Fat or big-boned?

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » August 25, 2005, 2:09 pm

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/ ... 0585c.html

Hefty complaint leveled against doc

BY MAKI BECKER
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

No one likes to be told they're fat.
But a New Hampshire woman who was sternly lectured by her doctor about being obese has taken her hurt feelings to a new level - filing an official complaint against him with state health authorities.

The New Hampshire case, while rare, highlights an increasing problem in the fight against obesity - how does a doctor sensitively tell a patient that he or she is overweight?

The patient - whose name was not released - was upset after Dr. Terry Bennett, a Harvard-educated family practitioner in Rochester, N.H., told her she was obese and her weight was contributing to her diabetes and other health problems.

Bennett also told the 5-foot-7, 250-pound woman that she was statistically likely to outlive her also-obese husband and that she would have a hard time finding a new man as a fat woman. "I talked to an obese patient, told her the truth, she was offended," Bennett told NBC's "Today" show yesterday.

Sandy Schaffer, the New York chapter chairwoman of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, said Bennett's tactics appear to have been unnecessarily hurtful and possibly counterproductive.

"What psychology textbook says that humiliation can be motivating?" she asked.

Dr. Richard Sardovsky, associate professor of family practice at SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn, said doctors "are under increasing pressure to do more to encourage patients to lose weight." Obesity, he said, "is a serious problem among Americans. But some [doctors] can go a little too far about it."

Dr. Darwin Deen, professor of family and social medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, teaches his medical students that it's a doctor's duty to address obesity. "You can't let them think it's okay and we won't talk about it," he tells his students. "It's just like smoking."

Deen, who co-authored "Nutrition for Life," suggested that doctors avoid discussing weight loss and focus instead on getting patients to eat better and exercise.

Most people would simply find a new doctor if they didn't like hearing what their current one has to say...

masteen · Post by **masteen** » August 25, 2005, 2:18 pm

She's too fat to find another doctor.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » August 25, 2005, 2:21 pm

If she outlives her husband, all she needs to do is hang out at a McDonalds to find another supersized husband.

Sylvos · Post by **Sylvos** » August 25, 2005, 2:21 pm

that doctor beats ass

Animale · Post by **Animale** » August 25, 2005, 2:26 pm

Hehe... my father (who is a doctor) tells the really big people (300+ lbs.) that come into his office that his scales cannot accomodate their weight - then sends them across the street to the post-office to get weighed on their freight scales. Maybe he'll be the next one sued for this stupid reason. Oh well.
Animale

Nick · Post by **Nick** » August 25, 2005, 2:40 pm

If you are over 300lbs you need to go out for a fucking run and dry your eyes.

Hesten · Post by **Hesten** » August 25, 2005, 2:51 pm

Lol, i SO love the US court system.
If this are allowd to go on, whats it gonna take, 15 years, before you cant be treated by a doctor unless you sign a no-sue clause, or there will be no health care for noone but the way too rich because no doctors wanna risk getting sued.

*~*stragi*~* · Post by ***~*stragi*~*** » August 25, 2005, 3:17 pm

Animale wrote:Hehe... my father (who is a doctor) tells the really big people (300+ lbs.) that come into his office that his scales cannot accomodate their weight - then sends them across the street to the post-office to get weighed on their freight scales. Maybe he'll be the next one sued for this stupid reason. Oh well.
Animale

acutally i can see him getting sued for that because that's a little bit more than warning someone about the health problems associated with being fat.

Sionistic · Post by **Sionistic** » August 25, 2005, 4:31 pm

Sued for telling the truth, what the fucking hell.

Sabek · Post by **Sabek** » August 25, 2005, 4:40 pm

I have no issues with him telling her she is obese and that it will continue to cause health problems. However, telling her she is too fat to get a new husband is not in his realm of business.

That's not to say she should have grounds to sue, but her getting a new husband is not really part of his medical responsibilities.

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » August 25, 2005, 5:04 pm

Seriously, if you have a problem with being a fat slob - do something about it. There is no reason doctors should have to try and spare feelings - you're fat and its unhealthy, and your family practice doctor is there to keep you healthy.

This countries court system is so fucked up it's ridiculous. People that bring cases like this, and say for example the lady that sued mcdonalds for having hot coffee, should be executed without a trial. The fact that anyone can come into a courtroom with an absolutely absurd case and win needs to be put to an end, no matter what the means. I am so sick of hearing about shit like this.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » August 25, 2005, 5:08 pm

You really need the entire conversation to have a better idea of what was said. Things get taken out of context all the time.

She may have said something like, "Being the fat pig that I am, will I be able to remarry?"

Doctor: "It may be difficult."

Farrel · Post by **Farrel** » August 25, 2005, 5:12 pm

Bennett also told the 5-foot-7, 250-pound woman that she was statistically likely to outlive her also-obese husband and that she would have a hard time finding a new man as a fat woman.

should have just bitten his tongue here.

as for the rest...well, we've seen worse.

Marbus · Post by **Marbus** » August 25, 2005, 5:52 pm

I agree, we have too many lawyers willing to take any case to get a buck. Doctors do need to help people stay or get healthy and to her question the Alber Ellis school of psychological thought would tell her exactly what he did... but that's not for everyone.

He should tell her she is overweight and needs to loose it because of health reasons but don't go into personal matters about trying to find a new husband. Hell, she probably has low self-esteem anyway so that just made it worse... not bad enough and sue over, that's just stupid.

However Teeny you need to rethink your position a little. While now I'm way over 300 lbs and need to loose some weight because too much of it is fat, there was a time when I was 285 and had a body fat of less than 15% and wore a size 36 pant (I'm 6'2" btw). I'm sure at 300 I was overweight but due to my muscle mass at the time was not obese like I am now. If a Dr.s scale only goes to 300 then he doesn't need to send his patients over to the post office Animale he needs to get some new scales that go to 450. The average professional linebacker now is what 340? My Drs son was 6"4 330 when he graduated High School and probably had 10% body fat and I expect my son to be similar if they want to play football.

Me, heh, I'm fat and need to loose some weight but 300 isn't a magical number just like 200 isn't. It all depends on a number of different factors... of course non of those would make much of a difference for someone who is 5'2" 250 and has probably never done a excersise in her life

Marb

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » August 25, 2005, 6:50 pm

Some people are getting carried away. If you (re)read the article it says nothing about her suing him. Yet. It just says she filed a complaint.

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » August 25, 2005, 6:52 pm

Bennett also told the 5-foot-7, 250-pound woman that she was statistically likely to outlive her also-obese husband and that she would have a hard time finding a new man as a fat woman.

That's the only part that crosses a line I'd say. He's her doctor, not her matchmaker... it was irrelevant. That being said, people shouldn't get angry at their doctor telling them they're dangerously overweight and at risk for severe health problems; it's what you go to a doctor for. Would you want him to gloss over the nasty tumor you had developing inside of you?

And Animale.. yeah, your father should probably consider a different tactic, especially with this story making headlines. Some fuck might see it and get the idea to make a quick buck. Humiliation isn't what doctors are for.

Seebs · Post by **Seebs** » August 25, 2005, 6:55 pm

One of the issues is that the physician asked what the horrible smell was and discovered seven brine shrimp in her twat.

This is what this law suit is about I'm sure.

Sueven · Post by **Sueven** » August 25, 2005, 6:59 pm

Scales that don't handle people over 300 pounds are a pretty common problem in the medical profession from what I've seen. I know that a number of local hospitals only have one scale that goes over that amount for the entire hospital, and all units have to send their larger patients to that particular scale for weighing. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a private practice doctor who didn't own a larger scale, and I'd rather he have them weighed at the post office than not have them weighed at all.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » August 25, 2005, 7:14 pm

There's also those Truck Weighing Station scales along the side of some highways that could be used.

Siji · Post by **Siji** » August 26, 2005, 11:53 am

Marbus wrote:I agree, we have too many lawyers willing to take any case to get a buck.

It's easy to blame the lawyers, but the real blame needs to lie with the judges that allow stupid lawsuits to take place. We need more judges that fine lawyers for bring petty crap into their courtroom.

And people in this country need to quit being pussies. We're not French you know.

Drasta · Post by **Drasta** » August 26, 2005, 12:10 pm

that woman is a dumb bitch, fat people at the grocery store are the nastiest and laziest of the people in there, if your so damn big that you need to ride around in a cart, you need to get out of the store ... or if you get in a car and it won't move while your on it .. but works when your not ... there is a big fucking problem .. im the same height as her and im 120 lbs ... if i was 200 somethin ... i'd be fucking huge

Bubba Grizz · Post by **Bubba Grizz** » August 26, 2005, 12:29 pm

I'd rather have a doctor tell it to me straight instead of pussy footing around. House can be my doctor!

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » August 26, 2005, 1:13 pm

Bubba Grizz wrote:I'd rather have a doctor tell it to me straight instead of pussy footing around. House can be my doctor!

I could swear House was modelled on my doctor, except his running gag of always pretending to have forgotten your name.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » August 28, 2005, 9:28 am

Reconsidered my position.

Marbus.

Midnyte_Ragebringer · August 28, 2005, 12:39 pm

Eat less and exercise more, FAT ASS!

Kadyan · Post by **Kadyan** » August 28, 2005, 2:03 pm

Ogbar · Post by **Ogbar** » August 29, 2005, 3:21 am

National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance? Sounds like something from a Mr Show skit.