To think no I bloody do not want to know what I weigh so just shut up about it!

[HarrietKettleWasHere]

Ugh I'm so annoyed.

Went to GP today to get contraceptive pill. Had blood pressure check and went to step on the scales, and I said politely to lady GP 'would you mind if I don't know what my weight is, I'm just going to step on but not look'

She said, 'why on earth not?'

So I said 'because I used to suffer from an eating disorder, and the numbers will say I'm a lot bigger than I would have been happy with back then, so I'd rather not obsess about it'

GP 'so how would you know if you were overweight, you won't even be able to work out your BMI'

Me 'I go by how my clothes fit, or belt hooks and that' I'm a size 10, so not really at a point where I'd worry I was overweight, although of course mentally I'll always think I'm positively rubenesque)

GP 'well with vanity sizing nowadays I think you really need to be aware of what you weigh, so you can deal with weight gain at the first sign'

And then she told me WHAT IT BLOODY WAS.

Rationally it's fine, it's a healthy weight, mentally I am now looking at myself in elephant proportions and feeliing enormous.

Why can't people just bloody well LISTEN and they think they know best and just do the thing you asked them not to anyway?!!

I have my first wedding dress fitting next month and I'm freaking out about that now.

I always ask not to be told my weight and I've never had anyone go against it, and I am trying to slim. I have a big guilt complex and would upbraid myself. My trick is to ask before I'm on the scales so I can refuse if necessary.

I would complain- this woman could have restarted a cycle for you :(. It's not that she isn't right in that it may help to know- but that approach is not best practice in this case.

Contraception seems to bring out the worst in drs. Once had a blithe bitch gp tell me gleefully I was a faking malingerer at 3 appointments and refuse a blood test. Saw a different nice lady a week later who immediately booked me in for tests for leukaemia and hepatitis. Turned out my liver had been poisoned by the oestrogen dose in the pill from the first gp- and that she oughtn't have prescribed it to a 16yo first time pill taker at all. Refused to ever see her again.

I don’t think your GP handled the situation well. I also once had an eating disorder. I’m definitely not overweight but I hate any numbers that don’t situate me comfortably in the underweight category. So it’s altogether healthier if I really in how I look and feel!

That's awful, sorry you had to deal with someone that ignorant, OP.
When I was pregnant I had gestational diabetes (size 14 so a little overweight at the time) and when I was asked to make a food diary and count everything I mentioned that I was nervous to do so in case it lead back to restricting/purging as I was desperate to remain healthy for my baby. The whole team were amazing - encouraged me to stand backwards on the scales; to record foods not calories and to meet with a counselor throughout. (Outcome = healthy baby and healthy mum, diabetes was purely diet controlled throughout and no pressure, only support)

I would definitely complain, OP. If not for you then for all the other ED patients that this 'professional' will come into contact with in the future.

Well, someone needs better training, that's for sure. The stupidity of it! I am at the opposite end - obese but am not scared of the results of the weigh in - I am what I am, but I think it incredibly stupid if a person had an eating disorder , unless they are a 5 stone weakling or dangerously obese then I really don't think you should worry patients like that as it could be a trigger.

I am sure you will look lovely for your wedding.

Shocking lack of care for your mental health. I would complain. It's completly unacceptable.

I'd expect a GP to know enough about eating disorders to know that if someone asks to not be weighed, or to be weighed but not know the number, it's important to respect that

Totally unacceptable. I work with GP practices and sadly there are stil many GPs who have a god complex . Definitely complain - start with the practice manager.

I expect a fair few people will disagree but I think even if someone is obviously overweight it is still inappropriate to weigh them if they decline or to tell them their weight against their will. Not all people with eating disorders are thin.

Hi OP, you asked about how to complain. I’d start by writing a letter to the practice manager, explaining as unemotionally as possible what happened and why it was a problem (she should have respected your request even without the ED explanation). I’d add the info about the coil, just to make the point that this is about a dr who ignores what her patient tells her.
You can request a note to be made on your file not to be given an appt with her again.

Yeah I'm going to email the practice. Definitely not seeing her again but I want to be able to make it clear why not.

The GP at our practice with the God Complex is the only GP with spare slots - no one wants to see him, he's an arrogant tosser.