Going to the Doctor

jonicalifornia
jonicalifornia Posts: 16 Member
edited November 26 in Health and Weight Loss
I have a Doctor's appointment today. I have been having anxiety over this appointment every since I made it. The SCALE. I absolutely hate weighing in. I have lost a couple of pounds, but I just have this phobia with having to step on the scale. Does anyone else feel my pain??

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I understand your anxiety. If you don't have a reason to know your weight, have you considered asking for them not to tell you? I don't know if this would help or not.
  • jonicalifornia
    jonicalifornia Posts: 16 Member
    Good idea Jane. Thank you.
  • amberlyda1
    amberlyda1 Posts: 154 Member
    I had the same thing....but it was the best thing n I did. I finally got on the scale in june. I found out AFTER I knew I had lost weight that I weighed 222 pounds. I had no idea I had gained so much weight. It was the kick in the *kitten* I needed. No more excuses. I've lost 20 pounds since that appointment and still loosing. I actually went back to the doctor just the other day and I showed I weighed less than I though :). Sorry I know the anxiety, and before June I would close my eyes and ask them not to tell me my weight.
  • SoulOfRusalka
    SoulOfRusalka Posts: 1,201 Member
    Yeah, you can just step on the scale backwards so you don't see it. You should be able to ask them to black it out on the records they give you too.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Your weight is what it is. It doesn't change because you do or do not step on a scale.

    If you know you've lost a couple of lbs then you must already have an idea what your weight is, so why all the anxiety?
  • jenathp
    jenathp Posts: 92 Member
    I feel your pain on stepping on the scale...I have never wanted to do it either. Since I started working from home I know I gained weight but I had no idea how MUCH I had gained. Now I'm losing but I still don't want to go to the doctor and get on the scale even though I weigh myself every day at home...
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    Also remember that the doctor's scale and your home scale aren't going to be calibrated the same. So if it bothers you, weigh yourself as soon as you get up that morning and don't pay attention to the doctor's scale number.
  • MorganMoreaux
    MorganMoreaux Posts: 691 Member
    To the posters recommending the OP doesn't look, Just curious, but why would you not want to know, good or bad? It's a matter or health, and it may be motivating to push you to a healthier life style. By not knowing you could inadvertently allow the situation to get worse, possibly allowing yourself to get into poor health, which would have a negative impact on you and the people who love you. It seems like trying to avoid the number on the scale

    I understand the anxiety about possibly hearing bad news, but we can't go through life ignoring/avoiding it. At some point you will most likely have to face it. Personally, particularly with my health, I like to confront problems early on so they don't have a chance to get worse or irreversible. Sometimes that mean sucking it up and hearing the bad news, having a cry (or several), and creating an action plan on how to fix it.
  • jenathp
    jenathp Posts: 92 Member
    MorganMoreaux wrote: »
    To the posters recommending the OP doesn't look, Just curious, but why would you not want to know, good or bad? It's a matter or health, and it may be motivating to push you to a healthier life style. By not knowing you could inadvertently allow the situation to get worse, possibly allowing yourself to get into poor health, which would have a negative impact on you and the people who love you. It seems like trying to avoid the number on the scale

    I understand the anxiety about possibly hearing bad news, but we can't go through life ignoring/avoiding it. At some point you will most likely have to face it. Personally, particularly with my health, I like to confront problems early on so they don't have a chance to get worse or irreversible. Sometimes that mean sucking it up and hearing the bad news, having a cry (or several), and creating an action plan on how to fix it.

    Some people are like you ... some people aren't. :) To some people the number is the most important thing, so when you know you're losing at home then go to the doctor and see the scale isn't the same calibration and the number is higher then you don't feel like you've lost anything. It can be really disheartening when you're first starting and all you've lost is 10 pounds or 15 pounds. Trust me, anxiety over the scale at the doctors office is a real thing for some people. The fact that we're on this site and losing the weight is the REAL achievement and shows that we are confronting our daemons.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    edited November 2015
    MorganMoreaux wrote: »
    To the posters recommending the OP doesn't look, Just curious, but why would you not want to know, good or bad? It's a matter or health, and it may be motivating to push you to a healthier life style. By not knowing you could inadvertently allow the situation to get worse, possibly allowing yourself to get into poor health, which would have a negative impact on you and the people who love you. It seems like trying to avoid the number on the scale

    I understand the anxiety about possibly hearing bad news, but we can't go through life ignoring/avoiding it. At some point you will most likely have to face it. Personally, particularly with my health, I like to confront problems early on so they don't have a chance to get worse or irreversible. Sometimes that mean sucking it up and hearing the bad news, having a cry (or several), and creating an action plan on how to fix it.

    I read the OP as that she is already taking steps to address her weight and is making progress. Given this case, there's no specific benefit to seeing the number on the scale right now, especially if it is going to cause her anxiety.

    If OP didn't want to know the number so that she could tell herself that it was fine and she wouldn't have to do anything, I would have given a different answer.

    I didn't weigh myself until I was a month or so into losing weight. I started because I saw pictures of myself and realized that I had to do something. But I couldn't bring myself to see that number right at first. I don't think knowing that number would have helped me -- in fact, by giving myself permission to start without getting on the scale, I probably took action SOONER than I would have otherwise.

    Also, when I weigh myself at the doctor's, it's usually 10 pounds more than it is at home. It's a different scale, I've got shoes and clothes on, I've had breakfast and water, etc. I can understand OP's scale anxiety. Even though I know it doesn't really matter, I hate to see the number at the doctor's office too!
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    MorganMoreaux wrote: »
    To the posters recommending the OP doesn't look, Just curious, but why would you not want to know, good or bad? It's a matter or health, and it may be motivating to push you to a healthier life style. By not knowing you could inadvertently allow the situation to get worse, possibly allowing yourself to get into poor health, which would have a negative impact on you and the people who love you. It seems like trying to avoid the number on the scale

    I understand the anxiety about possibly hearing bad news, but we can't go through life ignoring/avoiding it. At some point you will most likely have to face it. Personally, particularly with my health, I like to confront problems early on so they don't have a chance to get worse or irreversible. Sometimes that mean sucking it up and hearing the bad news, having a cry (or several), and creating an action plan on how to fix it.

    The OP already knows that she is overweight and is working on losing the extra weight. She's already pushing toward a healthier lifestyle.
  • MorganMoreaux
    MorganMoreaux Posts: 691 Member
    edited November 2015
    Thx for the insights. Please don't get me wrong - I hate the doctor's scales as well. For some reason it seems that most of my appointments are either in the fall or winter, so I'm usually wearing heavier cloths and boots. I'm always shocked at the number as well, but I still look. It motivates me to stay the course so I don't see that number at home lol.

    ETA - I also wrote up the post for people reading the forums that haven't begun their weight loss yet. I do know of some overweight people who refuse to weigh themselves at home, and won't let the doctor tell them their weight. To me that seems like a recipe for some really bad news down the road.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    If you are gaining/losing whatever amount you need to gain/lose and you're honestly working on it, but cannot deal with the number, then don't deal with the number. It's just a number and has nothing to do with the actual gaining/losing. You can gain or lose weight without knowing the number. Just hop on the scale backwards and say, "Don't tell me the number" or whatever. :)

    On the flip side, the number is what it is. Not knowing it doesn't change whatever it is. It's best to be able to see it. So, keep that in mind. Start preparing yourself to be able to see that number and deal with it. If it's not today, cool. But maybe next time. One of these days, you should take a peek at it.

    But as long as you're doing what you should be doing, you're already making progress and can continue to do so. :)

    I may be posting after you saw the doctor, though.

    Please update us and tell us how it went!
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    It is what it is whether or not you step on it.


    Facing the scale and accepting what it is is the first step to moving forward.
  • helenrosec1
    helenrosec1 Posts: 82 Member
    I have anxiety just visiting the doctors which makes it very hard when taking my blood pressure as it's always high because of this. So I feel your pain
  • jonicalifornia
    jonicalifornia Posts: 16 Member
    Thank you all for all your wonderful advice. I really read through them all and took a little input from each post. The Doctors appointment went better than expected. I have lost 7 pounds doing1200 calories a day, but with Halloween last weekend, I put about a half pound on. So not bad. Blood pressure was excellent, and overall I guess this old gal is doing pretty well. I have always had a problem with weight, and scales have never been my friend.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    edited November 2015
    jonicalifornia wrote: »
    Thank you all for all your wonderful advice. I really read through them all and took a little input from each post. The Doctors appointment went better than expected. I have lost 7 pounds doing1200 calories a day, but with Halloween last weekend, I put about a half pound on. So not bad. Blood pressure was excellent, and overall I guess this old gal is doing pretty well. I have always had a problem with weight, and scales have never been my friend.

    I ate a bunch of candy last year and none this year. I did rescue a Baby Ruth before I dumped all the candy into the last kid's bag. I may eat it, but since I decided on NO HALLOWEEN CANDY this year, I have to wait until Halloween is a thing of the past, which I subjectively decided was Nov 12. I might not eat it, too. Cannot decide until Nov 12, lol.

    Next year, maybe you'll eat less, too. Maybe not none, but maybe less.

    We all have setbacks. Well, most of us do. We get better as we go. :)

    If you didn't let that tiny setback throw you off-course, good for you!

    Congrats on your loss. Keep up the good work!

    But I have to ask: Did you look at the number?
  • jonicalifornia
    jonicalifornia Posts: 16 Member
    I did look at the number.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    jonicalifornia wrote: »
    I did look at the number.
    YAY YOU!!

    Good for you, sucking it up, being all brave and seeing the number.

    I'll bet that knowing is better than not knowing!

    Now you get to watch it go down. :)

    Well done. :smiley:
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    jonicalifornia wrote: »
    I did look at the number.

    Good. There is an old saying in business, "what gets measured gets managed". IMO unless someone finds a way to measure (pounds, fit of clothes or whatever) where they are chances of progress are slim (no pun intended)
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    Don't fear the scale. Don't give it more power than it deserves.
    This scale measures one thing and one thing only - your weight.

    It does not measure your self worth, your value and your amazingness. Just your weight.
    Take some deep breaths, step on, get weighed and breathe. You can do this. You're in control.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    jonicalifornia wrote: »
    I did look at the number.

    Yay! Good for you! I am weighing in a little late in to this conversation but I was going to suggest to address the anxiety itself. Oddly it might help to observe the anxiety without judgement. Kind of deflates its power.
  • sonyaruns
    sonyaruns Posts: 24 Member
    I know this is late to the conversation, but thought I'd add my two cents When I first started losing I couldn't face the number on the scale, so I bought a quantum scale...it registers your initial weight without showing you the number, and with future weigh ins it tells you how much lower or higher you are compared to the first measurement. For me this helped me get started, and then I changed to a real scale so I could see the actual number.
  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
    I had alot of the same anxiety when I started. I went to the doctor...ironically for anxiety...and wouldn't look at the number on the scale and I asked them not to tell me. At my follow up appointment the doctor accidentally told me what my starting weight was and how I'd lost a few pounds already and she told me what I was currently weighing. I was upset about it at first but it turned out to be a really good thing. I've been able to take hold of my health now and I'm down even more. If she hadn't told me, I probably wouldn't be losing weight right now...
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