swamp
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THEY’RE EATING THE DOGS!!!!!!!
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Post by swamp on Jul 19, 2017 17:09:29 GMT -5
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jul 19, 2017 17:48:18 GMT -5
I believe it happens. I had a friend give me her gynecologist name because she was "so nice" and I went. She was pretty standard, in my opinion. Did I just happen to have really nice gyns my entire life, or do they treat me differently because I'm in the proper weight range and she is double that (or more.)
That said, I have several stories of doctors being dismissive and uncaring and roll their eyes like I'm some silly little woman who can't handle normal life or pain or whatever, and there is clearly nothing wrong with me even though I have had the same symptoms for 20 years. I have been told by multiple doctors to get some exercise, and they did so in a condescending way. So, I wouldn't say that every story told is because of fat bias. But I definitely believe that it happens, and probably happens quite a bit.
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on Jul 19, 2017 17:53:35 GMT -5
I was thinking about this the other day...The monthly weigh-ins will do that to a person.
I didn't have problems with my weight and the medical establishment until this kid.
I was 225 when I conceived DS (14 years ago) . My dr/gyn had no problems with me getting knocked up. She looked at me and said "meh. You should loose weight. You know that. Here's your clomid...good luck."
My RE had no problems getting me knocked up with the peanut at 235, 6 years ago. I was all prepared for the "We won't treat you until you drop x lbs." Instead he was like, "I'll give you 50-50 odds that you'll conceive with this IUI."
Something must have happened in the past 6 years. I'm not sure what it is. The funny thing, is at 18 weeks pregnant, I've a little lost weight, and I'm only 6lbs more than when I conceived DD2.
I am considering at some point, seeing a dietician. The last time I lost weight, I was down to a 1000 calorie a day diet doing 70 or so minutes of aerobic activity daily. And that was in HS.
I'm not really keen on doing that again. And it doesn't seem particularly healthy to me.
My frustration is in the "just stop drinking soda, eating junk food and get your ass off the couch" and you'll lose weight, duh, doesn't apply to me.
We eat fairly cleanly. I went from walking very little to walking 3miles a day. I mean, yes, I'll have a pack of nutty bars or a bag of chips. But even something like that once or twice a month shouldn't be the reason why nothing works.
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Peace Of Mind
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[font color="#8f2520"]~ Drinks Well With Others ~[/font]
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Post by Peace Of Mind on Jul 21, 2017 22:33:44 GMT -5
I'm sure my story won't be appreciated but I'm telling it any way because I matter too. I was very, very ill. I was losing weight but eating like a pig. I had heart palpitations and my hair was falling out. I had no period for months and I had to change my pajamas at night and soaked my sheets and was averaging 3-6 hours a night of sleep. Then I'd crash and burn and sleep for a day or two straight. I was exhausted constantly and had rashes all over my body that even skin specialists couldn't explain. There were other things but the weight loss was so extreme (already very thin but was down to 113 lbs. and 5 ft. 6 inches). My normal weight for me was 128 average to 132 high. I went to 8 doctors who rolled their eyes, told me I looked fine, and a nurse who sarcastically stated "Sure. You have a weight problem" also rolling her eyes at me because she was over weight. I explained that I wasn't concerned that I was gaining weight but losing so much weight. I lost 20 lbs. in 3 months and was eating 2 ice cream sundaes a day along with huge meals that included mashed potatoes, gravy, meat, etc. I was treated like shit. I thought I had cancer and was dying at this point. I was told it was my birth control pills why I wasn't having a period. It was my allergy meds why my heart was palpitating, etc. Nobody ran any tests, nobody did anything. Finally I went to a doctor who's nurse said to me (I was 32 years old by this time and 1/2 dead and gray looking at this point. I was born with this disease and had it my entire life and nobody figured out what was wrong). She checked my heart rate and blood pressure and said "Honey, either you are having a very early and very horrible menopause or you have hyper thyroidism!". We'll do a blood test and make sure. But you are not leaving this office until we put you on heart meds because your heart rate is 129 at rest. You can stroke out at any time. My doctor said he never saw somebody so happy to have a disease in his life. Again, I was sure I was dying from cancer or something by this point and was just happy to have been diagnosed. They wanted me at the hospital for radioactive iodine immediately but DH was out of town and I had to be quarantined and needed to make arrangements with him and the cats (can't touch them, hug anybody, nobody could use the bathroom after me, and only eat on disposable cups and paper plates, etc. for 3 days). When I told my mom she helpfully said "Oh. We always thought you were anorexic since you ate so much and never gained weight." Moral to this story? People suck. Medical care for the most part in this country sucks. So because everybody that had weight issues saw a thin person - my health problems didn't matter. Weight bias goes both ways. The end.
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chiver78
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Post by chiver78 on Jul 21, 2017 22:46:33 GMT -5
that's pretty damn scary, POM! weight bias totally exists in both directions. for some reason, it isn't a "gut reaction" to see someone skinny as unhealthy, or to see someone larger as fit.
I personally can relate to the snippet in there about having recently lost weight, and still being looked at sideways b/c I was still larger than I "should be" (I put that in quotes b/c I am still larger than I should be. but that's on me, not anyone else to judge) when I went to the ER with a numb hand. ironically enough, it was the Paleo diet I was following in an effort to lose some weight that sent my blood pressure sky high and in turn, cutting off supply to the hand that was numb. that was a fun night in a snowstorm......not.
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Peace Of Mind
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Post by Peace Of Mind on Jul 21, 2017 23:06:25 GMT -5
Chiver - Sorry to hear about your blood pressure. That is so scary but I'm glad it was just the Paleo diet and not something worse! Nobody but the person them self knows their own "real" weight and when to be concerned - for the most part - health wise. Even if they aren't the weight they "should be" Doctors should listen regardless IMO. Then they can decide if the person is only fooling themselves about their health. Oh, and make no mistake - I'm totally skinny fat! I'm sure you are healthier than I am as you are more athletic! I'm at 131 lbs. now (this weight gain is recent and it got up to 134 lbs. but went back down) and I'm very happy about it. I couldn't get past 124 lbs. since then (the diagnoses) and I'm 57 years old now. I'm keeping all of them! I'm now hoping they'll fill in the wrinkles. LOL! But I sure miss the energy of my Grave's disease. I've been hypo thyroid since the radioactive iodine (removal of thyroid) and now I'm just a big ole slug. I just want to give giant hugs to msventoux , GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl , Lizard Queen , zibazinski , and chiver78 (trying for the 5th time) and midjd, NoNamePerson, lurkyloo, and thyme4change because - you know. Health issues suck all around but being ignored is even worse - regardless of weight. It's time we all speak up and be our own advocates and not feel bad for our situations at the time! Everybody matters no matter our age, weight, color, gender, etc. It's up to us to not settle for less. I'm just sayin'!
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chiver78
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Post by chiver78 on Jul 21, 2017 23:19:49 GMT -5
It's time we all speak up and be our own advocates and not feel bad for our situations at the time! Everybody matters no matter our age, weight, color, gender, etc. It's up to us to not settle for less. I'm just sayin'! Amen.
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whoisjohngalt
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Post by whoisjohngalt on Jul 22, 2017 7:59:01 GMT -5
I think it happens to all kinds of people, not just fat ones.
I think people go to the doctor expecting them to know how to fix the problem and I think many doctors just don't. Or they don't have the time to take the time to get to the root of the problem. Or they are stuck between ordering too many tests or not enough tests. So, they go with the "obvious" - loose the weight, exercise more, take care of yourself, hoping that may be it will solve something.
Two years ago my husband told me I had a huge lump on the lower part of the back of my neck. That and the fact that my back has been hurting for years - I went to orthopedic dr. His PA or whoever took x-rays, told me I needed PT and said that I have thyroid issue.
So, I asked my kids' doctor who is also a GP about it. He told me it's not my thyroid, that lump is just fat but he'll run any tests I want. So, $500 later, my thyroid looked perfect. When I told him I don't have time for PT, he printed me a few pages of back exercises and asked me if I want him to prescribe me an anti-inflammatory. He listened, didn't roll his eyes, but sometimes it IS fat.
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Lizard Queen
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Post by Lizard Queen on Jul 22, 2017 8:30:18 GMT -5
Yeah, they seem like to treat the big and obvious. I've gone in when I was a completely normal weight, and was pretty much dismissed. Or they'll send you for a couple tests, and if those turn up nothing, the conclusion is that your problem is nothing.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Jul 22, 2017 8:53:45 GMT -5
Fat is viewed with disgust in our society. But has it ever occurred to anyone that some people are bulldogs, some people are greyhounds, some people are chihuahuas? We don't expect a bulldog to be built like a chihuahua. I also think doctors today are looking for the quick cure. Here's a pill, get in and out of my office. Counseling for lifestyle changes takes time and there is no money for that. And, doctors are pushed to see as many pts as possible without taking time to talk. However, on that front, there has a been a new development, well new for here, maybe this has been happening. But, now my doctor has a Scribe who does all the charting and notes for the doc. My doc will now actually sit in a chair beside me and have a conversation. That is a very good thing.
As for obesity, yes, much of it is self induced. And, there are many medical conditions that result. If you have a bad knees, bad back, diabetes, breathing issues, heart issues and on and on, dropping some fat will be a big benefit. However, there are pts who don't want to listen to that as well and also just want the magic pill. So, there is plenty of blame to go around for the way the medical system now approaches pts and the way some pts approach doctors.
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lurkyloo
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“Time means nothing now,” said Toad. “It is just the thing that happens between snacks.”
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Post by lurkyloo on Jul 22, 2017 13:21:08 GMT -5
I think it is a double problem, women are generally taken less seriously than men as well as overweight people being dismissed out of hand. It's pretty ugly (It's also very practitioner-dependent; there are many doctors and NPs that are not jackholes. Not that that makes it okay that it happens at all.) POM, what a scary story! A previous supervisor had Graves disease as well, but a much less severe case. Gira, I assume you've had your thyroid checked?
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jul 22, 2017 14:46:58 GMT -5
I get that medical providers are just people, but POM - that story sucks!
I remember taking my daughter in because I thought she had an ear infection. The PA spent 5 minutes probing me with questions on why I thought it was an ear infection and speculating on what else it could be. I finally said "Can you look in her ear before ruling out an ear infection?" It wasn't like I was asking for an expensive test, just take that little ear thingy that is in your goddamm hand and spend 7 seconds using it as designed. Boy, was that lady pissed when she looked in the ear and discovered it was infected. She wrote a prescription and left the room without saying anything. Ear infections are pretty common in toddlers, so I'm not sure what her problem was. I tried very hard to never see her again and just get to the Dr.
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