Oh man this got my blood boiling today and I could not wait to have some time to sit down and write a blog about it. Of course, I got her permission to share her story. I am leaving her name off the store, but if you are one of my besties, you will probably know who this happened to. My lips are sealed. 🙂
So, today one of my besties, who happens to be a Curvy Girl, had an appointment to see her gyno to have her IUD removed this morning. It just wasn’t working for her. Here is her description of what happened today. This is serious bullying and fat shaming, so if that makes you upset, you may want to stop reading.
Some of our convo happened via text, but I encouraged her to tell me the whole story via email. My bestie is my age – 45. Never had any children (like me) and is married.
“Yes, my ob/gyn (female) is the one that forced me off of the pill in January. She said my body needed a break, and I was at risk for stroke because of my age, weight and unhealthy lifestyle. She pushed me in to the IUD even tho I didn’t want a foreign object in my body. She gave me no other choice other than condoms.
She said the IUD would help with my heavy periods. That my periods may even go away completely. That sounded like heaven to me. That was back in January.
The insertion hurt like a MOTHER FUCKER because my cervix had never been dilated before and I almost threw up all over the NP that did it. I was in bed the next 2 days. The first two months were fine. I spotted for a few days and then my period went away for 2 months. Then it came back and didn’t stop. I think I only had 2 days in the past 4 months that I didn’t bleed.
I kept emailing my doctor and she kept telling me this was normal and it would regulate within the 6 months. On top of the bleeding, my breasts hurt like hell. And she wanted me to come in for a mammogram. Uh, I don’t think so! I told her I wouldn’t be in to do that until she fixed the bleeding/tenderness problem.
This week, I told the nurse I made the appointment with, that I wanted the doctor there, not an NP, so I could ask questions before she did anything. I told the doctor, today, I wanted the IUD out and I wanted to know what my other options were. She started to go into the whole thing again, that I can’t be on the pill because I am unhealthy and I stopped her right there and said “I am in the gym doing strength and cardio for an hour, three times a week, plus do a 4th hour session of speedwalk/jogging on Sundays”. I told her I can lift 95lbs, press 25lbs, and just finished my 2nd half marathon in May.
She was quiet for a minute and then said she had no idea I was taking such good care of myself. I said, “I know, I don’t look like an athlete, but I am, and it has bothered me that you forced me in to doing something because of my weight that perhaps was not necessary”.
She agreed to put me back on the pill but said she still wanted to monitor my blood pressure and blood sugar the next few months. I’m fine with that. I am managing both with diet and exercise but diabetes and high blood pressure runs in my family so it should be monitored. My blood pressure was 135/76 today. Totally normal. I have normal cholesterol levels too.
I am glad its over but I’m proud I stood up. I had made my mind up going in that I would. I felt like I was being bullied this past 6 months and NO MORE. I had enough of that as a kid.
Thanks for asking- I guess I needed to vent a little!!”
I felt like a PROUD MAMA all day long! Can you say #curvygirlproud ! I would like to give her GYNO a piece of my mind. Like my friend, I was raised to respect doctors and take their advice to heart. But, so many doctors just look at you – you can have a freaking ingrown toe nail – and they want blame it on your weight. That is not ok. And, I know that so many CURVY men and women DO NOT go to their doctor even for an annual exam because we know we are going to get a lecture. Even before they know our fasting blood sugar levels, before they know our cholesterol and blood pressure numbers.
It’s time for MEDICAL SCHOOLS to teach their students to have empathy for Curvy and fat people and to not ASSUME we are unhealthy just by eyeballing us. ENOUGH already. You may remember the blog our friend Ashley Manta shared here about the horrible experience she had with her doctor and surgery. Here is the link to Ashley’s story of how her doctor / surgeon bullied her. FAT SHAMING IN THE HOSPITAL
I am so proud of her for speaking up. My bestie and I are from a generation where we would NEVER say anything to a doctor or second guess their behaviors or information. I am so proud of her for having the cojones to say something. Maybe her douchey doctor will learn something from this and treat other curvy patients with more empathy.
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