POLL: Doctor as a resource for weight reduction/smoking?????

I found the recent thread on smoking and greater than ideal body weight to be a very interesting discussion. As I read, I questioned forum members thoughts about resourcefulness of our doctors/health care professionals for weight reduction or smoking cessation since health risks is often the basis of opinions about obesity and smoking. I found myself questioning do health care providers offer helpful resources beyond advice to lose weight or quit smoking. What has your experience been? Do you feel like your health care provider (doctor, nurse, physician assistance) over simplifies the ease of losing weight or quitting smoking or offers really helpful options for either.

Thanks for sharing and participating?

elg5cats
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I think my doctor understands that by my age I am aware that I need to lose weight and bringing it up more than once is a waste of time.

I think it is a pretty complex problem to treat and most are not equipped or do not have the time it would take. I am sure I would be referred if I expressed an interest in wanting help.

Interesting topic.

Asking a GP about smoking or weight loss is like asking your car mechanic to fix your plumbing. They are not trained in the mental emotional aspects which you need help with or the specific physical needs. MDs get one course in nutrition. Addictions amongst mds is also very high. Most them wouldn't know a healthy life style if they tripped over it.

issues with respect to weight and smoking are to do with addictions and you need a therapist who knows how to deal with that. Unless your GP has dealt with that issue themselves successfully they are useless and even then they will only know what worked or them.

BlackSpinner wrote:...Addictions amongst mds is also very high. Most them wouldn't know a healthy life style if they tripped over it.

Absolutely...it's do as I say, not as I do!

My former doc believed everything that occured from infected spider bite to sinus issues dating from when I was underweight were all due to being overweight. New doc seems much more reasonable; he knows what I'm doing about my wt. He could lost some himself

Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) has a MARVELOUS 8 day in-house Smoking Cessation program. Many insurances cover a good share of the cost - HOWEVER, your cost IS going to be the equivalent of 8 days/nights in a medium-priced hotel and meals. There is no equivalent to this program anywhere else in the country and NO smoking cessation program that has as high a success rate as their smoking cessation program. The staff does do follow-up w/their "graduates" after leaving the in-house portion.

You can request an in-depth folder of information regarding Mayo's In-House Smoking Cessation program via their toll-free number (800) 344-5984 or writing to: Mayo Clinic - Nicotine Dependence Treatment Program - 200 First Street SW - Rochester, MN 55905. There is some limited information at: http://www.mayoclinic.org/stopsmoking

There are "dry out tanks" for drunks, "fat farms" for the obese and now Mayo's "dry out tank" for smokers.

elg5cats wrote:I found the recent thread on smoking and greater than ideal body weight to be a very interesting discussion. As I read, I questioned forum members thoughts about resourcefulness of our doctors/health care professionals for weight reduction or smoking cessation since health risks is often the basis of opinions about obesity and smoking. I found myself questioning do health care providers offer helpful resources beyond advice to lose weight or quit smoking. What has your experience been? Do you feel like your health care provider (doctor, nurse, physician assistance) over simplifies the ease of losing weight or quitting smoking or offers really helpful options for either.
Thanks for sharing and participating?

elg5cats,

I didn't vote since nothing applied to me (but I wanted you to know that I did read the poll). I've never smoked so no doctor has spoken to me about quitting. And no doctor has ever discussed weight loss with me since I have never needed to lose weight (although my hypothyroid problem has caused me to weigh more than I ever have, I'm still not overweight...and now that my thyroid medicine was increased I've started losing the extra I had gained).
mar

I do need to loose weight, everytime I try to discuss it with any of my doctors seems like they didn't hear me.I don't smoke.

nothing in the poll applied to me

my bmi is too high....I have initiated conversations about it....*not* gotten specific suggestions of resources to turn to....books or otherwise.....
(in overweight range, recent 9 months gained 20 lbs to get to high end of same range....) NOTE: this is not source of my SBD issues.....which date back to my lean youth!

I quit smoking over 20 years ago on my own (had only smoked for about 5 years, at a high of a pack a day for at least half the time)....

I have lost 10 lbs since early June by keeping track of my food choices/consumption/nutrients
If I stepped up my walking program in a more regular way, I could easily accelerate that....with no "diet" per se.

I have seen and been seen by a number of health professionals whose health habits I would not wish to copy......

J

Hi,

I quit smoking 25 years ago without any help from medical professionals.

I'm also overweight (BMI =35) and have had several docs tell me I have to lose weight or been told "even 10 lbs would be good" but until recently, never received any suggestions or other help in tryng to do so.

About 6 months ago I was diagnosed with NASH (non-alcoholic steato-hepatitis) with cirrhosis and the hepatologist made it quite clear that if I wanted to live much longer I had to lose weight. She suggested I seriously consider gastric bypass surgery. I'm currently in such a program but am already losing weight as I'm trying to control my type 2 diabetes. I don't know yet whether or not I'll have the surgery, but her suggestion at least gave me something to try and that has led to making progress on my own.

It was a first!

Mindy