Crappy Dietician

[Guest]

I've been less than impressed with, specifically, my dietician. I feel this is arguably the most crucial person of your time and I find mine...lackluster.

My appts are short, clipped, and she seems constantly in a hurry or irritated when I ask questions. She doesn't return phone calls (like when I wasn't able to make my 3 week appt and made several calls attempting to change it to a phone/telecom.) No one ever response, despite voicemails left. This was right at the moment where I was transitioning stages!

I finally sent an email saying I wanted a call back because I needed nutritional guidance. She sent a short message and I got a short phone call, where she gave me some basic info. I was less than impressed with the answers to my specific questions, where she seemed unsure or simply didn't care-a lot of "ums" or "uh ok". Then she sort of chastised me for drinking two Protein Drinks (normal size) a day to get Protein. I asked her how else I was supposed to get protein at this point and she stated "you just won't".

Um?

I'm growing weary of her irritated attitude, lack of info and lack of communication. Thankfully, I've been getting most of my info off the forum and various other post WLS plans I'm finding online (many of which I like better, and many on here are on.) One of my biggest pet peeve is when I have a specific question, and shoot her an email or call, she'll respond with "it's in the booklet" instead of answering the question. (I'm not drilling her, and I often can't find it in the 'booklet'.)

/endvent

Anyone else has less than stellar dietitians?

[drawingdami 34]

Mine has been "Meh", but yours seems actively hostile! Is there any other dietician you can see at your clinic, or that insurance would cover outside your clinic?

My dietician is pleasant, but seems a bit disorganized and doesn't say much unless I ask her very specific questions. And there have been a couple of times when I will ask something and she'll say, "Oh, I don't know, but tell me what you find, I can pass it along to others." I don't mind helping other patients, but really??🤨

[PolkSDA 116]

As with every profession, there are those that are at the bottom of the class.

I recall a doctor-mandated consultation with a dietician about 15 years ago. She was extremely fit but weighed about as much as my shadow, and had ZERO frame of reference about what it was like to be overweight, let alone lifelong morbidly obese. I recall her saying "well, maybe the next time have 1 slice of pizza instead of 2!" all satisfied with this glowing wisdom she had just imparted.

I replied "Lady, if the problem was 1 piece of pizza vs. 2, I wouldn't be in the shape I'm in. It's more of a question of 1 PIE or 2." She just couldn't fathom what it was like to be an overeater.

Needless to say, that went nowhere.

My dietician this time around, however, is aces. She too is a diminuitive slender fit women, but the persona is completely different. She asks questions, doesn't try to lecture, tries to find healthier alternatives to fit my lifestyle, food preferences, and cooking capabilities (or lack thereof). She doesn't berate me if I tell her that I've tried certain foods that aren't on the regimen or had something more or less frequent than I am supposed to.

She's not judgmental, so I don't feel the need to hide things from her; I can be candid with the good, bad, and the ugly.

Do you have the option of requesting a different dietician from the same hospital/system?

[Foxbins 625]

I only saw the dietician for about 10 minutes while I was in the hospital. I was a revision from sleeve to RNY for GERD, and my BMI was 21. I had discussed my hope I would not lose too much more weight with my surgeon, who said that with proper diet I shouldn't lose much, so I was looking forward to talking with her. It turns out that she had really nothing to say. Her caseload is obese people, like I used to be, and so I'm saying things like "So I could add Peanut Butter to my shakes? " and she is nodding yes. Well, it turns out that too much fat in one meal (like peanut butter added to a shake) makes for watery poop the next day. I mean, she meant well, but had no experience with someone in my position. I ended up Googling "Bilroth II diet" which is the closest non-bariatric surgery to RNY and is done for stomach cancer. I figured diet advice for cancer patients would be closer to my circumstances, but really it's trial and error for me right now. When I see my surgeon in October I'm going to ask for another dietician appointment with somebody else if I'm still struggling.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, drawingdami said:

Mine has been "Meh", but yours seems actively hostile! Is there any other dietician you can see at your clinic, or that insurance would cover outside your clinic?

My dietician is pleasant, but seems a bit disorganized and doesn't say much unless I ask her very specific questions. And there have been a couple of times when I will ask something and she'll say, "Oh, I don't know, but tell me what you find, I can pass it along to others." I don't mind helping other patients, but really??🤨

I empathize. I actually feel some of her information is just...wrong. Like I asked her, awhile back, if the purpose was separating Water and solids was to maintain nutritional values, not get full, etc. She told me "No, it doesn't get stuck in your new tubes." Which, yes, is one part of it but there's A LOT more and it certainly does have to do with nutritional intake. Unfortunately, she's the only one there, so I've been gathering info from other doctors, facilities and the forum.

Fear not, if I find out new info, I'll let you know so you can inform her as well 😂

[sizemedown 42]

Maybe you could try my dietician? Her name is Joan with FaceTime Dietician. She's online joan@facetimedietician.com. At least check her out and get her fees.

Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

[Guest]

1 hour ago, askmehow said:

Maybe you could try my dietician? Her name is Joan with FaceTime Dietician. She's online joan@facetimedietician.com. At least check her out and get her fees.

Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

Perfect-thank you!

[Guest]

3 hours ago, PolkSDA said:

As with every profession, there are those that are at the bottom of the class.

I recall a doctor-mandated consultation with a dietician about 15 years ago. She was extremely fit but weighed about as much as my shadow, and had ZERO frame of reference about what it was like to be overweight, let alone lifelong morbidly obese. I recall her saying "well, maybe the next time have 1 slice of pizza instead of 2!" all satisfied with this glowing wisdom she had just imparted.

I replied "Lady, if the problem was 1 piece of pizza vs. 2, I wouldn't be in the shape I'm in. It's more of a question of 1 PIE or 2." She just couldn't fathom what it was like to be an overeater.

Needless to say, that went nowhere.

My dietician this time around, however, is aces. She too is a diminuitive slender fit women, but the persona is completely different. She asks questions, doesn't try to lecture, tries to find healthier alternatives to fit my lifestyle, food preferences, and cooking capabilities (or lack thereof). She doesn't berate me if I tell her that I've tried certain foods that aren't on the regimen or had something more or less frequent than I am supposed to.

She's not judgmental, so I don't feel the need to hide things from her; I can be candid with the good, bad, and the ugly.

Do you have the option of requesting a different dietician from the same hospital/system?

They only have one dietician, but another member just gave me a suggestion of her online dietician. I'm going to check that out!

I feel the pizza deal-I remember people talking about how stuffed they were after one eggroll, and I'm finishing off a whole box.

Part of me misses that emotional comfort, but I remember why I did this.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Foxbins said:

I only saw the dietician for about 10 minutes while I was in the hospital. I was a revision from sleeve to RNY for GERD, and my BMI was 21. I had discussed my hope I would not lose too much more weight with my surgeon, who said that with proper diet I shouldn't lose much, so I was looking forward to talking with her. It turns out that she had really nothing to say. Her caseload is obese people, like I used to be, and so I'm saying things like "So I could add Peanut Butter to my shakes? " and she is nodding yes. Well, it turns out that too much fat in one meal (like Peanut Butter added to a shake) makes for watery poop the next day. I mean, she meant well, but had no experience with someone in my position. I ended up Googling "Bilroth II diet" which is the closest non-bariatric surgery to RNY and is done for stomach cancer. I figured diet advice for cancer patients would be closer to my circumstances, but really it's trial and error for me right now. When I see my surgeon in October I'm going to ask for another dietician appointment with somebody else if I'm still struggling.

That's a great idea. I think Im going to do the same thing. Kind of sad these are the people we entrust our lives with? I've gotten more information, accurate information, off this forum than the doctor's office. They also don't treat people as individuals-at least mine does. What works for one person doesn't for another.

[sizemedown 42]

15 minutes ago, Keatsy said:

Perfect-thank you!

Yw! I hope she is more helpful. Let me know how it went...if you can remember.

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, askmehow said:

Yw! I hope she is more helpful. Let me know how it went...if you can remember.

I'll be happy with someone who treats me like a deserving human. Sheesh.

[sizemedown 42]

Yes, I hear you. Hope it goes well, too.

[Arabesque 7,221]

I think it’s time for a new dietician. They should be supportive, a source of information & guidance & motivating. If they’re not you need to find a new one.

I was a bit meh about mine too. (Decided I was in the wrong profession after handing over $80 for each ten minute appointment.) I was going every fortnight for 6months, then monthly. She’s never weighed me. Never measured me. Never asked me to record my food intake. She barely asks me what I eat each day. She took a very scant health & diet history at the first appointment. Guess you can’t share much in 10 mins! After the first appointment she emailed two pages of pre surgical diet guidelines & I’ve received no other information in 16+ months. Oh & at my last appointment she asked for the very first time if she could look up my blood test results. (head shake, eye roll, shrug)

I did lots of research myself & studied all the material provided by my surgeon. I worked out my own post surgical diet & maintenance plan.

The only reason I stuck with her was that every now & then she’d share a piece of golden advice. She was the one that said not to worry about my cholesterol levels rising because it was being excreted from my fat stores & into my blood steam as I lost weight. I did some reading & she was right. She’s low pressure & that works for me.

[Guest]

51 minutes ago, Arabesque said:

I was a bit meh about mine too. (Decided I was in the wrong profession after handing over $80 for each ten minute appointment.)

This was all solid advice. I appreciate you posting in another thread about acceleration, because I will occasionally progress a bit and have had no issues, and higher energy levels for walking and such. (Still losing weight).

If you'll excuse me, I need to go change my college major to nutrition.

[Guest]

Has anyone else been lectured for drinking 2 Protein drinks a day? Is that a no-no? I've been drinking 1-2 11oz Premier Protein (one right in the morning and one after my last meal at night) and my protein goals have been solid. Will this somehow interfere with weight loss? I don't get it?