Skip wrote:StarchHEFP wrote:Should I just give it all up and just write the pill prescriptions and be on my way?
I've been called "too extreme" by other doctors and been told that lifestyle change does not work anyway, and I should be more mainstream and reasonable. I've been told even to tone down my anti-cigarette and anti-alcohol advice as even that's too extreme.
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If I was a doctor in your situation, I would simply give my patients their best options from best to worse and let them decide what they want to do. You can't stop a patient from eating bacon, ham and cheese but you have an oath to help them which should include trying to educate them about food. If they won't change their diet, give them the best pills and procedures options that you think might help them.
For example, suppose the patient is extremely obese and would rather die than change their diet. In a case like this, gastric bypass surgery seems to be a reasonable option.
You're absolutely right about the intent, Skip, but it actually hurts to know someone is being cut when they could "just" change their lifestyle. And especially since I see many complications of bariatric surgery. And add to that fact when the patient's lawyer comes looking for you asking why you didn't try harder for lifestyle change instead of referring them to surgery. No one sues the doctor for staying fat.