Do you think medical practitioners judge you?

[Anonymous]

I think you are way other thinking this. Everyone these days is just a number. Except my dentist, he is the nicest doctor I have.

[Anonymous]

I asked the Anonymous Internet whether practitioners (any type) judge and if so any stories to share. Like the previous poster about the seeaty hands. Im curious that's all. Not anxious, not in agony, and not overthinking by any means.

I actually love most all of my practitioners. My Chiro, GYN, dentist, very caring people I can laugh with each of them.

[Anonymous]

Im a practitioner and truly dont judge often and its never because of being overweight or being smoker. I will say there are some overweight people who come in expecting to be judged and have a wall up that can be hard to break down. Since this is anonymous I will admit what I do judge: people who I suspect are pill poppers. I take chronic pain very seriously so I REALLY try and hold off on this but its an epidemic and it can be obvious. Whenever I am in doubt I just refer to a chronic pain specialist that I am familiar with and sometimes a patient will be direct and say "I want to go to Dr. ABC" and its someone who its a well known croc who gives out narcotics like candy. Its REALLY hard not to judge those patients.

[Anonymous]

00:11, what is your reaction to a confessed alcoholic seeking help but struggling?

[Anonymous]

My midwife refused to deliver my second child because we had our first circumcised. I figure that's pretty judgmental.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My midwife refused to deliver my second child because we had our first circumcised. I figure that's pretty judgmental.

Wow


In my late 30s I saw an internist whose practice was mostly geriatric patients, she judged me to be exceedingly healthy!

[Anonymous]

Of course they do - if they are good, you will never know it. I would never go to a medical practitioner that I KNEW judged me. I switched at my OB - I felt judged by and uncomfortable around a particular doctor that I had seen for years. The midwife at the same practice I see is awesome. The OB that delivered both of my children (same practice) is awesome.

[Anonymous]

I'm a provider. I don't judge my patients mostly because they are very, very sick (I work in a hospital ICU). When I was an ER doc, I was mostly too busy to give much thought to my patients beyond getting them stable and getting them either admitted or out the door. I also saw thousands of cases over those few years. Some terrible, terrible sad cases. To protect yourself you sort of have to create an emotional wall. I care about my patients and want them to do as well as possible. But I can't take that home to my marriage or small children.

I definitely feel empathy for my patients and their loved ones. I can see the difficulty that the end of life, critical illness, and other scary components of entering the medical industrial complex can have on someone who doesn't go there on a daily basis. I don't judge my patients. I feel for them within the bounds of professional health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think they are (1) too busy with their own lives, (2) they have likely seen much worse, and (3) if you did what you are supposed to do so you didn't get cavities (as an example) how are they going to cover their bills?

This. They have ALWAYS seen worse than you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course they do. I'm overweight. If I go in for the flu, they tell me I need to lose weight. If I go in for a pap smear, they tell me I need to lose weight. If I go in for migraines, they tell me I need to lose weight. The sole reason I have for any medical concerns is that I'm fat, I'm essentially being told.

I don't necessarily think this is judgment of a personal variety, OP. As medical practitioners they know that your health could be improved by losing weight. It really does affect everything.

[Anonymous]

Nope. I figure they've seen it all! And I figure I'm never, ever the worst they've seen.

Parents were doctor's though and they did talk about the "worst" patients. Nothing about the patient's character, but their worst cases that they'd seen in practice. Such as the 9 months pregnant woman who had a super flat stomach and had no idea she was in labor (happened!) or the crazy Jehovah's witnesses who refuse treatments or scientologists who believed that medical professionals shouldn't talk during birth.

[Anonymous]

Who was that biotch Dr who was bad mouthing her patient during a procedure and he accidentally recorded the whole thing? Did she lose her license?

[Anonymous]

Yes. Absolutely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course they do. I'm overweight. If I go in for the flu, they tell me I need to lose weight. If I go in for a pap smear, they tell me I need to lose weight. If I go in for migraines, they tell me I need to lose weight. The sole reason I have for any medical concerns is that I'm fat, I'm essentially being told.

I'm sorry. That has to be frustrating.

Not PP. I guess it depends. The medical professionals I met were actually realistic about my weight issue. Yes, it will help if I lose weight. In the meantime, let's hook you up with some drugs or therapy.

Their judgement is no worse than my own. I know I must lose weight. They know I must lose weight. We both know that reality often flies in the face of wisdom. No harm, no foul.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they are (1) too busy with their own lives, (2) they have likely seen much worse, and (3) if you did what you are supposed to do so you didn't get cavities (as an example) how are they going to cover their bills?

This. They have ALWAYS seen worse than you.

Not a practitioner but this seems right to me, too. They are sufficiently jaded that it probably takes something pretty extreme to trigger any kind of judging.