Rrrrrrrr... DOCTORS!

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MoveTheMountain
MoveTheMountain Posts: 764
in Fitness and Exercise
Venting about the incompetence of mainstream medicine... a friend of mine had a full physical yesterday. He's 5'9" tall and weighs 190lb. His body fat (measured in the doctor's office with calipers) came in at 10.8%. By all accounts, that's pretty good. He's a lifelong athlete, and in his upper 40's. And his doctor tells him, 'well, I'd like it if you got your weight down to 170 pounds.'

The guy has just under 11% body fat, and his doctor wants him to lose 20 pounds. I did the math quickly, and, assuming the goal would be lose fat, as opposed to muscle (or organs... or limbs...), that would bring his body fat down around 1.6% (since his lean body mass is about 167 right now, assuming the doctor's staff did the caliper measurements correctly and his body fat really is 10.8% or so.)

Obviously, this is STUPID advice, and more than it being STUPID (which it is), it's DANGEROUS!

Anyone else have any stories about how a doctor told you something you knew was just plain wrong?
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Replies

  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    Mainstream medicine or one particular doctor........if you want horror stories about alternative medicine let me know.
  • 1holegrouper
    1holegrouper Posts: 323 Member
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    Many doctors are relying on the BMI index. Using this index your husband is considered overweight and won't be at "normal" weight until he hits about 169 pounds. As you can see this is totally ridiculous. It does not consider his muscle mass percentage. The BMI index seems to think people have little to no muscle mass at all.
  • 126siany
    126siany Posts: 1,386 Member
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    Why did he want your friend to take off some weight? There may have been a good reason, like if he has severe joint problems in his lower extremities or some organ disease.

    There are reasons to take off weight that have nothing to do with being "fat".
  • Spokez70
    Spokez70 Posts: 548 Member
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    My doctor is actually pretty heavy and he always told me my high blood pressure was genetic and not caused by being overweight. He had no comment two weeks ago when my numbers looked great and I told him I hadn't taken any blood pressure medicine in several months. When I pointed out that I had lost 40lbs since the last time I saw him he asked "On purpose?"
  • shelbyfrootcake
    shelbyfrootcake Posts: 965 Member
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    The 'on purpose' question is a fair one. Working in a cancer hospital unplanned weight loss is a major symptom for doctors to look out for so any significant weight loss should be identified as deliberate or symptomatic of a health problem. The doctor's size has nothing to do with that.
  • MoveTheMountain
    MoveTheMountain Posts: 764
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    Mainstream medicine or one particular doctor........if you want horror stories about alternative medicine let me know.

    Mainstream medicine - this guy isn't an outlyer. About 7 years ago, I saw a doctor because I had backpain. He took a quick x-ray and tried to schedule spinal surgery. I told him 'hold on there,' and left. Basically, I needed to get in better shape and wear better shoes. I dropped 30 pounds, and the backpain mysteriously vanished. But how many people have had discs in their back fused for absolutely no reason? For lots of people, a doctor tells you that you need a procedure, they just take their word for it and show up at the hospital.
  • MoveTheMountain
    MoveTheMountain Posts: 764
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    Many doctors are relying on the BMI index. Using this index your husband is considered overweight and won't be at "normal" weight until he hits about 169 pounds. As you can see this is totally ridiculous. It does not consider his muscle mass percentage. The BMI index seems to think people have little to no muscle mass at all.

    Lol, he's a friend, not my husband. I am a husband to a female of the opposite sex. :)

    But YES, I totally agree with what you're saying about the BMI. It kills me that these people are supposed to be among the most educated in our society, and yet they apply so little critical thinking. I mean, all it takes is 3rd grade math to know that if you try to take 20 pounds off someone with 11% body fat, you're going to have a problem.
  • iAMsmiling
    iAMsmiling Posts: 2,394 Member
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    I'd kill for 11% body fat.
    Really...point out who and I'll do it.

    Amazing
  • MoveTheMountain
    MoveTheMountain Posts: 764
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    Why did he want your friend to take off some weight? There may have been a good reason, like if he has severe joint problems in his lower extremities or some organ disease.

    There are reasons to take off weight that have nothing to do with being "fat".

    There was no specific reason called out, and, again, my friend is in good shape. Exercises a lot, etc. No joint pain or anything like that. Just mindless adherence to the BMI chart.
  • sarahharmintx
    sarahharmintx Posts: 868 Member
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    I'd kill for 11% body fat.
    Really...point out who and I'll do it.

    Amazing

    No joke.
  • ikestr
    ikestr Posts: 8
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    My problem with doctors is that they use guideline numbers as mandatory numbers. They don't seem to understand the term "Guideline". The guidelines were developed for what is deemed a normal person. Not everybody falls inside ranges of the guidelines. Some people ranges may be mid range to above the guideline numbers or vice versus because everyone is different. Different body types, height, weight, lifestyle, and probably a few other varibles. I have to remind doctor of this everytime I see her. She agrees then turns right around and says "I want you to get this below the high number of the guideline".
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    Mainstream medicine or one particular doctor........if you want horror stories about alternative medicine let me know.

    Mainstream medicine - this guy isn't an outlyer. About 7 years ago, I saw a doctor because I had backpain. He took a quick x-ray and tried to schedule spinal surgery. I told him 'hold on there,' and left. Basically, I needed to get in better shape and wear better shoes. I dropped 30 pounds, and the backpain mysteriously vanished. But how many people have had discs in their back fused for absolutely no reason? For lots of people, a doctor tells you that you need a procedure, they just take their word for it and show up at the hospital.

    So you're suggesting that all mainstream practitioners should be held in disrepute based on a couple of anecdotes? (BTW, I'm not defending the doctor who suggested your friend lose weight, I'm just curious why you're tarring all mainstream medical practitioners with the same brush - what's your agenda?)
  • PaulW2MD
    PaulW2MD Posts: 44 Member
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    BMI was never meant to be for individuals, it is a way of studying populations. But too many docs follow it blindly. Waist size is the real key. But once again many docs don't chart waist size.
  • laprovocateur
    laprovocateur Posts: 128 Member
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    Docs are trained to treat the biological workings of the body. Nutrition and nourishment really isn't their strong point. It's a damn shame.
  • chlorisaann
    chlorisaann Posts: 366 Member
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    My husband is on Warfarin (blood thinners) and the Dr put him on Niacin as an added help for his cholesterol, but the Niacin caused bad flushing (feels like you skin is on fire) rather than change the Niacin the Dr actually wanted to put him on a Full Dose of Asprin daily to help the flushing. Asprin + Blood thinners = VERY BAD idea!!!! This is even after we reminded Dr that he was on the Warfarin! Damn Idiot!! No longer our DR!!!
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    BMI is ridiculous. They just discovered that it grossly over estimates the body mass of fit individuals and UNDER estimates it for obese individuals.

    If my doctor ever told me that based on the BMI chart I was obese I'd laugh.

    Then find a new doctor because clearly they are not doing their job and reading up on important things.
  • gomisskellygo
    gomisskellygo Posts: 635 Member
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    Yes! My MD told my to eat around 1,000 calories a day. And not to eat my exercise calories back (or increase my calories when I exercise). He is aware that I run, lift, and hike. I only have 40lbs to lose, have no medical issues what so ever, so there is no need for him to tell me to basically starve. Ugh!!

    Your friends body fat % is admirable!

    I fired him.

    Edited to add: They said my 11 year son's BMI was a little high. He is 5'4, 96 pounds and plays multiple sports. Lean and mean:) What the eff are they thinking?
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    My husband is on Warfarin (blood thinners) and the Dr put him on Niacin as an added help for his cholesterol, but the Niacin caused bad flushing (feels like you skin is on fire) rather than change the Niacin the Dr actually wanted to put him on a Full Dose of Asprin daily to help the flushing. Asprin + Blood thinners = VERY BAD idea!!!! This is even after we reminded Dr that he was on the Warfarin! Damn Idiot!! No longer our DR!!!

    My husband was taking niacin and had to stop because of the flushing. We take a daily multi with niacin and the only time I actually notice the flush is if I haven't eaten anything.
  • DixiedoesMFP
    DixiedoesMFP Posts: 935 Member
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    Rather than judging an entire population of people based on one member's poor insight, address the issue with the perpetrator himself. It's ridiculous to assume that all doctors would do the same.

    Also, Coumadin and aspirin is pretty standard in many cases.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    I tend to say, "Doctors are idiots".

    I don't really mean it. Usually, they are pretty smart people. Every doctor I have met outside of their office, like in a social gathering, seem pretty sharp. But, I think they get caught up in weird *kitten*. A guy I work with is probably in the best shape of anyone I know, and his doctor was telling him that he is obese. He kept questioning them, and kept asking because it concerned him. Eventually, the doctor backed off and told him to not worry about it. Why make that statement at all until you are sure. All you have to do is look at him and you can tell he's not obese. It's ridiculous. It's times like those when I realize that they aren't really using their brains. They are just looking at paper.

    Going through cancer with my mom, I've learned to never ever trust a single word any doctor tells you, ever. Question EVERYTHING they say and never just take their word for it. Ever. They might kill you.

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