Comments on: The Good Doctor

By: Pushca

Pushca — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 14:27:09 +0000

When one of my friends was thirteen, she was 5′6″ or 5′7″, 134 lbs, and a size 5. Her doctor told her that she had to lose 13 lbs, which, in addition to her pre-existing body-image issues, was just great. I was ready to kill the guy.

By: Dr Sculerati

Dr Sculerati — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 02:56:11 +0000

I’m hoping that you won’t see this message as SPAM, I have a totally non-commercial (no ads- no fee) website that tries to answer questions and has articles on the biology of the human body. It’s at drsculerati.com (also drscuerati.org). Anyway, doctors who are in touch with the cutting edge understanding of body fat know that fat regulates itself- it holds on, is able to even change a person’s metabolism and appetite. I’d appreciate if you would take a look at the articles on Obesity and Body Fat, they are far from complete and I’d appreciate a few questions/feedback to try to make the site worthwhile. Thanks, Nancy

By: TORA

TORA — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 15:47:19 +0000

I have severe asthma and it is triggered badly by cats. I went to a designer’s house that would make me clothes personally because I have a funky style and I want to sell the pieces online. I didn’t know that she had a cat; until i saw the cat when I was leaving. I get outside with my roommate and I couldn’t breathe really well. I told myself to relax and calm down. But i couldn’t breathe at all. The paramedics came; they said I was having a panic attack; I had shown my middle finger to one ( sadly me nor my roommate didn’t have an inhaler)one off and they took me to the emergency room. When I got there I didn’t even know I was there because I was told that I had fainted on the way.
Here comes a little Filipino woman as a nurse; who tells me that my breathing level is at 50 percent and that I need to rest a bit. I’m still groggy struggling to breathe.
My breathing gotten better and I am awake now. Breathing better and ready to leave. This here comes the little Filipino nurse telling me ” You need to lose weight; so you wont have an asthma attack again”. Mind you I almost fucking died. I truly didn’t want to hear that shit at all.
I explained to her that I am a student-athlete (at the age of 22 and stronger than an ox )and that I throw shot put and discus. Being a big girl in my sport is normal and I work out very strenuous. Actually more than you do and it looks like you need to lose some pounds too.” She was taken aback and I gotten an AWESOME nurse instead of her. I explain to the AWESOME nurse that I do not pay 60 dollars a month for my PPO to be disrespected by anyone. I don’t truly care if she was “concern” and it was not her place to tell me that If I wasn’t a fat ass I wouldn’t be in this predicament. She told me that she understood and that she’s sorry for the lack of class that was shown to me. I thanked her and my roommate came and got me.
I’ve had totally jackasses for doctors and it made me feel like shit. However, I do not need to be disrespected at all. I pay good money for my PPO and I do not need to be belittle because of my size. I’ve always been a big girl and I’ve always been in sports all of my life. So, I tell doctors now to kiss my ass and if they do not like it trust and believe that I would write a lovely letter to the board of medicine or walk my happy fat ass to the head of the hospital and my a complaint about the disrespect from the doctor. Thank god I know that doctors can be wrong ( thanks to my ex Dr. Mo). Ladies you can always walk out the office and get a refund on your partial pay. If you do not get the right treatment and write a complaint letter. The pen is mightier than the sword.

By: susan

susan — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:02:03 +0000

I went to the dr yesterday about a bump on my neck. The girl leading me to the exam room automatically took me to the scale and I was quite proud of myself for stating, “I don’t really want to be weighed”. She looked taken aback, but said I didn’t have to be weighed.

By: psychsarah

psychsarah — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 21:57:35 +0000

I admit to defensiveness also. I had lost 80 pounds in the year and a half before moving to a new city. When I found a new GP (which is no small feat-there is a severe shortage in my area) he was fairly diplomatic. During my physical, amongst a bunch of other questions, he said “What would you like your weight to be?” I quickly said my goal weight (about 20 lbs lighter than I was at that point). I quickly then regaled him with the tale of my weight loss, so he wouldn’t think I was a lazy slob who was just picking a weight out of a hat. I think he was a little taken aback with my tone (which in retrospect was quite defensive-as in “get off my back about these 20 pounds, I’ve worked really hard to get where I am okay?”) His response “Do you eat a lot of bread?” When I quizzically said no, he said “Well, keep up with what you’re doing. It will come off eventually” and moved on. I wasn’t sure what to do with that response, as I had maintained my weight for over a year, working out 5 x a week and logging calories daily. Not exactly supportive, but not a horror story like others have had. It was just disappointing that he couldn’t offer any more helpful intervention that eating less bread. I felt like I knew more about nutrition and fitness than he did! Crazy!

By: Susan

Susan — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:26:51 +0000

Two years ago when I told him there was something very wrong with me and I needed him to help me find out what it was there was no hesitation on his part to schedule the tests. He trusts that I know my body. And we found cancer. Thanks to him listening to me we caught it very early and I’m okay now.

Wow, CJ – you *do* have a good doctor! If only they were all as responsive to their patients. Glad to hear you’re OK.

By: Timmi

Timmi — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 14:20:54 +0000

Sony – “To be perfectly honest here, I don’t know if it was because she’s used to fat people not complying or if nobody does.”

Pretty much nobody does all of the exercises they’ve been given, so when someone does it’s truly shocking. Hehe.

By: FatGirl

FatGirl — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 03:04:07 +0000

I get pretty defensive about my weight too, when I’m at the doctor’s. I dread meeting a new doc because I worry how they’ll respond.

I’m starting to get over it. I am losing weight- I’m going to lose enough to make my health problems go away and I’m not going to worry about it.

By: Jean

Jean — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 00:22:58 +0000

Funny thing that. On my most recent doctor’s visit with a new doctor he asked a bunch of questions about whether I was always overweight and whether my family was, but said it was fine as I was exercising and everything else seemed fine…

But about two years ago, I had to have an occupational physical for work through a local hospital. When I got on the scale, the nurse said to me “That’s a shame. You would be so pretty if you weren’t so (and then she puffed up her cheeks and made a big round gesture with her arms).”

What the hell?

By: K

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:05:40 +0000

I’ve never had any doctor say anything about my weight. I’m in the UK – wonder if that makes a difference?

I did rather worry recently when I went in with sore feet that the Dr would suggest the problem was caused by my weight, but it didn’t happen. I was all ready to tell him I hadn’t had any problems when I was heavier, but it wasn’t necessary.

You’d think NHS doctors wouldn’t have to worry about annoying a paying customer… and I have had the occasional one who didn’t listen. Such as the one who asked me if I could conceivably have an STD, and then sent me for a test despite my telling him it wasn’t possible. (Without telling me that’s what he was testing me for, either.)