Things my doctor says....

SLaw4215
SLaw4215 Posts: 596 Member
edited October 5 in Motivation and Support
My doctor has a way of making me really think about what I am doing to my body. He doesn't do it in a condescending kind of way either. He is far more subtle and smart about it.

One day during an annual physical he asked me a series of questions about my life/life-style. Among other things he asked me whether I smoke cigarettes or not. I said YES. He asked me if I wear my seat belt every time I get in the car. I said YES.

It was at that moment I realized my own hypocrisy. How could I smoke and also be proud of myself for taking care to put on my seatbelt? It was that moment I decided to quit smoking. I used the patch. I lived 24/7 with patches for 3 weeks until one morning I woke up and forgot to put on a new one. I became a former smoker on 8/17/2005 and I have had no set backs because that man...MY DOCTOR...inspired a change in me.

What's your story?

Replies

  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
    Personally I think you're giving your doctor too much credit, since they always have to ask that series of questions. However, I might try your logic on my girlfriend, who is very adament about wearing a seatbelt but still hasn't given up cigarettes.
  • Shelle68
    Shelle68 Posts: 421 Member
    That is beautiful and pretty amazing! I am so happy for you and envious that you have a dr that cares so much. Great job!!!
  • betzeross
    betzeross Posts: 161 Member
    And thank goodness he did! I'm so happy for you. Quitting smoking was the hardest thing I've had to do in my life (so far!) I wish you success on your weight loss journey as well! ~Sherry
  • lstnlondry
    lstnlondry Posts: 1,794 Member
    I love your story because my husband & I share a doctor who is very much so a prescription writer! It's almost like she's saying " why bother telling you to take care of yourself". It was that feeling that drove me to lose weight & take care of myself so I would stop bringing on ovarian cysts!
  • ewhitis
    ewhitis Posts: 132
    Not only is the Dr. amazing....but so is the patient! You can lead a horse to water...but you can't make her swim or wait is that drink? Oh well, doesn't matter, they're both healthy options! Congrats :drinker:
  • eddie8131
    eddie8131 Posts: 600 Member
    My internist used to yell at me when he saw me. "What haaaapened?" I can still see the disappointment in his face. "You neeeed to lose weight"....etc etc. Wrong approach for me, I already yell at myself and hate the way I am. So I've been seeing this cardiologist recently (female, incidentally) who has a much more calm nurturing approach. She says, your next appointment is in 6 months, you should be able to lose 20 lbs. (this is when I was like 355). Like she said it in a way that she believed I could do it. That made all the difference in the world. I am going to blow her away at my next appointment on Jan 18, 2012, because already I have lost just about 40 pounds since then!!!! :)
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    Cagarettes kill you slowly, seatbelts keep you from dying TODAY. People are totally ok with dying at some indeterminate yet early date.
  • tish30930
    tish30930 Posts: 77 Member
    My internist used to yell at me when he saw me. "What haaaapened?" I can still see the disappointment in his face. "You neeeed to lose weight"....etc etc. Wrong approach for me, I already yell at myself and hate the way I am. So I've been seeing this cardiologist recently (female, incidentally) who has a much more calm nurturing approach. She says, your next appointment is in 6 months, you should be able to lose 20 lbs. (this is when I was like 355). Like she said it in a way that she believed I could do it. That made all the difference in the world. I am going to blow her away at my next appointment on Jan 18, 2012, because already I have lost just about 40 pounds since then!!!! :)

    That's awesome!!! There's that saying, "It's not so much what you say, but how you say it". I truly believe in that. Happy for you you found a physician that sounds right in your ears, doesn't make you feel bad, but encourages you! I bet you will RUN to the scale the day of that appointment!!!
  • mfp_1
    mfp_1 Posts: 516 Member
    My car has to have an emission test but doesn't have to have lights and brakes tested. So I can't poison people slowly over 20 years but I can kill them instantly due to faulty brakes or lights.
  • missdaisy79
    missdaisy79 Posts: 566 Member
    Sometimes it takes a different doctor saying something in a different way than you usually hear it to make the difference. It finally sank in with me about exercising through my bad back problems after a discussion with a very no nonsense doctor about the psychology of the pain.

    I'm very impressed with the OP and her willpower - excellent work kicking the cigarettes.
  • eddie8131
    eddie8131 Posts: 600 Member
    My internist used to yell at me when he saw me. "What haaaapened?" I can still see the disappointment in his face. "You neeeed to lose weight"....etc etc. Wrong approach for me, I already yell at myself and hate the way I am. So I've been seeing this cardiologist recently (female, incidentally) who has a much more calm nurturing approach. She says, your next appointment is in 6 months, you should be able to lose 20 lbs. (this is when I was like 355). Like she said it in a way that she believed I could do it. That made all the difference in the world. I am going to blow her away at my next appointment on Jan 18, 2012, because already I have lost just about 40 pounds since then!!!! :)

    That's awesome!!! There's that saying, "It's not so much what you say, but how you say it". I truly believe in that. Happy for you you found a physician that sounds right in your ears, doesn't make you feel bad, but encourages you! I bet you will RUN to the scale the day of that appointment!!!

    :)))) Thank you for this, that was nice. I want to go now actually lol
  • Donnacoach
    Donnacoach Posts: 540 Member
    I left an appointment with a male Dr. feeling worse then I had ever felt in my life. He told me I was EXTREMELY OBESE and that that's why my back always hurt. I went to another Dr., ( GOD HELP ME) and he took a totally different approach. "Yes, Donna you are heavy, but that is not the whole problem with your back at all. Yes if you lose weight it will help some, but you need much more then that." I ended up have two rods, 8 screws, and a great deal of cadaver bone put into my back to replace my disc, that were no longer there, and to straighten my back, after having traumatic scholiosis.(spelled wrong) I lost weight before the surgery and now that I can actually move again to be able to exercise I am losing weight again. It would have been nice had the first Dr. asked what was preventing me from exercising. Other then not being able to move without extreme pain, "GOSH NOTHING WAS." Instead he immediately jumped on me about being obese. You are doing awesome Eddie keep up the great work. Your Dr. will be so happy for you.
  • SLaw4215
    SLaw4215 Posts: 596 Member
    My internist used to yell at me when he saw me. "What haaaapened?" I can still see the disappointment in his face. "You neeeed to lose weight"....etc etc. Wrong approach for me, I already yell at myself and hate the way I am. So I've been seeing this cardiologist recently (female, incidentally) who has a much more calm nurturing approach. She says, your next appointment is in 6 months, you should be able to lose 20 lbs. (this is when I was like 355). Like she said it in a way that she believed I could do it. That made all the difference in the world. I am going to blow her away at my next appointment on Jan 18, 2012, because already I have lost just about 40 pounds since then!!!! :)
    Congratulations Eddy! I keep trying to tell myself to love the skin I am in currently but I guess I am not that confident yet. 40 pounds is a great accomplishment! I'd love to see your progress by the time January 18th comes around. HIGH FIVE!!:flowerforyou:
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