Help with physician!

fatty2sixpack
fatty2sixpack Posts: 67 Member
edited November 30 in Motivation and Support
I'm getting a physical soon and I need help with what to ask my physician. I want to know about how's to go about asking her to check my weight loss hormones and if I have any hormone imbalances or vitamin deficiencies. What should I ask her and is there anything else I can ask her when it comes to me wanting to lose weight?

Replies

  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Ask for blood work: cbc, ferritin, iron, thyroid, b12
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    If you can provide some evidence/documentation of your exercise and eating habits, that might help your doctor to assess the situation.

    GP/family doctors/generalists can only do the most basic kinds of testing for hormones. If you actually have something serious going on, you will need to see an endocrinologist.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    I would tell her what you just told us. That you are worried about vitamin deficiencies and hormonal imbalance and want to get a work up because you are trying to lose weight. Don't forget, your doctor works for you. If you are in the US and you don't like her you can always find another doctor. That's the beauty of our healthcare system. It's totally a service like any other business.
  • courtneynix86
    courtneynix86 Posts: 6 Member
    Hi,
    I had some problems with my primary physician. I think the major problem is that if you have a certain insurance they will not test you unless they have a reason, if they do not think you need to be checked they wont do it. I asked the same questions but kept getting shut down. He told me to work out and eat less carbs. I went in to get a second opinion, the second doctor tested my thyroid and told me it was fine, it was at 2.55 which is in range but is not good for having your thyroid run optimally. Which was part of the reason I could not get the scale to move. My second opinion doctor gave me a referral to a nutritionist, she placed me on a low dose of armor thyroid and I have seen some results. I have only received answers to my questions through my nutritionist, and she was the only one that would request testing for my hormones, thyroid, vitamins and a bunch of other stuff. Don't know if this helped you at all, but I would ask to get a referral to a nutritionist they seem to have better ways in getting the blood work done.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    Do not try to tell a dr how to do his/her job. Chances are, there are a billion things that could be wrong in general and you simply have not googled them yet ;) let the dr know what are your concerns about your health and do not try to push for specific tests. I think a dr just agreeing to tests to keep you happy is probably a very good sign you need a new dr. And be ready to follow instructions. Even if you hate the insructions you will get. Or there is no point in seeing the dr at all.
  • 6502programmer
    6502programmer Posts: 515 Member
    Go with information and questions, and let the doctor be a physician. Take your food log with you, as well as weight logs, blood pressure, exercise, and anything else that you measure. Share your concerns, and give your doctor all the info they need to help you.
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    aggelikik wrote: »
    Do not try to tell a dr how to do his/her job. Chances are, there are a billion things that could be wrong in general and you simply have not googled them yet ;) let the dr know what are your concerns about your health and do not try to push for specific tests. I think a dr just agreeing to tests to keep you happy is probably a very good sign you need a new dr. And be ready to follow instructions. Even if you hate the insructions you will get. Or there is no point in seeing the dr at all.

    I totally disagree with this--if you know something is wrong, you may need to push quite a bit to get what you need.

    If I hadn't told doctors to do better and gone in for second opinions, I would still be bedridden or I would be dead. Doctors do not know everything and I have seen generalists make some BIG mistakes.

    Be a good consumer--do your research, ask questions and seek out specialists if you think that doing so makes sense.
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