Doctor prejudiced?

Sara - posted on 03/09/2009 ( 3 moms have responded )

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HI Everyone!



So, I want to share something I recently went through with the birth of my daughter and see if anyone else had similar experiences! When I was pregnant I developed Gestational Diabetes. I had to switch OB/GYN's in the middle of my pregnancy, around the time i was diagnosed. I didn't have a lot of options, so I went to a doctor that a couple of my friends had gone to. He began insisting almost immediately that I must have type 2 diabetes, not gestational. I told him that I had a physical that included a blood sugar check a couple of months before I was pregnant and that it was normal. He insisted I was mistaken and had a Hemoglobin A1C done to see how my sugars had been over last three months. Well, it came back in the normal range, but he continued to insist that I was a diabetic and began telling me all the horrible things that could happen to my baby as a result. I had start having non-stress tests twice a week and I basically left almost every time crying at something he told me (which included a little speech about how "babies can die at any time"). I did my best and followed the diet to the tee...although it was hard to control my sugars and I had to go on insulin, but even then my sugars were never where he wanted them to be. So, my baby was born, it went very well, she's healthy and happy! But, a friend of mine just recently had a baby and went to him as well. She's normal weight and smoked throughout her entire pregnancy. He would ask her if she was still smoking and she would say yes and then he would say "you should quit" and that's it! This really made me angry! I mean, I tried my best to control something that wasn't my fault and he lectured and lectured me. Then, my normal sized friend smokes and he doesn't say a word! This leads me to believe that he must be prejudiced against plus sized moms. That's the only conclusion I can come to.



Oh, and to add insult to injury, at my 6 week post partum exam, he refused to write me a prescription for birth control because he said it was a contraindication to someone who is diabetic. My sugars have been completely normal since the day after I gave birth!

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3 Comments

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Tracie - posted on 09/16/2011

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i would write a very detailed letter to the medical board in the state he practices. That is descrimination plain and simple. You should never have been treated that way.

Kelly - posted on 07/04/2010

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I was a diabetic before I got pregnant but, I wasnt on insulin, I was on a pill. When we found out I was pregnant my OBGYN had me switch immediately to a Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist. I lucked out completely. He was fantastic, he did make mention of my weight several times but never attacking. I know as an overweight woman that not everyone is gonna like or accept my size however, I dont ask for their opinions. I did have a similar situation at the hospital however. Once prior to my hospitalization my doctor hospitalized me due to an infection so I had stayed at the hospital I was delivering & it was great. When my doctor put me in the hospital due to preeclampsia several months later they were a bit different. When I initially stayed there they had me in a normal bed & I could use the bathroom & such. But, now because of my size they wanted me to use a commode over the toilet because they didnt think the toilet would hold me. I only weighed like 5 pounds heavier then before. They got a huge bed for me, which was nicer then the normal but made me feel so uncomfortable. I was just embarrassed. I have been overweight my entire life & have really learned to adapt to my surroundings with my weight but this just really hit a new low for me. once I was moved to Labor & Delivery things were fine & the rest of the experience was good. It just makes you feel like your less of a person.
I totally agree with you about the friend that smokes, he should more hard on her. If you manage your diabetes the outcome should be good, there is no for sure with smoking.

Melissa - posted on 03/10/2009

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If I was you I would definitely be switching doctors again for next time around. I mean, what an Asshole!! Sorry! lol. What the hell is wrong with people. They automatically think because we're heavier, that we MUST have diabetes!! Ughh, that makes me sick! I've always been around an size 18, so pregnant, I went up to about 22-24, but I didn't get gestational diabetes, but because certain people had me so paranoid about it, I was testing my blood every day just to make sure it was good!! My mom's a diabetic, so she has a testing machine, I used hers!! My Father in law once told me, you know you should watch you're weight because you could get diabetes, and I told him, out of the two of us, you'll be the first to get it because you're such a sugarholic!! He's very skinny, only about 160lbs, but he eats like 5 little cakes a day, plus chocolate bars etc.....

You're doc is definitely prejudiced. I think for you're "mental" health, you should change docs, cause all he's gonna do is bring you're self esteem waaaaaaaaaaaay down! What a jerk! It is 100% possible to be plus sized and be perfectly healthy, just like you can be "normal" sized and be totally unhealthy. When is society going to GET that!

You hang in there and don't worry about what he said. He's an idiot! No matter what size, you're beautful and you know you're healthy!