My family will yell at me for calling myself fat, but just one trip to the Doctors for an annual checkup confirms this description. About three years ago I discovered that my blood pressure was high when I went for a checkup for a sinus infection. The doctor's reaction to my readings brought a sense of alarm to me and he promptly gave me some sample pills to try for two weeks but they and every pill after that gave me a bad reaction; making me feel extremely fatigued making it hard for me to do anything but lay down. ( possibly too strong a dosage for me) This went on for almost two months when I decided to go to my daughter's doctor who was extremely nice and encouraging. When I went to him, I told him my experience and he gave me a prescription for a mild dosage of a pill saying that I just needed tweaking and that my readings weren't that bad. And, he was really nice and made me feel calmer about the whole thing ,adding that if I lost weight my numbers would go down. I didn't feel condemned or humiliated.
Well, shortly after that we moved to Alabama, and I didn't lose weight, I gained a little more. Let's face it, I love food, I love eating food, and I guess I had trouble keeping up with good habits in the new locale.
Well, every year I go to the doctor to renew my prescription and for a checkup, so I have had to find somewhere to go locally instead of my nice friendly doctor in Florida.
Not easy. A year and a half ago, I went and was handed a diet printout and informed that I should be doing something about my weight in a very matter of fact way and left feeling kinda embarrassed. Those scales are terrifying to me :(
Guess what? I didn't lose any weight when I returned the next year for my annual checkup and I was praying that I wouldn't get the same Dr. (there are 10 in this clinic) But guess who walks in? Dr Cheerful from last year. This time he walked in with his arms folded across his chest and leaned on the window sill and looked at me rather sternly saying: "How old are you? " I gave him the correct answer, I am pretty sure . "And how much do you weigh?" "too much?", I mumbled with my head down. "And how much do you think you should weigh?" "Umm, I guess at my age, I would say (blah, blah blah)". ( I am afraid to tell you my answer because I am sure that most of you would go on a diet if you weighed what my goal weight is!)
He asks me the usual questions about pain-no, shortness of breath-no, do you smoke or drink -no. Then he asks me if I am from California ( I have no idea why) and then tells me that California is legalizing medicinal marijuana and that it would be impossible to control it that way, to which I replied," Yeah..." Then he says, "I think they should just legalize it across the board." To which I just nervously giggled and said "Huh!' His next question was "You aren't pregnant are you?" I thought to myself, he is dissing my pot belly isn't he? But I just said, "no". Yikes, can this visit get any worse? I gotta get outta here!
So, he hands me another diet printout and mentions that one glass of wine a day has health benefits, but grape juice is just as good what with all the alcoholics out there. He said how it would not be good to start drinking it for health but end up as an alcoholic. (I wasn't sure if he thought that I was one, since I don't drink, but I never have and don't like the taste) All this without being friendly or personable, just ODD!
So...I have told you all this because I know that I have to lose a good amount of weight and I have been exercising more these past few months and recently have tried to give up eating sweets but no loss is happening. During summertime I am the least motivated for anything! I have SIX MONTHS before my next checkup and I will be trying another Doctor!
Knowing that I must get more fit and dreading the next Drs visit, stresses me out and is not a good motivator for me. I want to do better so I feel better and get healthier. Now that cooler temps are around the corner, I am looking forward to going for my outdoor walks again. Inside dvds and exercise bike riding has been boring for me, but I have tried to keep it up!
So... I would appreciate any prayers or words of encouragement, I really need to change!
Hope your day is a good one!
Darlene :)
Wow, what a miserable experience. I've been there. It's almost as though you can be a criminal or an abuser, but if you're overweight, you're the lowest of the low. It's such a shame that society doesn't value people for who they are instead of how they look. I wish you luck on losing weight for your health and well-being, but be proud of who you are as a person. No doctor should take that away from you.
ReplyDeletethanks LL!
ReplyDeleteDr's can really ruin a day!! I'm sorry momma, even though I already heard the story. I am glad you are trying somewhere new for the next one.
ReplyDeleteWhy do we let the doctor bother us? It is almost like we are getting in trouble with the school principal or something. I was so afraid to get weighed in last month, figuring I was going to get a lecture for gaining a few pounds. When the dr. didn't say anything I asked him "how much did I gain?" (I don't know why, almost like I was asking for a lecture.) To my surprise he told me that I had lost 5 pounds since my last visit and to keep up the good work. Boy was I surprised!!! (He probably needs to get his scale recalibrated though.) I have to go back in 6 months too, so lets both try and lose 15 pounds by then. I would have said more but with the holidays falling right in the middle of it all, I know it will be impossible for me to lose any more than that. What do you think, should we even try? LOL!!
ReplyDeleteyessss Nancy! I want tooo!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like the worst doctor's visit on record! Ugh!
ReplyDeleteI am no prime example, but I have to tell you that two things are really helping me right now. I've blogged about the program at the YMCA for Diabetes Prevention. I don't have diabetes, but my sugar level is out of "range" by just one point. I am therefore eligible for the Y program. It's basically an effort to lose weight on a low fat diet (carbs aren't really coming in to play...email me and I'll send you a link that explains all this!). So I've been going once a week to the Y program.
That's only half of my own program, though. I've been using myfitnesspal.com. It has been great for me. I have it on my iPhone, but usually access it through my computer.
These two things have gotten me on a good solid path...and I've blogged about it so now I'm publicly committed (must have been crazy to do that, but...)
Good luck with whatever you choose to do...I'll be rooting for you. It's hard; it's lonely; but I'm going to do it for my health! I know you can, too!!
OMG! I cannot beleive this supposed proffessional is being allowed to make you feel like this. He is abusing his position as a GP and getting power happy in the process!
ReplyDeleteYou have a beautiful soul and a wonderful personality that comes across in droves on your blog posts. Be brave and tell the receptionist you refuse to see him again, and tell her why. She will then make sure you see someone more likely to help and not hinder your progress.
Think about those lovely walks whilst you are on that horrid indoor excersize bike, that will spur you on. Sending hugs over the water to you. x
holy cow... talk about humiliating... and very strange!
ReplyDeletei happened upon this blog http://livingachangedlife.blogspot.com - she did weight watchers and her transformation was amazing! i don't think you have to lose as much weight as she did (and i won't ask for specifics)... but i find the blog pretty inspiring and encouraging... yet simple. she doesn't overwhelm with info. even if you don't want to do WW's... it's still an encouraging blog to check out. after i have this baby, i am determined to get down to a better weight than before i was pregnant! watching the transformation of others is making me want to do well (when it's time)! good luck, i know it's not an easy thing to do!