What to Do When Your Doctor Is Not Your Weight Loss Ally

If your doctor is not able to provide an effective obesity management strategy for you, it's not because there aren’t any treatment options available. Your doctor, for whatever reason, may not be making use of those available treatments.

If you are in this situation and wondering about your options, sometimes it can be as easy as asking your doctor about them. But other times, it is more complicated to get the treatment you need.

There are medical treatments available for obesity management. But they are all fairly new, and many doctors are unfamiliar with them. The good news is, this is slowly improving as continuing education of doctors helps them adopt these new treatments. And if your current doctor is not responsive when you try to get help with your obesity, there is something you can do about it.

Look for obesity medicine certified doctors

First, look for an American Board of Obesity Medicine certified doctor. Because so few doctors are trained to manage obesity, this new board certification was created. There are now just over 8,000 doctors in the United States that have this board certification.

Of course, you may not want to switch doctors. Or maybe there is no American Board of Obesity Medicine certified doctor in your area or within your insurance coverage network. In this case, some self-advocacy may be required.

Advocate for yourself

I think it’s important to realize that there is no substitute for self-advocacy in the current medical environment. With so few doctors who are well-versed in obesity management, some persistence from you may be required. And the more you can learn about the treatment options out there, the more you can ask for those treatments from your doctor. Some doctors might be open to your suggestions.

Sometimes, it’s helpful to bring in an "expert opinion" to share with your doctor and get the conversation going. One terrific resource for this approach is the Obesity Action Coalition. They have compiled a lot of resources that can help you start a conversation with your doctor. This pamphlet, for example, can be printed and can be a helpful starting point for a conversation.

Get in the right headspace

One of the most difficult things about self-advocacy for obesity treatment is self-doubt. If your doctor is telling you that you "just need to eat less" and that you shouldn’t need any help with obesity management, that can be hard to stand up to.

Unfortunately, because of pervasive weight bias in society, it is hard to not get discouraged by this narrative. It is, after all, the narrative many of us have been hearing our whole lives about weight. So, before you try to advocate for yourself and get access to the effective treatments you need, find a mental space where you believe that you deserve and need help.

Once you find that headspace, keep making follow-up appointments. Do what your doctor recommends, and come back with the full report of how it went. If it didn’t work, do not let it go. A doctor cannot ignore a proactive, dedicated, well-informed patient.

You’re off to a great start by being here on Obesity.net, and by learning more about your obesity and how to manage it. And if you need help, the community here is full of ideas!