To be offended by GP comment?

[Macadamia1976]

I have severely injured my lower back. I'm in agony and can't move without pain.
I bent down, lifted a heavy double buggy up from the ground, twisted round whilst bending over to lift it into the boot of my car then overstretched to position it in properly. I did this really quickly and something snapped in my lower back and I suddenly felt searing agony.
After initial urgent care treatment and being diagnosed with a torn ligament, I had a follow up with GP for pain management.
Never seen him before.
He was in his late 30s, maybe 40.
He said "I fail to see how lifting a buggy into the boot has caused this."
I said "Well I was told in hospital it was a combination of bending and twisting my lower back whilst lifting a heavy object. Plus I have an old injury in the same area of my back so I think maybe it was a weak area..."
He said "No, I think this is wrong. It's not possible to be in as much pain as you say you are in from putting a buggy into your car."
At this point I was confused by why he was challenging my injury. I was in pain, and was there for a pain relief medication review.
He said "It's because you need to lose weight."
I said "Pardon?"
He smiled for a few seconds, then said "Yes, you need to lose a stone from your tummy area, if you don't mind me saying" whilst really smiling. "Then your back pain will resolve. You have done this to yourself by eating too much and the stone in weight that sits on your tummy is putting a strain on your lower back. It wasn't lifting the buggy. I'll give you more painkillers but you need to get rid of that stone of weight on your tummy".
I didn't even realise he had even noticed my tummy.
I was wearing trousers and a top.
I am 5ft 7 and weigh 11 stone.
I wear size 12 to 14 clothes.
I've had 2 emergency c-sections so I admit I do have a tummy overhang, but I hadn't thought of this as a problem, I just see it as a result of having emergency abdominal surgery 2 times to save my 2 DC's lives when they were born. I don't really think about it, I'm too busy looking after my DC and working hard in my job.
I was almost crying in pain during this appointment.
AIBU to be upset by his comments?
Or am I in so much pain that I'm feeling oversensitive.
(Edited typos)

What a twat. You absolutely can put your back out like that. My mum did it by turning and bending to reach the remote control and she's never been more than 9 stone in her life.

I've had so many appointments where they've said things are weight related. Honestly I think I could go in with a broken finger and they'd somehow bring it back to weight.

Formal complaint - people do their backs in getting out of bed, and at 11 stone at 5.7 you are within NHS guidelines for a healthy weight, he has NO leg to stand on and any decent doctor would be horrified. Definitely ask to see a different doctor.

So thin people can’t hurt their backs?

you obviously have been doing a lot of lifting and the wear and tear damaged your back, the pram was just the final straw. Are you going to complain?

I don't normally say this but I think you need to complain. He sounds like a total prick. Even if you were overweight- which you are not, the way he said it was insensitive and unkind. He sounds like he enjoyed saying it you.

What an absolute tosser! You can put your back out lifting far less than a buggy.

I have zero time for and confidence in GPs now and avoid them if I can. Difficult to do unfortunately.

I was misdiagnosed by a GP for 2 years, with "muscle strain", really mate, this muscle strain is now causing issues in several joints in my body. Demanded a blood test, was told it would show nothing. Result, severe Rheumatoid Arthritis.

My mother was told she was, in the GPs words, "being ridiculous to think she had breast cancer, when it was a simple abscess". She had to demand a scan when everything the GP prescribed failed. Told she was being dramatic. Result: beast cancer.

He's a twat. Please make an official complaint.

Strong abs support a weak back.

Since gaining weight and having a flabby tummy and not exercising as much due to work and ill mother etc my back once again hurts during exercise. It never used to when I had tighter abs to clench and support it during exercise. But if you want to be a offended do be.

He’s a wanker. The first time I did my back in, I was ironing. I pressed the iron down and twisted round a bit and pow! Can you make an appointment with a different GP?

what a fucking knob he is. Lifting and twisting is a classic way of injuring your back, anyone with an iota of medical knowledge should know that.

Can you report him m or complain? That's terrible

He could have phrased it better, but carrying excess weight is a health issue. What we now think of as normal is infact overweight.
having a BMI over the healthy range is a health risk, it affects your knees, back, blood pressure and and can give you diabetes and many other problems .

But the GP didn't say anything about strengthening abs/core, which at least would have seemed a bit more relevant. He just said lose weight.

Peak medical gaslighting. Have experienced this type of shit treatment for over 20 years for all sorts of health problems. Been told that everything I suffer from is psychological or weight related (I'm not obviously overweight). It's bullshit. Women have to deal with this all the time. Put in a complaint and request not to see this doctor next time.

I'd put in a formal compliant.

The mysogynist has clearly never lifted a pram in his life..

5ft 7 and 11 stone is within the healthy BMI range so OP is not overweight.

He’s bang out of order and sadly this kind of thing happens more than you realise from what I’ve heard . Instead of dealing with an unrelated issue many NHS professional will make it all about weight. Even if they are overweight themselves strangely enough. It happens to women more than men from what I understand.

It’s very unfortunate and needs to be dealt with as some overweight or obese people actually avoid going to doctors now!

I remember a very slim and fit receptionist in my old work, kicked a cabinet door as it was jammed or something. She done her back in and had severe back problems for at least a year - I left the job so don’t know if it ever healed completely me

That isn’t actually the point though is it?

It might be the case that if the op hits the gym and gains a six pack then the muscles will help support her injured back- but that doesn’t mean that when she has a torn ligament that loosing weight will magically heal it. That isn’t how it works-

the damage is done, she need’s painkillers to get her through the healing process and then she could consider other avenues to reduce the likelihood it happening again, but even skinny people get back injuries.

Also, the doctor is a dick- lifting and twisting is bad for your back, anyone’s back, not just people with c section stomachs.

I’m 5 “4 and thin. I badly hurt my back, sitting, yes you heard right, sitting. He can fuck right off. Fellow section mum, I see you and you are just perfect as you are 🫶🏼

Sadly I can only too easily believe this is real.

At 11stone and 5'7" you are within a normal body weight and are not overweight.

Caring for tiniest creates wear and tear. I have ended up with excruciating back pain which has taken 7/8 weeks to resolve as a result of: bending slightly to wash my hands and sneezing, taking a plate out of the dishwasher.

Actions now for your back/pain

Firstly, find an expert physio for expert advice and some massage. It is worth £150/£200 for a couple of sessions for immediate relief from massage and advice.

Secondly, the physio will support, I'm sure, naproxen for pain and anti inflammatory impact (with omeprazole for your tummy).

Thirdly, the heat wraps for backs are worth their weight in gold imo.

Longer term:
Sign up for pilates - it is a game changer.

Ask for an appointment with the Senior Partner GP and discuss what happened. I'd also mention your overhang, how the unkindness has made you feel and ask if a tummy tuck might be funded. It probably won't be but put a marker down. I'd also be tempted to ask for a anti-tosser prescription.

Always have some naproxen, omeprazole and heat wraps in so you can get cracking on relief immediately.

I hope you feel better soon. He was an absolute arsehole.

That behaviour is completely unprofessional. Complain and ask for a second opinion.

What an absolute fucking idiot. You can’t lose a stone from your “tummy area” - twat. I would be complaining about this to the Practice Manager. I’m so angry on your behalf!

Since the menopause, I've no patience for these idiots and I've started to challenge pricks like him. He sounds absolutely sadistic.
He is wrong as well.

I've also observed that male healthcare professionals massively downplay the impact of childbearing on your body. I had such severe pelvic pain I couldn't walk by the end of my pregnancy and it caused a number of back issues, also had a huge baby. Male doctors were very dismissive and talked about my body not having undergone any trauma - it was so insensitive