Apparently there is an Ottawa Civic based high-risk obstetrician who has a habit when seeing women who have gained a significant amount of weight during their pregnancy to say,
"Gained a lot of weight there eh? Oink, oink."Horrifying.
If you're reading this and it's happened to you that a health care professional has made such a comment you really ought to complain to them and/or their Chief of Staff and/or to their regulatory College.
Unfortunately weight-bias does not elude health care.
Have you a similar story to share?
Posts
Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure I know exactly who this is.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had that particular experience, but several different doctors who I've been to over the years have ignored whatever I came in to see them for, and just told me to lose weight ... but never offering the help of a dietician or any other support.
ReplyDeleteAre you kidding me? I can tell you, I already feel like a whale and a penguin. Having a healthcare professional oink at me would be humiliating. I'm glad I have a really excellent OB.
ReplyDeleteI had this experience 20 years ago. Visit to 'substitute' obstetrician (mine was on vacation) after Thanksgiving weekend. I'd gained 7 pounds and had already gained more than recommended -- was up to 40 or so pounds weight gain; baby was due in couple of weeks. The dr commented that I must have had a 'great time' on Thanksgiving. And that's all she said (although it was crushing to me because I was weight worried and former eating disordered). Note that I lost 30 pounds the first week after baby was born. Looking back on it, I am horrified.
ReplyDeleteThat's disgusting, he should be fired.
ReplyDeleteI was sent to a GP for heel spurs (PF). He "specializes" in sports medicine. He rolled my foot around, asked me how much I weighed and why I was so heavy. He said lose weight and the feet will be better. Come back in a month..........
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ReplyDeleteMy OB is in Guelph. Women are weighed at the nurses desk, surrounded by other patients, nurses etc. I can't even begin to tell you the number of times my weight was yelled back and forth between nurses and doctors.
ReplyDeleteDuring my second c-section, I was asked my weight, and could hear the doctors making jokes in the background. I am so sad that is part of my birthing experience.
Jenn
My doctor was great. She spoke to me about weight, as she herself had a battle with it, and then sent me to the Metabolic Syndrome Clinic in Vancouver. It helped immensely. I am still overweight, but know a whole lot more than I did, am living healthier and eating properly. Now if I could find a doctor to give me my knee replacement, I'd be albe to exercise.
ReplyDeleteUgh I went to a dietitian (he said he was one though) once and he yelled at me every time i gained weight. Once i followed the diet perfecty and i gained 200 grams, he was furious and told me i was an embarrassment. When I came back crying (haha i did) my husband talked to me and I didnt go back with the dietitian.
ReplyDeleteYet another reasons why I went with a midwife!
ReplyDeleteSome doctors humiliate people both ways. Mom followed the diets and gained abnormal weight in the 70s with both us kids, but was never given improved advice based on her weird metabolism. She was just told to "cut calories", and given a list of foods to eat, and it wasn't enough. Except for her orthopedists, she avoids doctors as much as possible (why I read your blog).
ReplyDeleteI inherited a different body type, and am tall and thin, and have spent a lifetime with doctors looking over their glasses accusing me of anorexia. I worked with weights to get my BMI in normal range (about 20), and they STILL ask me diagnostic questions about eating disorders, because I am not overweight at my age! You can't win with some people. They like to humiliate everybody.
At my last checkup before I had my son, my OB was on holidays. The substiture made the 'you've gained a fair bit of weight' comment.
ReplyDeleteI was already feeling huge and was almost 9 months pregnant. I just about throttled him.