AIBU this is not GP worthy?

[Orangecrate]

Friend and I are in disagreement so looking for outside perspective.
I stupidly took up vaping a year ago. I wish I hadn’t, it started off on social occasions to avoid smoking but as with any addictive thing I had them more and more and now vape every day.

So the thing is, I’ve lost weight recently. Around 1 stone, I was slightly overweight about 11 stone 4 and now fluctuate around 10st 4-6 lbs. This is literally down to me not eating as much because the nicotine has curbed my appetite a lot. Friend is now saying I should be seeing a GP over this? But I think surely I just need to stop vaping myself and I could stand to lose a bit more weight anyway as I carry a lot of fat on my stomach. She is worried I am now on a high from weight loss and won’t want to stop. I have struggled with disordered eating (starving then bingeing) but I think this would be a waste of NHS time and it’s up to me to figure out?

any perspective please?

She is worried I am now on a high from weight loss and won’t want to stop.

Is there any truth to this?

Why did you take up vaping? It sounds like you were not smoking before, so what was the reason for starting to vape?

If you have an addiction to nicotine and previous history of an eating disorder I absolutely think you should be speaking to your gp

I am glad that I have lost some weight there is truth in that but I do want to quit vaping. So I wouldn’t say there is a worry that I want to continue to do it for weight loss because that’s not the case.

Hi, as someone who also lives with an eating disorder, my opinion, fwiw, is that the pleasure of weight-loss combined with the desire to quit vaping, could cause your previous coping mechanisms to escalate. Asking for support now, & checking bloods etc, may save you needing help to wade out of a mire of starve/binge & associated behaviours in the future.
Your friend is clearly concerned for you, & trying to save you heading down a painful road (again). The need to avoid smoking you mention, which is how vaping entered your life, is all tied up in the cycle of weight loss/gain & how it psychologically interferes with your life.
Free yourself, as far as possible, from it's insidious gaze.

I think it's a complete waste of time and resources to go to a GP because you've lost 1 stone. Honestly, I'd expect someone to go into a doctors office and say "I've lost 1 stone" and the GP looking expectantly before saying "And???" (Unless already severely underweight/anorexic).

Sorry but this is totally not GP worthy. Vaping is nowhere near as dangerous as smoking, I wouldn’t discourage you from quitting but I don’t think a GP is necessary for this.
if you were on the overweight side before, he Will Congratulate you on losing a stone and that’s about it. I really don’t know what your friend thinks you need a GP appointment fir.

Tbh it sounds like your friend is medicalising this as a thing of concern because it makes her feel better for not losing weight. Massively projecting maybe, but in my experience some people who struggle to lose weight ring a load of unnecessary alarm bells when a friend does.

It's normal for nicotine to curb your appetite. I don't know if GP is the answer necessarily but as you have a history of struggling with an eating disorder I would be concerned that this was going to escalate and trigger old behaviours- I suspect this is more the angle the friend is coming from?

Your friend is being intrusive and over-invested, and you are being codependent even considering obeying her, just because she’s said it.

Sounds like your friend is jealous you've lost weight so she's making it sound like a medical concern

We don't know you or your friend, but it's possible she has her own agenda. If she's overweight, she may not want you to lose weight and 'leave her behind'. If she's not overweight, she might be used to you being bigger than her, and not want that to change.

People quite often report that friends/colleagues say "oh you don't want to lose any more weight, you'll be too thin" - when they still have quite a bit to lose to get down to a healthy weight. You have to use your own judgment about why they might be saying it.

I've never found my e-cigarette to curb my appetite tbh. I'd usually say any unexplained weight loss should be looked at but if you are just eating less then no it's not a medical issue.

GP can help with quitting vapes though maybe.

Honestly, this sort of thing is why we can't get GP appointments nowadays!

Is it worth reaching out to your local stop smoking service? You usually can just Google, no need for a GP referral. Might be helpful?

You don't give much detail, but do you think you can spot the early signs of your ED in yourself. Can you ask your friends to keep an eye out for certain behaviours etc? Just thinking than a period of weight loss mjght throw up some additional pressure for you, even if it is within the healthy weight ranve. Eating disorders can be slippery little fuckers!!

Hence why I disagreed with her.
but I can’t always trust my own mental judgements so was happy to hear opinions incase this was a factor.

Honestly, this sort of thing is why we can't getGP appointments nowadays!

No. GP appointment issues are because there are fewer GP appointments available per capita than there have been for a long time .

The reason your friend is concerned is not because you have lost a stone but because you have previously had an eating disorder and have now lost a stone. There is a difference. That said there's no point seeing a GP if you don't think you have a problem because you won't take any advice that's given anyway. If you think there's anything in what your friend says then make a non urgent appointment and don't listen to randoms on the internet who don't know you, your friend or the full situation.

OP do you think your friend is concerned about your previous eating disorder rather than you vaping? Losing a stone because you're eating less which may or may not be related to vaping i wouldn't say was a red flag; but if they suspect you're slipping into some unhealthy behaviours perhaps that's their concern?