that category through all of the lengthy list of criteria which must be met to be one adjudged disabled so as to receive benefits.

After answering to the judge that I fit all of the criteria, his studiously paused appraisal applied to his final opinion whether I was one who should receive benefits was NO. The judge paused, visibly shaken by the weird testimony. My counsel then voir dired the witness as to his credentials and all of the criteria once again, receiving the selfsame answers. Nevertheless when inquired as to his professional opinion whether I should see benefits, the answer remained NO. The following query produced an answer whether my counsel was incapable of hearing. Next, the professional produced an answer to the effect his opinion had no foundation but it was his opinion. Lastly, he liberally spread icing all over his ludicrous answers with his denial that he had ever treated a patient with the history of surgeries I had endured, that he had never treated a patient who had any spinal cord stimulation surgery, that his experience included not one whit of the conduct necessary to opine whether I fit among those who should receive benefits despite his affirmative answers to all of the questions leading up to the final opinion.

That said, Mr. "Expert" [I decline to refer to him by the professional accolade of any other physician] was dismissed and dissappeared. We all sat in the hearing room silent for a bit as we digested the "opinion" we had heard. Why do I share this, to demonstrate there are those among the educated elite who will offer opinions which make no sense at all...... none [that too is a four letter word]. Did I ultimately receive the award? Yes, thanks to a judge who was very well educated and able to read the well drafted brief supporting our position.

Sometimes, in the pursuit of justice..... all I can offer is a wry smile,
Mark56

I have been in constant pain just as all of you. My P.M. has discussed a P.P. And S.C.S with me so I made the decision to try both and then pick one. Now he says I have to have a psych eval, I tell him I am already in therapy, I see a psychiatrist and a psychologist on a biweekly basis. My question for the group is I have already been diagnosed with mental illness, does that mean or automatically disqualify me from this procedure. Plus honestly having another piece of metal in my body does scare me a bit but if it helps get me off or lower the doses of my oral meds I say, "sign me up!!"