How did your doctor tell you you're fat??

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  • Atrocity108
    Atrocity108 Posts: 328 Member
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    mine was kind. He just said I was overweight and needed to get my weight down if I wanted to live longer.
  • tamwins
    tamwins Posts: 22
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    I remember when I was 10 years old, my doctor told me that I needed to "cut the fries, and run a little". That was the first and only time I heard a doctor tell me that I was overweight. I'm not sure if he realized that he contributed to my low self-esteem. Also, I rarely ate fries. I was actively pursuing karate at the time. Another thing, I'm 10 YEARS OLD.
  • Rompers_16
    Rompers_16 Posts: 63 Member
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    My ob/gyn said I didn't need to gain during pregnancy because I was big enough already. :/
  • mariaserr
    mariaserr Posts: 1
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    That was Rude!!!!
  • georgiaTRIs
    georgiaTRIs Posts: 231 Member
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    Great job! Real doctors listen to clients
  • SamLD88
    SamLD88 Posts: 111 Member
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    I saw my gynecologist back in February, and she never once called me fat. I called me fat, or said I had put on too much weight, or something. I'm a scientist, she's a doctor. We both know the science, and the stats. She treats me as an equal.

    And she reminded me to take care of myself. Told me to make time for me. That I couldn't lose myself in work, or I'd wake up one day and realize that I'd missed out on most of life. At 213 lbs (high), I wasn't as far down the road as some, but I could see it happening.

    After my guilty binge, I picked myself up off the floor and suddenly, something in my mind clicked. I knew it was time. I've been medicated and surgeried and my physical, non-weight related problems are now managed. Now, it's up to me to craft a work-life balance that doesn't leave me with diabetes. Given that my migraines and past abuse drove a good deal of my overeating, I can safely say that I've found my balance. I've dropped the 13 (roughly), and I want to call her. But maybe next February, when I see her, she won't recognize me. Wouldn't that be greaT?
  • Rompers_16
    Rompers_16 Posts: 63 Member
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    That was Rude!!!!

    Ikr? I switched doctors but guess who was there for delivery?
  • AssicusCatticus
    AssicusCatticus Posts: 2
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    The doc who first said anything about my weight was one I didn't even know. He had come in to see me post-surgery, when, I guess, my actual doctor could not be bothered (whole other story) and my blood pressure had been running very high. He talked to me about it for a few minutes and I told him I had stopped smoking just before my surgery. He said that was good, and then asked me if I knew what would help it come down even more. I said, well, probably losing some weight! He smiled and said, yep, that would be a good place to start.

    He wasn't mean about it or anything, just matter-of-factly pointing out that I would be healthier if I were to lose some weight.
  • BowHunter1967
    BowHunter1967 Posts: 56 Member
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    One of my docs (ENT) poked my midriff like I was the Pilsbury dough boy, and said "you should drop some pounds!"
    Nice- got the point across,though.

    My GP just said my BMI was high, in the obese zone; and given my family history said I should lose weight due to high cholesterol.
    So here I am, getting it done
  • nmwhitney12
    nmwhitney12 Posts: 239 Member
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    My ENDOCRINOLOGIST told me I could afford to skip a few meals...just like that. This was my first visit with her because I relocated...but I found a new one fast! She said some other rude things and even commented on how my eyebrows needed to be waxed lol.. like wth.

    What?!? Your eyebrows? I hope you wrote her a glowing review ;)

    I sure did! I promptly left, went to the waxing salon too lol. I know my brows were bad then but I put it off as long as possible. I can't think about going either I just have to GO.
  • eidnahenri2
    eidnahenri2 Posts: 21
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    I went to urgent care for a completely non-weight related issue. Someone had accidentally knocked a piece of furniture over onto my foot, breaking it.

    The doctor, whom I'd never seen before, entered the room, glanced over at me, his eyes grew as big as his head and his jaw dropped to the floor. He said with shock and disgust, "You are the fattest woman I have ever seen in my entire life!"

    I was 5'8" and 201 (two hundred and one... no typo) pounds.

    He went on to tell me to stop swilling soda all day and stuffing my fat face with cheeseburgers every chance I get, and to get off my lazy *kitten* at least once a day and move a little.

    I don't eat cheeseburgers at all, not that I think other people shouldn't eat them. I'm quite the produce junkie, easily spending half of my grocery budget on fresh fruit and veggies. I have maybe two sugary beverages all year. I almost exclusively drink water, unsweetened tea, and coffee. And despite some pretty big mobility limitations, I'm really very active, even to the point of injuring myself at times, because I don't know how to not push past my physical limits or how to just sit still once in awhile.

    When I told him that, he called me a liar so loudly that a nurse passing the exam room could hear him through the closed door, knocked and poked her head in to see if everything was ok.

    After about a ten minute tirade about my weight, this doctor who hadn't even bothered to look at my file yet, asked why I was there. After xrays showed a break in my foot, he said if I wasn't such a fat cow, my bones wouldn't break like that.

    I told him shaming me was not the solution, but from what I hear, there have been dozens of complaints about his conduct, yet he still has his job and still treats patients with the same disrespect.
  • qmmanager69
    qmmanager69 Posts: 71 Member
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    I had been having pain, ending up in the ER two days in a row. The ER doctors thought there was a gallstone on my gallbladder that was causing the pain. I was told to make an appointment with my regular doctor and get an ultrasound scheduled. I did, went to the Dr's appointment. Got the ultrasound.

    When I went back to get my results, she told me my gallbladder had no stones on it at all, and that since my pain had gone at this point, most likely it was me passing a stone I did have.

    Then she mentions to me that my liver has fatty tissue on it, and explains that when the body starts running out of places to store fat, it starts to store it on the liver. She then suggested exercising for at least 30 mins a day. (Walking, dancing ect.) Then she suggested reducing the sugar/fast food ect and more fruits and veggies. And then said to look at my life and find one other way were I think I could make a change.

    Oh, and she also said "don't drink your calories".

    I felt so embrassed and I wanted to smack her, but at the same time I reminded myself that this is her job and I know I need to get healthy. She wasn't rude, she just didn't sugar coat it either.

    Hard to hear, but good sound advice overall. My husband (who's max weight at 5'10" was 297) mentioned to his doctor once that he was having a hard time losing weight and did she have any advice. Her exact response was "if there was a magic pill, don't you think I'd be taking it???" . HOLY COW! Needless to say, he has a different doctor. His new doc gave advice on calories, types of work out etc... while he was AT THE GYM, not an office visit and now he's down 40+ pounds.
  • _KitKat_
    _KitKat_ Posts: 1,066 Member
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    I have had my doctor for 15yrs. She looked at me and asked why I weighed 10lbs over my delivery weight with my daughters, and other than pregnant she had never seen me weight above 135lb. She then ran a bunch of tests and said your healthy, so what did you do?

    I like blunt people, even when it stings :drinker:
  • asdfthax
    asdfthax Posts: 12
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    The doctor before made a sarcastic comment about me being "so skinny". He was also very homophobic and when I had a cold sore as a 14 year old, he directly asked if I had been having oral relations with men..in front of my mother.
  • abatonfan
    abatonfan Posts: 1,123 Member
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    I had a pediatrician tell me "you know it's unhealthy to eat Big Macs for every meal"... when I have not had a Big Mac in my entire life.
  • KatAdele
    KatAdele Posts: 290 Member
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    I see a nurse-midwife for my annual exam and she is wonderful. She told me that she had used to have a weight problem but had decided to watch her portion sizes and make sure she sweated a little every day - even if it was working in the garden. She was very gentle and offered helpful suggestions. When I went back in this year 50 lbs lighter she praised me, showed me how much my BMI had dropped and was so celebratory. I found out her nurse had lost 70 lbs too so they could relate to the struggle. It was very validating.

    My 13 year old daughter is also overweight (135 lbs at 4'10" and she's done getting taller). He mostly focused on BMI and gave her some targets for where he'd like her to be rather than weight targets but did encourage her to exercise and eat healthy. I don't think it was too harsh.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,931 Member
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    My ENDOCRINOLOGIST told me I could afford to skip a few meals...just like that. This was my first visit with her because I relocated...but I found a new one fast! She said some other rude things and even commented on how my eyebrows needed to be waxed lol.. like wth.

    I once had a dental hygienist tell me my skin and pimples looked bad and that I should do something about them.

    Because I wasn't trying? I was taking a break from topical meds that nearly burned my face off.. and I was a teenager! Come on. Stay in the field, you know?

    Like... an aesthetician can tell you you need to wax your eyebrows but I'm PRETTY sure that doesn't affect your health and doctor has no need to mention it?
  • Eselte
    Eselte Posts: 49
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    Wow @ some of the things folks have been told... it's one thing to be blunt, to the point and not beat around the bush.

    But it's another thing to be a straight *kitten*!
  • mindiimae
    mindiimae Posts: 5 Member
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    About six years ago, at age 20 I went to my doctor for a yearly check-up/examine and to be put on birth control. she began discussing my weight and that I could begin taking a prescription diet pill. i wouldn't say at this time she was overly harsh, I weighed in at 228lb being 5'3"... well after she sent out for blood work, and I had to have a follow up visit, she flat out told me my cholesterol was so high she expected me to have a heart attack at 25. the pills worked for a little while, then my body began to get use to them, and they aren't pills you are suppose to be on long term anyways. after about 6 months, I went back wanting to try them again... this time I actually ended up weighing more, around 245lbs. all she said to me was "i will put you back on them but you have way more to lose this time, and if you fail again, i'm going to very strongly suggest you get bariatric surgery."

    I lost my insurance through my parents and never ended up going back....

    but at the start of this year (5-6 years later at age 25/26) I got insurance again, and went and saw a new doctor. The doctor wasn't even the one to first ask if I was doing anything about my weight...... the nurse did! I wasn't overly offended, because I knew what my weight was, and by that point (nearly 3 months into the year) I had already lost 22lbs. Since it had been so long, this doctor did a full check-up, including blood work. Funny thing is, she told me everything came back pretty normal, and nothing alarming. Even my cholesterol, which my previous doctor said would cause me to have a heart attack at 25, was at normal levels! Weighing MORE then I did 6 years ago! Odd how that worked out... they did offer to put me on diet pills, but between the cost (my insurance doesn't cover it) and the reminder of the effects of the ones I had been on before (which pretty much made me starve myself and I feel contributed to putting on more weight then before)... I kindly turned her down and told her I was just going to take things slow and make it a life style change...
  • USMCnetty90
    USMCnetty90 Posts: 277 Member
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    In November 2013, I weighed 384 pounds at the doctor's office. My doctor sat down across from me and told me I needed to lose some weight, the same talk we had had 6 months earlier. She told me I should work on not gainning anymore by our next appointment, that in itself would be an accomplishment.

    In May 2014 when I returned to the doctor I had gained 16 pounds, 400 pounds. I know she saw in my eyes the hurt and humiliation I felt.

    She sat down across from me, took my hands in hers, and asked how could she help me. I cried and we talked for awhile.

    She told me about this awesome website called MyFitnessPal.com. I've logged on everyday since, good days, bad days all days. I'm so glad she did. I'm eatting healthier and I've lost some weight. I know this journey will be long and sometimes difficult, but I will succeed.

    Just watch me :-)




    I love this story thank you for sharing! it is very inspiring. Physicians should be more like this instead of treating their clinics like a cattle - herd them in and herd them out...

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