Which have you found to be more accurate. According to their scale, I weigh 258. According to the scale at home, I weigh 282.3. That is a big difference.
Odds are the medical scale is more accurate, but I wouldn't bet on it. Some doctors offices use high quality scales and have them maintained and serviced properly. Others have ancient scales that haven't been recalibrated in 30 years. The balance scales (with the sliding weight) are very accurate as long as they're recalibrated every few years (the spring will eventually stretch).
Likewise digital scales (home and professional) can lose accuracy as well, such as when the battery is dying, but not dead enough to trigger an error message.
Accuracy doesn't matter as much as reliability.... does the scale weigh you the same weight every time you use it. If you weigh yourself ten times in five minutes do you get ten different weights.
I once owned a scale that was so unreliable that I could "gain" or "lose" 80 lbs or more. It was like a Magic 8 ball, I could get whatever weight I wanted to see just by stepping on and off the scale until I got the result I wanted.
As Kaplods said, as long as a scale is reliable, it doesn't matter which is "right".
My scale at home is an old dial-type. I am pretty sure it reliably weighs me in at 5-7 pounds less than I weigh. I have never wanted to get a new one and face the "truth".
But if it gets less reliable and starts going all over the place, I may have to.
That is a significant difference- I'd bring in a third scale to see which one is right. My doctor's scale always weighs me 5 lbs heavier than my home scale. I don't worry about it, because I track my day-to-day weight at home so I know if I'm gaining or losing. But the difference between your home scale and doctor's scale makes me think something is way off.
But bear in mind that if you're weighing at home naked in the morning (when we weigh the least, due to dehydration) and in the doctor's office in the afternoon fully clothed there can be a 10 lb difference right there. But 20 seems extreme.
Anytime I have gotten on the doctor's scale it weighs me more than the one at home. The scale of the doctor I go to now is a little closer to mine at about 2 pounds. I am like Dee I weigh myself every day so I know if there is a change. And if there is it is usually because I have gone overboard the day or two days before. I also would say bring in a 3rd scale and see what it says. It might be time for a new scale at home.
My experience has been a mixed bag. I've had breathing tests before which I needed to be weighed, and the scales were off (weighing light) in a big way. They weighed me at the diabetic education clinicy thing, and those scales were spot on.
livelaughlovesunshin, that is a pretty big difference. One of the scales is very much off, most likely yours because doctors offices have to balance theirs and maintain them constantly. (I worked as a nurse's aid.) I just went to the doctor Friday and weight myself before I went. My weights were the same, so I would just check into getting a new scale if I were you. Mine was about $20, looks cheap as ****, but obviously it works.
Oh, and I've noticed that weighing yourself in the morning gets the best reading and if I weight myself to compare later at night it could be anywhere from a 2-5 pound difference.
My doctors scale always weighs me one to two lbs heavier then at home. But, I usually weigh in first thing in the morning and naked. So, I'm betting the day and my clothes tack on those extra two lbs before I get there.
Most of the time, the Doctor's scale is accurate. Not always, but most of the time.
I'd say weigh yourself on other scales, and note the weight variance. Put those out to your physician the next time you see them and say, "Is there a possibility your scale is off?" (especially if the others reflect a number closer to your home scale). Even Dr. offices get sidetracked and don't keep up on the most basic of equipment.
(Off topic but... an example would be the dial they use to prick your finger for diabetes check. I hate when nurses go, 'Oh, its broke.. so it uses the most force' OUCH)
Dr office scale vs home scale
