Gp's And Obesity

[Tannith]

Hi. Re GP/hcp/dietician bashiing, agree it is unhelpful but believe that the medical professional types are not encouraged to join in here. As you say there is frustration among the patients and I imagine that there is a great deal of frustration on the part of GPs too because they may not have appropriate solutions to offer their patients other than surgery which is highly rationed in any case. Their views in this survey merely display the general social consensus on the causes and cures of obesity (eat less, move more) although they have an obvious insight into the seriousness of the condition.
I believe that 'diaobesity' should be the focus as this is the pathological part of obesity that leads to complications such as metabolic disease including diabetes, heart disease and cancer; you can be fat and metabolically happy albeit with sore joints whereas there are a minority of not very fat people
walking around unaware that they are at risk because they cannot handle carbohydrates well...
On the plus side, the new technologies makes self and patient education a lot easier. I did the RCGP course by Dr Unwin and it is very useful with handouts and supporting evidence - we could all share it with your GP or Diabetic lead in your surgeries.

There was a BBC news article bout 4 years ago about why GPs did not address weight with their overweight/obese patients who came with other problems. On the "Have your Say" at the bottom one GP commented "They cry"

 

[Guzzler]

There was a BBC news article bout 4 years ago about why GPs did not address weight with their overweight/obese patients who came with other problems. On the "Have your Say" at the bottom one GP commented "They cry"

Then that GPs approach is wrong!

 

[zand]

I think it extreme for a HCP to dismiss, ignore, ridicule or even outright accuse of lying those of us who bring our evidence to them, year after year. The tolerance has to work both ways in order for mutual respect to happen.

Yes and the HCPs are there to serve us, not the other way round.

 

[Guzzler]

My loss of faith in HCPs is not a reflection on me, it is a reflection on them.

 

[zand]

There was a BBC news article bout 4 years ago about why GPs did not address weight with their overweight/obese patients who came with other problems. On the "Have your Say" at the bottom one GP commented "They cry"

Yes, I cried with frustration when one doctor accused me of not sticking to the diet she had given me. I did stick to it to the letter and gained 8 pounds in 2 weeks. Who wouldn't cry in those circumstances? How dare she? 'Well' the doc said 'it worked for me'. Yep ,very helpful.

 

[zand]

My nice doctor who has now sadly left was so encouraging it was a pleasure to see him. He always said 'well done' when I had lost a pound. He said my weight loss was awesome. My new doctor now just says 'lose weight' without noticing that I have lost 3-4 stones already.

 

[lindisfel]

My loss of faith in HCPs is not a reflection on me, it is a reflection on them.

Clever comment but sad for you if you ever need them and have to rely on your native abilities instead.
Try treating advance cancer by diet or an internet guru? Go see your doctor and you will be referred immediately under the two week rule if a problem is suspected.
D.

 

[Hotpepper20000]

When I was in my early teens, hunger took over my life. It ruled me. I bought and ate food constantly. Chocolate and cream cakes were favourites. I gained weight steadily. Every morning, the starvation diet began. Every evening I lapsed into desperate out of control binging.

Greed? Sloth? Slobbishness? My parents certainly thought so.

At the same time I was prescribed synthetic progesterone for a hormone problem. That proved to be an error, and things got worse. Later I was diagnosed with PCOS and a prolactinoma. I also had Reactive Hypoglycaemia symptoms from age 4 onwards, but no diagnosis.

The day I was prescribed Cabergoline for the prolactinoma was the day I stopped bingeing.
The day I got my blood glucose under control was the day my carb cravings faded.
In both cases the relief was life-changing.

I haven’t binged in nearly 20 years, but you know what?
Some of my family still think I am greedy.
Except now I correct them. Repeatedly.

‘greed’ is a symptom, not a cause. And there are many different causes.

THIS!!!!!!

 

[Mr_Pot]

Possibly due to hormonal imbalances that mean her signalling is out of whack (leptin/grehlin).. so the reasons for the overeating may be completely outside of her control. Sounds like she eats carb heavy meals which cause insulin spikes which in turn lead to fat storage rather than using fat stores for fuel. Have you thought of suggesting cutting carbs to her?

I agree there may be reasons psychological or medical why she needs to eat and that her carb heavy diet is not helping. My point really was that there seems to be a growing opinion that weight is not related to eating and that anyone who suggests it is, is accusing the individual of gluttony. We do not gain weight through photosynthesis or osmosis only though eating however blameless that eating may be. Regarding my daughter, I have suggested a low carb diet as subtly as I can and I am a good example that it works, but so far without success.

 

[Guzzler]

Clever comment but sad for you if you ever need them and have to rely on your native abilities instead.
Try treating advance cancer by diet or an internet guru? Go see your doctor and you will be referred immediately under the two week rule if a problem is suspected.
D.

I needed them when they gave me the diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes.

I have no Gurus, you use the word as if it is an insult to my inteligence. If ever I am unlucky enough to develope cancer you can guarantee that I will be seeing the right person for the job but I will still do my homework and take an active role in my treatment and in the decision making process. Respect has to be earned, blind faith is not something I've had since I left the church.

 

[Grandpa Munster]

My G.P. blames any ailments I may have on being overweight.

18 months ago I had an appointment with my G.P. for something or other, I think it was plantar fasciitis. Whilst I was in his surgery I happened to mention that I thought I had a hernia as I have a protrusion from my navel.

My G.P. never even looked up from his P.C. and said "you are overweight, nobody will touch you."

My G.P. refuses to take into account my frame size, I'm huge, my shoulders are as wide as a door, being big and heavy never stopped me playing rugby and at a reasonably high level.

18 months on, I'm in some discomfort with my stomach, previously no pain. Lets just say if you have seen the film Alien, this will give you an idea where I am at present.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

I am not privy to all that goes on in a doctor's office but when I go there I feel that I am in a triage station.

1. I get guilt because I am fat, smoke, have some other overriding condition that explains everything.
2. I get pills. Some pills are not kind, cure nothing but you get them on a repeat prescription.
3. I get referred to someone who know what they are talking about.

I am not saying it's an easy job but there are times when I feel I would actually like a GP to cure me.

 

[Resurgam]

Clever comment but sad for you if you ever need them and have to rely on your native abilities instead.
Try treating advance cancer by diet or an internet guru? Go see your doctor and you will be referred immediately under the two week rule if a problem is suspected.
D.

And what do you do if your doctor sneers and says 'that isn't a growth it is a big glob of fat' - what then?
Yes, the person I know who was treated that way was able to pay for private treatment and survived - but sad for everyone who just goes home and then requires radical surgery or gets a diagnosis too late to be helped at all.

 

[lindisfel]

No, I look at the gurus, and will take from them what I want, but I don't follow them as if they handed it all down on tablets of stone from Yahweh on Mount Sinai.
You certainly give a different impression when you speak about health care professionals.
Some seem a little over sensitive, I grew up where they called a spade a b***** shovel!
D.

I needed them when they gave me the diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes.

I have no Gurus, you use the word as if it is an insult to my inteligence. If ever I am unlucky enough to develope cancer you can guarantee that I will be seeing the right person for the job but I will still do my homework and take an active role in my treatment and in the decision making process. Respect has to be earned, blind faith is not something I've had since I left the church.

And what do you do if your doctor sneers and says 'that isn't a growth it is a big glob of fat' - what then?
Yes, the person I know who was treated that way was able to pay for private treatment and survived - but sad for everyone who just goes home and then requires radical surgery or gets a diagnosis too late to be helped at all.

 

[lindisfel]

I am sorry your doctor is unkind to you some think gritty humour is ok.
I was a little over weight and lost 3.5 stone but did not use the DN methods after it made my GGT worse.
I was able to tell my doctor later what really made all my metabolic markers
better.
D.

 

[lindisfel]

I am not privy to all that goes on in a doctor's office but when I go there I feel that I am in a triage station.

1. I get guilt because I am fat, smoke, have some other overriding condition that explains everything.
2. I get pills. Some pills are not kind, cure nothing but you get them on a repeat prescription.
3. I get referred to someone who know what they are talking about.

I am not saying it's an easy job but there are times when I feel I would actually like a GP to cure me.

It is triage they are generalists as I see it. Some have expertise in different areas though. They should send you to the right source to get fixed. But we all know the BDA have their knickers in a twist.
D.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

My point really was that there seems to be a growing opinion that weight is not related to eating and that anyone who suggests it is, is accusing the individual of gluttony. We do not gain weight through photosynthesis or osmosis only though eating however blameless that eating may be.

True! It's just that when you eat less than your BMR, you can still be eating more than you need, and if that amount of food, less than your BMR, is carb heavy, who knows how much you should be eating. All calories are not equal.

Eighteen months ago one of my GPs looked at my food diary and said "you're not eating enough". She was wrong, I added a few things to my meager diet and gained weight. So now, I know how much I can eat and not gain weight, not my GP or the Harris Benedict formula.

 

[Guzzler]

No, I look at the gurus, and will take from them what I want, but I don't follow them as if they handed it all down on tablets of stone from Yahweh on Mount Sinai.
You certainly give a different impression when you speak about health care professionals.
Some seem a little over sensitive, I grew up where they called a spade a b***** shovel!
D.

If we are calling a spade a spade then there are no Gurus. No one knows everything about a particular condition because their experiences and opinions differ. I have spoken plainly about my experiences as a patient, I am not on the defensive here because my opinion is not as coloured as yours seems to be.

 

[zand]

And what do you do if your doctor sneers and says 'that isn't a growth it is a big glob of fat' - what then?
Yes, the person I know who was treated that way was able to pay for private treatment and survived - but sad for everyone who just goes home and then requires radical surgery or gets a diagnosis too late to be helped at all.

Yes this happened to my neighbour. The doctor sneered at her . She is dead now because the cancer had gone too far by the time anyone listened.

 

[lucylocket61]

No, I look at the gurus, and will take from them what I want, but I don't follow them as if they handed it all down on tablets of stone from Yahweh on Mount Sinai.
You certainly give a different impression when you speak about health care professionals.
Some seem a little over sensitive, I grew up where they called a spade a b***** shovel!
D.

the term 'oversensitive' is judgmental and unhelpful. There is no such thing as a person being oversensitive. There are others perceptions of sensitivity or lack of, but they are just opinions from those who do not live in the skins of those they are deeming to be more sensitive than the person considers they should be. Only the person themelves can judge if their own personal sensitivity threshold is OK.

There is enough judgmental stuff thrown about, without also being told by others how sensitive one is supposed to be according to some imaginary yardstick held by another.