Doctor in trouble for calling patient obese

> He was telling her that her dh, who is also obese would die
>first, and then what would she do for companionship? She
>would never be able to find a man who was interested in her if
>she didn't lose weight. What does that have to do with losing
>weight for health reasons?
>

Now THAT is a sexist comment and beyond the scope of medical advice!
 
>>I saw this doctor interviewed on the Today Show. My
>feeling
>>is that doctors in private practice can say whatever they
>>want. Clients/patients are free to go elsewhere if they
>don't
>>like the doctor's manner. When did Americans become such
>>crybabies?!
>>
>>Sparrow
>>
>>__________________
>>www.scifichics.com
>
>Sparrow, loved your post! Americans became a bunch of
>crybabies when the courts became tolerant of frivolous
>lawsuits.
>
>Just for the record, I do think some of this physician's
>comments were a bit out there, but I'm sure he believed he had
>his patient's best interests at heart. As others have
>suggested, it's difficult to hear a message like that when you
>aren't ready to, and far easier to shoot the messenger instead
>of taking the heart of the message and using it to effect
>healthy change. Making changes in your life is very hard work
>(as we all know!), and some people aren't ready for that. Some
>people will never be ready for it. It's got to be an
>individual choice or all the "messages" in the world won't
>matter to that person.
>
>Carol
>:)

Carol I agree with everything you said! I actually do think the doc was insensitive to basically tell her she wouldn't get another man if she was fat. First off, that's not necessarily true. Second of all, his comment feeds on the notion that a woman's number one priority in life is getting a man. But I can see what this doc was trying to do.
Just to relate a personal story my little bro had been heavy since his teenage years. He was pushing 300 lbs on a short body. His doc, the family, everyone had talked to him but he just wouldn't hear it. Then one day he had to have an emergency dental visit. He had never been to this dentist before. He's in the chair and she says, is that your beautiful wife out there? He said yes and the dentist said, do you love her enough to stop killing yourself with food? You're too fat. Of course it stung. He didn't sue though. He started working out, eating healthy and is now a fantastic 160 muscular lbs. He credits the frank "rudeness" of the dentist for startling him into change.

Sparrow
_______________
www.scifichics.com
 
RE: obesity and healthcare

>Right, I find patient education is extremely lacking. For
>instance, doctors tell patients all the time to "quit
>smoking", "lose weight". "Cut the salt out in your diet" For
>somebody that is set in their ways and doesn't know a flip
>about nutrition, what does that mean?

I find that doctors often give "one-liner" answers to many problems. When I was diagnosed with low bone density, the doctor just said to take more calcium. What?? I knew there was more to do than that.

Most doctors themselves don't know much about nutrition. In med school (at least most of them, even the most prestigious), they have ONE class in nutrition. I would venture to say that the educated lay person (like those of us on this forum) knows much more about nutrition than the average doctor. There are, of course, exceptions.

I agree that simply telling someone to lose weight isn't going to be very successful (neither is trying some scare tactic: many cigarette packages in France have a warning on that states that "smoking my bring about a slow and painful death," but it doesn't discourage many smokers!). If the person KNEW how to lose weight, they probably would have done it already. And what info does the general public have about losing weight? Usually not the "make better food choices, move more" sensible approach. But the "take this pill" or "drink this food substitute" (that's full of artificial crapola and sweeteners) or "eat food that tastes like cardboard" or "rub on this cream" to lose X inches in X amount of time (a very short time, so if whatever you're doing to lose weight DOESN'T happen that quickly, it's "not working" or "useless") that they see on TV and informercials.

Refering someone to a program like ediets or giving them information about food choices and the benefits of exercise and watching one's diet would be much more helpful.
 
~~That's ridiculous!
"Obese" is a medical term. That's like a doctor getting in trouble for calling someone "congested" or "allergic" or whatever.

Let's all be so P.C. that you can't even tell the truth!~~

ABSOLUTLEY!!!!!!! Some people do not like to hear the facts. Perhaps it is worse for them if it is related to behavior modification. They take it personal because it is.

I have difficulty with the rude behavior. I wish I could issue tickets for rudeness. }( I’d be a busy woman. ;-) In Missouri, “discourteous/rude behavior” is on the MO Board of Healing Arts complaint form, but there are so many DANGEROUS physicians who need discipline that tying the BOHA up with complaints of rude behavior seems petty.
 
I've been reading through this thread and I have another thought on the topic. I firmly believe that we live in an age where people will not accept personal responsibility for their own lot in life--whatever it may be. Also, what do people want to know that they can't find out if they're even the least bit resourceful?

I've heard so many excuses for obesity: don't have time to cook healthy food, can't afford to buy healthy food (like junk food is cheap?), too tired to exercise, etc and so on. C'mon, at some point people have to be willing to make the necessary sacrifices if they want to be healthy, feel good and loose wieght. It's not hard to find the information. People need to stop shifting the blame. Nobody held them down and force fed them.

Michele
 
<My feeling is that doctors in private practice can say whatever they want.>

Just private practice? I believe doctors, PAs (Physician Assistant), and APNs (advanced practive nurses) should be courteous... no exceptions. If you can't be courteous and kind, then don't go into a caring profession. I do believe there are personality conflicts that should not be turned into a drama. My doctor is pretty straight forward and some people think he is a jerk. He is great IMO. If it is a personality conflict, then go somewhere else.
 
<I firmly believe that we live in an age where people will not accept personal responsibility for their own lot in life--whatever it may be.>

YES! This is true.
 
signing off for now. There's a chocolate pop tart and a can of coke with my name on it waitng for me in the kitchen.

Michele
 
The breakfast of champion nurses! ;) My best friend & I lived on Reese's PB cups and Dr. Pepper for breakfast while we were in nursing school. Oh how i miss those days. :) Our lunches were just as bad.
 
That's so funny! My best friend and I went through nursing school together. Our favorite lunch--twix bar and a coke. You're right, those were the days.:+

Michele
 
Oh, we mixed it up with Twix! Lunch was a candy bar, potatoe chips, and soda... salt & vinegar were a favorite. :) We would put our money together and go to McDonalds and share the 2 Cheeseburger meal deal on occassion. She & I meet for lunch every other week, but we eat real food.
 
Sometimes doctors shouldn't say some things. Some things are better left unsaid, but when it comes to something like obesity, then the doc needs to speak up. I have a obese doctor that is a smoker. He tells me everytime he sees me that I need to gain weight. DUH, but I don't turn around and tell him he needs to lose weight, but I could. Anyhow, I would love to be 125, but it isn't easy for me to do with eating properly. Takes time to build muscle. For now, is being 115 pounds a hazard to my health? I don't think so. LOL! I only go to this doctor because he is paranoid and likes to check out everything thoroughly and he ask alot of questions and explains things very well. His comments I could do without unless he wants to hear mine about him. LOL!

Charlotte~~
 
Perhaps the doctor is tired of hearing their patient's same complaints everytime they come for a check up. Some patients BOTHER doctors with this or that. I personally prefer a straightfoward doc who doesn't BS around. Most doctors BS around and doesn't want to be bothered. It's a possibility she bitches and moan to him about her weight and he got tired of hearing it so he said it. You don't know what happened or what was said behind the closed door. Personally, if I was a doctor, and I have a patient who's obese, I'd say something about it. If I don't say anything about it and she has a severe health problems like IMA said, I'd be sued for sh*t. America really is a big cry baby as Sparrow said. I just want to tell a lot of people to grow up, take their own actions and fix it. Why is it ok for doctors to say stop smoking, etc but call someone obese is not ok? At least he didn't call her lardass or whatever. Obese as Kathryn said is a medical term. I think too many people are overly sensitive. If he doesn't know jack about Nutrition, he could've recommend a nutritionist but who knows if the patient would actually go? This makes me really mad about people who do this crap. All you see/hear is whaa whaa whaa nowdays. ENOUGH ALREADY!

Lisa
 
the patient can file charges til she's blue in the face, just means she has bad character and a tendency to abuse systems--i'll be upset if she WINS
 
Hey Lisa! Ratchet here misses your take on things. :)

Ok, so he “didn’t call her lardass”, but what about telling her “that her dh, who is also obese would die first, and then what would she do for companionship? She would never be able to find a man who was interested in her if she didn't lose weight”? Christine asked a valid question, “what does that have to do with losing weight for health reasons”? Should physicians be allowed to say whatever they want? Really? Even if it is unprofessional or possibly abusive?

Let me add that I applaud Dr. Bennett for addressing a serious health concern. Many doctors avoid certain discussions or even perpetuate misinformation (oh the stories I have regarding STD misinformation).
 
Okay, I agree that the dr. was insensitive with the comment that she'd never find another man if she was obese. I think his attempt was to shock her into listening. It must be frustrating for drs to see patients that are killing themselves slowly with food. I'm not talking about those who are exercising and in the process of "going the other way." However, I expect honesty from my dr and if I don't like what he said or how he said it, I CHANGE DOCTORS (and I've done this in the past), not file a lawsuit. Where does it end? Should I file a lawsuit against a mechanic who tells me I need to drive the speed limit since I'm wasting gas because it might be "hurtful" as he/she has "insulted" my driving habits?

Leslie
 
Okay, send Dr. Bennet to classes to learn how to tell his obese patients who don't want to hear the bad news and expect him to keep them healthy anyway and do it with kindness, tact, and above all else...DO NOT OFFEND THEM!!!

I'm sorry, but I've been in that woman's shoes and I totally hope she 1) loses her stupid, fivolous lawsuit, and 2) she comes to realize he did her a big favor. Maybe his comments about her dh dying before her and she wouldn't find another man ARE over the top, but PLEASE, LET'S STOP BEING CRYBABIES AND FILING SILLY LAWSUITS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR WE'VE SCREWED UP!!!!!

My DH's doctor told me I was still obese (180-some#). Yes, I was mad and didn't want to hear it, but I did take that bull by the horns, and while I'm still overweight, I'm NOT obese. My blood profile is MUCH improved and my own doctor is delighted with my progress. She was the first to tell me (at 204#) that we don't have to grow old (get moving and lose some weight, my dear).

I don't always like what those doctors tell me and having to go through all they put me through to correct something and then keep me healthy. But I'm sitting here, buying time and hopefull NEVER ever getting the Type II Diabetes that runs in my mom's family. I've quit smoking and I feel (and, yes, look) great.

Sue my doctors??? Why...what for??? They most likely have saved my life and not only that, I really believe they've helped me to lengthen not only my life, but my youthful energy, strength, stamina, and independence.

Thanks for letting me vent and ramble and sorry this is so long:)
 
Lawsuit?

Did this woman file a lawsuit? I just read that she filed a complaint, the BOHA investigated, and now the AG is involved. The article states that the complaint details are confidential "until the board takes disciplinary action", so I read that as the BOM will handle this not the courts. Does anlyone have more information?
 
RE: Lawsuit?

you are right, she just filed a complaint

let me amend my comment--if the board takes action against him ill worry, otherwise she is just abusing the disciplinary system to assuage her hurt feelings
 
This just brought up the worst memories. When I was about 12 years old my doctor told me I was overweight and asked me if I wanted to grow up to be pretty like my mother or not. Years of binge eating and anorexia nervosa followed. He could not have talked to me about my looks at a worse age. It's one thing to tell an adult they need to lose weight for health, quite another to tell a teen that they don't look good enough. The pain and destruction from one comment is still part of my life to this day. According to my mother, I wasn't even more than a few lbs. overweight at the time!

I heard that he's still alive. Sometimes I wonder if I should hunt him down and just punch him out. It's a nice fantasy.
 
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