Question is actually for my sister. She is about 5'7", 275 lbs. She went to the Dr. last week for something else and had mentioned that she was on Atkins. He got angry and told her to get off it immediately, that if it wasn't already too late she was probably already diabetic. He didn't do any tests to comfirm this. Grabbed her chart and wrote across the front of it in big letters "Morbid Obesity". (I deal with this Dr. constantly through my job and know he's quite the jerk!) Needless to say, she was just heart broken.

She knows she's extremely overweight and has been trying to lose weight and finally found something she felt was working.

Has anyone else doing Atkins started out a weight and height proportinate to hers been through this with Dr.'s? If so, were you able to stay on Atkins? Is the fat content really to high if you are diabetic?

I've tried to get her to visit this site since I have seen many member have had success, plus the motivation and support here is wonderful.

I'm not height/weight proportionate to your sister and I don't have insurance, so I avoid going to the Dr's., BUT I think that's a totally bizzare thing for the Dr to say.

Atkins was originally developed as a plan to stabilize the blood sugar of a diabetic person. Only later did it become something for weight loss.

Personally, I think that your sister's doctor is just one of the uneducated masses who oh-so-incorrectly believes that following Atkins means gorging oneself on meat and cheese. Maybe this is your sister's opportunity to educate him

Star, This was my feeling also. I did alot of research before I started Atkins and this thought process didn't follow what I had learned. This guy is so hard to deal with and has absolutely no bedside manner. I can't believe that he thinks you can shame someone into losing weight especially when she's lost 15 lbs in the last month doing Atkins. I've encouraged her to see someone else.

I'd like others opinions and experiences on this also.

What an jerk! I had another word in there and then erased it. I am diabetic (very mild) and I control mine through the Atkins/low-carb lifestyle. My doctor is fine with it. In fact, my blood sugar is the best its been since I was diagnosed (last Nov.). If you're pre-diabetic or even mild diabetic its actually good in stabilizing your blood sugar levels. Even if your not it still stabilizes blood sugar.

Is she actually diabetic?

I think any doctor who is going to discourage a patient from losing weight who is obviously trying and needs to, should be shot. What a complete jerk. He's obviously never struggled to lose weight. Time for a new doctor! When you feel bad about yourself because your overweight it's easy to let idiots make you feel worse. The best thing she can do for herself right now is find a new doc. There are other, more educated opinions out there.

Wow, that really got me worked up! I hope your sister can realize she needs a new doctor and keep with the Atkins. It's a great plan!

Shame will only make more weight, not take it off...

The first thing that p'd me off was the fact that your sisters doc wrote on top of her chart "morbid obesity". WTF? The 2nd is that he actually did it in FRONT of her and she knows his opion of her now. Total disrespect for his patient. How well does your sister like this doctor? Does she HAVE to see him (as in insurance plan, etc) or is there other choices? I'd tell the doc where to stick his "morbid obesity" and see a different doc. I will refuse to see a doc that doesn't work WITH me the way I want to lose weight. I also think somewhere in the book (maybe I'm imagining it) there's mention of diabetes and Atkins. I thought it was supposed to help with that.
Vote: New doctor & stay on Atkins

i'm with everybody else get rid of that dr.

i have been a type 2 diabetic for 6 years. i was taking both ameryl and metformin, i started atkins oct.28th i have lost 35 lbs. i am very close to your sister statistics. i have gone from 4 pills to a half dose of one pill. my dr. approves and does a liver test to make sure i am not hurting that. be sure you drink your water.

good luck. pat

I would have to tell that Doctor where to stick his chart. I work with a lot of Doctors- since I am a nurse I can't avoid it, I have been on Atkins since January all of the Attendings and the Interns that I work with know I am on it- they have seen how much weight I have lost I look like I have lost more than I actually have, they really haven't had anything good, bad or indifferent to say about me being on the diet, just basically that I have more will power than anyone else they work with. My personal MD, did have somethings to say about it- basically that it is a bad way to eat and that being on the diet is bad for your kidneys blah blah... I haven't been able to lose weight with any other WOE so which is better to be over weight or eat like this and be healthy?

Your sister's weight is unhealthy.... she should know this, the way the doctor approached it is wrong. Not getting control of her weight may cause her to become diabetic and have high blood pressure and heart disease- Atkins is not going to do this. It was as if the Doctor was implying that Atkins was going to cause her to be diabetic this is not the usual case.

Is the Doctor an older person? Most older MD's have a harder time getting a grasp on new ways of eating, heck they have a hard time getting there heads around new ways of thinking even and they also can be really "jerks"... I am with everyone else she needs to find another doctor, she probably should get a physical with blood work including a fasting blood glucose- just to make sure what she is starting with... This is just my opinion take it for what it is worth but I would corral your sister to the website, there is many more educated individuals here than some of the jerks out there with there MD's...

I am with you guys on this.....The doctor is a complete jerk and I think may need to read the atkins book himself before developing opinions. It's in the Atkins book!!!!! Geez...that doctor should be shot!!! I just picked up the atkins book and there are several pages that talk about diabeties and how with the atkins diet many have been taken off of their medications because they no longer need them!!!

What a schmuck! Figures its a HE! (sorry I feel men doctors don't treat women fare, not all but the one's I've run into, IMHO).

Ditto's to all the above. I know several people who are diabetics and who's doctors suggest a LC diet. DUH!!!



Morti, I feel so bad for your friend and also you. Please comfort her and tell her we are rooting for her in any decision she makes. Are you sure there are no other diagnosed problems the doctor know's about and we don't that would make him react like that? just a thought.

Yes, he is an older Dr. She is going to request a differant one next time she goes in. He did imply that if she was diabetic, she couldn't do Atkins. She asked him what she was suppose to do and all he said was stop eating. No suggestions on something other than Atkins or anything. She even made the comment to him that you can't just stop eating, still no suggestions. He didn't even want to do the tests to see if she was diabetic, said they would deal with that later.

I would think if it's suspected someones diabetic, it would be kind of important to find out quickly to monitor and try to get them balanced out since diabetes uncontroled can kill you. I have other words for this person also but they aren't really very appropriate and I would be throw of the site if I used them. Just makes me so angry! I want to go over thee and give him a piece of my mind!

Warning: I am not going to apologize for saying this.

WHAT AN ***!!!!!!!!

Like we thought you would!

LOL - we were all thinking it

Actually there were several other names I was thinking but Star that one works!