Yet another rant about physicians!

13

Replies

  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Sand55mfp wrote: »
    I live in Italy, and if you ever been here (especially in the southern part), obesity is striving like in America, it's an epidemic that is going worst and worst every year, most of them follow a "healthy" Mediterranean diet and some don't, but the only point I was making about oils and refined fat, in general, they're unhealthy because of the nutritional value and because it's literally a waste of calories, you can say that they're good but this doesn't change anything.

    I would not consider the "traditional Med diet" that I was discussing "what people in Italy eat today," obviously Italy has a lot in common with other western countries. I was talking about more a specific diet (and I would agree Med diet is kind of a dumb and overused term). Anyway, it's outlined in Diet Cults, among other books (the point in that book being to show the broad range of macros that exist in healthy, traditional diets). It had a relatively high fat percentage and the bulk of the fat was from olive oil, although obvious some is from olives, nuts and seeds, fatty fish. Certainly people did not avoid olive, though, in many cultures with little obesity.
    the only way to know how much you're eating each is to use cronometer which is way more complete than mfp in this regards.

    I do use cronometer from time to time. Again, your assumptions are offbase. (I also don't worry about sources of omega 6. One reason I eat a decent amount of fatty fish is omega 3, however.)
    The real problem w calories restricting for a really long term (+8 weeks) is that you're going to be deficient in some nutrients. You can supplement but, studies have shown that supplementing most of the time it's not effective or even worst.

    You won't be if you choose a sensible diet and don't over-restrict. (And it sounds like OP is fine on both.)
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I'm amazed the doctor would disregard the weight loss. o.o In any case, he sounds like he is allowing personal bias to affect his role as a doctor. As long as your nutritional needs are being met, calorie counting is definitely the way to go. Exercise *is* important for overall health, but if your weight is currently interfering with your ability to exercise than simply counting calories will suffice until you're able to do more.

    I agree with this. When I had well over 100 lb to lose, my doctor was cheering me on when I'd lost 5 pounds at the very start. He actually told me a nice goal for that calendar year would be a 30 lb loss. That was the right kind of encouragement for me, personally, and I think it would serve a lot of people better than some of these other attitudes.

    I've also found many people in the health field have not studied nutrition very much at all, or have some black & white ideas about it that are pretty limiting. For example, my friend lost about 60 lb and her doctor told her that was great but she could expect to gain it all back in a year or two. She's kept it off for ten years. If that was my doctor I would have switched.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    If you don't like your physician why not switch to another?
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    Doctors are interesting. Hubby's told him he could eat all the organic meats and veggies he wanted, no need to count calories and he would lose weight....not working so well thus far. I took calorie and macro counting and IF/OMAD upon myself, received great praise from my doctor for losing weight and then told her how I'd done it. She'd never heard of IF/OMAD, but was interested in learning about it. My GP, OB, Neuro were all supportive of CICO methods.
  • MsMaeFlowers
    MsMaeFlowers Posts: 261 Member
    After reading this entire thread, I now want smoked salmon. Thanks a lot guys :smiley:

    OP - I would either stop discussing weight with your doc entirely, or find a new one that supports your healthy goals.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    charris151 wrote: »
    I am a nurse practitioner. Some of the comments on this thread made me smile. I can honestly say I DO listen to my patients and not only do I recommend tools such as myfitnesspal, I refer my patients to a dietitian if, at any point, I feel unable to provide sound advice. Health should be a team approach and I am not afraid to reach out at any time. :)

    It's sad to witness what is happening to physicians as a profession, but I love seeing the increased respect and responsibility passed onto PAs, NPs, and the entire medical support staff. Much more holistic in approach and much more effective.

    Bravo Zulu!
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    tomteboda wrote: »
    If you don't like your physician why not switch to another?

    Sometimes that's much easier said than done, particularly if you live in a rural area or have a restrictive health insurance plan, or face significant health challenges.

    You can complain about it or do something about it.

    What would you suggest, given the previous limitations?
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
    tomteboda wrote: »
    If you don't like your physician why not switch to another?

    Sometimes that's much easier said than done, particularly if you live in a rural area or have a restrictive health insurance plan, or face significant health challenges.

    You can complain about it or do something about it.

    What, exactly do you suggest, if you live in a place with very few physicians, your health insurance won't cover any out of your county, and no one within a 3 hour drive is taking new patients anyway, and certainly not ones with your health issues nm
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    tomteboda wrote: »
    This is actually really personal to me because my mom has endured amazing amounts of terrible care as a handicapped individual, and finding physicians for her has always been very difficult because her medical conditions are very unusual. This bad care has compounded a bad situation over many years and led to her being in much worse health today than she would've been.

    For example, she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a child, but because her parents were farmers, they decided not to treat her diabetes because he while family would lose health and life insurance. She tried to get treated as an adult but it took nearly 20 years to convince a doctor that she had diabetes that needed insulin as doctor after doctor at clinic after clinic insisted she had to be type 2 and gave her pills that did nothing. So here she is at 61 with diabetic neuropathy in her feet and hands and legs and arms, unable to stand because of charcot fractures, suffering with 20% kidney function and a heart that's enlarged to 4 times its normal size, and nearly blind from diabetic retinopathy; all conditions that can be prevented with good blood sugar management, something that she was actively blocked from getting first by her parents (and their stupid doctor who approved starving her as an alternative to insulin treatment) and then by multiple physicians in three states and over 9 different health care systems.

    We moved several times, and pursued health care in different places, and each doctor would ignore her medical records and start over with their own assumptions. She had to go through testing for Lupus at every single physician, doctors in the same clinics wouldn't even acknowledging each other's diagnosis. They even wrote hypochondriac in her chart after she developed Cushings Disease rather than recognizing this new medical problem.

    Honestly, most people have no clue how hard getting good medical care can be if anything unusual is going on at all. "complain or do something about it" is such an ignorant comment.


    Thanks, you articulated much better than I could why "move" isn't necessarily a good or viable option since with edge/corner cases can be made much worse with a new doctor than with a poor doctor.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    tomteboda wrote: »
    This is actually really personal to me because my mom has endured amazing amounts of terrible care as a handicapped individual, and finding physicians for her has always been very difficult because her medical conditions are very unusual. This bad care has compounded a bad situation over many years and led to her being in much worse health today than she would've been.

    For example, she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a child, but because her parents were farmers, they decided not to treat her diabetes because he while family would lose health and life insurance. She tried to get treated as an adult but it took nearly 20 years to convince a doctor that she had diabetes that needed insulin as doctor after doctor at clinic after clinic insisted she had to be type 2 and gave her pills that did nothing. So here she is at 61 with diabetic neuropathy in her feet and hands and legs and arms, unable to stand because of charcot fractures, suffering with 20% kidney function and a heart that's enlarged to 4 times its normal size, and nearly blind from diabetic retinopathy; all conditions that can be prevented with good blood sugar management, something that she was actively blocked from getting first by her parents (and their stupid doctor who approved starving her as an alternative to insulin treatment) and then by multiple physicians in three states and over 9 different health care systems.

    We moved several times, and pursued health care in different places, and each doctor would ignore her medical records and start over with their own assumptions. She had to go through testing for Lupus at every single physician, doctors in the same clinics wouldn't even acknowledging each other's diagnosis. They even wrote hypochondriac in her chart after she developed Cushings Disease rather than recognizing this new medical problem.

    Honestly, most people have no clue how hard getting good medical care can be if anything unusual is going on at all. "complain or do something about it" is such an ignorant comment.

    Oh it can definitely be hard, but that is not a reason not to try. I have a young family member who was born with rare medical conditions. So rare he's been written up in medical journals more than once and some elements of his disease are still not diagnosed. We have talked with congressional representatives, our governor, news agencies, etc. We have petitioned CMS/DHHR on numerous occasions. We have been to court over medical care. We live in a very rural area on a farm. We did what we needed to do. We did not take "this is all we can do" for an answer.

    Of course, this doesn't seem to be anything the OP needs to do unless there is much more to the story than was provided.
  • kwaasen
    kwaasen Posts: 11 Member
    What is an APRN/ACNP? Asks the Norwegian..

  • lexington88
    lexington88 Posts: 29 Member
    kwaasen wrote: »
    What is an APRN/ACNP? Asks the Norwegian..

    Something Something Registered Nurse, Something Something Nurse Practitioner? Guesses the Brit...
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    kwaasen wrote: »
    What is an APRN/ACNP? Asks the Norwegian..

    A Nurse with Certifications/authorities to do minor surgeries and prescribe medications like a Doctor.

    Paid better than a nurse, but not as good as a doctor.
    More experience than an entry level doctor and less cost for the clinic/hospital. In my experience often better than a traditional GP because they've got a little more experience/maturity.
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
    tomteboda wrote: »

    For example, she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a child, but because her parents were farmers, they decided not to treat her diabetes because he while family would lose health and life insurance. She tried to get treated as an adult but it took nearly 20 years to convince a doctor that she had diabetes that needed insulin as doctor after doctor at clinic after clinic insisted she had to be type 2 and gave her pills that did nothing. So here she is at 61 with diabetic neuropathy in her feet and hands and legs and arms, unable to stand because of charcot fractures, suffering with 20% kidney function and a heart that's enlarged to 4 times its normal size, and nearly blind from diabetic retinopathy; all conditions that can be prevented with good blood sugar management, something that she was actively blocked from getting first by her parents (and their stupid doctor who approved starving her as an alternative to insulin treatment) and then by multiple physicians in three states and over 9 different health care systems.

    Have papers been written on her? Because type 1 means that there is *no* insulin production. She would not have survived 20 years. People who were diagnosed before insulin was discovered in its pharmacological form did not survive without starvation -- and even then, they didn't survive for anything approaching 20 years.

    I'd believe it that she was type 2 at a young age, but I do not believe for one minute that she was type 1.
  • me0231
    me0231 Posts: 218 Member
    I've got my own mini rant. Went for a physical a couple of days ago and told my doctor that I lost some weight and she didn't even acknowledge it. Not how much did you lose, not how did you lose it, no well done keep going, just absolutely nothing. And that is after her telling me each year that I should lose weight.

    At the end she goes 'well you're just above a normal BMI and you really should lose some weight. But you're working on that right? Maybe try low carb' *sigh* Maybe losing 13% of my body weight means it's working just fine?! Oh well, I will just keep going anyways. No matter what she or anyone else says.
  • piperdown44
    piperdown44 Posts: 958 Member
    My GP just looked shocked when he looked back at several years worth of my weight at physical time. I had to explain bulk/cut to him. He was floored that I manipulated my weight up and down without many issues. But he was also happy that I was just choosing smaller portions of a healthy balanced diet and wasn't following fad ones. He asked me if I was doing "cleanses" or "juice fasts" and when I said no he said "good, because those are some foolish things to be doing".

    Now my sports Dr understood completely. He previously played football during college for a Div 1 school prior to medical school. So he got the whole off-season/competitive-season weight fluctuations.
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