Posted on 08/24/2005 7:20:13 AM PDT by Millee
As doctors warn more patients that they should lose weight, the advice has backfired on one doctor with a woman filing a complaint with the state saying he was hurtful, not helpful.
Dr. Terry Bennett says he tells obese patients their weight is bad for their health and their love lives, but the lecture drove one patient to complain to the state.
"I told a fat woman she was obese," Bennett says. "I tried to get her attention. I told her, 'You need to get on a program, join a group of like-minded people and peel off the weight that is going to kill you.' "
He says he wrote a letter of apology to the woman when he found out she was offended.
Her complaint, filed about a year ago, was initially investigated by a board subcommittee, which recommended that Bennett be sent a confidential letter of concern. The board rejected the suggestion in December and asked the attorney general's office to investigate.
Bennett rejected that office's proposal that he attend a medical education course and acknowledge that he made a mistake.
Bruce Friedman, chairman of the board of medicine, said he could not discuss specific complaints. Assistant Attorney General Catherine Bernhard, who conducted the investigation, also would not comment, citing state law that complaints are confidential until the board takes disciplinary action.
The board's Web site says disciplinary sanctions may range from a reprimand to the revocation of all rights to practice in the state.
"Physicians have to be professional with patients and remember everyone is an individual. You should not be inflammatory or degrading to anyone," said board member Kevin Costin.
Other overweight patients have come to Bennett's defense.
"What really makes me angry is he told the truth," Mindy Haney told WMUR-TV on Tuesday. "How can you punish somebody for that?"
Haney said Bennett has helped her lose more than 150 pounds, but acknowledged that the initially didn't want to listen.
"I have been in this lady's shoes. I've been angry and left his practice. I mean, in-my-car-taking-off angry," Haney said. "But once you think about it, you're angry at yourself, not Doctor Bennett. He's the messenger. He's telling you what you already know."
Thank you! My husband has told me that he has always thought that I'd just one day get sick of it and change my diet. He was right. :o)
I agree with everything you say!
"If you'd care to start a thread, I'll grab some popcorn."
Popcorn (1 cup) Calories
Air-popped 31
Caramel-coated 152
Caramel w/peanuts 171
Cheese 58
Oil-popped 55
Butter toffee 84
White cheddar 55
Sour cream & chives 50
Butter 35
Honey caramel 120
Tangy Ranch 45
Extra butter 60
:)
You didn't read the story. That was a quote from another patient.
"And the dirty little secret (well not so secret) is that many guys prefer Rubenesque, fluffy, pleasingly plump women. (Well maybe not fluffy :) )"
Oh yea? I don't know who you're talking to, but go on a dating site and just see what guys want. The majority of guys, (datable, in my opinion), want slender, athletic and toned or average women. I don't care what age they are....18 or 80!
I tore my ACL awhile back but was able to stay active by swimming laps instead of jogging.
LOL I know what you mean.
Sorry about that. LOL!
That IS a good indication that there might be a problem. Another good indication is the sudden appearance of CLOSED signs whenever she approaches Buffet Restaurants.
:o)
She's a purebred chocolate Labrador Retriever, very small, very active. Her mom is from a very hot field trial line (Storm's Riptide Star x a Candlewoods bitch) and her father is an English dog. We do obedience, agility trials, and hunt tests. Even in this hot weather she is alert and moving almost all the time. Long as I move with her, I burn calories like crazy.
I can highly recommend a Lab if you want LOTS of exercise. < g >
Or when she had to take two trips to haul . . . . . . oh, never mind! . . .
Farnsworth: Obviously your thoughts are being transmitted on the same frequency.
Woman: They're on my cell phone too.
Bender: Madam, I believe you're mistaken.
Bender: (on phone) Wow, that lady's got a huge ass!
Bender: Those could be anyone's thoughts, fat ass.
And there is nothing about being overweight that indicates that one will treat others badly. Sounds like a clever slogan, but there is nothing to it.
Interesting thing about that - a lot of those same people think that homosexuals 'can't help it', and we should be understanding and accepting.
Of course, that makes them hypocrites, but there's nothing new in that."
Thank you for getting the primary point I was trying to make. When I think of people who look down on fat people, one of the biggest offenders is gay men. Models, bulimics, anorexics, actresses, and actors often take great pains to remain thin, all the while looking down on anyone who is not as thin as they are.
I know they were angry at her, but their lose cannon comments seem too overbroad and nasty. I don't like people being looked down on for a vice. Most people have a vice, and many voces are much more socially harmful that being overweight.
Of course, I can understand that the comments are provoked by the stupid, litigious woman.
Wow! She's cool!
A Lab is what we would be shooting for.
I can't resist big floppy puppies!
If a person is obese, the doctor would be negligent for not telling that person they were obese and needed to loose weight. Exactly how would this doctor win this interaction? If her tells her she's obese he gets a complaint lodged against him and if he doesn't, he is negligent.
He should have told her that she has a "purdy mouth."
How to explain the BBW soft and hard porn sites then. I didn't say most, but rather many. BTW, I am a guy, and I prefer a little extra to not enough.
Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, Bridget Bardot or (especially) Ann Margret, verses Twiggy. Although I must admit I've always liked the looks of Goldie Hawn, who's almost as thin as Twiggy, but a foolish consistency (especially in such matters) is the hobgoblin of small minds.
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