"Doctors are _______ to Fat Patients"

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  • r0se125
    r0se125 Posts: 228 Member
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    When i got pregnant with my daughter i was pretty over weight. I was really sick and was worried about loosing weight and hurting my daughter. My doctors response was "you have enough fat on you to feed the baby, everything will be fine" It hurt at the time, no one WANTS to hear that they need to loose weight but really it can help with alot of other health issues. and honestly it was the kick in the *kitten* i needed everyone always tip toed around my weight gain and never confronted me about it. My parents and my husband kept telling me how beautiful i was and blah blah. but looking back now. its like really? why didnt anyone say anything at all? I am glad my doctor was so open and up front and made me realize that i needed to do something before i really had a problem. So after my daughter I really started working on my weight and am now down 63lbs since i got pregnant with her. so while yes some doctors can be a little rude and mean sometimes i think its what we need.
  • kooltray87
    kooltray87 Posts: 501 Member
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    Did I already know I was overweight? Yes, but it only took one embarrassing moment at the doctor for me to get motivated to change. Weight might not be the cause of ALL health issues but it in itself IS a health issue.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
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    I rarely go to the dr....and my general care physician is my grandfather soooo I dunno if I can answer this properly. He did tell me in all seriousness to lose 90 pounds and has always been honest and up front about other health issues I may have had, but he was never mean to me about it. He's somewhat estranged from my dad btw because he walked on when my dad and his brothers were young so there's weird levels of awkward and I avoid the dr when I can. I was in the ER twice (once for an ankle injury once for an infected spider bite that abcessed on my arm) and even though I was heavy at the time, all the drs and nurses I saw were totally fine to me.

    I'm going to go a bit off topic here to go... wait, your grandfather is your doctor? o_o Yeah, that sure seems awkward...
  • ptbodacious
    ptbodacious Posts: 65 Member
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    One of my favorite doctors was about 5 feet tall and maybe weighed 90 pounds. When I started repeating what previous doctors has said - that all my problems were caused by being overweight - she came unglued and informed me, in no uncertain terms, that she was sick to death of doctors who blamed patients' problems on their weight instead of trying to figure out what might actually be wrong! From there we went down several different paths one at a time until reaching a final diagnosis. As it turned out, my problem was genetic and had nothing to do with being overweight, so she treated that. When things improved substantially, I asked her about my weight again and she agreed that I needed to lose some weight, but emphasized that the original problem was not weight-based. Broke my heart to move away and have to change doctors, but I'll never forget what she said and did for me. There are doctors out there who are willing to do their jobs and not just blame the fat card - you just have to keep looking.
  • ladyplaz
    ladyplaz Posts: 186 Member
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    My answeer would be RUDE! Every overwieght person or person who has to battle their weight knows what it is like to go see the doctor. They see the weight first and JUDGE! Just like every skinny person out there. We all judge people on how they look. Yes, doctors are there to help us with our health. They are there to give us counsel on how the weight is effecting us internally and externally. But, now that the healthy weight bars are set, I want to know how people obtain those and stay there. Because, before the four kids and a host of other health issues, I was always 5 to 10 pounds from being at the standard. Every time I had to see my doctor I got chewed out for those 5 to 10 pounds. So, now that I am working my way back to those 5 to 10 pounds, I see it as a victory. I will NEVER be the 136 they say, don't want to be. I just want fair and decent healthcare without being judged by my weight first and my health second.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
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    Yes, damn those doctors for telling people to get healthy. :huh:

    Really? Losing weight /= healthy.

    Since I was 10, the first thing every doctor ever said to me is: You need to lose some weight. Never mattered what I came in to see them about. They never gave me and info or help on how to do this. Most of them seem to believe being fat is the root of every health problem I've had.

    Basing off your ticker, which has a highest weight of 300lbs, yes that IS unhealthy. Losing weight would YES = healthy. Did you ever ask your doctor for any info?! Sorry to say, but at 300lbs, being fat was probrably a major factor in health problems.
    I don't get why you disagree that to lose weight would be healthier. You are here to lose weight..........

    And for those who say "but I am healthy" - you are healthy NOW. That's not to say you will be in the future. Being overweight is like a ticking time bomb....or like being a smoker. My dad smokes a pack a day, and has my whole life. He's healthy now, but I have no illusions that I'll be sitting by his bedside while he dies of cancer or suffers from some other problem. And no one would hesitate to tell him that smoking is unhealthy. So why can't we say that being overweight is unhealthy?

    My doctor never said one word to me about my weight. I'm kinda pissed about that actually. I wish he had - maybe I would have figured this out sooner instead of spending so much time fat and unhappy and jeopardizing my health.

    This comment is on point.

    "I'm perfectly healthy being overweight" until, ten years later at the same weight, your bones have weakened, your cholesterol has changed, your blood pressure's increased, and your organs have dealt with visceral fat.

    I wish more people could objectively look at not only others, but themselves.
  • EatClenTrenHard
    EatClenTrenHard Posts: 339 Member
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    Hey bro, 217 lbs makes you kind of a whale.

    yeah thats when my waist was 42''

    now its 35.5'' and my weight is down to 190. Since september..

    Weightlifting stats stayed the same, cardio IMPROVED alot.
    blood pressure is normal now, with resting pulse of 55.

    I just saved taxpayers over 1mil $ in future healthcare costs.
  • annmariedap
    annmariedap Posts: 13 Member
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    My doctor is pretty frank with me when it comes to my weight and he has never made me feel uncomfortable just because of my weight. I remember him telling me one time "Your not working hard enough on the eliptical at the gym because I see you read book". I didn't get offended I thought is was pretty fun. He has done all the standard tests to check if my weight has anything to do with a medical reason to no avail - I am basicly a healthy fat girl who needs to lose weight.
  • zumbagada
    zumbagada Posts: 24 Member
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    Yes, damn those doctors for telling people to get healthy. :huh:

    Really? Losing weight /= healthy.

    Since I was 10, the first thing every doctor ever said to me is: You need to lose some weight. Never mattered what I came in to see them about. They never gave me and info or help on how to do this. Most of them seem to believe being fat is the root of every health problem I've had.

    This!!! I once went to a doctor for an MRI after rolling a car off a cliff, and severely smashing the nerves in my right hip, and losing the ability to walk properly for three months. And the worthless POS had the nerve to not even look at my chart and tell me that my hip hurt because I was overweight, and maybe I should excercise - never mind the fact that I was exercising fifteen hours a week at the time, but couldn't do anything high impact or walk down the stairs properly.
  • Pixi_Rex
    Pixi_Rex Posts: 1,676 Member
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    Hey bro, 217 lbs makes you kind of a whale.

    yeah thats when my waist was 42''

    now its 35.5'' and my weight is down to 190. Since september..

    Weightlifting stats stayed the same, cardio IMPROVED alot.
    blood pressure is normal now, with resting pulse of 55.

    I just saved taxpayers over 1mil $ in future healthcare costs.

    I can't take you seriously... your name is dumb and because you are an asswad.
  • sarah6336
    sarah6336 Posts: 108 Member
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    The doctors I currently see have been very understanding about my weight issues. I know some doctors aren't. You may need someone who relates to people better. In the past, I just think I've seen bad ones... For reasons such as assuming all my problems were because of my weight & not explaining to me how to eat for my medical conditions.
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
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    When it comes down to it, being overweight is a health issue. While thin does not always mean healthy, simply losing weight can do wonders for overall health.

    Doctors aren't there to cater to hypersensitive people, their job is to diagnose and offer guidance on how to be healthier. They wouldn't sugarcoat the possible prognoses for someone who smokes or drinks in excess, and they shouldn't really be expected to dance delicately around patients whose weight is at an unhealthy level.
  • MyM0wM0w
    MyM0wM0w Posts: 2,008 Member
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    Yes, damn those doctors for telling people to get healthy. :huh:

    Ima go out on a limb and say you've never been obese and had to deal with a doctor.


    The majority of doctors treat you very differently. No matter WHAT issue you go to them with, from headaches to constipation they blame it on the obesity and tell you to lose weight. Ok, it may have a factor in what is going on but even now that I'm in the process of shedding the obesity I need help dealing with those things in the interim.

    The way I was treated by doctors my entire life made me loathe them and not go. I just got fatter and fatter and avoided them more and more. I knew I had to have high blood pressure because I have a history on both sides and I was so obese but NO way was I going to see a doctor that would make me feel worse about myself than I already did. Then I had a stroke, caused by hypertension.

    The doctor I have now, despite being a young resident, handled it better than ANY doctor I've been to in 39 years. He quietly sat down by my hospital bed about 3 days after my stroke and very gently asked if I had tried losing weight. He approached it in a way that was kind and most of all RESPECTFUL. Something no doctor had ever done before. Guess what, 111lbs later I'm 80lbs away from my goal and my doctor gets more excited when I weigh in at his office than I do. Perhaps they are finally teaching them how to talk to patients who need their help instead of judging them.

    That said, the only thing that I didn't like in that article was when he said "And since many of the dangers of being fat are greatly exaggerated (if not completely fabricated)".... not true. There are many many very real dangers to being overweight/obese that can't be stressed enough.
  • peterdt
    peterdt Posts: 820 Member
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    I'm surprised on how uniformed doctors are. They say "lose weight". But with a large percentage of patients needing to lose weight I've NEVER met a doctor who really knows anything about what it takes.

    Instead they should have some basics about what it takes to lose weight and give it to patients. Something from the Mayo clinic or the like. The best would recommendation would be MFP of course.

    I would say most people who are trying to lose weight would benefit from some therapy. This may sound off the wall, but in Japan anyone who needs to lose weight must undergo therapy. Not saying this program is good or bad, but the fact that a whole country mandates it gives this idea some merit.

    http://www.overcomingbias.com/2011/11/japans-fat-tax.html
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
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    I'm surprised on how uniformed doctors are. They say "lose weight". But with a large percentage of patients needing to lose weight I've NEVER met a doctor who really knows anything about what it takes.

    Instead they should have some basics about what it takes to lose weight and give it to patients. Something from the Mayo clinic or the like. The best would recommendation would be MFP of course.

    I would say most people who are trying to lose weight would benefit from some therapy. This may sound off the wall, but in Japan anyone who needs to lose weight must undergo therapy. Not saying this program is good or bad, but the fact that a whole country mandates it gives this idea some merit.

    http://www.overcomingbias.com/2011/11/japans-fat-tax.html

    I agree with this. I wish more doctors had solid nutritional training. Most of them just recommend some diet program instead of helping their patients learn to eat well and live well.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    Okay... I realize I'm probably being naive right now, but I'm just wondering, how does a vegan get fat? If you're a true vegan? Do you eat like, 15 pounds of carrots a day? I really don't get it, I'm sorry...

    oreos, bread, olive oil, nuts, avocadoes. these are just a few vegan foods which are calorically dense.
  • BogQueen1
    BogQueen1 Posts: 320 Member
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    Ok, yeah I'm really overweight. I get that it causes a lot of health problems, thank you to all you uber buff and skinny people pointing out something that we are all painfully aware of, but I don't think your inflammatory comments about obese people really belong on a website where people are coming to change themselves.

    Speaking to Dr's being crappy to overweight people? I think sometimes the fact a person is overweight can stop a doctor for looking for an underlying cause to a problem, or can cause them to attribute EVERY problem to the weight. A few years ago I sprained a toe. I went in to the doctor to make sure it wasn't broken, and came out being told I had gout and with a prescription for gout medication...... All because I was overweight. I didn't have a test done, I didn't have any of the classic gout symptoms (namely being 50+ and male). But because I was overweight, it couldn't be a simple sprained toe, it HAD to be something related to being fat right?

    Idk. Headed back to the doctor this Friday, my foot hurts. I'm well aware that being fat causes your feet and joints to ache, but this is so bad I can hardly walk on my left foot. I've almost convinced myself I'm going to get the 'you're foot hurts because you are fat' response, but so far my doctor has been fairly sensitive to the weight issue, so we will see.
  • _VoV
    _VoV Posts: 1,494 Member
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    Excellent article.

    I sprained my wrist once playing tennis, and was told I needed to lose weight. That was one of the worst instances of the fat bias I have experienced from doctors, but I have other stories I could tell.

    The net result of such treatment is that when my weight yo-yo-ed up beyond my last recorded weight at the doctor's office (I *always* know that number), I would avoid going to the doctor, even if I had worrisome symptoms or was sick as a dog. This should never happen.

    My current doc heard it from me on my first visit: "I'm fat. Sometimes I win, other times I lose my personal weight battle. But, I need to come to you when I'm sick, and not let shame determine whether I can see you or not. So, deal?"

    He agreed to these terms, and so far so good.
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
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    Okay... I realize I'm probably being naive right now

    Pretty much.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    Okay... I realize I'm probably being naive right now, but I'm just wondering, how does a vegan get fat? If you're a true vegan? Do you eat like, 15 pounds of carrots a day? I really don't get it, I'm sorry...

    Anyway, this woman just sounds like a whiny *kitten* to me that doesn't want to be told she has a DISEASE called OBESITY.

    french fries and ketchup are vegan.

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