Hi Pattie... I've never actually kept something from the doctor, but I do get really nervous about going, for the reasons you mention. I feel so self-conscious, more than I do anywhere else. I usually have to psych myself up and remind myself that I'm paying them to be nice to me! :-) Truly, though, if you ever do go to a doctor who doesn't take you and your concerns seriously, you need to immediately find a new doctor! There are lots and lots of physicians who will listen to you and NOT "blame" all of your ailments on your weight. Take care...

http://www.cat-and-dragon.com/stef/Fat/ffp.html

I went for my annual exam a month ago, to a very trusted NP, and got the speech about losing weight. I began the appointment by telling her certain things, and once the speech started, I let all the rest of it go because no matter what I said it was all blamed on my weight. I do know that she was being genuine in her concern, but it's never easy to hear those things.

Yes yes yes! I do avoid going to the Dr, but not so much because she blames everything on my weight, but because I blame everything on my weight! I therefore presume that she will also and there'll be no point... I also suffer with depression and get very "stuck" so don't want/can't go anywhere anyway.

Its crazy because its the ill people they are supposed to be there to help! Hx

Yes yes yes! I do avoid going to the Dr, but not so much because she blames everything on my weight, but because I blame everything on my weight! I therefore presume that she will also and there'll be no point... I also suffer with depression and get very "stuck" so don't want/can't go anywhere anyway.

Its crazy because its the ill people they are supposed to be there to help! Hx

Add to my reserve the fact that my father was a hypochondriac (also obese) who ran to the doctor over every imagined illness and pain and you get one very doctor-shy person!

Amen I need to go in for a phyical but I keep putting it off because I am afaid my doctor won't notice that I have lost some weight I keep thinking just 10 more lb and I will call! I was very sick once and this Doctor said go home and lose 50 lb and you'll be fine! A year later they found I had cancer on an overy!

Hi Pattie, I 100% agree with you. I actually haven't been to the doctor in a very, very long time because I'm tired of the speech. He's the same GP that my parents go to and he tells my mom the same thing and its really a shame because I think she does have some genuine health issues that are not weight related.

When I go to the doctors you better believe I know whats wrong with me and he can't blame it on weight. I won't go if I'm not sure whats wrong or I believe it can even be remotely blamed on my weight.

I think I may have caused them more confusion because I wait so long ... they can't believe I've had the pain for so long without any kind of previous diagnosis! Lately it seems the doctors I've seen are deliberately NOT saying anything about my weight unless I bring it up. Maybe they're learning???

10 years ago, I had excrutiating pain in my abdomen. I thought if I went to a female doctor, she'd understand. The pain kept getting worse, more frequent, and would last longer. I kept going to the dr. she kept telling me it was acid reflux and I needed to lose weight. Then I heard someone talk about gall stones and I instantly knew that was the problem. I went back to the doctor and suggested it was that. She didn't believe me. Then, one day when I was have a really bad attack, I went to a different doctor. a male one. he sent me to the er right away to have an ultrasound. the next day, he scheduled me for surgery. I haven't had those pains since. the point of this long story is doctors will often try to blame your problem on your weight when, in fact, it's something else entirely. I've been to dozens of doctors in my life. If you keep looking, you'll find a good doctor. Good luck.

I'm one of those people that if something is wrong, I'm going to the doctor because I am generally in good health with my medications, but if something happens, I'm going. There are too many silent killers out there ...especially high blood pressure. I had no idea I had it and now I have an enlarged heart from it and am on medications. When I first moved to a new state, I asked the neighbors (especially if they were over weight) who their doctor was and how they were. In one case, I made an appointment with a gynocologist and wrote him a letter before the appointment and asked if we could speak in his office about my weight before the exam. We did, and I told him my plight with fat and understood nutrition, health risks and explained what I was doing about it. He was great about it. I explained that I might lose or gain, but did not want to discuss my weight with him. I needed him for the reason I was coming there - preventing cervical cancer or other female issues. I moved again and I currently have a young female doctor and she is great. Another thing you can do is go on www.webmd.com and search for doctors on there. Sometimes they have their pictures and you can pick a plump one - I figure they understand better. Just a thought. Have you noticed how overweight the nurses are in the offices and hospitals? I wonder if the doctors nag them too?

I make a list of things I want to tell my doctor, but believe me, I wont stick around with a doctor that makes me feel intimidated, not any more! I had one that I felt I couldn't tell him anything with out him giving me a smirk like I was stupid or something, So I am glad I got rid of him! You have to trust your doctor, and if you don't, it is time to find a new one!

I do the list thing too. I also do the list with the most important thing listed first. I read a very interesting article about working with your doctor and it clearly said that your list shouldn't have more than 1-2 things to discuss with a doctor during a single visit. So I started just having no more than 2 things to discuss. And it worked.

It's a rare thing to find a family doctor anymore! Most of us have primary care doctors who refer everything out to another doctor and no one is communicating. I keep a master list of all the different doctors, what medicines are involved, and brief review of the visits. I feel sorta dumb having to do this, but with fibromyalgia and being overweight, I'm doing it!

"Just a thought. Have you noticed how overweight the nurses are in the offices and hospitals? I wonder if the doctors nag them too?"

I have noticed this, and nurses have such a physical job, you'd think that would keep them from getting plump. But I have read that not getting enough sleep really has a huge impact on causing obesity, so I wonder if this is the issue for the nurses at hospitals since they often have really odd work schedules.

KC