Thanks, Doc.

[FarrahS723]

A little venting, if you'll humor me. I had some follow up bloodwork done last week, and got my results today. My thyroid levels still haven't leveled out, so that was frustrating (as have been the last couple months). So, I'm already annoyed. Then, the doctor goes on to ask me about my diet/lifestyle. I tell him quite specifically - counting cals, high protein, the amount I'm consuming, etc. I also tell him about workouts, some cardio, but mainly heavy lifting. He looks at me like I'm an alien or something. "Like, really heavy lifting?" I respond, "If the weight I'm doing is too easy, I increase it until it isn't easy anymore." He then goes on to tell me that if I keep doing all this lifting, I'm going to get "massive" and "bulky" and won't achieve my goals.

Really disappointing on a lot of levels for me. My goal is to be healthy, and for me I need to lose some fat, which will also show off some of the muscle gains I've worked so hard for. I think my number on the scale should be lower, but I don't harp on it, and go by how my clothes fit. And I'd expect the bulky-type comments from some DB gym monkey, but my doctor? Humph.

[Kemo1990]

i hardly listen to my dr when it comes to weight anymore...my dr said my brother who is 6'4 140lbs is at a healthy weight...

[TheAmazon]

Part of my job is placing medical students in rotations. They basically get one nutrition course in undergrad and there are no other classes they have to take to do with physical fitness. I've seen and heard some pitiful stressed out future doctors, who spew a lot of misinformation and bro science when it comes to diet and nutrition.

That's all i have to say. Is he saying not to exercise PERIOD until your levels are normal or is he just concerned you're going to turn into the hulk next time he sees you?

[TheAmazon]

It's like he's not going to be happy until you come back and report to him you're now eating snack wells and drinking diet soda and stopped all that lifting.

[rhbrand]

Don't listen to him. Most doctors don't know a thing about diet or exercise.

[sy2502]

Don't listen to him. Most doctors don't know a thing about diet or exercise.

Nor supplements for that matter. I remember when ephedrine was still in supplements that my doc wanted to prescribe me anti depressants and I asked if the 2 wouldn't interfere. She gave me one of those "I don't know what ephedrine is but I am going to make a face like I do" and assured me natural supplements don't interfere with anti depressants. I lost a lot of respect for that doctor that day.

[andrerox80]

thinking a doc would know abt lifting is worse than thinking a trainer would know abt nutrition. why would you ever assume he had any knowledge? yes, he should have kept his mouth shut and only focused on medically-based health/wellness/lifestyle, but and could have been worse. he could have said you are bulky. that would have been bad.

[MelnCrash]

I stopped trusting doctors (regular GP's anyway) quite some time ago.

The 2 major medical conditions that my fiancée had were misdiagnosed and mistreated by countless GP's (at least 10). We had to do our own research and find our own specialists to get anything fixed. One was fixed after 10 years of suffering by a simple hour long procedure and the other was so badly mistreated that he has to stop working and ended up addicted to painkillers (which was actually causing the condition in the first place!!)

My advice is to find a specialist in the field that you are having issues with.

[sy2502]

Last year I had ultrasound to my breast, and the person doing it couldn't tell my muscle from the breast tissue. She had to call someone else, then they argued 5 minutes about what was what. Very reassuring.

[MelnCrash]

Last year I had ultrasound to my breast, and the person doing it couldn't tell my muscle from the breast tissue. She had to call someone else, then they argued 5 minutes about what was what. Very reassuring.

I would have walked out :/

Even better was the doc that that told me my knee pain is probably a bone chip. I even told the doc it was the muscle at the back that hurt yet apparently a bone chip can cause that. wtf. Turns out its a super tight muscle that's pulling on the back of my knee and a bit of deep tissue massage help a lot.

[mrshester]

Doctors are exactly the reason I refused from the beginning to have a traditional OB/GYN or give birth in a hospital. I trust my midwife who has been an RN for nearly 30 years any day over an MD.

Besides, most nurses will tell you they're the ones who do most of the work and keep the docs from killing patients ;)

[Amylou99]

As a nurse practitioner in family medicine, I can tell you in my educational training there is little taught on the subject of weights, and nutrition for athletes. We are taught 150 minutes of cardio per week is heart healthy. Most of what I've learned has been through my own research. I'm working on weight loss and increasing my muscle and the doctor I work for tells me I need to quit lifting and start running more.... I just smile, it's easier than trying to convince him anymore that heavy lifting is important for improved physique and health... He's old school.....

[MelnCrash]

Doctors are exactly the reason I refused from the beginning to have a traditional OB/GYN or give birth in a hospital. I trust my midwife who has been an RN for nearly 30 years any day over an MD.

Besides, most nurses will tell you they're the ones who do most of the work and keep the docs from killing patients ;)

They are!! My mum has been a nurse/Midwife for over 35 years and the amount of horror stories she has told me about OB/GYN's is scary. She has on numerous occasions sent them from the room in disgust and taken over the whole birth (well actually handed the control back to the mother) One doctor threatened to sue Mum for undermining his decision and doing something without his permission. Well that woman would have died if mum didn't do what she did.

[kimm4]

In all my years of competing/training, I've never had a doctor give me a hard time when it comes to weight lifting. They've always been very supportive and impressed more then anything else.

If it annoys you that much, find a new doctor.

[chinwe]

I agree with Kimm, also don't worry he's just going off of what he knows at it pertains to the subject which sadly enough, it may not be that much. You know what to do.

[FarrahS723]

Don't listen to him. Most doctors don't know a thing about diet or exercise.

Don't get me wrong, I'm NOT listening! I just nodded and smiled, not worth the debate. I have a pretty good idea of what I need to do and how to get there (thanks to many of you!), but getting my thyroid figured out is a top priority for me. My hope with this office (not connected with the big hospital systems) was that I may get a bit less cookie-cutter kind of service. I had to go thru a couple doctors just to get to one that was willing to do a full blood workup on me, which confirmed the hypothyroid. I suppose it just made me 2nd guess if I was getting a cookie cutter response to the thyroid issue as well - I know there are several meds at many dosages, etc.

[whatevergirl]

I think that a balance of holistic medicine, and traditional medicine, is key to getting the most appropriate fitness and medical advice. The two work hand in hand, to me. It's unfortunate, the advice you were given relating to weight lifting, but not entirely surprising. :o

[Madi-J]

Doctors are exactly the reason I refused from the beginning to have a traditional OB/GYN or give birth in a hospital. I trust my midwife who has been an RN for nearly 30 years any day over an MD.

Besides, most nurses will tell you they're the ones who do most of the work and keep the docs from killing patients ;)


Might she have anyone in the vicinity of Kansas City that she knows is good? Just for future reference...I'm a long way from having kids, but I really really do not want to deal with hospitals and doctors during the process any more than I absolutely have to.

[mrshester]

Might she have anyone in the vicinity of Kansas City that she knows is good? Just for future reference...I'm a long way from having kids, but I really really do not want to deal with hospitals and doctors during the process any more than I absolutely have to.

I have NO clue, but I will be glad to ask!