Can I refuse being weighted at the doctor?

It's only numbers. It can help them treat you more effectively. Don't let a number control you.

I always look away and say to whoever’s weighing me to please not tell me the weight before I even step on the scale.

It depends on the doctor and how long it's been. At 2 different doctor's offices the said it wasn't necessary. BI joked that I know how much I weigh, I just hate to get weighed.

If you don't want know but you can't help but look, Ask if they have a weighing chair. I've seen many people, along with myself, be weighed by sitting in a chair and the digital scale is on the back so you can't see. Only way to find out is if they tell you. X

I always refuse nowadays. this is a freedom I get to take advantage of now that I'm no longer subject to involuntary treatment 🥳 there are few situations in which your doc really needs to know your exact weight (like Owlstoe said).

Dose anyone here have a service dog?????

Im not sure cause I have never asked that

You can not look at the scale when. You can ask the nurse not to tell you the number (weight).

If it’s your dietician then no, they need to keep track while you’re seeing them. But at your PCP, 100% you can say no. I say no every time and they know I have an eating disorder. They typically don’t say anything against you and in your chart under weight it says “refused”. If you need a weight for a certain medication, then you can talk to your doctor about stepping onto the scale backwards and then not putting it in your chart for you to see. Same goes for ER visits, you can refuse a weight there as well as long as it’s not medically necessary (which most often it is not). Medical professionals do not need to know your weight unless it will harm you if they don’t (like getting the proper dose of medication or a dietitian keeping track of your progress). If it is hard to say no in person you can write it out as a statement and hand it to them or there are are options online to print a business card that says you will be refusing to get weighed. It’s your body and it’s your right to say no to medical professionals. You can always get a weight or an approximate weight if needed later in that same visit!

I will typically turn my back to the scale. I don’t think refusing to be weighed really makes a lot of logical sense. It’s good to have an accurate weight on file for dosing medication. Weight is just a number absolutely, but your doc being able to track it (in my opinion) is important. Making sure you are keeping a consistent weight, tracking gains or losses, and again for dosing any medications are all reasons to be weighed. Often on the paperwork they send you home with, the weight will be printed on it. You could ask your nurse to black out the weight or just simply toss the papers. Knowing my weight can be harmful for me, but it’s definitely a valuable tool for medical professionals.

i believe they’ll still weight you, but you can ask them not to tell you what it is