The doctor's scale is evil, no?

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StatutoryGrape
StatutoryGrape Posts: 365
in Motivation and Support
I was finally added to my hubby's insurance last week, so I went in to meet my new GP yesterday. They weighed me...144.8. I am so disappointed. My scale at home (which is a nice one that's supposed to be as accurate as a doctor's scale) generally has me between 140.8 and 142.8. (Still trying SO hard to get below 140!)

I was expecting a difference between the two weights, but it still sucks to see that and then watch the nurse eye her little BMI chart in the office. Sigh. I guess the bright side is that I'm no longer bordering on 150, right?

I also had blood drawn--they're checking my TSH to see if the fatigue and difficulty losing weight is thyroid-related, or something else.

Anyone else have bad experiences at the doctor? Lol, three years ago, I never would have been worried about what the scale would read and was pleased when it was higher than what I expected. I was trying to GAIN weight. Be careful what you wish for, right?
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  • ♥Violette♥4Ever♥
    ♥Violette♥4Ever♥ Posts: 457 Member
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    I had a similar experience. Sorry to say...the scales at the doctors' offices are pretty accurate as opposed to a home scale. When I go to the doctor, I will weigh myself in the morning and then when I get to my appointment I will refuse to get on the scale and tell them that I weighed myself that morning and what I weigh. They can't make you get on the scale.
  • Naomi91
    Naomi91 Posts: 892 Member
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    Well, had you had some water before you got on that scale? If you weigh yourself in the morning at home and midday at the doctor its going to be different. You still are doing great! I used to avoid going to the doctor because of the dreaded scale xD
  • julevasquez
    julevasquez Posts: 12 Member
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    YES! Do you take your at home weight first thing in the morning? Try to make your appointments at the MD's office early...like their first one. Your weight will be more true to what you get at home. Also, take into account, at least I do, that when I take my weight at home, I am not dressed and I am dressed at the MD's office. Doctor's office scales are still evil though. :tongue:
  • Steelytop
    Steelytop Posts: 145 Member
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    I always weigh a bit more at the doc's office than I do at home. And still I use the home scale for most measurements. I duly note the doctor's office weight but the great thing is next visit it'll be noticeably lower just as the home scale is also going in the right direction.
  • ngoat
    ngoat Posts: 97 Member
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    i agree the doctor's scale is evil
  • dreamwellali
    dreamwellali Posts: 42
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    Oh, I completely relate. I go to a doctor's office every 5 weeks for an infusion. I swear that thing is permanently set at 199.9, which is the highest number I've ever seen. I don't actually own a scale so I'm using this 5 week weigh-in as my weight loss weigh-in (it's always the same time of day, day of week, and I always wear the same thing). I'm going to make that thing move!

    I just weighed in on this scale on Friday, but am going to see a different doctor tomorrow. I'm curious what the difference will be, or if all doctor's offices have the same "stuck on 199.9" problem :)
  • kumamushi
    kumamushi Posts: 103 Member
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    I always take off my shoes and empty my pockets before I get on that doctor's scale... the extra pound it removes makes a difference. ;-) And yes, I do naked weigh-ins at home with a scale that's purportedly accurate to the nearest 0.2 pounds.
  • BuceesNana
    BuceesNana Posts: 302 Member
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    I went yesterday and it said I weighed 3 pounds more than my scale, but at home, I weigh in the buff and well, at the doctor's office I was not only wearing close, but I had on my boots too. I just figured it was from the clothes.
  • laurenbausch
    laurenbausch Posts: 146
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    I actually weighed less at the doctor's than I've been weighing at home. I was wearing jeans, a sweater, and shoes and had eaten breakfast. I weighed about 2.5 lbs. less. . .much to my amazement! I weighed myself this morning in my bday suit, and sure nuff, I weighed heavier. I guess my scales suck!
  • Laceylala
    Laceylala Posts: 3,094 Member
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    All scales are evil b!tches. No two read the same.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    At the doctor's office you're normally wearing clothes (and sometimes shoes), chances are you've eaten and have been drinking water. It's normal for your weight to be higher later in the day. Also, the accuracy of scales varies. Digital scales, especially the kind in a doctor's office, are very accurate. I use my Wii Fit, it's also very accurate. My bathroom scale generally tells me I'm about 5 pounds heavier than the Wii Fit tells me, and I'm normally 2-3 pounds heavier on the doctor's scale.
  • StatutoryGrape
    StatutoryGrape Posts: 365
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    I tend to weigh myself in the evenings, either before or after I shower, though if I have time in the morning I'll do it then. I felt like crap seeing that number, though, because I had that momentary panic where I was like, "Oh my god, what if I start gaining again and can't stop it?" That's what I'm most afraid of--that I'll start putting on weight and be totally helpless to stop it. Weight loss is a *****.
  • Kminor67
    Kminor67 Posts: 900 Member
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    First, think about this... do you weigh yourself naked at home? Clothes add weight. Also, if you had eaten before you went, that can cause weight to fluctuate, as well as fluid to retain. So if your home scale says 140, and the dr's scale says 144 and you've eaten AND have clothes on, chances are your scale at home is actually weighing a little heavy.
  • 123nikki123
    123nikki123 Posts: 527
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    All scales are evil b!tches. No two read the same.

    LMAO...so true!
  • HMKan
    HMKan Posts: 472 Member
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    The doctor scale's heinousness is only rivaled by the scale at the Sky Dive place where they charge you for evert 10 pounds over 220 you weigh. That thing added several pounds to my weight. grr.
  • StatutoryGrape
    StatutoryGrape Posts: 365
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    Whaaaat?! Is that even legal?
  • Brennabean
    Brennabean Posts: 10 Member
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    the doctors scales are usually going to say you weigh a couple pounds more.. but they are acurate lol. those ones and the electric ones they use in the military ( and MEPS and what not) are both dead on with eachother.. atleast in my experience.. but we have a good scale in the bathroom that is pretty acurate with the doctors scale.. sometimes it depends on the money youre willing to pay for a scale.. my 10 dollar scale was sooo off. the one in the bathroom was around 55 dollars and is pretty good. just not with the body fat percentage it likes to say we are. but you get the gist.
  • klthomas59
    klthomas59 Posts: 100 Member
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    the doctor's office scale can be inaccurate if they don't calibrate it frequently. Don't get discouraged as long as the scale is going down.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    A little secret that not many people know, scales at the doctor's office are generally calibrated to weigh about 3 lbs more. And yes, this was revealed to me by a doctor. Granted, I believe that only pertained to the balance scales, so I'm not too sure about the digital ones they use. Reason being was that if you were generally a little heavy, it could only benefit those people to lose at least 3 lbs. As a social experiment, weigh yourself on your own scale with the exact clothes that you're going to be wearing at the doctor's office, then you can make the comparison between the two.
  • HMKan
    HMKan Posts: 472 Member
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    Whaaaat?! Is that even legal?

    Is this in relation to my comment about sky diving places charging more when you're over 220? Yea, I think they have to use different equipment for heavier people to make sure they dont hit the ground faster, I guess. Plus, I was doing a tandem jump so they had certain instructors that could handle my extra weight. Needless to say I won't be doing it again until I'm well under the max weight before they charge you :)

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