I got fat-shamed today.
I braved the flu-infested urgent care waiting room today so I could get a steroid shot for what feels like a sinus infection. The urgent care we used last year isn't in-network with our new plan, so I went to the local Concentra that we used to frequent on an old policy. I left with a bruised ego and a prescription for antibiotics.
I've frequented this urgent care enough to know the routine. Weight, height, exam room, blood pressure. So I hopped on the scale and stared at the wall to avoid seeing my weight. Why? 3-4 years of thyroid fluctuations have taken a toll on my body and since none of the clothes in my closet fit what I like to call my "fluffy body," I'm fully aware that I weigh more than I usually do. But I watched the tech jot down my height (I had on a hat and Ugg boots so I'm not sure how accurate his measurement was) and weight. I watched him look at the scale, then look at me, then look at my chart, then back at the scale, then back at me before he wrote anything down. I know bruh... it shocks me too every time I look at the scale.
In the exam room, he tinkers around with the computer a bit before checking my blood pressure. Long story short, this guy starts talking about my weight and how we way the same amount. He uneasily chuckled as he inquired about my weight gain. He said, "In 2016 you weighed 130 lbs. What happened?" Fat-shamed. I explained my thyroid issues and he seemed satisfied with answer. But yikes.
For what it's worth (as if it even matters), I'm 30 lbs heavier than I was a couple of years ago. My overactive thyroid has been slowed to the point that I now have hypothyroidism. So my metabolism is shot and it's incredibly hard to lose any weight. It's been pretty devastating personally. I'm all for the #curves movement but I feel I have little control over my weight and it's taken a toll on my self-esteem. Hearing someone actually comment on it doesn't really help either.