Doctor Mike

Fat-Bias Nearly Cost Him His Life (5x102)

: 22, 2021

I recently had a patient encounter that took some interesting twists and turns. He presented with fatigue, joint paint, body aches, and recent rashes. After seeing several physicians across multiple appointments, this patient was feeling confused and frustrated regarding his diagnosis and treatment plan. He and I dug a little deeper and eventually got to the truth. Unfortunately, many physicians engage in a form of fatphobia and fat shaming where they immediately attribute any issue a patient has to their weight. While excessive weight can lead to or be a contributing factor to a wide variety of health issues, the fact of the matter is your size does not inherently dictate your health. I’m glad this patient and I were able to think critically and do a little medical detective work together to identify this issue and bring him back to full health.