Too fat for health treatment

[Megthehen]

Shocked by colleagues agreeing with this today. They have both had very significant (life saving) medical treatment and surgery on their not obese bodies which they think should be denied to me and others of higher BMI. They did say that they didn't consider me to be part of this group but I am and would be if clinical rationing continues or expands so that I and others are deemed undeserving of medical help.

Nurses who injure themselves moving any patient are not following their training or using the correct equipment properly.
Someone with a normal BMI who weighs say 8 stone will still be a risk to move if not handled correctly.

Got to love it when someone makes a generalising rude comment about a group of people but then says "oh but we don't mean you"

@Whatjusthappenedthere Nurses who began their training in 1968 (like I did) were actuallly expected to lift. We had no moving and handling training for at least the next ten years. Hoists were for 20stone+ patients and things like slide sheets didn't exist. Don't blame us for our industrial injuries when it was just accepted back then that we'd get hurt.

Being obese puts you at greater risk of complications, in many situations the risks of surgery will outweigh the benefits

This is the same with smokers who have resulting lung conditions. Alcoholics and increased bleeding risk. As a dentist, people who don't brush their teeth will be denied gum disease treatment, because it won't be successful

I have a friend who had heart surgery denied because their lung condition meant the risks of surgery were too great and they were unlikely to survive the GA.

If the risks of surgery outweigh the benefits, or if the risks are too great surgery will be denied, its nothing to do with obese people being 'undeserving'. If surgery is unlikely to be successful it will be denied.

However if someone is denied surgery because of their weight they should be offered help to lose the weight. Unlike my friends lung condition your weight is something that can be changes

Nobody is undeserving of medical case either all surgery there's risks.
It is vital not to accidentally murder someone while treating them.
It is not only obesity, there is smoking, alcohol or drug abuse all of these issue cause extra risk under anesthetics.

I think people want to buy into the myth that you can be obese and healthy.

It's very occasionally true, but usually only for younger people (as like smoking and drinking it has a cumulative effect)

So those who want to believe they're OK, perfectly healthy and that BMI is flawed, can find it a shock when they come up against unpalatable medical realities.

If you are not ealthybenough for an elective procedure, you might not be referr d for it. And you might be required to lose weight/cut down drinking/stop smoking before you can be put on the wiring list.

I had to lose weight before I could start Menopur (infertility injections) and I have to continue to lose weight/monitor my weight during treatment.

If you want the treatment you will do it. I doubt they would refuse treatment if it was life threatening.

Then why is poverty directly linked to obesity across Europe?
Poverty and boredom are brother and sister, boredom is a huge driving force for obesity, as humans we like to feel good and treat ourselves unnecessarily.
If you can't afford oysters with champagne, one will enjoy a bag of chips and a can of beer.

I would suggest people learn a little about the science behind weight loss and obesity before spouting judgemental nonsense

maybe start here?

www.crossfit.com/essentials/jason-fung-from-2018-health-conference

It's easy to make sweeping statements like that when you're not in that situation yourself. Much like those who think they should be able to dictate who is and isn't suitable for IVF. Who cares what Karen from the office thinks, she's not making the decision, and if she ended up putting weight on herself I'm sure she might think differently about it.

Much like those who think they should be able to dictate who is and isn't suitable for IVF

Weight does impact on whether a couple gets NHS ivf in a lot of areas.

I think people want to buy into the myth that you can be obese and healthy.

indeed

@Teachermaths and rightly so as obesity comes with much higher risks during pregnancy

@myself2020 I completely agree

Depends what it is. I needed a spinal op and am a size 16, they didn't bat an eyelid at my BMI. Surgery went fine except being longer due to it being more of a mess than they anticipated. I recover v v quickly from anaesthetic and was discharged 21hrs after the op finished (discectomy, laminectomy, cauda equina)

@PurpleDaisies no, i do think that alcoholics shouldn’t been given a liver transplant if they are not abstinent. likewise, obese and morbidly obese patients should loose weight before getting non- lifesaving medical treatment for things that can be addresses with weightloss/would be less severe with weightloss. its pointless otherwise.

Some of the time some people are obese through no fault of their own. Other times more often people just eat too many calories.
I have got 5 kg to lose to be the weight I was before I had my second baby. I lost the weight between them. My second baby was born July 1st. I just cut calories down to lose the weight. To maintain my weight I eat not too much food and I stay a weight I am happy with.
It's about discipline, that's how you don't get obese a lot of the time, ofc there are some harrowing cases which are awful however I don't think people are force fed chocolate digestives and takeaways whilst being held down. They chose to put that food into their body!

It's incredibly unlikely that you are obese due to other medical factors than eating too much and moving too little.

I have a relative with cushings and they are the only person I have ever heard of who genuinely could not control their weight through diet and exercise. The rest of us can (whether we think so or not!). Will power and education help. Ultimately we eat too much (me included!).

It's also the movement. People don't move like they used to. The number of people who are obese due to medical reasons is really, really small. Rest is just too much or wrong food and lack of movement. This includes me though I have never had sweets like biscuits at home in a cupboard. I have never kept any "treats" like this but I have eaten junk more than I should have and I moved MUCH less than I should have. I am size 20, going on 18 now.
I wish I believed someone when they told me "It's easier to keep fit, than get fit"... They were absolutely right.

As I know issues my weight can cause, I fully understand why doctors wouldn't want to perform certain surgeries on me. I would have issues with doing physio, surgery would put big strain on my already strained organs. It's just risk after risk and issue after issue. Obviously having a tumour removed or something what can't wait, can't wait, but non emergency surgeries and treatments where my weight would cause much higher fail rate? I get it.

I do wish people would be kinder, perhaps if they were the world wouldn’t be quite so grim.

@Juells where on earth did you get that from about poor people? never said anything about poor people...all sorts sit out outside hospitals puffing away on cigarettes then inhaling through masks hooked up to oxygen tanks!

I am sat outside one now waiting for my Mum watching two patients one young and one old no idea whether their rich or poor! Don't really care of the rich/poor status!

@BillHadersNewWife it's just my opinion!

@WorraLiberty I suppose I'm annoyed with the services available for helping people to lose weight in MY area...thousands and thousands pounds have been poured into stop smoking services...the gp service has admitted that it hasn't quite worked and are looking at new ways to support smokers...they cut the money being invested into providing services for heavily overweight people ie one to one nutrition services, walking groups, group support, Counselling that helps you understand your relationship with food! A survey was recently done of the patients on each programme the weight programme was more successful!

Deep down I do want someone to get help with their addiction to smoking or whatever addiction/health concern they have I suppose I'm just frustrated with the system locally. I don't smoke or drink before you ask but i do eat...comfort eat...over eat and had just started to get help to find it got cut a few weeks in!

I have been doing some things on my own but the final push was the service I had been introduced to that started the ball rolling on my weight loss...I have tried hypnotherapy, weight watchers and slimming world worked for abit but went back to putting weight on.