Fatness: Now a disease!

[gambitia]

The American Medical Association has officially recognized obesity as a disease, a move that could induce physicians to pay more attention to the condition and spur more insurers to pay for treatments.

“Recognizing obesity as a disease will help change the way the medical community tackles this complex issue that affects approximately one in three

Comments

[kaelstra]

Oh boy! I can't wait for doctors to trot this out as "proof" that obesity is bad for me, and that losing weight is the miraculous key to getting rid of all my health problems.

[gambitia]

They already do this for me!

My major depression? Just lose weight!
My PMDD? Just lose weight! (Bonus point here for potentially harmful medical advice!)
My recurring sinus infections caused by my allergies? Just lose weight!

And my stories are tame in comparison to what some people have gone through, up to and including doctor-caused death because some doctors can't get past "Just lose weight!"

[kaelstra]

Yeah, my doctor does this currently, it's just now she can cite that the AMA has actually ruled obesity as a disease, so see? See? That's totally evidence right there that I need to lose weight and all my problems will go away!

[gambitia]

If you lose weight you'll totally win the lottery, marry a prince(ss), live in a castle, and cuddle with kittens every moment of every day! All problems shall evaporate!

[svtstarlight]

This. And ppl wonder why I distrust doctors so much. >.<# I am so very tempted to have my baby at home, even tho I'm supposedly high risk (again cuz of my weight... *rolls eyes* despite the fact that I'm healthier than I've been in almost 20 years, and have lost over 100lbs and still losing.) but I have been assured that the local(ish) maternity hospital is very good by our landlady who had her 2 girls there. Just... idk. Language issues aside (my German is ridic bad), I'm still wary/nervous of being screwed over yet again.

[sesmo]

But you not going to the doctor is further evidence that you don't care, or something. I'm sure there will be a treatment for that soon.

[lickety_split]

I'm sure there will be a treatment for that soon.

Um, the treatment is to lose weight. Duh! That fixes everything!!

[cindyanne1]

It's getting to the point for me now that I really don't know anymore what is weight related and what isn't. I have been obese for the last 10 years or so, and I'm also having other health issues happening, but would they be happening if I hadn't gained weight? How am I supposed to know, and the doctors really are no help at all...

My aching joints?

Lose weight!

But in my fingers, doc? Last time I checked the fingers weren't really load-bear--

LOSE WEIGHT!

Having a lot of headaches, doc. I've really noticed them getting worse over the past six months or so...

Lose weight!

But I said the past six months, and I notice a pattern too. I think it might be menstrual cycle related, since they always happen on the third we--

Lose weight!

Again, I said they've gotten worse in the past six months. I've been obese for ten years now, don't you think that if---

LOSE WEIGHT!

I just can't any more. :(

[kaelstra]

There's a great fat positive blog called Dances with Fat, and one of her posts is about things you can ask your doctor/counter with when they start that "lose weight!" shit. One of the best ones in my opinion was, "How would you treat this if a skinny person had this health concern?"

[perthro]

You know, all of my joints hurt, I've broken a few small bones by doing strenuous things like walking in padded shoes, I have a constant migraine, and I eat like a pregnant woman. Onions and strawberry frozen yoghurt? A solid month of a specific brand of mac n cheese? Fried chicken with mustard (I HATE mustard)? OH YES. All hormonal. Turns out I have a ridiculous level of progesterone for no apparent reason. But I'm skinny. And still, I've stopped counting the doctors I've been to. Just no luck on treatment. Which is apparently really simple. You might have something up like that, too.

If you can, I'd find someone to do an endocrine panel, preferably more than one on a regular schedule so they can see your levels at various times of the month. Half the time, it can be treated with 'birth control' (aka HORMONAL THERAPY if you're a man). Unless someone finds a rare hormone-spewing tumour that was until now shielded by not being a living skeleton, obesity is not the cause.

[perthro]

My ex-coworker was told to lose weight while she was pregnant because she's "obese". Ended up miscarrying. BUT SHE LOST WEIGHT SO THAT MUST BE TOTALLY HEALTHY RIGHT? assholes.

Meanwhile, I prove to doctor after doctor that I'm diabetic. I have a blood sugar testing thingy and a food log. But am I treated for it? Hell no! "You're too skinny to be diabetic!"

Yes, because weight is the only determining factor of someone's health.

[magedragonfire]

...What? Sudden weight loss is one of the signs of the onset of diabetes. Surely they know that.

[perthro]

LOL no, obv. I'm anorexic or something, but hey! My CBC looks good! So it isn't an issue. Besides, I'm TOO YOUNG for diabetes. (Another doc told me that... when I was constantly fainting and having to eat five or six times a day to stay awake). YOU JUST HAVE A FAST METABOLISM AREN'T YOU LUCKY? ... no, asshole. Because if I get the flu, it isn't the virus that'll fuck me over. It's the suddenly low blood sugar from not being able to eat. And if I do eat, it'll be the suddenly high blood sugar that messes me up. WELL YOU CAN JUST CALL 911 IF IT GETS BAD YOU KNOW. ... no, I can't. Not if I'm delirious from low blood sugar. Or high blood sugar. Dumbass. YOU'RE JUST A DIFFICULT PATIENT! No, you're just an idiot with an MD license.

[ebay313]

I get the too young thing a lot too. Usually from nurses, sometimes doctors, who look at my file and say "your too young for all these problems!"
"Obviously not because you can see right there I have them!"

[hawkward]

Time to find a new doctor. Because that's fucking stupid and asinine AND DANGEROUS.