Doctors Treating Fat People

I can feel for these people. They are in a real bind. Obesity is on the rise and it causes any number of health problems. It's probably the leading cause of premature death--or if it isn't yet, it will be. Doctors know this and so do us fat patients. So what is there to do?

Most doctors will mention your weight one time and then delicately not bring it up again unless you do. They figure you know what's what and if they nag, you might not come back to see them when you get really sick.

Then there's the other doctors who tell you they can't help you until you lose weight. Even when they mean well, they can do more damage to you than the ones that ignore the issue. My husband TB and I saw a pain management doctor the other day. TB has been out of work since mid September because of intense pain from spinal stenosis. He was referred to this guy by the rheumatologist and we thought TB was going to get an epidural.

But the doctor wouldn't do it. He told TB, "I don't want you to break my table." He said it very matter-of-factly, not contemptuously. Still words like that hurt. So was he supposed to spare our feelings by putting it another way or covering up by saying he wanted TB to try water physical therapy first to see if that helped? I'm not sure. I was very annoyed, though, when I asked if he treated other types of chronic pain and he answered, "Most of my patients are obese, if that's what you're asking me."

It wasn't.

He didn't rule out the epidural entirely. He just wants TB to lose weight first. What he did do, however, was prescribe another medication for pain and physical therapy in water. He recommended that I go along and follow the exercises because it would benefit me too. That stung a bit.

He also recommended we cut out red meat--we don't eat it every week any more so that's not new--and chicken! Chicken too? Apparently yes. We should be loading up on beans, fish oil to make us feel full, and fish. Hmmm.

Should we feel upset with the doctor for refusing to give TB the epidural?

Some years back I went to a doctor because my breasts were so large and heavy I was getting spasms in my neck and back. The doctor said, lose weight and I'll help you.
I was still suffering in 2005 and told my rheumatologist (same one who recommended TB to the pain doctor), telling him what the doctors said previously. He said, "That isn't always possible and this way, you'll get some relief from the pain." He referred me to a surgeon who did the breast reduction and I did feel so much better.

Around this time in 2001, a friend of mine had a bypass surgery so that he could lose weight and have spinal surgery to relieve pain he was in. My friend seemed to be doing okay after the surgery but died suddenly on the day he was supposed to be discharged from the hospital. Would it have been different if the spinal surgeon had operated in spite of my friend's weight? I don't know...and I guess that's why I don't know what to feel about the issue.

In desperation

I have decided to write to Dr. Phil. Even if his producers just blow off my letter, it's got to be therapeutic, right? TB and I are under so much stress it's going to kill us sooner than later. Well, I have a very long soap operish sob story to write so I better get to it!

Chinese Food Been Very Very Bad To Me

What's up with that? I've ordered shrimp and Chinese vegetables--cabbage, carrots, snow peas & water chestnuts--and steamed dumplings, didn't eat any rice and still my sugar after two hours was 207. This is the second time it's happened and it's really throwing me for a loop. I thought this type of Chinese food should be healthy? I went online, looking for answers and found this:

Sometimes, even when you think you’re doing everything right, your blood sugars may not respond as you expect. Often this will be due to one or more of the biologic curiosities that affect diabetics. The purpose of this chapter is to acquaint you with some real phenomena that can confound your plans, but which you can frequently circumvent if you are aware of them. ...

The explanation lies in what I call the Chinese restaurant effect. Often Chinese restaurant meals contain large amounts of protein or slow-acting, low-carbohydrate foods, such as bean sprouts, bok choy, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts, that can make you feel full.

How can these low-carbohydrate foods affect blood sugar so dramatically?

The upper part of the small intestine contains cells that release hormones into the bloodstream when they are stretched, as after a meal. These hormones signal the pancreas to produce some insulin to prevent the blood sugar rise that might otherwise follow the digestion of a meal. Large meals will cause greater stretching of the intestinal cells, which in turn will secrete proportionately larger amounts of these hormones. Since a very small amount of insulin released by the pancreas can cause a large drop in blood sugar, the pancreas simultaneously produces the less potent hormone glucagon to offset the potential excess effect of the insulin. If you’re diabetic and deficient in producing insulin, you might not release insulin, but you will still release glucagon, which will cause gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis and thereby raise your blood sugar. Thus, if you eat enough to feel stuffed, your blood sugar can go up by a large amount, even if you eat something undigestible, such as sawdust.

The first lesson here is: Don’t stuff yourself. The second lesson is:
There’s no such thing as a freebie.* Any solid food that you eat can raise your blood sugar.

Hmpf. So why do I feel hungry again after loading up on Chinese food...an hour later? That I still need to find out.

I lost a half a pound, woo hoo...okay, it's not much but I think of it as 2 sticks of butter. It's also great considering all the stress we've been under this week. All the females in the house are having wild mood swings and it's nearly unbearable! The lunatic behavior of women have even extended to our grandson's bus driver!

And now for something completely different: a lot of grown food has so much chemicals and hormones added to the fertilizer and water you're better off getting the organic varieties. And yet, here are some that -- according to Dr. Weil -- are still okay to buy:

11 Items You Don't Have to Buy Organic
The best way to reap the health benefits of fruits and vegetables without exposing yourself to potentially harmful pesticides is to choose organic produce whenever possible, especially those varieties which are more likely to be contaminated. But if organic produce is cutting into your budget, it's okay to buy non-organic varieties of the fruits and vegetables listed below, which tend to contain the least amount of pesticides. However, make it a habit to wash them thoroughly before eating or cooking, to remove dirt and bacteria.

Asparagus
Avocados
Bananas
Broccoli
Cabbage
Corn (sweet, frozen)
Kiwi
Mangos
Onions
Pineapples
Peas (sweet, frozen)

It's a relief because you know that organically grown foods are twice as expensive!

Update on Us

TB and I are wearing down under the enormous stress we're under. My sugar is out of whack again, I've gained weight and I have tingling toes and fingers which could be stress, diabetic neuropathy or Reynaud's. I already know that I have Reynaud's phenomenon and am hoping it's just an episode of that and not neuropathy or something equally evil. For years, I noticed that sometimes my fingers and toes would look blue and feel cold and a doctor told me it was Reynaud's and probably due to low thyroid function. I think stress plays a role in it too--probably more malevolency caused by too much cortisol!

TB is struggling to cope with what's happening to him. He's not able to work right now because of spinal stenosis. He is in so much pain he can barely stand to walk for more than a few minutes at a time. He has no sick leave and so there's no money coming in which adds to the depression and stress he's feeling. It's a terrible thing to be vitally healthy and the support of the whole family and to suddenly have your health do a crash and burn like this.

The adultolescents are not much help and to add fuel to the fire, TB and I are also members of the sandwich generation which means we have elderly parents who are becoming needy. Right now most of that burden is on his sister and my brother but there is only so much that those two will be able to bear without help.

I need to regroup and refocus and try to relax all at the same time!

What! What happened to my menopause?

ARGH, I thought my periods stopped at least a year and possibly even longer ago. I can't remember the last time I had a real period although looking back there may have been times when I had a very very very light day or two ... does that count? If that counts then it hasn't been a full year! I guess I better call my "groinacologist"! That's what you are supposed to do if you have bleeding post menopause.

The cause of uterine bleeding postmenopause may be harmless; however, it's important to understand that there may be other causes of abnormal bleeding such as:

* uterine fibroid tumors
* a hormonal imbalance
* the use of birth control pills
* non-cancerous growths in the lining of the uterus

I need any of the above like I need another hole in my head! Isn't it bad enough I have another infection and my sugar has been too high for the last 10 days?

However...I have to relax and not think about it because I don't want any more cortisol coursing through my body wreaking more havoc! Time to play mindless online computer games!

Pink For October

I lost two of my first cousins to breast cancer. My first husband's aunt lost her nearly 20 year battle around this time last year.

My aunt had surgery to remove a mass several years ago. Another cousin had a scare. I had a scare.

Cancer is an ugly insidious disease.

October is breast cancer awareness month and that's why I'm going Pink For October.