Fat shaming & Edema

[pinkpoet8813]

Little background I am overweight considered severe obese. Some of my weight gain due to edema, sub ig therapy and medications.

I was born with congenital heart defects seen a cardiologist since was 6 months old. 

I am seeing nutritionist because I also have severe pancreatic insufficiency malnutrition/malabsorption and cvid along with my Dysautonomia 

So I had appt with the PA for my cardiologist. I gained a huge amount weight in less then 2 weeks was over 20lbs. She dismisses my edema starts on me about bariatric surgery. I tell her I am not a candidate because I have Pai1 and mthfr thst hematologists advised me my whole life never to do bariatric surgery. I tell her this. Then she starts to fat shame me saying all my issues are because my weight 

I had a bad echo in may but she blamed on my weight she said I coulbt possibly have issue with my heart given my age edema likely unrelated.

 

I break down in tears. I tell her my whole life nutritionist try get me eat more. I have 10-15 episodes diarhea a day my meds and food not being absorbed i continue to gain water weight.

She suggests an clinic for weight 

I told her how I went to inpatient programs in California Massachusetts Maryland Missouri Washington D.C. trying everything could to deal with weight issues 

She then suggested a psych med and naltrexone to lose weight. 

I held back my tears because I drove 3 hours to this appt to be unheard, fat shamed and my problems dismissed. I cried whole way home. Then some 

This is a PA for a well respected doctor. I tell my PCP my nutritionist my psychiatry doctor I see for AdHd all this story. They agree shouldn't take combo of meds fact she didnt want consult any other team doctors isaggravating. I waited months for appt. My PCP ordering new echo continuing lasix .

 

Just don't know where go from here because clearly been dismissed by pa for well respected doctor I want to keep I dont kknow how keep doctor and avoid pa who wronged me and treated me like crap.

I don't want be non compliant but I am not taking psych drug to lose weight combined with naltrexone I am not going backwards to point that I stop eating. I am going follow my PCP, my nutritionist and psychiatry doctor who know me more what they feel best. 

I don't know how move forward on cardiology stuff or who talk to about fat shaming issue. 

My edema is bad trying get ccompression garments to help. 

 

[Pistol]

@pinkpoet8813 - I am very sorry about your experience. You mention that you would like to keep the doctor but avoid the PA. I would call the office and ask for the person that handles complaints or patient experiences. The I would tell that person about your terrible experience and that you no longer feel comfortable with that PA but would like to keep the cardiologist. Then schedule an appointment with the DR. This is what I did with a PA for a dermatologist who did a procedure on my teenage daughter and caused her a lot of trauma and pain. Since then she no longer sees that PA but a very kind dermatologist in the same group. You do not have to put up with this abuse and rudeness - you have the right to see who you want, it will just mean that you have to wait longer for your appointments. Best of luck - don't put up with insensitive docs!!!!!

[StayAtHomeMom]

I am sorry the PA did that to you. One of my closest friends is overweight and she fell last year off of steps. Doctor tried to tell her the pain she is still feeling is because she is so overweight. Even though the MRI still shows swelling and a bone bruise. After almost 2 years. She avoids those doctors. She had one doctor who came in see her and started in on her weight. She didn't say a word and just walked out while the doctor was mid-sentence. I would try another appt and just wait for the actual doctor. When you book the appt tell them no for seeing the PA. Most places give you the choice. 

[Clb75]

Could your PCP talk with the PA or even the doctor directly? Perhaps if it came from a doctor who knows your history and is supportive of you, the PA would listen. 

[blizzard2014]

I had a doctor tell me my Post Thrombotic Syndrome and right sided leg pain is because I'm overweight. I have already lost 40 pounds in 2 years and the pain is still there. Some doctor's just don't like to listen or hear patients complain about their symptoms so they shut us up with whatever they can. Being fat gives them an easy target to blame for our symptoms without actually having to do the work of looking for the real problem. If echo shows heart issues, I would tend to believe the objective medical testing over a subjective doctor's opinion. I also failed an echo with moderately enlarged right side heart and the doc tried to tell me this is normal for everyone who had a blood clot in their lungs. It isn't. I was very upset he didn't take it very seriously or answer my questions. I still have good heart pumping though, so he said to monitor the enlargement. If you have edema and a bad heart, it could be a sign of something that needs to be closely monitored. I notice that I have more edema in my stomach area than I have anywhere else on my body. I have remained the same weight for a few months, yet my pants are fitting way tighter than they used to. I have to use an extender on my button to be able to wear them. All this and I am the same weight, just have swelling or something in my abdominal area. I also eat 1 meal a day. That's it. No sugar drinks, no soft drinks, just coffee with Splenda. One meal a day most days well under 2000 calories and I am still 233 pounds. My weight is too stubborn to budge. I only lose weight whenever I become physically i'll or go through a bad psychological melt down. I had one 2 years ago when I lost 40 pounds in 3 months due to not eating because I was having a mental breakdown. I have been able to keep the weight off because I do not eat like I did when I was nearing 300 pounds. In my case, I actually used to eat like the people on my 600 pound life before I got too sick to eat. I made myself this big, but I only eat 1/3 of what I used to eat and I am still fat. Any how, I hope you're feeling better. I would have simply walked out of that appointment room. I don't put up with rude doctors anymore. I dropped the heart doc because he was so rude to me. All I wanted to know was how long can my heart remain moderately enlarged before I lose heart pumping function and go into congestive heart failure. A moderately enlarged right ventricle means that the right ventricle is so enlarged it is the same size and thickness as the left ventricle. This is one step from severely enlarged. It makes me feel like there is a ticking time bomb inside my chest. 

[yogini]

Sorry you are having so many challenges.  Have you been diagnosed with dysautonomia?  I think most medical professionals aren't good at treating patients who are in any way outside of the box.  My PCP is decent and he's had some PAs (or other doctors in his office) who are terrible.  I now insist on seeing only him, even if it takes longer to get an appointment.  Along my POTS journey, I met several doctors who didn't listen to my symptoms and speculated random illnesses.  I never went back to them, ever.  I would just forget that you ever had the appointment with that PA.

[Pistol]

My cardiologist and PCP don't even schedule me with PA's because they do not expect them to know about POTS. So - your doctor should be proud that you feel in good hands with him and agree with seeing you personally every time.