March 14th, the day after my mini-stroke, I went full vegan. I hate that word. It brings to mind peta activists. I prefer plant-based. I love animals and I've been vegetarian for 20 years, but this is for ME. I started Esselstyn's plan (remember Forks over Knives?) --plant based, no sugar, no oil, no salt. I ate greens six times a day. And guess what. I didn't lose a single pound. My dietician was amazed. She said exercise. OK. I got up to 1 hour a day on a recumbent bike. Have I lost weight? NOPE. I'm at my wits end. I don't know what else to do. The only good thing was my total cholesterol number dropped from 160 (which isn't bad at all!) to around 125! And my triglycerides which were over 250 dropped to under 100. (But yet no weight loss!!)
Today I went to my gynecologist yearly exam. I was dreading it. The exam is over quick, it's climbing up on that ancient table and needing someone to steady myself with as my 370 lb. body balances to turn around on that little step and sit down. It's embarrassing. Fortunately, they have a new office and new everything! the exam table is on the floor and then it lifts up! YES!
She had a student who took my history and I didn't hide anything. I told her I was vegetarian (easier for folks to understand right off than the term "plant-based") and how much I've lost, the mini-stroke, and yes, I'm working with a dietician right now to keep up the weight loss. (Although I'm kind of at a stall with a foot in a boot--suspected broken ankle bone.) Have I had a colonoscopy? No, not yet. I mean, do you know how much that costs? Sorry, I'm not rich or even doing "ok". I literally live paycheck to paycheck. Is that bad for my health? Maybe, but it's just the way it is right now. I'm low-risk (and again vegetarian) and yes, I have talked to my endo dr. (the last time I had to see him 3 years ago for an upper GI when I was having ulcer issues.) He certainly didn't discourage me from having one, but agreed I am low-risk. I literally do not see a Dr. unless I have to. (Sorry, it's called being broke and I wouldn't have been in this appt. if my Dr. would have just filled my Provera.) She is pleasant to talk with and leaves.
In comes my Doctor. From the get go, she was like a bull in china shop! The first thing she does is SCOFF and MOCK my vegetarian diet. I couldn't get a word in, she was so adamant to tell me (I should say YELL at me) that a vegetarian diet was nothing and basically useless to prevent disease. Then she proceeded to tell me that I was most definitely going to have bariatric surgery because that's the only way I was ever going to lose weight! And she was sending a letter to my primary care Dr.to make sure I was signed up for surgery. I was stunned. I mean there have been very few times in my life that I have been speechless and this was one of them. I kept thinking how I lost 150 lbs. with my "useless" vegetarian diet and I was working RIGHT NOW with a dietician to continue the weight loss. I felt like a child being yelled at. She acted like I was nothing but a big fat idiot who didn't know I was fat. She made me feel like a fat slob just sucking up the air from all the worthwhile THIN people in the world.
I left and got out to the van and my husband asked how the appt went. I just mumbled I don't want to talk about it. He asked why and I start sobbing. He couldn't believe how vile and hateful she had been. I cried at work. I cried tonight at home. I just feel broken. How unhappy and vile this Dr. must be to spew such hatred!