Doctors Refuse To Treat Overweight Patients
This is just infuriating.
When I was pregnant with my first daughter I was sent to a high risk OB/GYN and not even told why (or even told before hand that I was being permanently transferred). I could only assume that it was because of my weight.
Well this "high risk" Dr. proceeded to tell me after just meeting me that she was scheduling a c-section for 39 weeks no matter what because I was too fat to have a vaginal delivery. Needless to say that was the first and ONLY time I ever saw that Dr. I ended up going to a completely different clinic/hospital and found a WONDERFUL midwife who never once made mention of my weight. I did end up with a c-section but not because of my weight it was because my daughter decided to flip sideways at the last minute.
So when I read about other Dr's refusing to treat someone because of their weight or treating them badly because of it I get royal pissed off.
When I was pregnant with my first daughter I was sent to a high risk OB/GYN and not even told why (or even told before hand that I was being permanently transferred). I could only assume that it was because of my weight.
Well this "high risk" Dr. proceeded to tell me after just meeting me that she was scheduling a c-section for 39 weeks no matter what because I was too fat to have a vaginal delivery. Needless to say that was the first and ONLY time I ever saw that Dr. I ended up going to a completely different clinic/hospital and found a WONDERFUL midwife who never once made mention of my weight. I did end up with a c-section but not because of my weight it was because my daughter decided to flip sideways at the last minute.
So when I read about other Dr's refusing to treat someone because of their weight or treating them badly because of it I get royal pissed off.
(deactivated member)
on 5/18/11 4:48 pm - OH
on 5/18/11 4:48 pm - OH
I weighed in at 264 when I had my son. I had a vaginal delivery...but my pregnancy was very complicated. My blood sugar was out of control, my blood pressure sky rocketed, I developed preeclampsia and my son didn't want to decend when I got induced for my high B/P. It obviously upsets me that these doctors are refusing patients...everyone is entiled to medical care. But I can't say I 100% blame them for not wanting to take on the risk. I think when you come in with a huge health risk (not just obesity) you need to understand that things may be complicated and it's not always the doctor's fault when things go wrong.
k9ophile
on 5/18/11 5:28 pm
on 5/18/11 5:28 pm
I'm not saying it's justified, but OB/GYNs have some of the highest malpractice premiums of any specialty. Everyone wants to have a perfect pregnancy and a perfect baby. Nature sometimes has other plans and it's often the doctor who bears the brunt of less than desired outcomes. Plus since babies do not schedule their ETAs with any precision, it is a very stressful and demanding job. I really can see it from the physician's point of view as well as the patent's.
"Our ultimate freedom is the right and power to decide how anybody or anything outside ourselves will affect us." Stephen Covey
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It's all about malpractice risks. Until there is serious tort reform in this country you will see more and more of this type of thing.
Believe me, I live it....hubby is an OB/GYN and until you live through a malpractice case you have NO IDEA the stress and fear.
It's sad, really.....
Believe me, I live it....hubby is an OB/GYN and until you live through a malpractice case you have NO IDEA the stress and fear.
It's sad, really.....
Marilyn (now in NM)
RNY 10/2/01
262(HW)/150-155(GW)/159(CW)
(updated March 2012)
Prior to moving from My home city my wife worked for one of the top OB/GYN doctors in the city. During this time they dealt with a number of lawsuits and outrageous malpractice insurance premiums to the point that for a period of time they would not take OB patients, in fact many OB/GYN doctors in this city stopped taking OB patients because financially it was not worth the risks.
I am not a mother obviously so I have never had to carry a baby, but I am a father of 2 and working on #3 and my wife has been classified as a high risk patient because of her type 1 diabetes. While we would like to believe that a all pregnant mothers are as good as you were or those close to us are the reality is some simply aren't.
Yes the preception exists that if someone can't take care fo themselves then how are they going to handle taking care of themseleves while pregnant, regardless of this preception is true or false. The fact is that many times when something medically, and especially when babies are involved, goes wrong the first reaction in this country is to sue the doctor. Remember this is something they have worked their whole life for and all it takes is for 1 or 2 malpractice lawsuits or complaints to a medical board and there goes their everything they have worked for.
Do I think it is wrong? Hell yes.
Do I understand why they do this? Yes
I am not a mother obviously so I have never had to carry a baby, but I am a father of 2 and working on #3 and my wife has been classified as a high risk patient because of her type 1 diabetes. While we would like to believe that a all pregnant mothers are as good as you were or those close to us are the reality is some simply aren't.
Yes the preception exists that if someone can't take care fo themselves then how are they going to handle taking care of themseleves while pregnant, regardless of this preception is true or false. The fact is that many times when something medically, and especially when babies are involved, goes wrong the first reaction in this country is to sue the doctor. Remember this is something they have worked their whole life for and all it takes is for 1 or 2 malpractice lawsuits or complaints to a medical board and there goes their everything they have worked for.
Do I think it is wrong? Hell yes.
Do I understand why they do this? Yes
Paul C.
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
Doctors/ob-gyns cannot afford to take on high risk cases. This is because so many people are sue happy. Big malpractice is major among the field, so I don't blame them. They can can't afford larger tables or equipment for them and things become risky.
Was talking to an ob-gun that said henwas $300k in debt due to malpractice insurance alone.
Was talking to an ob-gun that said henwas $300k in debt due to malpractice insurance alone.
This is about choices. As much as I feel compassion for the assumed mis-treatment of the obese in this case, there are repercussions for the choices we make in life. I chose to be obese (yes, I ate the food--no one forced me to--I chose to sit on my butt--no one denied me the right to exercise). Therefore, by my choices, I assumed more risk. Why should a health care professional have to bear the financial responsibility of my choices? They shouldn't. Being a doctor is a career choice--and careers are chosen as a way to make money. They spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their education, their practices and insurance. They deserve the right to limit their exposure to risk.
Banks do it everyday. They decline a request for an account to people linked to high risk businesses like pawn shops and check cashing operations. They don't want the risk that these businesses potentially expose them to (like money laundering).
I chose to change my life so I could have more options and better health. Again, my choice.
As Americans we have the right to pursue happiness. There are no guarantees, and I wish so many people didn't sit around expecting the Country to take care of them. That is our own individual job. We are not guaranteed health care. It is a privilege we are fortunate to have available. There comes a point where we must take personal responsibility for our actions.
Just my point of view.
Kim
Banks do it everyday. They decline a request for an account to people linked to high risk businesses like pawn shops and check cashing operations. They don't want the risk that these businesses potentially expose them to (like money laundering).
I chose to change my life so I could have more options and better health. Again, my choice.
As Americans we have the right to pursue happiness. There are no guarantees, and I wish so many people didn't sit around expecting the Country to take care of them. That is our own individual job. We are not guaranteed health care. It is a privilege we are fortunate to have available. There comes a point where we must take personal responsibility for our actions.
Just my point of view.
Kim
I sit in meetings with ob gyns and have heard them talk about how physically challenging it is for them to treat obese patients. They're not mean people. The fat is a barrier to them palpating/maneuvering and some of their equipment is simply not designed to work around it. Add to that the lawsuit-happy climate of this country and yes, I can understand why it has come to this. It is unfortunate and it is unfair, but what do we do?
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