OK, so I've heard a few times that health professionals should use discretion when bringing up their own health issues with patients, because you don't want to overstep professional boundaries by oversharing personal details or making it look as if you think you understand your patients better than you really do.....but today I just couldn't help but share my VSG experience with a patient I saw for some other issues. I left it up to her to bring up her weight, so when she did, I took advantage of the opportunity and discussed her weightloss efforts in more detail. There was a long history of failure and frustration in that regard.

After talking about non-surgical interventions, I asked her for her opinion on WLS and she said she's researched it and felt hesitant about it for a number of reasons, but it was obvious that she was quite open-minded and would probably benefit from seeing others who've had WLS and have been successful. I was a bit iffy about it, but as she was young, and yet severely obese and really overwhelmed and frustrated with her many health problems, I opened up to her about my VSG experience and told her that this is something she may want to consider in the future. Thankfully, she seemed to take kindly to my sharing my WLS story and I really hope that maybe in a year or two I'll run into her again and she will have taken advantage of VSG and improved her health. My supervisor came in to see her after and she brought it up with my supervisor, as well; luckily, my supervisor said she's in support of WLS for patients like her and it seemed to alleviate some of her concerns now that she had another person tell her something positive about WLS.

Hesitant as I was to share it, I felt very emotional telling her about it and, embarrassingly enough, even cried a bit because I felt so empathetic towards her struggles, but it felt quite cathartic to use my experience to potentially improve someone's health and quality of life. But then I wonder if I should keep it a one-time event. How do you think you'd have felt a year or two ago if your doctor or some other healthcare provider shared this with you?

OK, so I've heard a few times that health professionals should use discretion when bringing up their own health issues with patients, because you don't want to overstep professional boundaries by oversharing personal details or making it look as if you think you understand your patients better than you really do.....but today I just couldn't help but share my VSG experience with a patient I saw for some other issues. I left it up to her to bring up her weight, so when she did, I took advantage of the opportunity and discussed her weightloss efforts in more detail. There was a long history of failure and frustration in that regard.

After talking about non-surgical interventions, I asked her for her opinion on WLS and she said she's researched it and felt hesitant about it for a number of reasons, but it was obvious that she was quite open-minded and would probably benefit from seeing others who've had WLS and have been successful. I was a bit iffy about it, but as she was young, and yet severely obese and really overwhelmed and frustrated with her many health problems, I opened up to her about my VSG experience and told her that this is something she may want to consider in the future. Thankfully, she seemed to take kindly to my sharing my WLS story and I really hope that maybe in a year or two I'll run into her again and she will have taken advantage of VSG and improved her health. My supervisor came in to see her after and she brought it up with my supervisor, as well; luckily, my supervisor said she's in support of WLS for patients like her and it seemed to alleviate some of her concerns now that she had another person tell her something positive about WLS.

Hesitant as I was to share it, I felt very emotional telling her about it and, embarrassingly enough, even cried a bit because I felt so empathetic towards her struggles, but it felt quite cathartic to use my experience to potentially improve someone's health and quality of life. But then I wonder if I should keep it a one-time event. How do you think you'd have felt a year or two ago if your doctor or some other healthcare provider shared this with you?

I would have hugged the poop out of my doctor back then if he would have been supportive and had some positive personal experience with WLS ! ! !

There's a difference between sharing and advocating. I find it helpful when a medical professional opens up and shares - it makes them more human I think. It's safer for a lot of people to hear, and talk, about personal things with a kind professional instead of a friend or family member. I think you did an honorable thing!

I have always said that drs. are human too. I think it was very brave to share your story and I wouldn't keep as just a "one time" thing but rather share it when you feel compelled to do so. The other thing you can do is share your knowledge with a patient without putting yourself "out there" so to speak, by bringing up the option of VSG while still maintaining a distance if you don't bring yourself into the picture.

I am guessing you had a profound effect on this young woman...

You did it the RIGHT way! You let her steer the conversation toward her weight loss struggles and then asked her, HER opinion on surgery. I'm sure if she had a negative opinion on WLS you would not have said anything but because she was open to it that provided the segway into your story. I think you may have saved that womans life to be honest.

I think it was great you shared your thoughts on this... and... My doc did bring up WLS to me about 3 years ago.. at that time I was not ready to hear about it...I thought I could somehow manage to lose it on my own, which ended more failed attempts.. I did not take WLS seriously until I was truly ready to hear & learn the facts of WLS.

If someone would have shared their personal experience in a non pushy way I would have appreciated it. That's how I came to WLS. A girl on a game I played gradually told me about her experience with bypass and then a few weeks later I had a "Wow I'm so fat and miserable" moment and I started researching wls.

I am glad you did it. I wish someone would have done that for me a long time ago. My brother is a General Practice doc and he says doctors almost never bring this up with their patients. I aksed him why and he said well I think they don't really know enough about it and so feel uncomfortable with it. I think since I have had it done and not had any complications, maybe he will bring it up with some of his patients that could benefit.

God Bless You for saving a young person from a life of misery in a "fat shell"!!!!!!! I know you saved her future and I am praying she gets the help we all need to be healthier and live a longer life. PREACH THE TRUTH ALWAYS.

I'm in agreement with everyone else... I'd have loved it if a healthcare professional would have shared their WLS experience with me. And you did it the right way, waiting until she brought up the subject and then sharing what worked for you instead of focusing it on her. I'm sure she's immensely grateful and she's probably still thinking about what you said... heck, I bet she's already Googling it.

I work in PT, and while my co-workers know that my surgery is NOT to be brought up out in the gym among patients (just don't want to deal with the questions and comments), I have shared privately with a handful of them... mostly people we've been treating off and on for years who we know very well on a personal level. There have been a few others that I'd like to say something to, and have tried to steer the conversation in such a way that maybe they'd bring up the subject of weight loss struggles, but so far the opportunity hasn't presented itself for me to share my experience with someone who I think could benefit from it. If and when the chance comes along though, you bet I'll do it!

My GP never opened a door for weight loss for me. I would tell her how hard my weight problem is and she didn't even offer ANY diet plans. My bmi is 31 just obese. She keeps telling me how good I look. Now because I didn't feel her support and not knowing if she respects wls, I have not included her in the people who know prior to surgery. I also am hopping I don't get an infection so she will not have to see me after until I heal. I intend on using the closest urgent care if there is a problem. It would have been nice to talk to her about it, and I would have loved to have a DR like you to open up to and get real life experience first hand. I think you did the right thing to let your patient broach the subject and let her know what her options are. That's why we go to our doctors, to find out what our options are on healing our bodies.Thank you for caring enough to do it.

My Doc was completely against WLS and it took me about three years to convince him to put in a referral for me. I would have appreciated a Doc who was a little more open minded. I'm sure your patient feels better knowing that you care enough to share your personal experience. I know I would have.

Thank you for caring!

Hugs,

Shell

You handled it perfectly.

I would have definitely appreciated hearing that. Sometimes, in "real life" you don't really see as many people saying they have had WLS.

I'm glad to hear that most people feel they'd be encouraged by that information, as long as it was presented in a non-pushy manner. I did get a PM from a person who felt that it was not the best idea, but I expected that there'd be some difference of opinion on this matter, and to be honest, I actually expected more negative opinions. I definitely made a point of reiterating several times that while I made the choice to go to Mexico, she should really pursue an organized program with lots of evaluations and support before she'd move on to any sort of WLS (which she's joining soon). I mostly felt compelled to share because she said her main reason for being iffy about WLS was that when she did some research online, she saw the long list of "forbidden foods" and the liquid post-op diet and thought she'd be deprived and starving for the rest of her life. I told her that she'd likely have less hunger and she'd be able to reintroduce small amounts of her favorite foods later on without causing herself much grief, and that seemed to help assuage some of these fears.

I feel the same as everyone else, I think what you did at that time, was perfect. It was your gut instinct to open up to her and share it with her.

I also think that the fact your are so obviously evaluating what you did makes you a real professional.