To feel my Dr dismissed my symptoms as I'm overweight

[Womby]

I am a 50+ woman who is 4 stone overweight.

I have been suffering for painful legs when walking for about a year - pain in calf muscles, acute stiffness after sitting or sleeping (think 90 year old woman), grinding knee joints (which others can hear when I'm walking) etc. I have been tested for PAD (peripheral arterial disease) and that has been ruled out so I have been thinking it could be Osteoarthritis in my knees as all the symptoms check out and this runs in my family.

I went to a long awaited GPs appointment yesterday (I had waited a month) and had written out a list of my symptoms to save time - he glanced at them and said 'it won't be your knees - it's your weight'. I told him I knew I was overweight and I am addressing that (2 stone so far on Slimming World) but that I am in pain all the day when I'm walking and it is really hampering my life and I'm taking Ibuprofen like sweets as they are the only thing that helps.

He still dismissed what I was saying and refused to examine me. I was very polite but asked if I was supposed to suffer in pain and that I had even been in pain walking from the car park to to the surgery (very close) to emphasise the point. Expecting him to at least suggest strong prescription pain killers or cortisone injections or something but he just said 'take Paracetamol' . I told him that Paracetamol had no affect whatsoever and Ibuprofen were the only thing that takes the edge off but I was worried about stomach bleeding etc which can happen with high use of those.

He just looked at me and smiled and said, 'we've ruled out PAD which can be a dangerous condition so I'm afraid this is down to your weight and I know it's hard but you need to lose weight' - I told him I was doing S.W. but progress is now very slow as I can't walk! He still kept his stance and refused to examine my legs/knees.

At this point I just said, well I'd better leave and made for the door. He walked after me and said 'you haven't got varicose veins have you?' - I said no I hadn't but he then lifted my skirt up at the back to check the back of my knees (my hand was on the door handle ready to leave at the time). I thought to myself if you'd checked my legs properly on the couch you could have checked for that.

I got outside the surgery and managed to drive home but then just burst into tears and I keep welling up and crying again when I think about it.

I feel totally dismissed because I have a weight issue and like I wasn't worth examining as whatever I'm suffering must be my fault anyway. I am under no illusion that weight has an obvious impact on joints and I'm trying my best to address that but I could also have other underlying issues and he's refused to look into that.

I think I will now have to change Drs as I have no faith in this Dr and he has upset me so badly I cannot face seeing him again. In the mean time I am no further forward and changing GPs will take time and I'm still in pain and can barely walk and it makes doing anything particularly my job (where I have to walk around a large site between buildings) difficult, slow and embarrassing.

Am I wrong to feel like this? Is this treatment fair?

What Nomama said - honestly, since you've been tested for PAD there's very little else the GP could do from just looking at your knees. Clearly he has a poor bedside manner, but to him it probably sounded like another overweight patient making excuses and denying weight is the cause of their problems (which believe me he'll hear several times a day every single day).

Also, regarding the prescription painkillers, he wouldn't prescribe them for something like this as they can have serious side affects and are extremely addictive.

The best thing for you to do now is lose the weight, forget about the rude GP, and get on with living your new pain-free life - 2 stones down is a massive achievement, keep going!

balloonslayer I don't think that's funny and comes across as very bitchy. Your stepfather's GP was discussing his obesity in a medical context not to be horrible to him so why would your mum think it would appropriate or amusing to then ask the own GP about their weight gain to 'get back at him/her' when he was merely doing his job.

I say that as an overweight Health professional who gained a lot of weight due to some very traumatic personal issues and is finally ready to do something about it. I've had to tell plenty of patients that they may need to lose weight to help their symptoms (in a really nice and empathetic way) and in this case the GP could have definitely handled it a LOT better and should have examined the knee. However I've had plenty of patients fling my own weight back in my face which was hurtful. Health professionals are there to do their job and they are real people with feelings too.

OP well done on your weight loss. If I were you I would continue to lose the weight anyway as it would be so good for your general health.

Then next time you go to see the GP you can say for sure 'hah you're wrong' or 'oh yeah, you were right'. Good luck

But OP isn't denying that her weight is a problem. Her gp should have listened to her.

oh pishedorf it was a joke fgs

Doesn't OP just want stronger pain killers?
There aren't actually any good treatments for osteoarthritis, btw, it's much more of a managed illness.
Eating Brassicas may help, although probably more as prevention when you're 20 than treatment when you're 50.

The force on your body that 4 stone puts on your joints is massive. The treatment is weight loss- which you have already started. There is no magic cure- don't waste another gp appt to get the same answer with added hand holding.

Thanks everyone - I am very appreciative of having so many responses and knowing that others have had this experience really helps.

I will be continuing with my weight loss programme with S.W. and possibly explore the best non inflammatory foods to use as part of that. I'm the sort of person that uses being 'knocked' to spur me on so I shall try and tap into that.

I'm definitely going to change Drs asap as my confidence has been knocked with this one now and I can't bring myself to see him again for any reason.

I could put in a complaint but probably won't - I don't need the stress and I don't want to be noted as a 'problem patient' which I know can happen and make it difficult to be taken on elsewhere.

Thanks again,

x

I just tapped on Ragen Chastain's blog. The fact that people who are underweight get joint pains can be down to a multitude of things, over strain due to exercise, genetic conditions etc. the reality is though that the additional force put on the joints due to carrying excess weight is in every situation going to make these problems worse for overweight people. It is impossible for doctors to treat normal weight and over weight people the same when muscosketetal conditions are being discussed because the weight is always going to be a contributrary factor.

Thank you bringmejoy

You're definitely right anothernumberone, but I still think she offers a useful/ refreshing perspective to the issue, particularly as losing weight can be so difficult, and maintaining it long term is also extremely challenging (for many, but certainly not all).

ilovemargaretatwood your post made me cry (in a good way) thank you so much for taking the trouble to write all that - I shall definitely be reading some of the material you linked to

P.S. I love Margaret Atwood too - The Handmaids Tale is my favourite.

Yes IloveMargaret she definitely is inspiring.

www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/arthritis-and-daily-life/diet-and-arthritis.aspx

Some great diet tips to help with arthritis that you could incorporate into sw

You can self-refer to hospital physiotherapy which might give some helpful insights and some useful ways forward. Call them direct.

Generally i find UK doctors diplomatic paragons compared to the ones in Europe - they tell it like it is 'you are fat - if you werent your problems with heart and high blood pressure would disappear' (France). You are too fat - you must lose the baby weight (Holland) Is it because Im fat? When I askes a UK doctor about something - Uk doctor 'Oh I wouldnt say that....' Sez he - no - European doctors tell it like it is especially France. I think lifting your skirt was exceptionally disrespectful though.....

I do so hope you feel more positive soon womby Good luck.

anothernumberone

Happy Saturday all.

I think you should complain to the practice manager. Even if his opinion was that he couldn't help you at all beyond advising you to lose weight, his manner was apalling, and lifting your skirt was just

Hi Womby. I've been where you are and was so frustrated. I had bad joint pain in my knees but also all other small joints like fingers and wrists. One GP looked at my knees, said "lost weight", then looked at my fingers and said " they're not swollen, come back when it really hurts." (Which it did, at that moment.) I am overweight and at the time I was so upset as I felt ignored.

I moved shortly after and tried again at the new doctors who did a blood teat and found evidence of an autoimmune disease, which it transpires is causing the pain. I am still over weight and still suffer terrible pains. (Think can't undress myself, walk up stairs, etc) I know that losing weight will help me, and I'm on a mission for it at the moment, but I also know that I will still be in pain, even if I am slim.

What I am trying to say in a long winded way (I'm being distracted by the gruffalo) is that I know how frustrating it is, and I know how hard it is to lose weight, but I also envy you because you have hope - if you lose weight you might be better. Its a long hard journey bit luckily you have a great big bright light at the end of the tunnel.

As others have said your Dr is probably right.

However, he sounds like an arrogant prick with no bedside manner.

It would have been quicker to check you over, than it would have been to argue against it and at least it would have put your mind at rest a bit.

YANBU to want to change.

I 2nd go see a physiotherapist even for a one off consult will be worth it.
You can self refer in scotland so might be worth checking if you cab where you are.

I am seeing one due to back hip and leg pain and turned out I have very flat feet and my feet turn in when I walk making all my joints out of line thus cuasing pain,I also have a very shit core so all fixable.

Your Dr wasnt very nice, I would change if you have lost confidence in him, although kicking up a stink in a gp practice can sometimes get you what you need.

It could be osteoarthritis. Unfortunately being morbidly obese (if you are 4 stone over the last healthy BMI number you would be) greatly increases your chances of developing it. If they were to diagnose you, the leading recommendation to ease the symptoms would be to lose the weight. Walking won't really help you lose weight (your heart rate doesn't increase sufficiently). Buy ' The Fasting Diet' by Michael Mosley and follow it, buy and use a piece of equipment that will ease strain on your legs (eg a spinning bike), log everything in MyFitnessPal and do a few Jillian Michaels videos each week if possible (might not be at first due to leg issues). It might not be osteoarthritis, this also is one of the first signs your heart is struggling to cope.

Well, I am very overweight and haven't got any of these problems, so it seems a bit unfair to dismiss it all as just "because you're overweight". Even if ultimately the problem is caused by being overweight, you have a right to know what condition it is, and what else, apart from losing weight, would help to improve it.

I would ask to see another doctor and go in there saying "I know I'm overweight and I am taking steps to deal with that, but I would still like to know exactly what's wrong with me, and how I can manage it while I'm losing weight."

Hi - I was in your position a year go - I am also overweight and constantly trying to do something about this - but I must be very lucky. My GP sent me for knee X-rays, I was then referred to physio and did 4 weeks of physio - but this was making my left knee even worse. I was doing yoga at the time as well but had to give this up as I couldn't do anything kneeling down and everything was making it worse. In the end I asked to be referred to a consultant. I was expecting everyone to say ' you need to loose weight' but nobody did (it is obvious I suppose!) and when I saw the consultant he took one look at the x-rays and said that he didn't expect any exercising or physio would have made any difference as I have no gap at all between my knee bones and the only thing going to make any significant difference was a total knee replacement. I was quite shocked as I expected to be told to loose weight and get on with it - but had TKR last June - recovering well, and will probably get the other one done sometime this year as it is gradually getting worse. I am 58. you need to ASK TO BE REFERRED and at least have X-rays. If you are bone on bone now, loosing weight will help but it wont stop the pain. Good Luck.