NHS Help

[Pacx]

Two weeks ago, I weighed 15st 8lb. The GP sent me for blood tests and the nurse took my blood pressure too - it was 152/ 88. She asked me to come back a week later for a second test - 140/90. So, she refereed me to the GP who I saw yesterday.
The high blood pressure has been a wake up call. I've started trying to diet again and I intend to stick to it this time. I've lost 10lb so far. The doctor doesn't know that though.
I asked him for help. I pointed out that my weight seems to be the underlying cause for a couple of health issues.
The nurse also wrote on my notes that I am keen to reduce my blood pressure naturally, not just get a prescription for blood pressure pills.
However, when I asked the GP, he didn't help. He simply ignored my request.

He just sent me away to buy a blood pressure testing machine and to come back to him in a month with readings.
Its not what I was expecting given the almost daily obseity crisis news and the NHS can help messages.
AIBU to be surprised that the GP ignored my request for help?

[Pacx]

This is the third time I've asked this practice for help. They ignore it every time - as though I have not spoken. I told the nurse and she was very surprised which is why she wrote in the notes. I thought maybe I wasn't direct enough, so i made sure I was clear that I was asking for help yesterday but the GP responded by pointedly ignoring my request.

[HallowedMimic]

What help do you want?

[Pacx]

I need advice about how to exercise. Given my health issues, I can't just start running.

[Pacx]

Also, I get confused by the huge amount of (conflicting) advice about which diet to do.

[HallowedMimic]

Well you are already losing weight, and if you join a gym they will be able to advise you on exersise (so will Google to be fair).

The NHS isn't some bottomless pit, sometimes you need to be a bit proactive and do things for yourself, or pay.

[Catmuffin]

Could you ask for the free subscription to Slimming World that you can get from the nhs (or pay for it?) The support of a group is helpful and it's a good diet that encourages you to eat healthily without feeling hungry. People lose loads on it and it's sustainable.

[Pacx]

I wouldn't want to discuss my health with someone at the gym and I can't find specific enough advice online. The NHS isn't bottomless, but why do they keep telling us to go see a GP for help on losing weight if this is the response when we get there?

[Pacx]

I don't have money. If I did (when i did), I would always pay.

[Catmuffin]

The free subscription then?

[Allyoucaneat]

Try slimming world,its a great way to lose weight in a healthy way. The plans have been developed with organisations like diabetes UK. It's £5 per week or you can get a 12 week prescription in some areas.

I started same weight as you and have lost 10lb in three weeks, but my gp told me I wasn't obese enough to qualify for NHS classes - fair enough I'll do it myself for my own health.

[Pacx]

slimming world - won't it take more than 12 weeks? I was calculating that 2lb a week would take until Christmas to finally reach the upper limit of "normal" BMI

[HallowedMimic]

At 15st you are not really overweight enough for people to think you can't make the effort yourself.

Most people/medics will not recommend more than 2lbs a week.

You know yourself whether it's right for you.

Just eat a lot less. There's no magic to it. Make the effort, or don't.

Exercise is fine for toning up, but doesn't really make much difference to weight loss, unless you are running marathons.

You really need to do not yourself and stop looking for other people to do stuff you can do yourself.

[Catmuffin]

By the end of the 12 free weeks you'll know the diet very well and be able to carry on on your own if you want to.

[Pacx]

is that how people would see me - a scrounger?

[Pacx]

a fat scrounger who has got herself into trouble and now wants everyone else to get her out of it?

If yes, then i will never ask the GP for help again.

[Catmuffin]

People wouldn't know you were getting sessions for free and most people would think it a good use of nhs money as it would save money further down the line by improving health. The people I've met at sw are pretty supportive and understanding and not the sort who sit in judgement. Good luck!

[Wasafatmum42]

I feel your pain the gp wa thinking of the immediate complications of having hih blood pressure if left untreated heart attach and stroke being the biggest two , and you can gradually start an diet and exercise regime yourself. I was the same weight as you two years ago I took my son to school one morning and passed out in the school grounds and that was a wake up call gp gave me some bp meds and I started watching what I ate , as for the exercise bit this was hard it cost me much I started taking walks and when I started feeling comfortable I moved on to running my friends had a good laugh , join a free fitness group for moral support e.g parkrun good luck Op

[HallowedMimic]

Well, play the martyr if you like.

It sounds as though your GP can see right through it.

Help yourself, or don't.

A GP doesn't have magic Google powers, or unlimited money. They can only access the same information that you can.

[Wasafatmum42]

one last thing once you get going you may also be weaned off your meds , unfortunately for me I'm stuck with them for life

[Pacx]

I'm not on meds. If I need to, then I don't want to go on them forever if it can be avoided. I'd rather just deal with the underlying problem but I think i need help because I've got this big gradually and I've had many failed attempts to stop it. That's what was trying to tell the GP.

HallowedMimic - You've said what you think of me. Now let me say what i think of you. I think you are very spiteful.

[rainbowunicorn]

There really is not much that the doctor will be able to help with. Eat healthy balanced meals heavy on the veg, some carbs and protein, add in some fruit and a little bit of dairy. Don't eat processed stuff or ready meals and start walking.
Begin with even 10 mins twice a day walker for the first few days and gradually build it up to the point you are doing 5 miles a 4 or 5 times a week. After a few months of this start introducing some more exercise such as aerobic workouts and some strength training.
The weight will come off slowly at around 1lb a week.

[Allyoucaneat]

What is it that you want your GP to do?

They can't do much more than say, eat healthy and move more. Start with walking if you can't run.

There's plenty of info on NHS online and other sites about what to eat - cook from scratch avoid sugar, bad fats and processed food. Plenty of fresh veg and protein.

[Pacx]

I know this much:

• small portions
  
• don't starve yourself
  
• min 4 x 500ml glasses of water per day
  
• avoid sugar
  
• avoid wheat
  
• avoid alcohol
  
• go vegetable heavy, protein medium and grain light
  
• watch the fruit intake for fructose
  
• eat clean - minimal to no preservatives
  
• don't eat ready made meals or takeaways (I don't anyway)
  

I find calorie counting too boring tbh. I've tried it before - or at least the weight watchers version of it - and its really dull trying to remember every mouthful of food you eat, not to mention that most of it isn't there as the calorie counters really on preprepared food. e.g. I had home made guacamole for lunch and no one can tell me how many calories are in it.

What i wanted mainly from the GP was advice on exercise - which kinds - and do I need to go to pilates classes?

[Pacx]

Where all the diets in the past have failed is that I make the family meals and run out of energy for making my own ones, so I break it just once. Then in for a penny, in for a pound, I break ti for the whole of the rest of the day and before i know it, a week has gone by and I've eaten the normal stuff every day and had a couple of glasses of wine.

The exercise is worse. I am so unfit. I feel like I will need physio if I do anything as I'll damage myself. My knee hurts when i walk - is that ok? So, i put it off as i am so unsure and then it never happens and by the following year I am even worse than I was before, so its even harder to work out what to do. Now I've got the NHS website advice on blood pressure adding to my confusion. It says don't do cardio. Well what then?

I am just genuinely confused when it comes to exercise.

[Pacx]

and when I get bad news - and there's been a lot of it - I immediately comfort eat. I don't even think about it, i just find myself standing in the kitchen eating.