Vent: weight loss advice from my DOCTOR!!!

Right, so, I've been trying to lose weight for the last year. I've been exercising 4-5 times per week (once a week with a trainer) and eating VERY cleanly (lean meat, LOTS of fruits and veggies, whole grain, little to no sugar) for the most part. (we all have our days, right?) You'd think with that sort of lifestyle change, I would have lost weight or inches, right? nope. Someone suggested it may be my thyroid. I read up on it, and I was having some symptoms of underactive thyroid (ie, unusual sensitivity to cold, fatigue, etc) So I went to my doctor. When I told her I wished to have my thyroid checked, she all but refused. When I explained my weight struggles with her, she told me this"

"Just stop eating carbs. It works for me."

"what about the good GI carbs like whole grains?"

"nope. Just no bread or cereal or pasta or potaoes or rice (even brown)"

She then proceeded to tell me that I have an unfounded fear of disease. Needless to say, I'm in the market for another doctor.  

No-carb diets in short term may be good for temporary weight loss, but they are not sustainable long term. It's damaging to your kidneys and liver. We know hi-carb diets are not good for your waistline, but damn, with as much as I work out, I should be able to eat a few whole wheat crackers with turkey slices.  I should be able to have some brown rice or half an almond butter sandwich on whole wheat!!

My question to you all is this: Has a medical professional ever given you BOGUS advice about weight loss or nutrition? Am I wrong to be offended by her?

 

I would be offended by her, she should have commended your efforts and fully listened to your concern instead of pushing her own personal diet on you - you should get a second opinion. 

I haven't ever really had any bad advice but a doctor once told my dad he should follow the "oatmeal-soup-salad" diet.  Oatmeal for breakfast, soup for lunch and a large salad for dinner.  That seems like bad advice to me - too low of calories and cutting out a lot of good food options.  (He's an overweight guy - about 220 pounds, 6'3 - who runs about 5 miles every day.)  

Sadly, there are a lot of misinformed doctors out there.

You are right to be skeptical.  Every profession has quacks or just people who don't listen.  I'd say she fits one of those two categories.

Especially with health professionals, it is important that you find someone you can connect with and trust.  Definitely find another doctor and talk to them.

It may be that thyroid is not the issue for you, but your doctor should not be dismissing your concerns so cavalierly in any event.

One thing though - you didn't mention your height, weight, etc.  Could it be that you are already basically at an appropriate weight and that's why you aren't losing?  Or perhaps, although you are eating cleanly and working out, maybe you've just got too many calories per day?  Your doctor should definitely be discussing other possibilities as well as the thyroid issue with you intelligently and knowledgeably.

During their entire time in medical school, general practitioner doctors receive approximately 3 HOURS of nutritional study.  3 HOURS!  Not 3 classes, or even 3 units, but a full 3 hours!  (Obviously, unless that is their concentration.)

My husband and I went to the emergency room this last weekend, and my husband wrote down his vitamins and supplements in the "prescription" area.  The doctor looked at it, dumbfounded, and asked us questions, like, "What is MSM?", and, "What are probiotics?".  When we told her that they are supplements for preventative reasons, she looked at us like we were nuts, and told us that she couldn't understand why we were wasting money on these vitamins and minerals.  What a joke.  We almost walked out. 

Then, my sister goes to her doctor all the time about her diverticulitis symptoms, and time and time again the doctor give her prescription after prescription.  They never bother to ask her if she's getting enough fiber from eating fruits and vegetables (which she's not).  A simple search on my part found that the best and perhaps only way to cure diverticulitis is to eat more fiber from fruits and veggies!! 

Wow I would have asked for my co-pay back for that advice.  I had a friend once who I later found out had an Eating disorder.  She was having all of these problems with her stomache and went to the doctor and pretty much told them that she thought she was having problems because she was "fasting" 

 The doctor told her that he normally doesn't reccommend people to do this but that she should eat some french fries.
Yea well....she got help but not from this guy!

It happens the important thing is to get a second opinion or make sure that you don't get so fustrated that you don't take care of yourself. 

My BF went to the doctor not too long ago for his feet. He also asked the doctor about losing weight. His doctor told him to cut out all carbs and eat lots of meat, especially beef. BF said the doctor said beef a bunch of times. I've been looking for a doctor in this area and I surely won't go anywhere near him. Sadly many health professionals know little to nothing about diet and weight loss.

You need to find another doctor who will listen to your symptoms. If that doctor really thought your symptoms didn't warrant a test, s/he should have explained to you why instead of blowing you off. I'd be insulted.

What an awful doctor! yes you are right to be offended and good luck finding a new doctor!

I can't stand doctors anymore... I've have gotten so much bad advice and comments I can't even list them all.  Here are a few:

I have had chronic headaches my entire life... not one doctor asked me how much water I drank (dehydration?) or how much food I ate (usually 800-1200 calories a day).  Or how much magnesium I get.  All three of the things I found out through my holistic accupunturist who has helped me more in one year than all doctors in 20 years.

When I stopped eating for 12 days (19 years old and stupid) my fiance dragged me to the doctor and asked him if I had an eating disorder (anorexia) and the doctor said "no way, she's overweight... you can't have an eating disorder and be overweight".  He then insisted that I was eating behind my fiances back (which I wasn't) because if I was really only eating about 500-900 calories a day (which I was) I wouldn't be overweight.

When I went in to complain about not being able to lose weight I was first told to eat less and work out more (it's just math dear... use more than you consume and you will lose weight).  When I went back complaining that it wasn't working I was asked to keep a food journal... when I brought it in a month later I was accused of not writing everything down.

My husband has been having vomit-attacks in the middle of the night for almost a year now... the doctors put him on protonix (for acid reflux) and when he goes back to complain every few months they just up his dose. 

They don't know any more than we do....

The last time I spoke to a doctor about weight loss, he, too recommended the Atkins Diet.

hmmmmm.....

Yup, I've had that too...there are a lot of great doctors but a lot of crap ones. When I was really depressed and having major anxiety after a tough personal situation, I talked to my dr. about antidepressants. His reaction? "Well, there are a lot of terrible things going on the world, we are very lucky here." Um, I am grateful for what I have but I can't help feeling depressed and anxious, so maybe you could help me with that? Needless to say he's no longer my dr.

I asked my doctor if I would be a good candidate for gastric bypass, he said not just stop eating.  That's fine I said but why, and he went on this rant about why people are fat, it looked like his head was going to pop!  I never went back.

Gosh! Thanks for all the responses! I'm so glad to know that I'm not the only one who gets crappy advice from stupid doctors that don't listen. I knew there was a reason I hadn't been to one in so long.

She told me I did not need to loose. The beef thing....she actually recommended I eat fast food burgers with no bun. That's the point where I started crying out of frustration and left the office.

Forgot to post, I'm 5'4", medium frame, 170 and eat 1500- 1800 per day depending on what I burn during exercise. I always make sure I eat enough but not too much. I KNOW I need to loose weight, up until about 1.5 - 2 years ago, I had always been the same weight, which is 125 - 130, and I was VERY happy and healthy at that weight. So this recent gain is very troublesome and no matter what I do I can not seem to loose.

Stupid me for actually seeking medical counsel.  

 

 

Geez!!

The best advice I ever got was from by OB/GYN. He delivered both of my little girls. I was concerned about losing weight, he knew I was OVER weight but never harassed me about it. I asked him what he suggested and he said it all boils down to diet and exercise. But he also said that it takes time to lose weight and none of these quick fix pills or diets are going to help any and there may be some bumps in the road but it happens to everyone.   Anyway he even ordered my thyroid tests for me. Great guy huh.

 

yes. find a new doctor.  they are definately not always right or thinking straight!

I am not surprised at all. My Jr and Sr year of high school went really bad. I was tired and depressed all the time. I was always angry or crying and could not concentrate on any of my school work. I told the doctors about that and constant headaches many times.....Three years later I finally checked my sugar and it was over 300.  Hello! That entire time I was sick. And, every-time I asked about a diet I got laughed at. GO FIGURE....

how funny, i could of written this post, tho i do have an underactive thyroid that is now controlled by medication ( it still doesnt help in terms of weight loss)

in my 2 yr cleanish eating 5 day a week exercise i have lost a grand total of 4 pounds ( i am at a minimum of 50lbs overweight)

i've had my primary doctor say  wow you must have a really slow metabolism and didnt even care about my bmi of 34 

my gyn said  have you tried the hot dog diet? ( yes it exists)

and another doctor i went to for sleep issues because i was up all night with an aching back, feet , knees because of exercising like a fiend with no weight loss, said i should get 5 hrs sleep a night and eat 1000 calories and you'll lose weight

this is all advice from health care professionals

when i hear or read people say their doctor helped them with weight loss, i think to myself what kind of doctor is this, why cant i get any doctor to even remotely care about my weight loss efforts

I recently had my thyroid removed, but prior I had hypothyroidism.  All the symptoms you are describing are classic.  I was lucky and it got caught early on before weight gain,  however a girl in my office had all the same problems and gained weight and doctors just ignored the problem for years, until it was finally diagnosed.  She was playing college sports at the time and it didn't make any sense for her to gain so much weight at once in such a short period of time.

Women have to be so proactive in their medical care. I've read some articles about how doctors can be very dismissive of women's complaints and under-diagnose things like heart problems as indigestion and thyroid problems with weight gain and fatigue as the patients fault for not eating right or exercising.  It isn't fair and needs to be addressed in the medical community.

 Find another doctor and pat yourself on the back for standing up for yourself.  Maybe your thyroid isn't the problem, but at least you did everything you could to rule it out.

I could go on and on about the terrible advice doctors have give my husband or myself.  My husband suffers from a chronic headache 24/7 for over 7 years now. After going to numerous neuroligists (sp?), PCP they still have no clue why.  The best advice yet was when one told him "that he was faking it". Needless to say (aside from wanting to reach out and slap the doc) we both got up and walked out without another word to that jerk.  There must be good doctors out there but finding them is/can be such a chore.

As far as weight loss , one told me that if I wasn't so "nervous" the weight would come off... >>huge eye roll<<<

 

Original Post by whitetigress:

My husband has been having vomit-attacks in the middle of the night for almost a year now... the doctors put him on protonix (for acid reflux) and when he goes back to complain every few months they just up his dose. 

They don't know any more than we do....

In your particular case, I definitely agree.  When it comes to nutrition and losing weight, a family practioner is not the person to go to.  I like my family practioner and everything, but even he has said that if I want specific advice on nutrition and diet, he could recommend a good dietian and nutritionist.  I give him credit for admitting that he wasn't the best authority on my question - actually that's the reason why I really like him.

Anyway, in your husband's case, if it hasn't been done already, you may want to request - actually demand - an upper GI scan.  If the doctor just did an external evaluation and right off the bat came up with generic acid reflux, he/she was being negligent.  If the problem is so bad that it involves vomiting the middle of the night, that's also a known symptom of a hiatal hernia or ulcer.  If the doctor gives you problems, look into seeing a GI specialist if you can.

I have a hiatal hernia, and my doctor put me on Nexium, however he has reservations about keeping me on permanent medication for it.  I will be going through another upper GI scan and an endoscopy to see if the hernia is worse, and if the damage to my esophagus has healed.  If things don't look better, It'll require laproscopic surgery.   Hiatal hernias are nothing to mess with.

whitetigress - If your husband hasn't been to a gastroenterologist, have him go.  I just went last week for an upper GI endoscopy (easy) and a colonoscopy (not so fun).  I had been have abdominal pain off and on for a few years.  They found a hiatal hernia for me, too. 

Santonacci and lb -

Thank you both for your concern.  My husband had an upper GI and and endoscopy last June.  They found both a hiatal hernia (which they said wasn't bad enough for treatment... just sleep with your head 8 inches higher than your feet) and a bacterial infection (which they gave his antibiotics for).  Just before Thanksgiving he was up one night dry-heaving so bad he starting screaming in pain... he went to the doctor the next day who told him he had heaved so bad he had cracked the cartilage in his ribs.  This was the last straw... he immediately made an appointment for the Mayo Clinic... he sees them on Feb 11th.  He has faith that they will be able to fix what is wrong.  I can only hope... they are, after all, just doctors.  We'll see in a few weeks.

I hope that the doctors are able to do something for both of you as well... that hiatal hernia is awful.