My Doctor is an idiot!

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Replies

  • kmmealey
    kmmealey Posts: 76 Member
    Doctors are pretty clueless when it comes to nutrition. You should really ask a dietician.


    They really aren't nutrition specialists. That's where RDs come in.

    If it makes you feel better, I saw an Endocrinologist (who treats diabetes, etc) and he fumbled around discussing how many calories = a pound. He said 4500 instead of the correct answer of 3500. Nonetheless, I think he's a good Endo. He's not an expert in nutrition any more than an OB is. Any physician worth his/her weight (no pun intended) should refer you to a Registered Dietician. Have your PCP refer you. Dieticians are generally very down-to-earth and very helpful.
  • gomisskellygo
    gomisskellygo Posts: 635 Member
    was his name Dr. Oz?

    Seriously, that was some bad advice.

    I don't know how I missed this response!

    I know, I am surprised he didn't send me to GNC for Raspberry Ketones (or whatever they are)
  • Masterdo
    Masterdo Posts: 331 Member
    The idea that doctors are not as likely to be idiots as anyone else troubles me...

    They are human interfaces to a huge pool of knowledge, like a human wikipedia if you like. Or they were when they graduated. Keeping up after that point is purely an individual thing, and just like in every other jobs, Fridays happen, life happens, being bored happens, and being truly good is as exceptional in medical field as anywhere else.

    Good thing that student was there too. They still have pressure and evaluations, and passion too. I'd trust an intern medical student over his mentor mostly any day :p
  • bodiva88
    bodiva88 Posts: 308 Member
    My endocrinologist has a nutritionist on staff. Find someone like that.
  • bodiva88
    bodiva88 Posts: 308 Member
    RUN!!! D:

    My mom is a doctor, and she's been giving me advice on weight loss, and my best friend is going to school to become a nutritionist. Neither of them have recommended such extreme measures, and when I dipped into an extreme measure (something like what your doctor recommended) I was severely scolded by both parties!

    What your doctor is suggesting is to put your body into starvation mode, which would make you lose muscle and fat. That's a big no-no. > ^ <

    I am not trying to be rude but if your mother is a doctor and she is referencing starvation mode for anyone over 10% body fat, she needs to go back to school or read up some more on the medical study that started this whole mania. I do forgive my adopted (almost) home state of Minnesota for starting that nonsense even though it bugs the crap out of me how people abuse the study and are too lazy to read the facts. Rant over, carry on.

    Where in the world do you see a suggestion of starvation mode in the post you quoted?
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    RUN!!! D:

    My mom is a doctor, and she's been giving me advice on weight loss, and my best friend is going to school to become a nutritionist. Neither of them have recommended such extreme measures, and when I dipped into an extreme measure (something like what your doctor recommended) I was severely scolded by both parties!

    What your doctor is suggesting is to put your body into starvation mode, which would make you lose muscle and fat. That's a big no-no. > ^ <

    I am not trying to be rude but if your mother is a doctor and she is referencing starvation mode for anyone over 10% body fat, she needs to go back to school or read up some more on the medical study that started this whole mania. I do forgive my adopted (almost) home state of Minnesota for starting that nonsense even though it bugs the crap out of me how people abuse the study and are too lazy to read the facts. Rant over, carry on.

    Where in the world do you see a suggestion of starvation mode in the post you quoted?

    I'm guessing it's the part where the phrase starvation mode is mentioned. =)

    EDIT: bolded it.
  • TheNewo
    TheNewo Posts: 239 Member
    I don't think an OB Gyn is necessarily an ideal authority on issues of diet and exercise. Sure, he's a doctor but this isn't his specialty or niche per se. I would imagine a dietitian or nutritionist would be a better person to speak with.
  • Barbellerella
    Barbellerella Posts: 1,838 Member
    What would I do?! Laugh in his face probably!
  • gomisskellygo
    gomisskellygo Posts: 635 Member
    I don't think an OB Gyn is necessarily an ideal authority on issues of diet and exercise. Sure, he's a doctor but this isn't his specialty or niche per se. I would imagine a dietitian or nutritionist would be a better person to speak with.

    The advice was terrible. That's the point. EVERYBOD Y should know that netting 500-600 calories is danderous. . Shouldn't he know the basics?

    He counsels pregnant women and women TTC about diet. That's what they do, it's not just birth control and paps.
  • gomisskellygo
    gomisskellygo Posts: 635 Member
    What would I do?! Laugh in his face probably!

    I did. I told him I was going to stick to my plan. Which may not be working great but I am healthy.
  • wingsandgills
    wingsandgills Posts: 48 Member
    Def get a second opinion. A doctor might recommend a very low calorie diet with supervision if you have a lot to lose or special medical needs, but the big red flag for me is him not allowing for day-to-day variations. If you have any doubts, see a different doctor in a different practice.
  • calvert6183
    calvert6183 Posts: 539 Member
    I dated three doctors, two were idiots.
  • gomisskellygo
    gomisskellygo Posts: 635 Member
    Def get a second opinion. A doctor might recommend a very low calorie diet with supervision if you have a lot to lose or special medical needs, but the big red flag for me is him not allowing for day-to-day variations. If you have any doubts, see a different doctor in a different practice.

    Exactly! Especially the weight variances women have due to hormones. His advice was down right scary. I have absolutely no medical issues besides being 40lbs overweight. There is NO reason for me to go a VLCD.
  • k900
    k900 Posts: 140 Member
    Time for a new doctor.
  • peachyxoxoxo
    peachyxoxoxo Posts: 1,178 Member
    Why do so many people go to their doctors for nutrition advice??

    As someone who's currently in school to become an RD ...... arrrgghhhhhhhh!!!!! Stop it!
  • gomisskellygo
    gomisskellygo Posts: 635 Member
    I dated three doctors, two were idiots.

    Well, two of them must have been!
  • deadstarsunburn
    deadstarsunburn Posts: 1,337 Member
    was his name Dr. Oz?

    Seriously, that was some bad advice.

    Lol. Why do doctors try to do the job of a dietitian?
  • EDesq
    EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
    It IS crazy, and "WE" wonder why there is an obesity ED in this Country. Look, these doctors DO NOT want to admit that they DO NOT know ANYTHING about Nutrition and Exercise...Hell, doctors don't like to admit that they do not know a lot about A LOT! A doctor told Me that they have ONE Elective class in their whole time in Med School on Nutrition, so WHY would we think that these people are experts when they DO NOT study specifically a particular area. I'm a lawyer, and if someone committed a crime and came to Me, I would be lost...it is NOT My area of expertise...I could tell the client to not say anything because I learned that in My first year Constitutional Law class. So why do we expect doctors to be experts in areas that they do not study. Actually, why would you ask this doctors about diet and exercise? He's there to diagnose your problem...asking him about "diet and exercise" put him on the spot and his EGO is not going to allow him to say, "I do not know...I'm ignorant on that subject." And those EGOs cause a MANY people to be harmed...As My doctor told Me when I wanted a procedure done and I felt like he should do it, "My OATH is First Do NO Harm" so until you lose some more weight, I won't do the procedure AND I will make an appt for you with our Weight Loss Clinic! At first I thought he was Arrogant...NOW I know he is Right!
  • Barbellerella
    Barbellerella Posts: 1,838 Member
    What would I do?! Laugh in his face probably!

    I did. I told him I was going to stick to my plan. Which may not be working great but I am healthy.

    You lost 5 pounds right? Slow and steady wins the race! And you will keep it off much easier that way, without being grumpy! Good luck :wink:
  • gomisskellygo
    gomisskellygo Posts: 635 Member
    Why do so many people go to their doctors for nutrition advice??

    As someone who's currently in school to become an RD ...... arrrgghhhhhhhh!!!!! Stop it!

    Because you need a referral.
  • peachyxoxoxo
    peachyxoxoxo Posts: 1,178 Member
    Why do so many people go to their doctors for nutrition advice??

    As someone who's currently in school to become an RD ...... arrrgghhhhhhhh!!!!! Stop it!

    Because you need a referal.

    But why are they asking the doctor for advice instead of for a referral?
  • gomisskellygo
    gomisskellygo Posts: 635 Member
    oops.
  • Its like the time I lost 255 lbs and kept it off for 10 yrs w the help of a program where we introduced ourselves at each meeting by saying something like, "Hi, I'm Joy, a food addict". My doctor said that he couldn't approve of any support group that encouraged "negative confessions" like that! I asked him how many of his other patients had lost as much as me or kept it off as long and he shut up.

    Doctors are taught just about 0 information on nutrition and unless they care enought to study it on the side are positively idiots just like you said. How do I know? My father was a physician and everyone of us kids worked or works in the medical field so we interact w them all the time. 3 of 4 of us are obese and 1 is anorexic! What our father taught us was NOT helpful to say the least.

    The same doctor referenced in the first paragraph told me that I would die w/o weight loss surgery (this after gaining all I'd kept off back on) but 10 days b4 my surgery backed out and told me that since I would not "obey" him regarding physical therapy for my neck injury that he didn't think I would "obey" anyone after my weight loss surgery. ...after 17 years of sticking with him, I left him like a hot potato and had my surgery, thank God.
  • gomisskellygo
    gomisskellygo Posts: 635 Member
    Why do so many people go to their doctors for nutrition advice??

    As someone who's currently in school to become an RD ...... arrrgghhhhhhhh!!!!! Stop it!

    Because you need a referral.

    But why are they asking the doctor for advice instead of for a referral?

    Honestly, for me it goes like this: I saw a RD last year. She wanted to teach me how to read nutrition labels and follow the UDSA food pyramid. When I wasn't losing, she was convinced that I was lying on my journal or overestimating my calories burned from exercise. I wasn't. It was a waste of time. Bad RD? Probably, but the only one in my network. I have circled back to the MD's for further testing because this is driving me insane. I dropped my carbs to 100g that seems to possibly be working. If not, I dont know. I will continue to work hard because although I may not be hotter for it, I sure as heck am healthier.
  • StarIsMoving
    StarIsMoving Posts: 437
    Ok, story-sharing time. I took my oldest daughter to her pediatrician out of concern for her. She was having pains (before we knew about her severe RA) and she was struggling with anorexia and I was needing someone else to tell her how bad it could be. She was 5'1" and had gone down to 71lbs! Nothing but bone with skin over it, for real. The doctor barely acknowledged it (male doctor) and said it wasn't unusual for teenagers to dip on the scale. Ummm.. oh no you didn't!!!! Took her to see another doctor who LISTENED and it was amazing! Not only did we get to the proper doctor needed for diagnosis for her disease (which the other didn't even want to run tests other than bloodwork), but she also explained the dangers of not eating and being so severely underweight. I totally lucked out because as she spoke to my daughter, she answered with "and the reason I know first hand about how organs shut down, is because I suffered anorexia". JACKPOT!
    The moral of the story - find another doctor. This one is not "hearing" you, or doesn't share healthy beliefs. I know take my daughter to only a DO, not a MD. MD treat the medical issue at hand (symptoms), however a DO will involve and treat the whole body and issue at hand as well (general rule...though I am sure there will be bad ones in any category.. this is just our luck thus far)
  • peachyxoxoxo
    peachyxoxoxo Posts: 1,178 Member
    Why do so many people go to their doctors for nutrition advice??

    As someone who's currently in school to become an RD ...... arrrgghhhhhhhh!!!!! Stop it!

    Because you need a referral.

    But why are they asking the doctor for advice instead of for a referral?

    Honestly, for me it goes like this: I saw a RD last year. She wanted to teach me how to read nutrition labels and follow the UDSA food pyramid. When I wasn't losing, she was convinced that I was lying on my journal or overestimating my calories burned from exercise. I wasn't. It was a waste of time. I have circled back to the MD's for further testing becase this is driving me insane. I dropped my carbs to 100g that seems to possibly be working. If not, I dont know. I will continue to work hard because although I may not be hotter for it, I sure as heck am healthier.

    I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience with her! All RDs have their own style and some fall back on a one size fits all approach. Which is not a good way to go about giving out nutrition advice. And I can't believe she accused you of lying... rude. Well when I'm a dietitian I for sure won't act like that.
  • Doreen0211
    Doreen0211 Posts: 15
    When you think about it, asking a Gyn about nutrition is like asking a tire salesman how to replace a head gasket. (Though I'm not trying to dissuade you from putting in a complaint if you feel it's the right thing to do.)

    We've been lied to and conditioned for such a long time in the thinking that and corn oil and supposed "good carbs" such as whole grains are good for us and that animal fats are bad. Many people (including some doctors) are not ready to hear that it's been incorrect information all along and that the nutritional pyramid is upside-down. As long as your doctor is qualified to take care of the gyn subjects, leave him to that and continue to do exactly what you're doing. I know it's frustrating to know that he may be giving bad nutritional advice to expectant moms, but when you think about it, so are the rest of the...ehem.... "nutritional experts".
  • gomisskellygo
    gomisskellygo Posts: 635 Member
    Why do so many people go to their doctors for nutrition advice??

    As someone who's currently in school to become an RD ...... arrrgghhhhhhhh!!!!! Stop it!

    Because you need a referral.

    But why are they asking the doctor for advice instead of for a referral?

    Honestly, for me it goes like this: I saw a RD last year. She wanted to teach me how to read nutrition labels and follow the UDSA food pyramid. When I wasn't losing, she was convinced that I was lying on my journal or overestimating my calories burned from exercise. I wasn't. It was a waste of time. I have circled back to the MD's for further testing becase this is driving me insane. I dropped my carbs to 100g that seems to possibly be working. If not, I dont know. I will continue to work hard because although I may not be hotter for it, I sure as heck am healthier.

    I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience with her! All RDs have their own style and some fall back on a one size fits all approach. Which is not a good way to go about giving out nutrition advice. And I can't believe she accused you of lying... rude. Well when I'm a dietitian I for sure won't act like that.

    I bet you will be a great one!
  • Moviedust
    Moviedust Posts: 110
    If they do find out you have PCOS I might be able to help I was diagnosed in September and have lost about 30 lbs or so since then! Also I get this because my mom is a dietitian (and good at it lol) but she couldn't figure out why I was eating healthy and exercising and the scale wouldn't BUDGE! My husband said I was defying all laws of thermodynamics unless I was binge eating in my sleep. IF you have PCOS it means your homones are out of whack AND you need to get those under control if you want the weight to start coming off easier (I did lose a few years before and gained it back but now it's staying off)!!
    Why do so many people go to their doctors for nutrition advice??

    As someone who's currently in school to become an RD ...... arrrgghhhhhhhh!!!!! Stop it!

    Because you need a referral.

    But why are they asking the doctor for advice instead of for a referral?

    Honestly, for me it goes like this: I saw a RD last year. She wanted to teach me how to read nutrition labels and follow the UDSA food pyramid. When I wasn't losing, she was convinced that I was lying on my journal or overestimating my calories burned from exercise. I wasn't. It was a waste of time. Bad RD? Probably, but the only one in my network. I have circled back to the MD's for further testing because this is driving me insane. I dropped my carbs to 100g that seems to possibly be working. If not, I dont know. I will continue to work hard because although I may not be hotter for it, I sure as heck am healthier.
  • gomisskellygo
    gomisskellygo Posts: 635 Member
    Ok, story-sharing time. I took my oldest daughter to her pediatrician out of concern for her. She was having pains (before we knew about her severe RA) and she was struggling with anorexia and I was needing someone else to tell her how bad it could be. She was 5'1" and had gone down to 71lbs! Nothing but bone with skin over it, for real. The doctor barely acknowledged it (male doctor) and said it wasn't unusual for teenagers to dip on the scale. Ummm.. oh no you didn't!!!! Took her to see another doctor who LISTENED and it was amazing! Not only did we get to the proper doctor needed for diagnosis for her disease (which the other didn't even want to run tests other than bloodwork), but she also explained the dangers of not eating and being so severely underweight. I totally lucked out because as she spoke to my daughter, she answered with "and the reason I know first hand about how organs shut down, is because I suffered anorexia". JACKPOT!
    The moral of the story - find another doctor. This one is not "hearing" you, or doesn't share healthy beliefs. I know take my daughter to only a DO, not a MD. MD treat the medical issue at hand (symptoms), however a DO will involve and treat the whole body and issue at hand as well (general rule...though I am sure there will be bad ones in any category.. this is just our luck thus far)

    I am so glad you found a DO to really listen and help your daughter! I have a PA that I really like, but she is at a loss too. Maybe I need to video tape myself sleeping. Maybe I am a very neat night eater who sleep eats and cleans up before going bac to bed!!lol