Dealing with a nutritionist
sweetteadrinker2
Posts: 1,026 Member
So my cardiologist really wants me to see a nutritionist(same office, very interconnected care) for my dysautonomia. This is a pro-lowcarb nutritionist, as that is what works for managing dysautonomia(cardiologist really pushes it). BUT I have been to see her once before, and she wanted to cut out pretty much everything from my diet. I couldn't have dairy, strawberries, broccoli, asparagus, pickles/cucumbers etc, meat of anykind, absolutely nothing processed, no mayo(even homemade), no eggs, no nuts seeds or legumes, no beans, etc. No oils either.
I am perfectly willing to cut foods out of my diet, except coffee/tea, as a college student you can pry that from my cold dead hands. And I've gone without those for a month before going bonkers.
My problem is this: I could not physically consume enough of any allowed food in any combination to get in more than 3-400 cals per day, and not from boredom, the smell of them made me ill starting at week 1.5. My fatigue was off the charts, I was so weak I couldn't get out of bed 4/5 mornings, I slept for 18 hours per day, I started shedding hair like crazy and I was very pale/almost gray. After a month and a half of this eating regimen my mom took me off of it so that I could actually consume food.
That was a year or so ago, my cardiologist wants me to go back to her. Despite my explaining to him that we did not get along and that her approach isn't viable for me. I know she's going to pull the same crap again. What are some phrases I could use that make it abundantly clear to her that what she is prescribing will not work for me without sounding like an entitled brat? I'm willing to try eliminating things, but I have to be able to eat enough food to function as well.
I think we all know here that everyone has to find what works for them, and that that can take time and has many approaches. N=1, afterall. But how do I convey that, without sounding like I think she's stupid?
Thanks for reading the long post, and any responses.
I am perfectly willing to cut foods out of my diet, except coffee/tea, as a college student you can pry that from my cold dead hands. And I've gone without those for a month before going bonkers.
My problem is this: I could not physically consume enough of any allowed food in any combination to get in more than 3-400 cals per day, and not from boredom, the smell of them made me ill starting at week 1.5. My fatigue was off the charts, I was so weak I couldn't get out of bed 4/5 mornings, I slept for 18 hours per day, I started shedding hair like crazy and I was very pale/almost gray. After a month and a half of this eating regimen my mom took me off of it so that I could actually consume food.
That was a year or so ago, my cardiologist wants me to go back to her. Despite my explaining to him that we did not get along and that her approach isn't viable for me. I know she's going to pull the same crap again. What are some phrases I could use that make it abundantly clear to her that what she is prescribing will not work for me without sounding like an entitled brat? I'm willing to try eliminating things, but I have to be able to eat enough food to function as well.
I think we all know here that everyone has to find what works for them, and that that can take time and has many approaches. N=1, afterall. But how do I convey that, without sounding like I think she's stupid?
Thanks for reading the long post, and any responses.
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What???! What on earth does she allow? That's pretty much every low carb food? !!!0
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Ask her to help you make a meal plan including enough variety that you don't undereat or get to where your choices make you ill, as you had issues with that last time around. She'll either realize you're repeating the same things all the time and need more variety or help you figure out how to make it work.0
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I would consider it a consultation. If you don't like her recommendations, just leave them. But I would want to know her reasoning behind all of her recommendations and discuss why it it may not work for you. Perhaps she would then be able to give you better suggestions that actually would work for you.0
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I remember starfruit being allowed(where in the world I was supposed to get it I don't know). And chicken broth, if homemade and including none of the chicken itself.
Eta: She told me to "tough out" the fatigue, and that I'd eat the only allowed foods if I ever wanted to get better0 -
No...never....tell him you were dying and a dead patient is never good for statistics. Seriously though he can make recomendations till the cows come home but you don't have to use who he suggests...find a second opinion.0
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And if you have to sound like a brat then do it.....threaten to leave his practice if he won't listen to reason.0
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I've never seen this before! Thanks for the laugh.0 -
sweetteadrinker2 wrote: »I remember starfruit being allowed(where in the world I was supposed to get it I don't know). And chicken broth, if homemade and including none of the chicken itself.
Eta: She told me to "tough out" the fatigue, and that I'd eat the only allowed foods if I ever wanted to get better
Nevermind. She does sound like a hack... or a fruitarian. LOL0 -
Of course you lost your hair!! NO oils is the worst advice I've ever heard… without some level of fat consumption the skin..largest organ of your body..is going to suffer.
this is like the most severe kidney diet I've read…many people are so miserable they CAN'T stick with it..life is not worth it. I am doubting this information are anywhere near rational for you.0 -
@sweetteadrinker2 Wait, please forgive me if I didn't get what you said. To summarize, you were on the restrictive diet, but that was a year ago. Right? If so, were you on low/carb or keto for the last year? If so, how is your condition since being on low carb/Keto? same, better, worse?
When you research your condition online, do you find other eating regimens? Is your doctor/nutritionist the only ones in your area....? Or can you find another?
Just wondering...
Dan the Man from Michigan
Keto / IF / Sedentary
100 pounds down, 24 to go.0 -
@sweetteadrinker2 Wait, please forgive me if I didn't get what you said. To summarize, you were on the restrictive diet, but that was a year ago. Right? If so, were you on low/carb or keto for the last year? If so, how is your condition since being on low carb/Keto? same, better, worse?
When you research your condition online, do you find other eating regimens? Is your doctor/nutritionist the only ones in your area....? Or can you find another?
Just wondering...
Dan the Man from Michigan
Keto / IF / Sedentary
100 pounds down, 24 to go.
I was no where near keto/lc a year ago. I stumbled into this on my own, then found out that the same nutritionist neglected to tell me I should be low carb(perhaps scared of me doing it better without her?), just super restricted my foods. I've been keto/lc for around 6-7 months and my condition is generally better, with some areas worse. But the worsened areas are probably related to lack of exercise due to an injury and hot weather.
My doctor and associated nutritionist are the leaders in the field of a very understudied condition, so pioneering the diet for it. However, it's related to other nervous system conditions so low carb is the way to go, generally speaking.0 -
Given the additional info, I would flat out tell the doctor, before you ever go to the nutritionist, that you cannot sustain the diet previously recommended for very long and do not want to go back to someone who told you to suck it up through fatigue so bad you couldn't leave bed and your hair falling out. I thought the first post was bad, but the sheesh. What are you supposed to live on?0
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Agree. And are you PAYING for this consultation? NO way! Remember doctors are only practicing. I'd be like, thank you for your advice - ignored. There has to be another low carb nutritionist. Tell doc you won't go to that one but if he finds you another low carb nutritionist you'd be happy to. Put the burden right back on DOC.0
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I'm working with a dietician I found online, who is familiar with both the AIP and keto diets. I paid out of pocket (rather than the hassle of going through insurance) but it was worth it.0
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I'd probably request a referral to an RD as opposed to a nutritionist and let your doctor know that you weren't happy with the last one and would like a new referral.0
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Agree. Remember they work for you (they are not paying you), and be aggressive in getting your healthcare right. It's often the squeaky wheel gets the oil. *cheerleader here*0
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I want to be sent to a nutritionist. I would film their reaction to my food logs for everyone here.
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[/quote] My doctor and associated nutritionist are the leaders in the field of a very understudied condition, so pioneering the diet for it. [/quote]
This is the phrase that I'd have a problem with. Are they more concerned about pioneering their diet for the condition, or about your overall health.
You endured it once and it didn't work for you, but keto has helped in some areas. Perhaps they can look at your daily logs and come up with an alternate plan. It might also help to keep a log of your symptoms in relation to what you've eaten perhaps that will help you/them pinpoint certain foods to cut out.
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Queenmunchy wrote: »I'd probably request a referral to an RD as opposed to a nutritionist and let your doctor know that you weren't happy with the last one and would like a new referral.
This keeps coming up. From what I understand, an RD can lose their license if they advocate low carb too loudly as it is not in line with the American Dietetic Association's guidelines.0 -
She must work for Big Pharma. Not meat or oil? How are you supposed to get essential fats for proper brain function? (Low fat diets are linked to clinical depression) Meat for iron and essential vitamins we cannot assimilate as effectively from any other source?
She say low carb but then bans fat and nearly all protein sources?
Sounds like a quack.0 -
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My doctor and associated nutritionist are the leaders in the field of a very understudied condition, so pioneering the diet for it. [/quote]
This is the phrase that I'd have a problem with. Are they more concerned about pioneering their diet for the condition, or about your overall health.
You endured it once and it didn't work for you, but keto has helped in some areas. Perhaps they can look at your daily logs and come up with an alternate plan. It might also help to keep a log of your symptoms in relation to what you've eaten perhaps that will help you/them pinpoint certain foods to cut out.
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I believe the doctor is more concerned about my overall health and happiness. The nutritionist I'm not sure about.
I have been doing this (bolded) since I started keto and have found no keto friendly food stuff that has caused problems. Which is part of why I think it's ridiculous to cut out things like broccoli and asparagus "because they're known problem foods" when they obviously aren't problems for me.
As for essentials like iron, supplements.
At this point I feel like my suspicions of her quackness have been confirmed. I guess I just have to be bitchy about "it's my body and I eat what I feel it needs, you're not allowed to remove more than 1 food(not group) from my diet"0 -
i had a doctor (pseudo nutritionist) tell me that I had to cut out all dairy, nightshades, soy, gluten, yada, yada, yada....come to find out, it was the Whole 30 regime. The doctor didn't tell me that. He made it sound like it was his diet. You eliminate almost all possible food enemies then add them in little by little. Check out Whole 30 and see if it's the same thing. It was really tough and I didnt make it the whole 30 days but it made sense. There's a book you can get but I found all the same information online-just not together neatly like the book. You can also find recipes and forums to help if that's what they recommend and it fits your needs. It's not low carb, it's lower carb and whole foods.0
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Queenmunchy wrote: »I'd probably request a referral to an RD as opposed to a nutritionist and let your doctor know that you weren't happy with the last one and would like a new referral.
This keeps coming up. From what I understand, an RD can lose their license if they advocate low carb too loudly as it is not in line with the American Dietetic Association's guidelines.
Really? Wow, I had no idea. I had an RD/MSN/LCSW who also did nutritional "talk" therapy for disordered eating and/or food issues. I guess she has several licenses to fall back on lol, but that was the only experience I had.0 -
I agree with everyone above. You need to be your own advocate as I truly believe doctors are more into pharm than making someone better. (personal experience talking) Don't worry about being nasty to the nutritionist or doctor for that matter. You have your best interest at heart, do they?? I applaud you for keeping such a detailed journal and understanding and knowing what has/has not been working for you. I'd find another NUT or as a few others suggested a RD.0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXIdcA6mlV4
