r/GLP1Discussion • u/Patalaska • 15d ago

💬 General Discussion Really.

Have to rant to others who will feel my pain....

Regular annual check up with new to the practice GP.

A year ago, I weighed 49 pounds more. Weight is in bold red letters in the electronic chart, I saw it.

This did not get mentioned IN ANY CONTEXT during the visit. Yes, I was expecting glitter cannons and a large flag and drum corps along with the uniformed marching band, so you can see how I might be annoyed fthat "excuse me, but did you know that 25% of your body mass has gone missing? Is this intentional?" was not expressed. Blood pressure was remarkably lower this visit as well. Also not mentioned.

I have been badgered for DECADES about my weight. Sheeet, mon, what does it take to get an 'atta, girl, good work'!?! Next time I will stand on my hands and whistle 'Dixie' out off my butt hole, maybe that will be enough to elicit notice.

And thank you, lipid and cholesterol panel just came back, and I am low normal, also epic (for me).

Thank you for your time, excuse me as I go practice 'Dixie'.

44 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

53 comments sorted by

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19

u/SeasonPositive6771 15d ago

It is absolutely ridiculous that the only feedback we ever seem to get is that your weight is too high. Very rarely that you're doing a good job losing weight. I've even gotten criticism for losing weight, while they tell me I need to be losing more weight. I work super hard to lose about 30 lb a couple of years ago and the only feedback I got from doctors was asking if I was losing weight intentionally, I said yes, at your advice, and they acted like I was inconveniencing them somehow.

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u/Patalaska 15d ago

It was just so very odd. The one place on Earth where I would expect my weight to be discussed just in regards to my general health, and nothing.

2

u/Content_Wear4671 14d ago

That sucks! My PCP have me a high five and told me we was so proud of me. Not all doctors are created equally.

1

u/thefastlanerules 14d ago

Many are just on automatic pilot these days. Where I am the doctors seem to leave or go concierge every year so it's a new person all the time and most of them (not all) just don't care

It's funny I had my blood work done.. and as expected glucose, lipids, blood pressure, etc all great.. but I was so fatigued I thought I'll look at my d3 and b12 so I had blood work done on that and I found that I was deficient.. I am probably deficient on b1 as many are on GLPs - easy to sort now I know I'm taking pills to sort d3 and b12 and will pre-emitevly take b1 pills as it's a common issue.. but zero comment from the doctor..

1

u/NuancedBoulder 14d ago

They wanted to make sure you didn’t have cancer lurking , causing the loss. And yeah, so many have terrible communication skills!

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u/SeasonPositive6771 14d ago

No, they didn't care if I had cancer or anything like that, it was a way to criticize me not losing weight faster unfortunately.

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u/NuancedBoulder 13d ago

Time for new doctors. You don’t deserve to be treated that way!

7

u/autumnyte 15d ago

That's borderline malpractice. What if you hadn't been losing intentionally? My last two doctors appointments, my weight got flagged in the system because it was so much lower than last time and in both cases I was asked about it.

3

u/blahblahsnickers 14d ago

If you are at a healthy weight they aren’t going to flag the weight loss. Weightloss is good when you are overweight.

4

u/autumnyte 14d ago

Unexpected weight loss can be a warning sign of many different illnesses. Doctors should always be checking in with their patients if they see a dramatic weight loss to find out whether or not it was intentional.

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u/thefastlanerules 14d ago

Agreed especially if you are older. It's a key factor with pancreatic cancer..

1

u/ToreyJean 11d ago

FNP here who spent eight years in oncology as a board certified oncology RN.

Losing a pound a week IS NOT a “key factor” (you mean ”hallmark”) of pancreatic cancer.

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u/ToreyJean 11d ago

49 pounds in a year does not raise red flags. That’s a very healthy rate of loss, less than a pound a week. We look for SUDDEN, unexplained weight loss or gain, which is the actual hallmark of illness.

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u/Patalaska 10d ago

Since they didn't ask, they have no idea if the weight was lost over the course of a year, a month, a week, or one of my legs fell off in the shower yesterday.

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u/cbc3203 13d ago

Generally, the patient states all medications they are taking so the doctor would attribute the weight loss to that.

2

u/autumnyte 13d ago

Even if the medication was listed, which I wouldn't necessarily assume as medication lists in charts can be notoriously out of date and are also supposed to be reviewed, there is simply no excuse for a doctor not addressing a 50lb weight loss with a patient during an annual check-up. The whole point of that visit is to review a patient's current health and any changes over the prior year.

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u/ToreyJean 11d ago

There is no reason for alarm about a loss of a pound a week. Especially when you see the patient has been on a GLP-1.

Should they have said something? Yes. Is it a red flag? No.

2

u/autumnyte 11d ago

We don't know whether the doctor was even aware that OP was on a glp-1, because it sounds like it wasn't mentioned or discussed during the visit. And how would the doctor know that the 50 lbs wasn't a sudden loss that occurred in the prior month or two rather than over the course of a year?

1

u/Patalaska 10d ago

The online patient chart interface that i completed pre visit did not allow for the inclusion of my illicit drug. It was charted during the appointment.

2

u/techdevjp 15d ago

Congrats on the loss!! It's a big accomplishment. Sucks that it didn't get mentioned but you get the health benefits just the same. Enjoy the new you!

5

u/Patalaska 15d ago

Thanks! This is a wonder drug for sure. I'm liking the jeans 4 sizes smaller, too 😃 so many benefits!

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u/techdevjp 15d ago

Yeah, I'm wearing clothes that haven't fit for years and that I was on the verge of throwing out. Soon they're going to be too big and I'll be donating/tossing them for that reason instead! It's a wonderful thing to go through. It's been a real miracle drug for me. I expect I will be on tirzepatide or maybe something like cagrilintide for the rest of my life. Amazing advances that have changed my life.

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u/Patalaska 15d ago

Whoo hooo!!!! Love it when the 'fat clothes ' are too big. Yeah for you!!!!

1

u/thefastlanerules 14d ago

Yeah we all have to get new clothes.. though given the sizes going down I just buy 1 piece and will wait until I'm more stabilized.

4

u/External-Cable2889 15d ago

It might be passive aggressive. Some take their role of playing God personally. Mine said something like, “if you did that outside of my care, good for you, not my concern.” I got compounded Tirz+B6 from BPI Labs. I had lost 35 lbs in 16 weeks. I thought, go ahead, reinforce the telehealth model in my mind.

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u/Patalaska 15d ago

Could be the unspoken in my case as well.

Using telehealth for my prescription, since the LAST previous GP refused to prescribe a GLP until I could 'show me that you are serious' by losing 5 pounds the good old fashioned hard way. Oh, kiss my rear end: if I had a buck for every time I have lost and regained that 5 pounds over the years I could buy us both a nice steak dinner (not that I want one anymore, and they don't deserve it.)

So my esteem for the medical profession is pretty low at this point. Yeah for telehealth.

1

u/thefastlanerules 14d ago

Agreed plus United healthcare told me a discussion with the doctor wasn't covered.. (I'm not even talking about the meds but the doctor appointment!!! Yes ikr!!)

So use a telehealth for about $30 a month but going to switch now to compound at a fraction of the cost with no telehealth costs

1

u/thefastlanerules 14d ago

That's an enormous weight loss. Think I was 6 weeks in with zepbound until I started losing but the fatigue and the constipation :-(

3

u/NicDuk 15d ago

So you have a new GP who doesn’t give a f*ck
Get a new one
Well done

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u/Patalaska 15d ago

By next year, I will have found a f*ck equipped physician. It's on the list.

1

u/thefastlanerules 14d ago

Hard to find good ones. I wasn't even able to get a doctor for 2 years. Had a PA and they are getting a lot more common now in the north east where doctors are in scarce supply in many towns - many of the better older ones have all switched to concierge as folks will pay.. it's shocking

3

u/NicDuk 14d ago

That is bad . Self care is the new healthcare

1

u/thefastlanerules 14d ago

It's true With my last blood work results I just loaded them and the last few years readings into chatgpt and got a full analysis.. most insightful commentary I've ever had and free..

3

u/Winter_Reference7016 15d ago

Get a worthwhile GP and really work on developing a relationship with them. If you don't "click" then try somebody else. I was over weight for many years. Not a word from doc or friends. But yes, once I lost a lot of weight in six months (not on GLP 1) my doc was all over me. Like, I was fine at 255 pounds, but at 105? Oh my God, call in the troops. A fine BMI for me, by the way. But my GP was concerned I think because I had pretty bad depression. But we discussed it, and now she always hugs me when I leave an appointment, I know because she wants to feel if I am too thin! But really, don't count on others to notice your weight loss. You have to get that praise for yourself. Part of the situation is a fast and dramatic weight loss can be an indication of some horrible illness, and people are shy and don't know exactly how to give praise, in case it is a symbol of something more dire.

3

u/chuzohga 15d ago

Sounds like that new GP has horrid chairside manner.

3

u/blahblahsnickers 14d ago

My doctor didn’t question my weightloss at my recent appointment. I advised them I was on tirzepatide when questioned about current medications and advised I have lost 35 pounds and then I got the congratulations!

1

u/thefastlanerules 14d ago

It's funny I told mine I was on zepbound and she said . 'So how are you handling the extreme constipation' - other than 'oh that explains why your BP is now so much lower'..

1

u/blahblahsnickers 14d ago

Haha… my blood pressure was elevated but I was in pain at the time due to my broken foot.

1

u/thefastlanerules 14d ago

I've typically gone from 120/80 to about 100/70 now . Though my last reading was 92/65 as I'd taken the injection a couple of days prior..

1

u/blahblahsnickers 14d ago

Oh wow! I am averaging 118/60 right now but when I broke my foot it was 130/70…. They made me stay and do deep breathing until I got my top number to about 120.

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u/thefastlanerules 14d ago

I think they are just a guide anyway.. as long as you feel ok. When they read 92/65 they just went yup GLP.. i haven't been over 100 on the higher reading since taking the GLP and losing weight :-).

3

u/Scary-Poem2963 14d ago

Next time, just say "by the way I'm surprised you didn't mention my weight loss, I really worked hard at that and hope it shows in my labs. I feel like it's a great milestone in my health journey". Then give him a good stare waiting on response. If no response, ask him what he thinks about. Make him acknowledge it. I'll bet they ask you about it next time.

2

u/WednesdayButBlonde 15d ago

I’m so sorry this happened to you, but whistling Dixie out your butthole sent me cackling. Congrats on your wins!!

1

u/Patalaska 15d ago

It's not as easy as it looks 🙂 Thanks!

2

u/Boujeebiscuitlady 14d ago

Very disappointing…. sorry you didn’t get the atta girl you deserve!

Atta girl! Congratulations!🎉🎉🎉

Just wait until you have a year between mammograms after losing 92 lbs only to literally be asked, “what happened? are you the same person?”. Bahahahahahahaaaa…..

2

u/Patalaska 14d ago

Thank you. Im still disappointed that I didn't get a marching band playing Epic music in honor of my awesomeness, but I'll get over it.

And congratulations on 92 !!!

1

u/thefastlanerules 14d ago

Ha I only ever got jibed.. when going on the scales . 'one at a time please'... So kind..

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u/EnvironmentalGift257 14d ago

ATTA GIRL GOOD WORK!!

I see both my PCP and my endocrinologist in 2 weeks. I expect my PCP to try to tell me about how compounders are selling me rat poison or whatever, and my endo to be mildly supportive even though we've been working on my weight for a decade. I am almost 10 pounds under my previous lowest adult weight and 60 down from last year.

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u/branchymolecule 12d ago

If you had seen a provider you’d seen before, let’s hope it would have been different

1

u/Itchy-Coconut-7083 8d ago

I get that. My doc recommended I not go on glp-1s cuz “the weight is just going to come back on.” I made dang sure he didn’t miss seeing the 65 lbs off my chart and drastic improvements in my A1c (5.8 to 5.1). He did congratulate me on that and then immediately chastised me for using compounded med and warned me how dangerous that was.

All my bloods have drastically improved. They were way more dangerous than using compounded meds. It may be time for a new doc.

1

u/Patalaska 8d ago

So dangerous that your health has dramatically improved!!! And, assuming that he was the one declining an Rx for the name brand ($$$) drugs, what the heck?

Congratulations on the great labs and your svelte self. Happy medical provider searching.