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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Parenting with an obese partner - exhausted

678 replies

user1471462428 · 25/10/2022 13:23

I know I’m going to get flamed but AIBU for finding it hard to co parent with a obese person. He can’t go on rides or inflatables as he is over the weight limit. He can’t play football/netball with our kids as he is breathless and has no energy. His days are oriented round food and when he can next sleep (he struggles exhaustion I guess due to moving around with his weight). I’m so tired of being the active parent and feeling like I’m dragging him about. I’ve talked to him about diet/bariatric surgery but he is not ready for this. Im sometimes scared he’ll die in sleep and the kids will find him.
I do recognise he is now at the stage where he is essentially disabled but I’m just so fucking tired of him. I do recognise he is ill and the obsessive eating is a compulsion but I’m running out of sympathy with it. Is awful to leave him?

OP posts:
mandlerparr · 05/11/2022 13:11

Schizophrenia doesn't normally come and go. I think he does have a mental illness, but not that. Pretty sure that the possession accusations and fears are just manipulation tools he is using on you. Like a lot of us have said, the weights you are giving for him are usually not debilitating unless there is an underlying illness. But another possibility is that he is using the weight to control you. If he claims that he can't do anything, then that means you have to do everything. And if you have to do everything, then you don't have time to think. Which means you are less likely to leave him. I also have to wonder if he all of the sudden started having problems soon after you started having medical problems. There are some people, if you say you have a cold, they claim they have the flu. If you say you have back pain, they will have back pain so bad that they can't even get out of bed. and so on.

MissSingerbrains · 05/11/2022 23:17

Harmonypuss · 05/11/2022 03:39

105kg is not obese unless he's 5ft flat.
I'm 121kg and 5'11".
I'm disabled and have other health issues that have contributed to my weight. I was a lot heavier (approx 152kg) just over 4yrs ago and I had bariatric surgery (had to pay privately for it, almost £10k) and lost 65kg but have put about 35 back on over the pandemic and lockdowns, I'm trying really hard to lose it all again.
Surgery isn't an easy route and should be the absolute last resort.
BUT do you not think that every time you have a go at your partner about his weight it might affect his mental health?
Thinking about leaving him JUST because of his weight is really low and small-minded, to be honest, if I were in his shoes, I'd be considering leaving you because of the mental torment you're subjecting him to!

On what planet is he not obese? Please put his height and weight into the NHS BMI calculator and see what it says. The fact you’re 121kg is neither here not there.

Harmonypuss · 05/11/2022 23:36

@MissSingerbrains

I haven't bothered reading any more than the first page so I don't know the gentleman's height. Plus, even the NHS are mobbing away from purely using someone's BMI because it can be deceiving and doesn't tell the whole story (as in my case).

user1471462428 · 06/11/2022 07:41

@Harmonypuss i suggest you do read the thread as he’s short and struggles to breath doing minimal tasks. If he was 6”3 then he would be a healthy weight but he’s not and my children are missing out on having a healthy dad.

I know it’s easy to jump on me for being a bitch but I’ve stood by him as he’s got larger and lazier year by year.. yesterday I realised he doesn’t know how to switch on the hoover, the heating, the tumble dryer and the washing machine. He does so little because of his size and breathlessness. I do everything.

OP posts:
Harmonypuss · 06/11/2022 13:31

@user1471462428
Yes, a BMI calculator would put him in the obese range but a friend of mine who's a doctor says there are a lot of other factors to take into account as well as BMI and that the calculator is far too happy to put people into that category. He tends to take around 5 points off it to give a more accurate picture coz various health conditions can contribute to someone's weight too. It might be an idea for him to see his GP and ask for a general checkup to see whether he does have any underlying issues.
Maybe I was a little hasty to jump on you, especially as you've now explained a little about his activity levels.
Regarding his lack of knowledge around household appliances, I know it's a real pain in the ass but next time you're about to fill the washing machine or dishwasher, why not call him into the room, you could try a really OTT excited voice or go to the other extreme and let out a scream, anything that you think might make him do his version of running to find out what's happening, then tell him you're going to teach him how to use each machine because you're thinking about going on strike, having a holiday (without him) etc, and he's going to have to do the washing, vacuuming etc coz you don't want to have to do it all on your own any more, he now has to be a productive member of the household,
Filling the washing machine is a 2 minute job and there's absolutely no reason why, as an adult, he should be able to say he doesn't know how to do it, the simplest thing is to teach him how, whether he wants to or not. It'll take an extra minute or two coz you'll be explaining how it's done whilst you're 'supervising' him actually picking stuff up and putting it in the washer. You can make whatever threats you feel necessary, say that you won't be doing his washing anymore, you'll be withholding sexy time or even say that you're going to stay with your mum/friend/anyone and you won't be back until he's pulling his weight around the house etc. If he spends all his time in one specific room, I'd say it's now his job to dust, polish, vacuum etc in there coz you're not going to do it any more. You could even draw up a rota and include the kids on it, even if they're only little they can help to sort out which clothes belong to who or do some dusting. If the kids are included in the rota, he might hopefully see it as though you're struggling to do everything on your own and just need a little help but you need to make sure to stick to your own bits of the rota and not do his, even if you see that he's left the washing up on the worktop, I guess you'll need to get a bit harder with him.
As I said in my previous post, I'm even heavier than your OH but I do have debilitating health conditions which contribute to my weight, BUT I now live on my own and HAVE TO do the washing etc. I may not relish doing these tasks and would rather be reading a good book but they have to be done.
Here's a thought, tell him that his weight shouldn't be a barrier to helping around the house, doing things with the kids etc coz you know a number of other people (I know from what I've actually read on the thread that there are at least a handful of us who've said we're in the same weight range) who are heavier than him, have underlying disabilities/health conditions to make their situations worse, who are still doing all the things he should be doing, so he had no genuine excuse not to be pulling his weight.
Unfortunately, not all children grow up with the luxury of two parents never mind two healthy ones, I know that only too well, I grew up u in a single parent household and my children grew up with my disability but were all well adjusted adults now and I don't think our pasts have been detrimental to us, if anything, in some ways is been helpful. I have 2 adult sons and (partly coz of my disability I needed a little help around the house) they both knew how to use all the appliances by the time they were 5 or 6 and were making hot drinks (all supervised of course) and helping to prepare dinner by the time they were 8. My younger boy has had a love of baking since he was about 8 and as he's got older, he's been creating allsorts of lovely things, yes, initially I did all the bits with the oven but he watched and learned and was dealing with it himself before he left primary school, I still watched him to make sure he was safe. He's now 26, lives almost 200 miles away and can operate all the appliances in his home. He still loves baking and did a degree in food which has given him the opportunity to work designing and creating celebration cakes for the company that supplies most of the supermarkets.
I know this bit about my kids has wandered a little off the original track but it was meant to highlight the fact that a chore (in this case cooking), once learned, can help you in your future life.
I'm sorry this post has been lengthy but there's just one more point to consider, do you still love him? I can see that you've said you've gone out of your way to try to help him but is that out of love or friendship? Finally, putting the children aside for 5 seconds, do you truly, deep down, want to walk away, if you didn't have children together, would you want to stay and love/help help him or not? Many people stay tigers 'for the kids' but eventually everyone is unhappy and the parents come to the realisation that the kids would be happier with 2 separate, happy parents than having them together and unhappy.

JustLyra · 06/11/2022 13:53

If the man has untreated sleep apnea that will explain pretty much everything.

Its incredibly destructive on mood, body and everything. It’s damn dangerous as well

mandlerparr · 06/11/2022 18:03

So, not just blaming his weight, but he is also using weaponized incompetence. I have had infants and a dog accidently turn on a vacuum, yet he can't figure it out? He is using and manipulating you.

ComeonoverValerie · 06/11/2022 20:33

I struggle to believe he does so little because of his weight. I'm 114kilos and I don't struggle with my breathing (and I'm asthmatic) and I'm more than capable of doing all of my house work.
I also have a very strenuous job.

I think you've let him get away with doing all of those things. You're making excuses as to why he can't do them. When he more than capable.

Momo8 · 06/11/2022 20:44

Untreated sleep apnea will be the main problem. I have sleep apnea, and before I started using a cpap machine, I could sleep for 12 hours straight and still wake up feeling like I haven't been to bed.

Being permanently tired will have a tremendous effect on his everyday life, and will mean that he simply won't have the energy to think about doing exercise, let alone attempt it.

Stath · 06/11/2022 21:11

Never mind the weight issue.

Your husband is an abusive bastard.

He does nothing to make your life easier or better. He shouts and sexually assaults you.
He fucks off on holiday when you had surgery to avoid looking after you or his children.

Please leave him.

Blueink · 06/11/2022 21:43

Reading your updates it seems his weight is the least of your issues and anything we post about his health isn't going to make a difference as you can't even talk about it with him. Make sure you have support to get out safely.

BankseyVest · 07/11/2022 07:59

Stath · 06/11/2022 21:11

Never mind the weight issue.

Your husband is an abusive bastard.

He does nothing to make your life easier or better. He shouts and sexually assaults you.
He fucks off on holiday when you had surgery to avoid looking after you or his children.

Please leave him.

This with bells on!

Sleeplessinthesouth71 · 07/11/2022 08:23

OP that type ofBMI should not by itself cause that level of breathlessness. I was morbidly obese and still able to do everything around the house. So many assumptions around obesity abd it really winds me up.
The breathlessness to ne indicates another physical problem.
The rest of his issues could be Mental Health related or he could just not be a nice person.

Tonesbaloney · 08/11/2022 21:06

I had to comment on this. You are NOT being unreasonable. It sounds like you've been a single parent for so long, and that's so sad as it's not your choice. My best friend, now 84, always talked about leaving her husband - a big man who has ballooned to nearly 300 pounds (I'm in the US.) She received a wonderful pension after retiring & was planning on traveling the world. Well, that dream ended: He became too large for a plane seat, too tired & too big to do anything if they did travel by car, and parks himself in the recliner watching TV - for years now. She talked him into gastric bypass but that was HER desire, not his, so she did ALL the work & prep required for/before surgery. He had the surgery, but gained ALL the weight back plus more. He didn't want to have the surgery in the first place. Now he's worse than before, and my friend - who was like a sister to me - is miserable & her health has suffered bc she's his caregiver & has very little happiness in her life. Long gone are the wonderful vacations, the exciting retirement, and visiting old friends & family & grandchildren. Her life revolves around his 'morbid obesity times 5'. How unfair to her. And our friendship has been altered too. She's in such denial & becomes angry with me when I ask when we'll be doing something together (bc she's stuck at home, taking care of Baby Huey's every whim & meal.) I think the worst part is their adult children: Two of whom are almost as large as their father, the other two with terrible addictions. Why? Bc they grew up witnessing the self abuse of their father & thought it was normal. The other two are twice-divorced bc their are no women who will wait on them hand & foot as they saw their mother do for Dear Old Dad. I dearly LOVE this family. But I'm angry to have lost aspects of my beloved friend due to her wet-nursing her husband. She's become a prisoner at home after claiming she wanted to leave him so long ago. I'm pro-marriage so please don't get me wrong. My friend suffers so much now: The girls' luncheons are in the past, shopping or seeing a movie - what's that? This husband's gluttony has negatively affected at least two dozen lives & he sees no wrong doing on his part. Rather, he thinks he's 'the cat's meow' or that he's 'all that and a bag of chips' - when he should have put down the case of chips while he was still young. I don't know if any of this is helpful. I've lost my best friend plus her family so I'm venting. But I'm certain those who love you & the kids might feel the same. 1) Can you have a serious sit-down with your hubs & firmly confront him? If that doesn't work 2) Can you then be painfully transparent & express that you're contemplating a divorce? Perhaps see an attorney before this bit so you have info & can present it to him? (In that way, he'll know you mean business.) I'm so very sorry you are in this position. As one who endured & stayed in a troubled marriage way too long myself, I confess sooner is better than later. I'm a disabled younger senior & trying to rebuild my life is incredibly difficult. There's hope for you now. Try talking to your husband. Wouldn't it be wonderful if he realized he might lose you - and resolve to get healthy & save his life & marriage? But if he's not going to attempt changes, then you'll need to. Your life matters too. And we've learned thru the Covid Pandemic that life is way too short. Very best of luck & good fortune to you & the family. God richly bless & keep you all. With sincere affection & concern from Tee - Las Vegas, Nevada

Tonesbaloney · 08/11/2022 21:16

You must be so very weary and ready to give up. Only those who haven't struggled with this or other issues would think you're unsupportive. Don't mind them, they don't know what they're talking about.

Herejustforthisone · 08/11/2022 21:16

Why are people still banging on about their heights, weights and activity levels? It’s totally and utterly irrelevant.

turfsausage · 08/11/2022 21:21

Pff. If he does nothing around the house he must be earning lots of money or amazing in bed. If not, he should ship up or ship out. Regardless of his obesity. If the obesity stops him helping, he's got to do something about it. You're not running a care home, u are equal adults. ♥

whatsup00 · 08/11/2022 21:53

Completely agree with the person who says exercise doesn't really impact weight. It's down to diet.

Can you replace some of the meals with smaller things? E.g. have soup and a salad or something low cal. It sounds like portion size is the issue. Some meals can be 2000 calories if they're big (pretty much the amount you need in one day). Simple meals like poached egg on toast, etc.

Sith12 · 08/11/2022 22:23

Lies. 240+ lbs... no way he's over any weight limits or any of the other stuff. You're exaggerating.

CrustyFlake · 09/11/2022 07:28

whatsup00 · 08/11/2022 21:53

Completely agree with the person who says exercise doesn't really impact weight. It's down to diet.

Can you replace some of the meals with smaller things? E.g. have soup and a salad or something low cal. It sounds like portion size is the issue. Some meals can be 2000 calories if they're big (pretty much the amount you need in one day). Simple meals like poached egg on toast, etc.

Yup. This is my experience, speaking as a person who runs roughly 50ks a week, every week, and still manages to have a BMI of 29. I am an accomplished runner so my fitness is great, but I eat too many calories every day, so I am overweight, and bordering on obese.

Sleeplessinthesouth71 · 10/11/2022 16:49

@Herejustforthisone
Why are people still banging on about their heights, weights and activity levels? It’s totally and utterly irrelevant.

I don't think it is because his level of obesity does not normally render a person unable to do anything around the house.
Much more to it than obesity.

LikeTearsInRain · 10/11/2022 16:56

How’s it going OP is he making any changes and stopping being so lazy?

user1471462428 · 10/11/2022 18:54

@Sith12 here is the information from the inflatable fun park who (understandably) have a weight limit.

Parenting with an obese partner - exhausted
OP posts:
user1471462428 · 10/11/2022 18:57

@LikeTearsInRain thanks for asking, he managed a couple of days of dieting but is back to eating constantly again. I’m having a flare up and feeling pretty low to be honest. He just shoves the kids in front of screens because he can’t be arsed. I’m tired of just surviving, my kids are great and they deserve so much better than what we’re providing for them.

OP posts:
Stath · 13/11/2022 19:24

Have you thought about speaking to Womens’ Aid or similar? You’re in an abusive marriage which is horrible for you and will be having a terrible detriment on your children.

Please reach out to someone who can help you escape @user1471462428