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Being fat isn’t the cause for every single ailment in the body. Medical professionals should know this. Yet getting doctors, nurses, etc. to see past weight is frustratingly difficult.
I’ve been spending a lot of time in doctor offices lately. Another day, another doctor’s appointment.
I’ve lost 60 pounds since February without trying. I saw my doctor regularly and she didn’t seem concerned, so I brushed it off as a side effect of grief and stress. I attributed the exhaustion to my struggling emotional health.
My doctor continuously congratulated me for my weight loss while saying it was the reason for low blood pressure spells that made me extremely dizzy and lightheaded. She didn’t offer any suggestions for stopping the episodes, though.
After nearly fainting multiple times, I got a second opinion. The nurse at the new office started telling me I needed to lose weight before I even explained my concerns. The doctor complimented me when I told him I lost 60 pounds in six months without trying.
But then he ordered much more comprehensive lab work than the other doctor. I had a bunch of things come back wonky, so he referred me to a hematologist.
Two days after getting my lab results, I had a very scary low blood pressure spell in which I almost passed out in public. I went back to the doctor the next morning, seeing a different doctor at the practice this time. I finally felt like someone was hearing me that I wasn’t actively trying to lose weight instead of congratulating me for what I lost and pushing me to lose more. He decided to focus on raising my low sodium, iron, B, and D levels while I wait for the hematologist appointment.
When you’re fat, it’s really hard to find a doctor who will look beyond that. Losing weight won’t cure every issue. Weight loss isn’t always to be celebrated, sometimes it’s cause for concern, even if the person is still fat. I’m so glad I’ve finally found a doctor who gets that, but it’s taken me most of this year of feeling horrible to get here.
If you’re fat and feel unheard, keep pushing until you find professionals who will listen. And it’s good we all keep in mind that weight loss doesn’t automatically equal good/celebration and isn’t a measure of someone’s worth.
Update: I’ve been taking supplements and adding sodium for about two weeks now. He’s ordered two additional rounds of lab work. I had another low blood pressure episode today. I see the hematologist Monday.
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