to not think I am overweight?

[Floeer]

Afternoon all,

Currently undergoing some medical investigations but in the meantime my GP said I am "overweight and unhealthy" which is why I have a "large tummy". I thought being 8.5 stone (with a height of 5'4") wasn't anywhere near overweight - I am a size 6/8? And as for unhealthy, okay yes I have 3 cups of coffee a day but I eat easily 7-10 portions fruit/veg a day and rarely snack and generally avoid all fizzy drinks. Granted I don't domuch beyond mum duties but I do walk everywhere, but GP didn't ask about any of this.

Anyway she has told me to go on a diet and do more exercise.
I asked her recommendation on how to do that, through tears as it did hurt to hear how I am fat, but she just told me to cut down on what I eat and at least walk more.

Idk what I expect tbh! Just AIBU in thinking I am not overweight? I thought it was more of a bloating issue I had?

My goodness your GP is an arse, you are fine. What would your GP think of me, 5ft2 and 65kg, morbidly obese, despite exercising for an hour a day, and eating my food off a child's plate so that portion size is reduced.

OP I agree with everyone else that you need another GP.

On the subject of BMI target by race, yes people of African or South Asian origin are at risk of diabetes at a lower BMI than Europeans. Cut off is normally quoted as 23 as opposed to the 25 for white people.
www.diabetes.co.uk/south-asian/bmi-values-for-south-asians.html
Quite worrying to hear someone who says she’s a GP denying this. Not relevant to the OP at a BMI of 20 though.

I would see another GP, she sounds useless.

Btw Aeroflot, 65 kilos is nowhere near morbidly obese. Did you mean 85 kilos?

You weigh the same as me at the same height ? I'm 23 and on the low end of the normal BMI. Did this actually happen??

Any chance that you misunderstood what was said?

I would suggest emailing the Doctors saying you have a query following your appointment and are concerned you might have. Misunderstood so want to seek clarification. Say you understand you were told you were overweight and need to lose weight, but that at 8st 5 and your current height, you feel confused about how this can be. Ask for clarification.

If you email this in, they will need to get back to you or at least arrange another appointment. At this point they will either explain further what their thinking is or tell you there has been a misunderstanding. There might be an apology.

It's best to express your concern about what you were told rather than just going elsewhere......how else can anyone improve if no-one is honest? And you need to hear accurate info.

And you have the same waist measurement and clothes size as me. You're under no circs overweight!

LemonysSnicket I'm 24 so we are super close in this. Yes it did happen this morning. She said it was the reason for my belly and gave it as reasons for the PCOS symptoms "flaring up" (despite not having any usual PCOS symptoms...?)

ChocolateWombat I will give as a reason for leaving. In fairness I do need to move GP surgeries anyway as I have actually moved about half hour (by car) away from that surgery so should imagine I am now out of its catchment

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/exercise/a3266435-How-to-rid-pot-belly?msgid=78392189#78392189

I posted about my "pot belly" in this post actually, which shows an image of my belly. As I was wondering prior GP visit this morning if it was more diet/exercise that I need to do.

Regardless, I probably should get another appointment booked in for my leaky boob, frequent peeing and masses on right ovary anyway.

floeer oh I understand that.i don't want you to think I wasn't on your side.total opposite!
I don't no how you have a weight issue being the weight you are?do you feel unhealthy though.want a few more healthy choices.
if you've just had a baby that can give you that belly weight.and for some of us yes it never goes and is a insecurity you have to sometimes work hard to get passed because trust me,often no amount of work will shift the mummy belly.
maybe you could ask at the local gym.if you do think it is a belly weight issue.do you mean you want to try trimming or firming itup.if so then the gym would be the place to ask.
or if its a bloating in pain or ill health way then go back to see different doctor.start again.gget a thorough check through again.
even look online.some sites have great stretches etc to help.or even little exercise to at least ease you into feeling a bit more get up and go over things if the tummy cant shift

You don't have a pot belly! You are very thin. Please just disregard this ridiculous GP and see another one.

kateandme thank you, I shall consider a gym actally for at least toning up - arms have never been so untoned anyway so could do with getting back in shape. Might explain why I have been having hip difficulties too, probably just terrible posture

you don't have a pot belly.it is ur body imagine u need help with if you think you do!

If you are so bloated you can feel it and your belly sticks out a bit then you are probably retaining a lot of fluid, so your true weight without all this excess fluid, would be even lower than at present. It could easily be up to 5lbs difference.
I do think you should go back and see a different doctor and complain about bad advice.

You are tiny! Defo seek advice from another doctor can't believe a doctor told you you were overweight how dangerous!

Thanks so much Outside, yes 65kg, I went for the 40 year old health check, and the nurse said I was very healthy, told her about my excersise and reduced portions. I have cut out coke or any form now, as I used to have a couple of glasses of diet coke in the day. Cut out sweets, and reduced chocolate.

PCOS diagnostic criteria requires 2/3 of the following

1. Irregular or absent ovulation
2. Clinical or biochemical signs of hyperandrogenism (raised testosterone blood levels and / or outward signs of excess male hormones like acne or excess facial hair)
3. Polycystic ovaries on ultrasound

Many many many women have polycystic ovaries without having PCOS

PCO isn't the same as PCOS

And even if you do have PCOS then weight loss would be massively inappropriate and does fuck all if you have lean PCOS (as I do), which is different to classic PCOS

See a different GP and get a gynae referral!

That mass on your ovary is a follicular cyst (same as me - snap!) which are very rarely cancerous which is the good news.

Bloating and pelvic pain are signs of cysts rather than cancer (though obviously some cysts can be cancerous). Other symptoms to look out for are peeing more often, heartburn and constipation (cyst pressing on digestive system) and pain during intercourse.

The GP is theoretically right in that women with PCOS get more cysts, but the two aren't synonymous and PCOS is a bit of a fall back term - like IBS - for lazy Drs.

Definitely right idea to seek another opinion and go ahead with this - most cysts resolve themselves but you still need to keep an eye on them s you know what to look out for if they get complicated. Did they say what size it was?

I'd complain to the practice manager /ccg or CQC. Having recently had an awful experience with a GP I think they speak to people like that because they get away with it. It certainly doesn't sound like you're overweight and if you were I'd expect you should be treated more sensitively than this.

DerelictWreck thank you! I know she said multiple ones so guess I have a few of them. Glad to read the pain, bloating and frequent peeing is nothing to worry about. How can I get rid of it all though? Some days it's so bad I can't actually do my day to day activities. Worried work is gonna get fed up with my stupid amount of sick days.

Your posture is a bit slouched. If you could work on holding your stomach muscles in and your shoulders back the belly would vanish.
That's not a pot belly by the way - a pot belly is a small, round, protubing belly like a skinny man might have. What you have is a natural curve in the front and a curved spine which contribute to your belly sticking out a bit.

It’s possible the doctor miscalculated your BMI - this happened to a patient of mine last week, because someone misread the height - so this is where the “overweight” comment has come from.

You’d think if you’re a size 6-8 and have got a BMI of 20 a decent GP would realise that though and remeasure/calculate

HarryLovesDraco yeah I agree I think my posture doesn't help. Guess it's where I over compensated for my pregnancy belly and then carrying ds about. Shall work on it from now. Although even with trying to improve it, belly still feels bloated. Barely eating nowdays.

Doccc she said that before she weighed me!

Posture is the least of your worries. You need an urgent referral to a gynecologist to find out what the masses are on your ovaries.

Complain to the practice manager and request an urgent referral. If you have coverage or the funds consider going private to get in to see a consultant gynecologist.

DDs teaching assistant from last year had a baby and 15 months after birth went to the doctor for her routine check up. She thought she had separated stomach muscles. She didn't. She had ovarian cancer. She is now terminally ill with less than 6 months to live because it wasn't caught early enough.

I don't know if this is true or not but DDs teaching assistant told me that her oncologist said her cancer was probably accelerated by her pregnancy.