Judgemental GP?

[PuppyKeep]

I went to the GP today about my HRT. I brought my husband with me. The GP asked how long I planned to be on Mounjaro and I said “for life.” She looked shocked then pulled a judgemental face and gave a look to my husband as if to say “are YOU okay with that??”

I’m honesty pretty cheesed off. I am the breadwinner. MJ has gave me my brain back. It’s worth every penny for my mental health.

Am I being over sensitive? Have any of you experienced similar?

I hope I was imagining it but I doubt it as my husband felt the need to defend me on the spot.

Sorry your GP isn’t supportive. Some GP’s are pretty uninformed about weight loss drugs so it sounds like yours is a bit ignorant of the long term benefits. Maybe send her some info with links to studies and suggest she reads up on them before your next appointment? 😂

My GP is brilliant and prescribes MJ for me, although I have to pay for the actual medication (not UK).

In fact, my GP discussed the pro’s and cons beforehand and she explained that it might be something I’d need to take for life.

Thank you for the sympathy. The ignorance is some GPs is maddening. If I stop MJ, the food noise will return and the overeating. This is highly documented in the medical literature. To be honest, it’s even common sense.

I mean… it’s a pretty snappy response from you. I’ve thought she probably wanted to understand your plan for WLIs. The look probably had nothing to do with how are you affording it. Not sure why you took it that way.

What do you think the look was about?

I’m sorry, that’s out of order.

As a GP let me give you my judgement;

If Mounjaro is allowing you to live a healthier life, and reduce your risk of obesity related diseases then I am delighted for you and see no reason (excepting any contraindications to treatment) that you should not continue using it for as long as it is working for you.
There is still a lot of ignorance and stigma about obesity and injectable weight loss drugs, and I think this is compounded by the misuse of these drugs by some people for purely aesthetic reasons (I.e. healthy weight people using them to get a ‘bikini body’). There is no doubt from a medical perspective however that these drugs are an extremely exciting development that could hugely benefit many of our patients, if the NHS can find a way to iron out the availability issues. In the meantime I am a huge cheerleader for my patients who are (appropriately - for the right reasons) using these drugs privately. I’m glad to hear it’s been such a success for you.

Thank you so much. I’ve lost 2 stone on MJ and my psoriasis has improved dramatically because less inflammation. It’s been life changing (life GIVING).

If the conversation wasn’t about cost, then she was probably taken aback by you saying you’re planning to be on it for the next 10-20 years…

But that’s pure ignorance on the part of the GP of the long term benefits from these drugs, which is disappointing to say the least!

The GP wouldn’t say to someone taking medication for high blood pressure, your blood pressure is normal now so you can stop taking them? They know that it’s a long term medication.

Mounjaro appears to have ‘cured’ my auto immune issue as I’ve stopped taking the medication prescribed for flare ups, and it’s not returned. 🤷🏻‍♀️ My Consultant told me it was a life long condition but I haven’t been back to see him since going on MJ.

Why is that shocking?

I’m answering your initial question - “what do you think the look was about” - in your OP you were very offended thinking it was about cost, as you go on to say you are the main breadwinner etc. I’m merely saying that it’s a strange conclusion to jump in to.

as to @BobbleBear ‘s post - it surely depends on how much the patient weighs, whether they’re making the right lifestyle changes alongside the medication (I’m not against WLIs btw, or its long term use). I honestly think that the GP was puzzled by the comment rather than be shocked by the context - it was either very nonchalant or snarky.

Sorry you had that response from your GP OP. There does seem to be a certain hysteria around the prospect of taking these drugs forever that doesn't apply to other medication. I have been trying to persuade my DH to give WLIs a try as he is in the obese BMI category, already has high cholesterol and teetering on the edge of type 2 diabetes, but he is afraid of "being stuck on the drugs forever". He doesn't seem to have the same concern about taking statins and probably soon diabetic medication for the rest of his life though! I really don't get it. We accept that people with many chronic conditions are going to need lifelong medication so what's the difference?

Some GPs haven’t kept up to date on WLI but nonetheless asking your DH about it was very rude

I've been lucky in that my GP is supportive. But I'm a bit confused by what actuallly happened to you. You say she gave your 'a look' and then looked at your DH.
But you don't say that she actually said anything. So you're just assuming she didn't approve? Did she go on to actually say something you objected to?
There's nothing wrong with your GP asking how long you intend to be on it for. Mine asked me this (she didn't give me a look though) - she was just interested in my plans. I don't see anything wrong with that.
And interesting that you object to her looking at your GP about your medical details when you took him along to a medical consultation. Was there some other part of your medical details you wanted him consulted on?

Why should she be taken aback by that?

I would be furious. The UK is weird with GPs being so involved, its not something I would really attempt to justify to anyone except my endocrinologist unless it was relevant, for surgery or something. But my urologist, for example, wouldnt interfere and in the Islamic country I live in, they would consult my husband at their peril! I would mention it on the next visit and ask her if she meant to be so rude.

What did the GP actually say after the “look”?

Wonder if she makes a habit of asking people who aren't the patient if they're ok with the patient taking a drug that they meet the prescribing criteria for and has been approved for long term use.

I had an optician make comments. I was honest when asked what medications I take. She queried if I was prescribed by my GP and when I said no I would not qualify on the NHS, it was an online pharmacy she assumed it was dodgy. So I had to say no, it is from a legitimate qualified and authorised source, just private not NHS. I felt very judged. She was just frankly sniffy about it which riled me. I do understand why she needed to know about medications but she was trying to link an eye condition that I had for several years prior to MJ, to some MJ side effect.

Well there’s a lot of supposition there.

She didn’t actually say anything, and your interpretation of her “looks” may be influenced by your own defensiveness relating to the use of GLP1s.

If you’re young, potentially being on weight loss injections for 50+ years IS a bold statement to make and may cause an eyebrow to be raised. But it’s your money, your body, your health and your choice.

Op hasn’t confirmed the GP said anything yet, so far the GP has only looked at her and her husband.

We have a new GP in the surgery. DH was obese but fit. They did all the tests and bloods came back fine so she said she was pleased he was going to buy it privately at the onsite pharmacy. He's had some ups and downs, mood swings, nausea but has stuck doggedly to the diet. He's seen the GP twice since for a checkup, everything okay.

I'd see another GP.

Yes true. So in that case I wonder whether she's in the habit of that. I've attended various medical consultations with my spouse and don't recall the non-patient spouse getting looks when the GP was in conversation with the patient about their mediation.

It is all subjective from the OP unless the GP said something. Her dh might have moved his chair, or reacted to the OPs reply, or coincidently cleared his throat and just caught the GPs attention for a second.

What objectively matters is what the GP actually said that was judgemental.

I mean if we're making things up maybe OP is actually underplaying what the GP did here. Not least because she states her husband felt the need to defend her.

That said, I don't agree with the second sentence. If OP has come away feeling a particular way, that potentially creates an issue even if she was objectively wrong.