I got a call from the Nurse Practitioner yesterday morning. Why not call in the morning and ruin the rest of my day? The rheumatologist had reviewed my file and said he didn't need to see me. His diagnosis: I am obese and I need to realize that things change as we get older. I told Gloria I was insulted. She apologized. She suggested weight management (it's now all about my weight). I won't bore you with what I had to say to her. It seems this is my diagnosis. I'm mental. I'm fat. I'm old. Is this treatment common or am I just the lucky one? I did remind Gloria that at our first meeting she told me I am a person and not lab reports. She said again that she is sorry. I have decided to go once to weight management. I told Gloria I've been down that road before and it's a dead end. I need to keep a primary for medication, so I'll appease her and go. If it's what I expect it to be, that will be it, once. They have bariatric surgery as the header on their clinic page.
I have done a lot of research on my symptoms. Someone needs to. I'm pretty certain it's autoimmune and in my research I find they can be very difficult to diagnose. There actually has to be an effort put into it. I know I have a thyroid problem that doesn't show up in the tests. I saw a doctor for several years who diagnosed it and put me on Armor thyroid. I lost 70 pounds and felt better than I had in a long time. She retired and no other doctor would treat me for thyroid. Isn't it odd that it is now common to prescribe diabetes meds for weight loss, drugs which seem dangerous to me because, what, aren't they supposed to lower blood sugar? But I talk about thyroid and it causes a kerfuffle. There is another possibility in addition to thyroid. An autoimmune involving iron deficiency. I have nearly every symptom, brittle nails, hair loss, I have developed cracking at the corners of my mouth, sallow skin, pain and extreme fatigue. I've looked at treatment, which is iron supplementation. I have iron pills, I know not why. I've also become aware of symptoms of too much iron, which are pretty clear, so patient heal thyself. It has come to this. Three years of doctor appointments and I decide to take iron pills. In the end, maybe I am just mental, fat and old.
14 comments:
My doctor, who is bigger than I, also told me I was obese. Trainer said "She must have meant a beast". I'd like to see my doc compete in a 5K and do some of Trainer's workouts with me, LOL. It's just a catchall word, along with telling you it's due to aging, doctors use when they want to talk you into expensive surgeries and meds or just don't want to do their job.
So it comes down to finding your own cure after all that. Western medicine has failed you. I wonder if a Chinese practitioner would be more enlightened, though I hesitate to suggest you continue the quest, after all you've been through.
boots, I like your trainer! I look at you and I see strong. They don't listen. I've tried everything I could think of to get someone to hear me. The mind seems to be made up in the first few seconds. I'm not having surgery.
They do have their ever ready go to; emotional/age/weight. It could make a person think they may be disposable.
Boud, I've had trouble with some drs on and off over the years but I never in my wildest dreams would have expected this. I've spent too much time on Dr. Google looking up symptoms. How is it that all that info from reputable sources is available to me, like thyroid testing doesn't catch certain thyroid conditions, which the dr who diagnosed me with hypothyroidism knew. There are many autoimmune diseases which are hard to diagnose, it means you must try. These people won't even see me. I've been told my labs say I'm the epitome of health. So, I'm mental, fat and old. I am going to stay off the merry-go-round for awhile and try things for myself. If I don't improve I will try an alternative doc. I just need to watch for symptoms of too much iron.
I'm sorry you went through this. Our medical system is so flawed and broken, like everything else in this country...
e, how right you are. I feel better just having made a decision. The limbo I've been in has been just about as bad as my physical condition. Low iron can cause low thyroid, I have found. There were no blood tests that included ferritin, which is iron. I have no idea if this is my problem but it won't hurt to give it a try.
Good for you to take the reins in your own hands and do what you feel is best for you.
I am so sorry. I had hoped for a better outcome for you.
Thanks, marlane. I really was left without a choice. Thankfully, there us Dr. Google when you are left on your own.
So did I Far Side. I don’t really want to be my own diagnostician. I was left without a choice.
I did have my doctor say -- you know you are aging -- and I laughed and said -- well, that is obvious by my birth date.
This scenario feels very unfair.
I am sorry.
Val, in a space of a couple of weeks I was told it's in my head, it's in my weight and it's in my age. They ned to go to medical school for this?
I think that if I went to your practitioner, I might get the same results in being told I was overweight, which is no surprise to myself. The positive think is that I don't feel as you do, which I know is little consolation. As for weight loss, it's always on my mind and I have been mindful of not eating any sweet treats for the past several weeks, but then we do enjoy cooking when home and then eating the results.
Yes, it's as if we don't know, right Beatrice? Weight isn't also connected to diet and exercise, but that's not a reason for a poor diet. I do not crave sweets nor snack food, which is a big bonus!
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