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)

As a Mum with a double buggy who had c sections I can TOTALLY see how this happened. Please contact PALS and share your experience with this GP he sounds like he could cause some real damage or fail to provide necessary treatment to patients because of his ridiculous and judgemental attitude. I really hope his words haven't affected you, you sound perfectly healthy!

So sorry OP, I did a similar thing carrying DD on my hip as a two-year old. I wasn't overweight and the doctor I saw told me that everyone he saw with this kind of injury tended to be older men and women with young children. It's outrageous your doctor spoke to you like that, definitely complain.

He's a prick. At least he gave you the painkillers, I was expecting you to say he'd declined them.

In our area you can self-refer to physio services. I'd do that.

I'd report him to the GMC, I have no time for incompetent GP's.

His comments won't have impacted the op's final outcome. The GMC will be powerless. An anonymous review on "iwantgreatcare" and the NHS website for the practice will have an impact.

Agree @Macadamia1976 My DH (middle aged) has put his back out before, just picking the cat up! He was standing awkwardly, and kind of twisted around as he picked her up, and jarred something in his lower back. When he had an X-Ray, it turned out he had a small amount of damage in the second lumbar spinal vertebrae. (L2.)

Luckily it was minor, and with rest and time (around 6-8 weeks) and some painkillers and anti inflammatories, he was OK. But he was in severe pain for a week or two, as it seemed to affect the nerves. Luckily he had a sympathetic GP. Hope you are out of pain very soon! Please go to another GP.

Another problem with this (on top of what pretty much every poster has said) is the embarrassment it can cause, which can lead to someone not following up with requesting treatment.

After I’d had my second EMCS, the registrar who had done the op came to see me in the ward. Explained that I had a lot of scarring internally, and that if I was going to have a third baby, I should have an elective c section. Ok, never having another, but good info. And then asked if I knew that I had a hernia? No, I didn’t know. And she said that I should ask at my post natal check whether it had naturally healed or not.

Which I did, at about 8 weeks post partum. The GP who did my post natal check had a feel and then said that she couldn’t feel any hernia due to all the fat on my middle, and just left it at that. I was mortified. My BMI at the time was about 28, but I was still hugely bloated post partum, knackered and really emotional.

I was so embarrassed I couldn’t even think about seeing anyone about it again, and that was 12 years ago.

Losing weight will help your back pain. Please do it for your self and family

OP has a BMI in the normal range.

I was young, very fit and strong, 5ft 8 and 9 stone, when my back went off, when I bent to pick up an empty plastic bag from the floor. He's right to suggest you lose your extra weight, as it will help you in the future, but what a patient blaming git.

If indeed you do have excess weight, of course.

Definitely see a physio even if you have to pay. A good one's worth every penny and more! I was at the local sports physio yesterday with my daughter and noticed they offer a "Mummy MOT". Yucky name, but demonstrates the demand.

They also do specialist Pilates (don't just take up Pilates without some 1-1 advice).

Complain to the practice manager and don't see that GP again.

I would guess the vast majority of GPs don't know much about moving and handling and post-partum physio (and what physio there is on the NHS seems to be mostly for older patients).

DH and I both injured our backs when DD was a baby due to cots, buggies, car boots etc. Every new parent ought to get moving and handling advice!

What an absolute *! Even if you are overweight (which you're not) then I think it's irrelevant to the problem you've gone in with. I hurt my back when I was just sitting on a train last week! Hope there's another doctor you can see next time.

Your BMI is in the normal range. He sounds extremely odd.

You cant hve much extra weight if at all and as someone relatively slim with a c section tummy - the man is an idiot. I dont know how old you are but late 30s/early 40s womens bodies change and weight is redistributed to tummy anyway

To suggest you couldn't have injured your back lifting is ridiculous since you obviously can
However IF you need to lose weight - and many are in denial on this subject - he wasn't in the wrong to mention it as a professional who knows what contributes and what doesn't

You've come on the right forum to mention it though; on Mumsnet obesity's a complete no-no, and most will want him hung, drawn and quartered

I did my neck in bending over and picking up an empty box file. I was in a brace for several weeks!

He's a twat.

The OP is not overweight, she's a size 12-14 ffs......

I slipped a disc just opening a drawer once. Your injury and how it happened make absolute sense. Find another doctor.

A friend of my Mum bent over to pull out a plug, did something to her neck/back, she was in a neck brace for a long time afterwards.

Maybe you feel all the GPs you've come across are dicks, but this has not been my experience at all.

I've always had great care from my GPs.

Last time my GP questioned my pain levels I said to him you don't really know what you are talking about do you. That shut him up. I won't put up with that nonsense.

A doctor is he? I know someone who wrecked their back changing the bed! It's not weight bearing, it's the awkwardness of a sudden wrong movement when the back is bent.

That's exactly what happened to me..

OP, I see you are a senior nurse. I'm curious to know whether you feel this impacts your relationship with your own GP. I presume your GP will know you are a nurse.

My mother put her back out getting a bottle of milk out from the bottom shelf of the fridge. Thank goodness our G P was very sympathetic. Yours sounds a misogynistic numpty!

Complain to the practice manager in writing. What a prick.