stupid doctor

[Rhonda]

I had a semi-physical yesterday. My doctor noticed that I had lost a little weight since the last time I was there, and she asked what I was doing. I told her that I'm cutting back on my carbs and eating healthier. Then, she said, "well, as long as you're not following the Atkins diet!!"

I told her that, yes, I am following the diet by eating more vegetables, meat, eggs, cheese, nuts, fruit, etc., and cutting out the processed flours and sugars.

So, then she said that it sounded good, but it wasn't really Atkins, and she wrote "Modified Atkins" in my file! I said NO, I'm following Atkins to the "T"! She didn't believe me at first. Then, she told me that my cholesterol was going to go up drastically, and my kidneys were going to fail! Just from cutting out the processed flours and sugars! What is wrong with people????

I told her to read the book.

 

[tlgoblue]

Dr.s are only human. And humans can be stupid. (Some Dr.s think they know everything! Shows how little they really do know. ) Just keep doing what works for you, and get another Dr. if she makes you uncomfortable.

Keep the Faith!
Tracy

 

[TigH]

Oh, Rhonda, now you know you have to prove her wrong! You just keep doing what you are doing! You've read the book, you know it is working and you know how you feel! I can't wait for your next physical!!!!!! You are going to be such great living proof that Atkins (not modified Atkins) works!!! Good for you!

 

[Gillian]

Luckily, my Dr thinks it's fine. It would be such a pain to try & convince her that I wasn't hurting my kidneys by giving up sugar!

This proves that doctors are people, too.

 

[believe]

My Dr. is fine with Atkins as long as it is low fat.
My nutritionist is like your doctor and worries about the effects on the liver and kidneys.
This is something you will find a lot of debate over. You have to do what is right for you.

 

[Rhonda]

I just don't get it. Why would dropping bread, pasta, and desserts be bad for my liver & kidneys? Do the liver and kidneys need white flour and sugar to survive??

I really think that she was thinking of the "old" Atkins plan - the one from back in the 70s where he said that you could eat as much meat as you want. People took it as an excuse to pig out on a pound of bacon and 32 oz. steaks every day! Now, he's clarified that by saying that too much protein is bad for you.

I told my doctor that I eat just as much meat as I always have, I've just dropped the pasta & sugar. I don't think she believed me. Oh well. I'm going back in 6 weeks for a cholesterol test. I hope it's good!

 

[nativetxn]

For some reason some doctors still believe that it is possible to <i>cause</i> kidney disease by eating a high protein diet. Except for my husbands urologist who told him that if you have healthy kidneys a high protein diet isn't going to damage them. He <i>did</i> say, though, that if you have kidney disease already, you could exacerbate that condition by eating high protein.

It's been very helpful that all of dh's doctors are thrilled that he is following the atkins plan (his internist, cardiologist and urologist).

My MIL is also following Atkins and it has allowed her to get off insulin. She saw her doctor last week and called me all excited because her doctor was <b>thrilled</b> that she was eating according to the Atkins plan, he told her he follows the maintence Atkins plan himself.

Rhonda, sounds like you need to find a doctor who has an open mind and a brain of their own instead of a doctor who listens to old wives tales.

 

[believe]

I just don't get it. Why would dropping bread, pasta, and desserts be bad for my liver & kidneys? Do the liver and kidneys need white flour and sugar to survive??

The way my nutritionist explained it to me is that if your body doesn't have carbs to pull from then it takes more from the protein, which is what your kidneys and liver need to stay healthy. It didn't have anything to do with too much protein, atleast that is what I understood.

My doctor said the diet was fine as long as you weren't eating the bacon, hamburgers, steak, eggs, cheese...unless all lowfat. I truly don't think he knew what he was talking about because he acted like I could eat lima beans and watermelon on this diet and that is not the way I understand the diet to be.

 

[nativetxn]

I think you are right, Amanda. I don't think your doctor knows what he is talking about with Atkins either. Low fat+low carb=going nowhere.

 

[DixieDreamer]

Doctors take a very short course on nutritional concepts for their medical degree. Experts they are NOT. In addition, the dogma is what the current establishment has determined is "correct". Things ARE changing with good new research, but the old thinking is definitely entrenched. I have done EXTENSIVE research in to this to satisfy my own thirst for information on the topic. There is simply NO evidence to support the claims of ill health. In fact quite the opposite. And if you need further proof... just read my recent post on my cholesterol improvements. You would NEVER get that kind of improvement from a low fat/high carb diet. Sorry... I did that experiment and it failed horribly.

 

[nativetxn]

Hey, Laura, I did serious research too Any one can quote some study somewhere, I read the studies myself.

 

[Gillian]

Originally posted by Rhonda
I just don't get it. Why would dropping bread, pasta, and desserts be bad for my liver & kidneys? Do the liver and kidneys need white flour and sugar to survive??

What did the liver & kidneys do before we had white flour and sugar?

Good luck in your search for a new doc! You'll be looking for one sooner than you think.

 

[Dizzy-Disney4]

My doctor was quite supportive of my following the Atkins WOE. As a matter of fact I saw him yesterday as a follow up to my being sick and he said I looked great and asked how I was feeling on the whole and I told him I feel wonderful and full of energy. He told me to keep up the good work. He is a great doc though...always very supportive.

 

[anniet]

This is one of the reasons doctors are still PRACTICING medicine!!!!

When they get it completely right, we'll say they are performing medicine!

 

[Lynn CC]

The last time I was following Atkins I went for my physical and weighed in at 116lbs. The year before I was 140lbs. My doctor asked me what was going on and I said I just cut out carbs. She didn't ask me about Atkins, she just said good for you it seems to be working. Then I gained all the weight back plus 8lbs and she just looked in my chart and smiled(atleast she didn't say anything). When I go back in August I'm planning to have my weight down again and this time for good!

I don't have to worry about eating too much beef, bacon and such because I don't eat any. I do like mayonnaise, so I guess thats the fat I prefer.
I also heard yo- yo dieting is very unhealthy, so I plan to stick to Atkins this time....Are you with me everyone!!!?

 

[Dizzy-Disney4]

I'm with ya!! My DS keeps asking me when I'll be off this "diet". I've told him soon it won't be as strict, but I'll never eat all the same foods I used to although an occasional treat won't be out of the question for special times. He doesn't quite understand that but he will.

 

[nativetxn]

Good answer, Dizzy-Disney4, and great attitude. Way to go!

 

[Liz]

Sorry you had a bad experience Rhonda.

My doctor is an internal medicine specialist. When I asked him about a weight loss plan he said he felt Weight Watchers was best. At the time I was considering Atkins and asked what he thought about that. He said it was fine also and it was hard to dispute the fact that people's cholesterol, etc. seem to improve on Atkins. Atkins didn't end up being the right plan for me but I was glad to hear he thought it was an okay plan.