doctor, doctor

[massingUP]

Hey all,

Well, I know this isn't a unique occurence, but it still left me all warm-n-fuzzy.

I was at the doctor's today for a routine physical, and at some point he pulled out the arm cuff to test my blood pressure. And as he was wrapping it around my arm he said "And this is.... -- too small." I smiled and he smiled back -- and then went back to the cabinet and pulled out a larger cuff.

Just a small moment, but a nice boost for my ego. My arm is too big for the "normal" cuff. Woohoo!

Now, I have to keep working 'til he has to pull out the leg cuff -- for my arms!

- J.

[arpeejay]

Doctah, doctah, gimme the news...

I got bad case of....

xoxox

richard

[buffdoc]

Great story. I had a similiar experience and even was diagnosed as being hypertensive until they figured out that the regular cuff wasn't appropriate for me either.

[hoosierlifter]

I had been experience heart palpatations and so my doctor sent me to a cardiologist. This guy is like Doogie Houser (for those of us old enough to remember that TV show). He's about 5'7" maybe 150# and every time I go to him he remarks on my body. Long story short, my heart is fine. I saw him today for a routine follow up and he said "just keep working out. I'm very jealous of you." On like my thrid visit he said "are your biceps bigger than before?" I wish I could run into him outside the office sometime.

[BigSteve6ft3]

Originally Posted by buffdoc

Great story. I had a similiar experience and even was diagnosed as being hypertensive until they figured out that the regular cuff wasn't appropriate for me either.

Same thing happens to me, pretty much whenever I visit a doctor. I was also on the verge of being "officially" diagnosed as hypertensive until my doctor figured out the problem. So now I know. But nurses are often clueless about the cuff size problem. They pretty much always start out with the "normal" cuff. Sometimes they'll recognize the standard cuff is too small and switch on their own, but often they'll insist on trying to make the too-small cuff work (even if I suggest otherwise). After they fumble around trying to get a reading, the answer always comes out disturbingly high. Then I have to suggest again "um ... I really think this would work better if you used a bigger cuff" And then I can get a normal BP reading.

[claygrant]

Originally Posted by massingUP

And as he was wrapping it around my arm he said "And this is.... -- too small."

LOL I want that to happen to me. Congrats and keep it up!!

[ethernet_jock]

lmfao - sweeeet.... I can't wait until I see the doctor again now just so I can see if I need a bigger cuff.

[Notbigenuff]

I wonder how many sizes of BP cuffs there are? Though I've never had a nurse or doctor comment - I did notice at my last visit (bronchitis - yuck!) that the cuff the nurse used was marked "Adult XL" (maybe just "L" ?) she didn't even try the normal sized one - darn...

[UKBeefy]

I was really annoyed the last time I went to a doctor and I got quite a bit of negative response to talking about bodybuilding/gym. My surgery operates a drop in type service in the morning so you turn up and see whichever Doctor is available first. Anyhow I saw one of the female doctors and she was firstly asking all these searching questions about how much I drank and did I get drunk etc which seemd a bit off beam. Then I started talking about gym and bodybuilding thinking that was going to get a positive response she then said I should watch that I don't get too big or obsess about it and pointed to my midriff implying that I was overweight. I said I what my weight was and height and then she said I should slim down !!!!! No way. I told her that was not my ambition at all - I want to get bigger in the right places. I'm about a 47in chest, 35 waist and near 17 biceps, 24.5 quads at currently about 208lbs/5ft9.
Anyhow I left the surgery seething - there I was talking about being healthy and she thinks adding muscle is unhealthy. She was skinny and small herself but still I was so annoyed. You guys seem to have more positive experiences.

[ethernet_jock]

I had a family doctor once that told me that my weight was part of my lower-back issues. He completely ignored the fact that I weigh 250lbs not because I'm fat...

In a roundabout kinda way... he was right... I wasn't training my back enough or streching it correctly at all!! Once I learned how to do the proper stretches (physical therapy after an auto accident) and whatnot.... all was well.

[brent]

UKBeefy, it sounds to me like it's time for you to go to a different clinic. Remember: you are the customer, and should be treated with respect.

[muscle_mastah]

Yup, I agree with Brent. My family doctor knows my goals. He's a runner and has never had any inclination to lift, but he doesn't give me any grief on it at all. He might think differently if he knew my full supplementation protocol.

[Minotaur]

I had a doctor who told me to stop lifting weights and to run. It made the legs and heart strong. Yeah, OK doc. Well it does, but I'm not about to stop weightlifting.

My endocrinologist (I have hormone and metabolic issues ) comments about my weight from time to time, so I have to remind her that I weightlift. She says "Oh that's right" and we move along.

Other doctors I've worked with are all for weightlifting. Btw, I get the larger bp cuff too.

[dallasmsl]

SOME doctors can be REAL stupid when it comes to bodybuilding. You'd think they went to the Diane Sawyer School of Medicine or something. And, God-forbid you mention steroids! I'm fortunate in that my doctor encourages my bodybuilding though he doesn't condone steroids. I get all of my tests done and so long as they come out fine, he realizes that exercise and bodybuilding go hand-in-hand.

Exercise will not make you live longer but it will increase the quality of life that you have. The more muscle you have, the less problems you will encounter during the span of your life. Any doctor who doesn't know that....shouldn't be trusted with a stethoscope (or even a pen!).

And, as stated before, remember YOU are the customer and he's selling his service so he can buy that Mercedes. If he starts talking down to you, look him dead in the eyes and say, "Your Fired!" and go to another doctor. Some doctors think they are Gods...but take away their patients, and they become humble REAL fast.

[malibujimbo]

Hey guys, I haven't had this problem yetttt, but I am hopeful. I have had some friends (guys at my gym) that did and they were realllly excited about it. btw, if there are any guys in the Chandler AZ, area that need a workout partner, let me know. Keep up the great work, this forum is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[brent]

I agree with Dallasmsl. Doctors think that they know best, but when you see them on their own time, they smoke, eat the rich foods they tell us not to eat, and die 20 years earlier than their patients on average. It's no wonder hypocrisy, and "Hypocratic" (sp?) sound so similar... You'd think these people would be happy you are exercising (unlike most of the population).

[dallasmsl]

Brent, you are right on! My doctor is a fat guy who looks like Lou Costello. Fortunately, he doesn't tell me how to eat or train! LOL. Oddly, however, I have seen personal trainers who look like him and wonder, "What kind of person would take advice from someone who looked like that?" LOL.

Pump hard bro.
Dave.

[UKBeefy]

Well I had the same thing with a doctor at my surgery. She asked what was I doing to lose weight (implying I was fat/obese). She had asked how much I weighed and then immediately said that was too heavy and I should avoid doing heavy weights in the gym and do cardio instead. I just said nothing. Seemed like a pretty dumb conversation. At least when I go to the Surgery I can usually see another doctor (in fact I tend to see a different one each time).

Still it would be nice to find a doctor that understood what you really want to do. Also one that understood that you may want to take stuff and offer to at least monitor you without passing judgement. As our healthcare system is different to you guys (the doctor has the say on everything that happens) I don't think I can demand that I have blood tests etc prior to taking anything. He would wonder why I was asking and I can't see him agreeing to it and giving me an argument/lecture.

You guys seem to have a more consumerist attitude to healthcare (eg if you don't like one doctor you just change) and seem able to ask for alot more eg tests etc and the doctor agrees (or do u actually even need to see your doctor to get such things done?) Who pays then if you just decide "right I want my blood/cholestrol stuff tested without having a medical ailment to treat?"

[brent]

Originally Posted by UKBeefy

...
You guys seem to have a more consumerist attitude to healthcare (eg if you don't like one doctor you just change) and seem able to ask for alot more eg tests etc and the doctor agrees (or do u actually even need to see your doctor to get such things done?) Who pays then if you just decide "right I want my blood/cholestrol stuff tested without having a medical ailment to treat?"

You are right. We Americans do have a very different attitude on healthcare tha people in other nations. i used to live in New Zealand, where there is a national system like England, so I think I know what you are saying. If you can prove you have a problem, your insurandce company pays. If you want to have tests for recreational purposes, you probably will pay. The insurance companies always make inquirries into charges. They also won't pay for something they consider to be "Pre-existing". I'm thinking about dropping my insurance, and paying for myself (CIGNA sucks FYI.)

[ottomun6]

Originally Posted by UKBeefy

... Then I started talking about gym and bodybuilding thinking that was going to get a positive response she then said I should watch that I don't get too big or obsess about it and pointed to my midriff implying that I was overweight. I said I what my weight was and height and then she said I should slim down !!!!! No way. I told her that was not my ambition at all - I want to get bigger in the right places. I'm about a 47in chest, 35 waist and near 17 biceps, 24.5 quads at currently about 208lbs/5ft9.
Anyhow I left the surgery seething - there I was talking about being healthy and she thinks adding muscle is unhealthy. She was skinny and small herself but still I was so annoyed. You guys seem to have more positive experiences.

UK, it sounds to me that you were talking to a weight fanatic. I wouldn't be surprised if she ends up anorexic. Don't let her get to you, she obviously wants to see you chewing on parsley and tea leaves until you are skinny enough for her to arm wrestle you. P.S. is there anyway of finding someone a little more sports-medicine oriented?

[dallasmsl]

Otto, to answer your question, yes. If you can find a doctor who also specializes in HIV Treatment, you will probably also find in the same doctor an enlightened approach to health. I have friends who are HIV positive and they tell me how they found the right doctor who can help them stay healthy through steroids. I haven't had the need to go to their doctor but I believe that if you find an enlightened doctor, you will be far better off than going to some family practioner.

Just my two cents.
DAve.

[jdhdawg]

I went to the doctor today. The nurse who took my blood pressure seemed to have some problems. She wrote down my reading which from a distance looked rather high.

When the doctor was talking with me, I asked him what my blood pressure was. He advised 144/96 (which would be very high for me). He said that he'd like to take his own reading. He pulled out a different cuff. I mentioned that the cuff was different from the one the nurse used.

He said, "With your musculature, we need to move up to the bigger cuff." Needless to say, whatever ills I felt melted at that point. I'm glad to report that my bp (when properly measured with the XL cuff) was only 118/78.

Good way to get Friday going.

[CanadianGordon]

Talk about an ego boost.


I've yet to have a problem with a doctor about my weightlifting..

My cola addiction.. That's another story altogether.
I'm cutting it down slowly.

Some things you just can't quit cold turkey.