Weight optional at doc visit

[Anonymous]

I had my annual OBGYN visit today—I was sort of flabbergasted that after the medical assistant took my blood pressure and pulse, she said “getting weighed is now optional.” Is this part of the body positivity movement? What gives? Like it or not, weight (and weight loss or gain) is a very valuable metric in looking at one’s health. It seemed so irresponsible of the medical profession to be honest. This was at Capital Women’s Care.

[Anonymous]

If it was optional, you could have asked to get on the scale, righ?

[Anonymous]

I don't get on the scale at my doctor's appointments.
They can tell if you are obese and need to lose weight. To be honest, doctors almost never address weight or nutrition anyway.

I'm happy to disclose weight for surgery, prescription meds that are based on weight or other valid reasons.

Otherwise, I am an adult and can decide what I'm comfortable disclosing.

[Anonymous]

1) It triggers people with active or recovered eating disorders, and that isn't something people always want to talk about with the technician taking their blood pressure in a hallway
2) Some people (like me) avoid the doctors in part because they feel realy bad about their weight (I am over it but I get it)

[Anonymous]

Lots of people don’t go to the doctor because they don’t want to get weighed. It’s better to have people go and the doctor can ask for a weight if it’s actually needed for a prescription or something.

[Anonymous]

One less thing to dread about going to the GYN!

[Anonymous]

Many people will not go to the doctor because of the scale and fat shaming. Doctors used to blame patients for weight problems by telling them to eat less and move more. Simple and yet not correct.

[Anonymous]

Many people will not go to the doctor because of the scale and fat shaming. Doctors used to blame patients for weight problems by telling them to eat less and move more. Simple and yet not correct.

[Anonymous]

It’s about time!

[Anonymous]

It’s just based on data. Weighing people doesn’t do anything particularly useful. The advice is the same whether they weigh you or not. Exercise, eat well, etc. And for people who don’t want to be weighed, they’re more likely to avoid doctors and have even worse health.

If weight is needed for a medication dosage, they will take it.

[Anonymous]

In the past couple of years, I’ve asked not to get weighed and it’s not been a big deal to the doctors office. The nurse always just lets me know that they will need to get my weight for dosing purposes if I’m prescribed something.

I have always been thin and fit and eat well and work out regularly. But I’ve always been a calorie counter and seeing my weight always triggers me to reduce calories. Now I eat what I want and body still feels the same (all clothes still fit!). Doing so just freed up the mental space I used up to count calories.

[Anonymous]

Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

To be clear everything at a drs visit is “ optional” they can’t require you to get your blood pressure checked, answer questions about seatbelt use or anything else. But weight preventive care visits had been reduced to BMI which is generally regarded as useless. There are of course some specific scenarios where weight IS needed ( calculating meds etc) but by far the more important convo is lifestyle related ( diet and exercize) so this is a good change. Now it’s an opt- in vs an opt-out

[Anonymous]

I like it, removes the fear. I have gone to a new doctor and dreaded the scale moment and a comment, and if you looked at me you wouldn't think "this woman is overweight/obese". A lot of people, especially women, have a lot of emotional fear around weight making us reluctant to get care.

[Anonymous]

If it means more people will go to OBGYN now, I'm all for it. You still have the option to get weighed and discuss it with your doctor so I don't see what the problem is.