To think COVID will kill me

[Worthless90s]

Hi all, I know this sounds majorly dramatic but I just need some advice on how likely I am to die from COVID. I am around 26 and i weigh around 16 stone. It’s only just dawned on me how heavy I am, I had my DD in 2018 and then I had gallstones and lost loads of weight than I got pregnant with my DS who was born premature in January 2020.

I had COVID and a premature baby to deal with and I didn’t think about what my weight was and whether I would be “at risk” I’ve kept to all the guidelines as was on maternity for the majority of 2020 so my children remained at home and then when I returned to work I am WFH home full time.

It’s only just dawned on me when I weighed myself how much weight I am carrying (both labours were c section so tummy looks wrecked anyway) and now I am worried what if I catch COVID and die from it. I’ve been suffering with a bit of mortality anxiety for a while since having had what is classed as 3 major surgeries within 2 years.

My children go to a childminder 3 days and my mum for one day as I work for a HA and my partner is in development so they are out of the house for 4 days a week and then I have one day off to look after them.

I have taken exercise since I realised and I am trying a new diet but I am worried it won’t change anything and I will still succumb to it if I caught it.

I am just wondering whether I would actually be at risk of dying from it with the condition I am in now or not. Please try and be friendly I know I shouldn’t have let myself get to this size. I’ve been battling with 2 very difficult pregnancies and one illness that nearly wiped me out anyway

Thank you for your responses everyone. My concerns about my health started around my first pregnancy when I started getting painful attacks which would end up with me being unconscious or sick. No one told me anything was wrong with me they just kept telling me baby was fine. I got diagnosed with gallstones 4 months after she was born and had the surgery 3 months after that but the whole ordeal went on for a year. Then I nearly died in the 2nd c section.

I think I’ve been dealing with some depression alongside anxiety and now my son is a year and thriving I went back to work and then this feeling of anxiety over the fact that COVID could kill me set in

I am sorry if this post sounds dramatic, I just feel like for the last 2 years I’ve been teetering on the edge

The good news is that you are in a position to change things. You can draw a line under the past. You are healthy now and able to lose a couple of lb a month through gentle changes and increasing exercise at the weekend. This time next year you could be 24lb lighter through making small changes. I think the key is to start fresh. No thinking back to previous health issues. Tomorrow is a clean slate and you shouldn't put much pressure on yourself. You are busy and have a lot of responsibility.

@MrsHusky- it’s okay thank you for the apology. I panic wrote my thread so I’m sorry if it did seem really out there and I know everyone is having a hard time and it’s not just me.

I don’t think people who are obese should get priority with regards to the jabs, none of my posts have said that all. I just realised for the the first time today that I am putting myself at risk by being this overweight. I spent all last year making sure my son was kept growing that I stopped taking care of myself

Your risk is really tiny.

However you should keep going with the weight loss. Being overweight puts you at increased risk for all kinds of health problems, not just Covid.

I'm just under 14 stone and 5,7 and got told I'm obese when weighed at drs. Been think same OP it does make you worry.

I can relate OP I'm a similar age but I weigh 19 stone. My BMI is 44, I know I'm severely overweight and it only occurred to me recently how much extra risk I am at because of my weight. I've been 'dieting' for over 10 years of my life and I just get bigger.

Do you think you could be suffering with some postnatal anxiety though? I don’t mean to minimise your fears around COVID, it’s just that after two difficult births & then having to care for those little babies on top of everything else could have triggered PNA.

I had really bad PNA after the birth of my first son, & honestly, it was awful. I used to worry incessantly about his health for some reason (but he was actually a really healthy happy baby.) I used to get so anxious I’d wind myself up into a panic attack. I recognised it was impacting upon my ability to enjoy his first year, so I was referred to CBT through my GP. The practitioner said I had suffered a trauma birth, & diagnosed me with PND. Once I had linked it to it’s source I was able to employ some strategies to help me manage it.

If you do think you have PNA please feel ok to talk to your GP about it. Too many women just struggle on & it’s a very real condition that needs addressing. I think the post-natal period is so misunderstood still, in terms of what women go through physically whilst in recovery (which took me a full year) & mentally.

Most people don't die from it, OP, not by far. Keep doing what you can to get healthier, and strengthen your immune system too. Exercise your lungs by getting out of breath.

There's a risk, but it's low, and a stressed system will be more vulnerable than a relaxed one. So try not to worry about it. The worrying about it may do you more harm than good.

It has over a 99% survival rate I think you pretty safe

Hey! I was a covid nurse until very recently! Obesity is a risk factor but at 26 years old you're very unlikely to get seriously sick from covid, especially if you have no other risk factors. Just be as careful as you possibly can and chances are you'll never catch it at all.

One easy thing you could do is take vitamin d. Alot of people who end up in hospital are vitamin D deficient. It's also fat soluble so the heavier you are the more you need to keep your immune system strong.

My bmi is over 40 and I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm sitting myself so I know how you feel OP. I just remind myself that being young the odds are on our side and there are new treatments coming out all the time

OP, my view is other than the COVID situation I do think when we have given birth we suddenly become hyper attentive about our health and possibility of dying and leaving our children motherless. This is a common syndrome.
I do think regardless of your weight or any other thing that you might think puts you at risk, you should acknowledge the fact that although the fear of dying is a known thing in new mothers,it is irrational.

Talk to your GP or health visitor, you might benefit from medication or counselling if your fear is impacting you severely. It is a thing and they will have heard this before and will take your fear seriously.

You should be enjoying your new baby, good luck.

Fair play to you for coming back to explain @MrsHusky , I'm sorry I shouldn't have called you a troll. I hope your evening gets better

Yes, excess weight is an increased risk but youth is very much on your side. It’s brilliant that you’re exercising and taking control of your diet. Keep at it, make sure you take a vitamin D supplement and like everyone else, limit your contacts to the bare minimum.
The vaccine rollout is going incredibly well and you will be offered a vaccine before autumn. That seems a long way off right now, I know, especially when you’re young. But with a family to look after, it will go much sooner than you think. Focus on them, try not to focus on what you’re all missing but what’s to come in the future.
In the meantime, keep doing what you’re doing. The statistics are very much on your side.

I’m in my 50s overweight and I had COVID last year, it was horrid and I don’t want it again. I have been taking a-z vitamins and on a diet now. Thankfully It won’t be long before my vaccine 🙏🏻so I’m super careful about everything and wear my mask everywhere out of the house. I intend to loose about 5 stones .

Personally I wouldn't worry. I had CV19 over Xmas and I'm 55 and weight 249 lbs. I had muscle aches and pain but no breathing issues and was fine (had around 3-4 days laying around the house but that was it).

Pretty low OP. I'm mid thirties and about the same weight. Just had covid was ill for a week but fine now. I would think the chances of you dying are remote.

Yes as others have said, the risk is tiny. Even much older people with significant risk factors are likely to survive.

I just wanted to add that although you have had 3 big surgeries, I don’t think it makes you a sickly person or more likely to succumb to covid. Needing c section and gallstones are just one of those things that happen to a lot of pretty healthy people. You’ve been a bit unlucky to experience all of it by 26 and it’s obviously primed you to worry more than you really need to. You can turn this into a positive though if it can help motivate you to lose some weight. A lot of us need this motivation to be fair!

Lose weight as fast as you can. I think if you restrict your calories to 800-like dr Mosely suggests, the weight will fall off and you’ll have less to worry about and look amazing for the summer. A win win! Take lots of vitamins etc and be extra kind to yourself. I’m sure you’ll be just fine.

The calculator was interesting, thanks pp.

OP don't fret, just make healthy adjustments and steps to minimise risk, as you are doing.

It’s a very small risk. While some younger people do get inexplicably really sick, it’s not the norm.

I’m 35 recently had covid and was barley I’ll. DH 43 was also fine. We’re not over weight, but not into health and fitness or anything.

My sister in law had it around Christmas she’s 45 and was heavily pregnant. She’s now fine.

I know it seems scary, but try not to stress yourself out too much.

You're unlikely to die. You're unlikely to even catch it. Yes you might be higher risk than others but that doesn't mean to say you're likely to die. It annoys me that society say things like 'but you could die'. Well yes you could, but the actual chance of that happening is probably the same as the chance of you being involved in a car accident.

It’s unlikely, and you addressing your weight well done 😊

I think you should be more concerned with other long term health conditions that arise from obesity, such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure etc. You’re only 26. Try to exercise more and have healthier meals, but don’t go on a crash diet. Best of luck.

OP you sound exhausted and no wonder , you really have been in the wars .
Be kind to yourself and take care and enjoy your children.. You’ll be ok.. you’re just a caring mum ...mortality fears are normal when they are small .

@MrsHusky nice to see your apology.. hope you feel better soon too