[Jennelle]

I think Chris hit the nail on the head with her comment about being absolutely truthful with our doctors. I know for me personally, I was so afraid to share some of my eating behaviors because I was ashamed of them. The very first time I ever talked publicly about an eating behavior of mine was when I was at WW about 13 years ago. I talked about sitting in front of the TV with a cheesecake and a fork and eating the entire thing in one sitting. A woman disgustedly replied, "Oh, I don't think I'd EVER eat THAT much food!" At the time, I was hurt. I felt like a total freak! I didn't share anything like that again until just a few years ago, on these boards, in the relative anonymity and safety of the Internet.

It's that sort of thing we have to get over, though. Trust me - your doctor's heard a lot worse things than how you can eat an entire meal at a friend's house then go through the drive-thru for a double cheeseburger and fries, or how your entire self-worth is wrapped up in Monday's number on the scale. Being honest is so important. If you get a dickhead doctor who gives you crappy advice (like Jessica's doctor, and I'm frankly surprised she didn't slap the s**t out of him! ), find another doctor. Get a second opinion.

Here's a thought: Just like there are doctors who graduated at the top of their class, there are doctors who graduated at the bottom of their class.

[Jen]

Well I had a good experience with a dr when I was 16. My mom was bugging the heck out of me to lose weight and told me to go to our family dr and tell him to put me on a diet. I told him all this and what my mom had said. He said he could give me a diet to follow but unless I really wanted to lose weight nothing he did or said would make a difference. I've never been to a dr to ask about weight loss because I don't think there is anything a dr can tell me that I don't already know about losing weight. It isn't rocket science for crying out loud. I can see a dietician or nutritionist and have them help me decide what is best for me to eat but unless I make the commitment it won't make a bit of difference. I think dr's get frustrated because in med school they get like one day about weight loss therapy. Not saying that this excuses any dr for saying to eat carrot sticks instead of junk food but they know too that for most people it is all a matter of willpower. That is not something they can do for you but I think more drs should be doing referrals to nutritionist/dieticians and also to social workers or some kind of counselling.

[Goddess Jessica]

Jenelle, there's an old joke that goes with your statement:

What do you call a med student who graduates in the bottom of his class?
Doctor.

And frankly I'm suprised I didn't slap him either.