40 lbs. in 2.5 yrs is too drastic! What?!

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em3120
em3120 Posts: 154 Member
in Motivation and Support
My weight loss journey is 2.5 years in the making. At almost 5’4” and 156 lbs I decided to do something about it and began to lose weight to get where I’m at now at 115 lbs at around 20% BF. My goal is to get to 18% BF or 110 lbs. I eat about 1,500 cals per day depending on the amount of exercise I do. I try to eat a mostly clean diet, but I cheat pretty often to go out. I also do pilates and some HIIT 6 days per week for about 20 mins per day. Recently I passed out and was brought to the ER with heart palpitations (that had been going off and on for months). Doctor said I had been standing for too long and was mildly dehydrated. After a bag of IV fluid, I was on my way. Today I had my follow-up appointment with a new GP that I’ve never seen before. She came to the conclusion rather quickly that I have an eating disorder and need to see a nutritionist, cardiologist, and a psychiatrist! She was shocked that I had lost 40 lbs in 2.5 years and said that it was much too drastic. Really? I’m setting up an appointment with the cardiologist to check out my heart because of the heart palpitations I was having, which I’m sure is stress related from finishing my 2nd semester in college and trying to apply for the program I want to get into. Am I being unreasonable for not wanting to see a psychiatrist and nutritionist for this? Or is my doctor the one being unreasonable?
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Replies

  • newmelady
    newmelady Posts: 132 Member
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    You mean 2.5 months, right? Because losing 40 pounds in 2.5 years is not too drastic. You can begin with drinking lots of water.
  • shadowgem13
    shadowgem13 Posts: 29 Member
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    Oh my goodness I must have an eating disorder too!!!!! ;) Seriously, was the doctor who told you this a little fat? Get your heart checked out and look into a different GP.
  • em3120
    em3120 Posts: 154 Member
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    You mean 2.5 months, right? Because losing 40 pounds in 2.5 years is not too drastic. You can begin with drinking lots of water.

    No she said my 40 lbs weight loss over the course of 2.5 years was too drastic. That's why I'm so confused!
  • AiabliamsMommy
    AiabliamsMommy Posts: 60 Member
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    Ha! I lost 35lbs in about 8 months and I definitely did not have an eating disorder! That is nuts.
  • GeminiDelight
    GeminiDelight Posts: 45 Member
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    that is ridiculous. last time i lost 40 lbs, it only took me 10 months.
  • jenkidney
    jenkidney Posts: 149 Member
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    Get your heart checked out and look into a different GP.

    ^^ That. Your GP is ridiculous. At 30 months, that's just over a pound a month. I'd hate to think what they'd think of me given I lost 3 this week alone!
  • rachpetersen
    rachpetersen Posts: 265 Member
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    I disagree that 40 lbs in 2.5 years is too drastic...but I also believe that was probably not your doctors primary concern. I am not sure what build you are but 110 lbs is definitely on the lower end of a healthy weight for your height and you are already at a perfectly healthy weight and body fat %. If she feels you need to see a psychiatrist and nutritionist then there is obviously a concern more than the time limit and with a risk to your health itself. And not that you are, but if your doc feels that you are too focused or obsessed on getting to this specific weight than she has reason to be concerned as well. Just another view point.

    **EDIT to say that I am not agreeing with her or stating that you may have an eating disorder at all. I don't know you and there are a lot of other things not mentioned that would have to be evaluated to know that. Just trying to think of where your doc might be coming from.
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
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    bahahaha...:laugh: we all have eating disorders to the fatties.....
  • FFfitgirl
    FFfitgirl Posts: 369 Member
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    I went to my doctor and she said I was fat, next time I saw her I had lost weight and she said I had an eating disorder. Wtf


    So don't worry about it. I would see the nutritionist just to see if you can learn anything on improving you diet.
  • KristysLosing
    KristysLosing Posts: 683
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    Is she new?? :laugh: I can't believe she would think that! Maybe she thinks you said 2.5 months...:huh:
  • BunkyBumBum
    BunkyBumBum Posts: 157 Member
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    Not all doctors are created equal. If a doctor told me that losing 40 pounds over 2 1/2 years was too drastic I'd walk out, that's absurd and shows a complete lack of intelligence on her part.

    I suspect your doctor is getting referral bonuses, either that or she really is just plain dumb. I'd see a cardiologist about the palpitations (I get them too, usually due to stress, but you should be 100% certain your heart is healthy). A nutritionist seems like overkill, 40 pounds in 2 1/2 years is not an eating disorder, it's a healthy lifestyle change.
  • amandapye78
    amandapye78 Posts: 820 Member
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    ummm I lost 40 lbs since August. My Dr was thrilled
  • Renilicious
    Renilicious Posts: 12
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    Maybe she misheard you?

    I've lost 100lb (with Weight Watchers prior to joining MFP)... and I did that in 2 years.

    40lb in 2.5 years is a fraction of a pound a week. THE HELL?

    You're hardly a candidate for head shrinkage. Keep doing what you're doing if it's working for you.
  • basillowe66
    basillowe66 Posts: 432 Member
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    40 lbs in whenever is GREAT!!! You worked it off, you just didn't do it by diet!! GREAT JOB

    Basil
  • shargolf
    shargolf Posts: 12 Member
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    I'd like to think the Dr . thought you said 2 1/2 months, otherwise she has to be crazy. The way I figure it you lost at a rate of less than 1/3 lb. a week. That is slower than slow. Congrats for sticking with it and almost reaching your goal!!
    :happy:
  • Zerie
    Zerie Posts: 11 Member
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    I donate plasma for money on occassion, so they check all my vitals and then some.
    When I had not gone in a while, I had dropped 20 lbs between visits.
    Their conclusion was that I may have HIV because of extreme weight loss!
    Insane. -.-

    Some people just don't get the big picture.
    Don't let the GP scare you.
    We are all here for you with endless amounts of support.
  • ceannesjourney
    ceannesjourney Posts: 250
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    I don't think you're telling us the whole story...I think the doctor is checking out things or a reason and you might be trying o get people on your side...if you don't trust your doctor go to another one.
  • louiselebeau
    louiselebeau Posts: 220 Member
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    Yeah, 40 lbs is not drastic.

    I recently had a gastrowhateverwhatsit doctor (the guy who diagnosed my reflux) try to put me on a shake diet after I told him I lost 50 lbs in the past two years and 30 since October (my ticker says 20 because I gained 10 then lost all of it and then some)... I think that some doctors do not pay attention to what is really going on.
  • em3120
    em3120 Posts: 154 Member
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    Not all doctors are created equal. If a doctor told me that losing 40 pounds over 2 1/2 years was too drastic I'd walk out, that's absurd and shows a complete lack of intelligence on her part.

    I suspect your doctor is getting referral bonuses, either that or she really is just plain dumb. I'd see a cardiologist about the palpitations (I get them too, usually due to stress, but you should be 100% certain your heart is healthy). A nutritionist seems like overkill, 40 pounds in 2 1/2 years is not an eating disorder, it's a healthy lifestyle change.

    This is exactly what I was thinking. Like others have said, maybe she misheard me?
  • Danni3ll3
    Danni3ll3 Posts: 365 Member
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    I disagree that 40 lbs in 2.5 years is too drastic...but I also believe that was probably not your doctors primary concern. I am not sure what build you are but 110 lbs is definitely on the lower end of a healthy weight for your height and you are already at a perfectly healthy weight and body fat %. If she feels you need to see a psychiatrist and nutritionist then there is obviously a concern more than the time limit and with a risk to your health itself. And not that you are, but if your doc feels that you are too focused or obsessed on getting to this specific weight than she has reason to be concerned as well. Just another view point.

    **EDIT to say that I am not agreeing with her or stating that you may have an eating disorder at all. I don't know you and there are a lot of other things not mentioned that would have to be evaluated to know that. Just trying to think of where your doc might be coming from.

    ^^^This. I also think you misunderstood your doctor. She is probably concerned that you want to go too low as 110 for 5'4" is pretty thin imho.

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