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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To leave DP due to his refusal to look after his health

264 replies

lonelyinlondon99 · Today 09:26

Firstly, I apologise for how long this is but i feel it necessary so you all get a picture of how desperate this situation is.

DP of 7yrs is slowly killing himself. He was diagnosed with fibro about 3yrs ago & hasn't worked since. He is also T2 diabetic (insulin 4 times a day) but his diet is absolutely woeful. His weight has slowly crept up and is now out of control.

Mcdonalds every day (and it's not just a cheeseburger it's a large meal with a fizzy drink, 6 nuggets or he will order 5 chicken mayos)
Huge bowl of crunch nut cornflakes every morning for breakfast with whole milk
Hardly ever drinks water & can easily drink 2ltrs of pepsi max in a day if not more
Huge portions of whatever he eats. He will get two of whatever he fancies from Greggs (2 steak bakes, 2 sausage rolls & 2 doughnuts ect) or order 5 separate dishes from the Chinese / Indian excluding the rice / chips / poppadoms that he has to have of course. Whatever he doesn't eat he has for breakfast the same day.
He has take aways 4 out of the 7 days. I always make food at home and he will have that too.
Has sleep apnea but refuses to where his masks as he doesn't like it (another reason I sleep with my son also)
Eats copius amounts of sweets & chocolate with reckless abandon
Falls asleep throughout the day

Always moaning his body/ kidneys hurt and is constantly tired
Refuses to change his diet
Never walks anywhere, always drives. We live exactly 5 doors away from our GP surgery and he still drives there.
Has an excuse or reason for everything.

Hasn't got up with our son in about 2.5yrs. I sleep with him as he is on the autism pathway & climbs on the windowsill / headboard and i'm scared he will get tangled in the curtains or unlock the window and escape (ground floor flat but next to a very very busy road) so it's safer for him to sleep with me until we can afford to make the room my DP sleeps in safe for DS to sleep in after a OT assessment which is due in May.
He lays in bed till gone 8 or 9am (ds can decide to be up for the day at 3am/4am and not sleep again until around 1pm)
He will occasionally hoover or wash up
Never cooks. If he can't stick it in the microwave or airfryer he won't do it all house work, cooking & laundry falls on me.

I could live again with the breath I waste on him asking, begging and pleading for him to look after himself. As I said our 3yr old is on the autism pathway, he is a runner, no sense of danger and just runs and runs and runs until he is caught and he will never be able to run after him if he ever breaks loose from his harness. I don't know what to do, nothing I say sinks in. I am thinking of leaving as we are dictated by him what outings we do as he cannot walk far at all without sweat pouring out of him & he has to rest every 5/10mins and it's infuriating. I wanted to go to the seaside and zoo soon (separate days) but he wants to hire a mobilty scooter to use both visits and it's instantly put me off going.
I love walking and being outside (i can drive just hate it especially in London) and DS loves being outside too.

We can't even think of going on holiday abroad or uk due to his size and mobilty. He got weighed at Boots 3 days ago and is almost 27st & he is only 5'9 he doesn't even try and help himself.
He's 35 & i'm scared he won't see 40 the way he is going. His pip & esa never lasts as goes on his huge food consumption & petrol so i pay for 90% of bills, food shopping, clothes for ds and whatever else he may need.
So sorry this is so long, both my parents died when before I was 20 & I have no siblings / auntys/ friends to confide in.

OP posts:
usedtobeaylis · Today 14:07

The problem isn't his health, it's his mind. He clearly has some issues - but he is the one who needs to deal with them. You can support him if he takes those steps, whatever they are, but you are in no way being unreasonable to refuse to stay with him while he refuses to acknowledge his problems. Medication isn't going to fix the actual problem.

DontEatTheMushies · Today 14:07

lonelyinlondon99 · Today 13:43

He was working, he did strongman/ deadlift competitions, he was funny, dressed nice for his size, he paid his way. He always had a air of arrogance about him though. He was a very good looking man (beard, tattoos ect) and he knew it. He worked nights as a secuirty guard at a prison which he loved.

"He always had a air of arrogance"

He still does!! He is taking the utter piss out of you. Please, for YOUR mental health, if he is not on the tenancy - change the locks when he is out one day!

SamVan · Today 14:08

he sounds absolutely awful. he probably has autism and mental health issues himself but that doesn’t negate his negative impact on you. I would save yourself and your son and absolutely no more kids with this man.

ilvautmieux · Today 14:11

He must surely be a prime candidate for weight loss jabs on the NHS? Have you raised that possibility with him?

Charlenedickens · Today 14:12

ilvautmieux · Today 14:11

He must surely be a prime candidate for weight loss jabs on the NHS? Have you raised that possibility with him?

Always a good idea to at least read the ops posts.

Beaniebabe1 · Today 14:15

You sound like you really care about him and want him to get healthy for his own benefit. However you are not responsible for him, his diet, his laziness, the way he treats his mum. You cannot control what he does, you can only control your reaction to the situation. Stop expending your time, energy and emotional resources on someone who does not want it and throws it back at you. It sounds as though you have a lot going on with your DS so get rid of DP and the mental load relating to him will free up some space for you. Wishing you luck.

Charlenedickens · Today 14:17

lonelyinlondon99 · Today 13:01

Yes. Roughly around the exact time he was born. I was in labour almost 3 days and ended up with an emergency c section. I lost alot of blood and was in HDU for a while after. When back on the ward I asked him to help me sit up in bed so I could eat as not had anything for abiut 2 days and he told me to press my buzzer that's what it's there for because his knee hurt him & he needed to go home and rest it. I should've known then really.

Yeah I think there is something here op. He seems to have drastically changed since your child was born, he says he’s not depressed, but mentally something isn’t right, he’s not engaging and he can’t be happy, he must feel physically like shit as well, he won’t like what he sees in the mirror, so I’d say something is very wrong mentally,

he also sounds deeply unpleasant, misogynistic. You don’t want your son to grow up thinking this is how women should be treated, did his father treat his mother badly?

i don’t think it’s going to self resolve. I’m sorry, I think the only option is for you to kick him out.

Terfedout · Today 14:24

He sounds disgusting. I don't know how you can not leave him to be honest.

Terfedout · Today 14:28

LadyKenya · Today 09:50

I don't think people should lay into a character assignation of your partner as he's clearly spiralling, but that doesn't change the fact that you are not being unreasonable.

This. The name calling is uncalled for, he is clearly unwell mentally. Why would someone mentally healthy behave in such a destructive manner? They don't.

I don't think it's helpful to make excuses for this. It's a vile way to live and I don't care if that offends people. It needs to be said, and if he wants to kill himself then fine, but OP should not be dragged down with him. And he has a dependant child which makes his behaviour completely unforgivable.

deeahgwitch · Today 14:30

watchingthishtread · Today 13:58

I may ask his mum to have a word with his uncle to have a word with him.

Don't bother. He knows what he's doing. Cut your loses.

I agree.
Thank you for replying @lonelyinlondon99re what he was like when you first met him.
What changed with him ?

ChristmasCwtch · Today 14:32

He sounds revolting, he’s not a partner, he’s a liability and will ruin your quality of life.

You should ask him to leave.

FashionVixen · Today 14:33

lonelyinlondon99 · Today 09:26

Firstly, I apologise for how long this is but i feel it necessary so you all get a picture of how desperate this situation is.

DP of 7yrs is slowly killing himself. He was diagnosed with fibro about 3yrs ago & hasn't worked since. He is also T2 diabetic (insulin 4 times a day) but his diet is absolutely woeful. His weight has slowly crept up and is now out of control.

Mcdonalds every day (and it's not just a cheeseburger it's a large meal with a fizzy drink, 6 nuggets or he will order 5 chicken mayos)
Huge bowl of crunch nut cornflakes every morning for breakfast with whole milk
Hardly ever drinks water & can easily drink 2ltrs of pepsi max in a day if not more
Huge portions of whatever he eats. He will get two of whatever he fancies from Greggs (2 steak bakes, 2 sausage rolls & 2 doughnuts ect) or order 5 separate dishes from the Chinese / Indian excluding the rice / chips / poppadoms that he has to have of course. Whatever he doesn't eat he has for breakfast the same day.
He has take aways 4 out of the 7 days. I always make food at home and he will have that too.
Has sleep apnea but refuses to where his masks as he doesn't like it (another reason I sleep with my son also)
Eats copius amounts of sweets & chocolate with reckless abandon
Falls asleep throughout the day

Always moaning his body/ kidneys hurt and is constantly tired
Refuses to change his diet
Never walks anywhere, always drives. We live exactly 5 doors away from our GP surgery and he still drives there.
Has an excuse or reason for everything.

Hasn't got up with our son in about 2.5yrs. I sleep with him as he is on the autism pathway & climbs on the windowsill / headboard and i'm scared he will get tangled in the curtains or unlock the window and escape (ground floor flat but next to a very very busy road) so it's safer for him to sleep with me until we can afford to make the room my DP sleeps in safe for DS to sleep in after a OT assessment which is due in May.
He lays in bed till gone 8 or 9am (ds can decide to be up for the day at 3am/4am and not sleep again until around 1pm)
He will occasionally hoover or wash up
Never cooks. If he can't stick it in the microwave or airfryer he won't do it all house work, cooking & laundry falls on me.

I could live again with the breath I waste on him asking, begging and pleading for him to look after himself. As I said our 3yr old is on the autism pathway, he is a runner, no sense of danger and just runs and runs and runs until he is caught and he will never be able to run after him if he ever breaks loose from his harness. I don't know what to do, nothing I say sinks in. I am thinking of leaving as we are dictated by him what outings we do as he cannot walk far at all without sweat pouring out of him & he has to rest every 5/10mins and it's infuriating. I wanted to go to the seaside and zoo soon (separate days) but he wants to hire a mobilty scooter to use both visits and it's instantly put me off going.
I love walking and being outside (i can drive just hate it especially in London) and DS loves being outside too.

We can't even think of going on holiday abroad or uk due to his size and mobilty. He got weighed at Boots 3 days ago and is almost 27st & he is only 5'9 he doesn't even try and help himself.
He's 35 & i'm scared he won't see 40 the way he is going. His pip & esa never lasts as goes on his huge food consumption & petrol so i pay for 90% of bills, food shopping, clothes for ds and whatever else he may need.
So sorry this is so long, both my parents died when before I was 20 & I have no siblings / auntys/ friends to confide in.

You sound lovely, OP and you deserve so much better. Wishing you the best.

lxn889121 · Today 14:38

lonelyinlondon99 · Today 10:07

I know the man he was and can be again if he only tried. I love him dearly & that's why i try to get him to help himself. I just don't know how long i can waste my breath & my sons childhood on him.

In that case - personally I would try a strong wake-up call.

I'd tell him that he needs to leave and sort himself out... but if and when he gets his life under control, you and his son will be here for him. But until they you can't sit around and watch hm die and need increasing care.

If moving back with his mum (as I presume he would have to do) and seeing the near end of his relationship with his partner and son aren't enough to spur a desire to seek help, then I'm not sure anything will, and it is probably best it is over.

Walker1178 · Today 14:42

When you have DC you have to at least try to be a good role model. If you don’t LTB for your own health and wellbeing do it for your DS. This is not a healthy lifestyle and he doesn’t need to watch his dad slowly killing himself

JenniferBooth · Today 14:44

Fluffordirt · Today 10:27

Surely people cannot get PIP for letting themselves get so fat it hurts to move though?

Druggies and alkies get it.

SpryTaupeTurtle · Today 14:46

JenniferBooth · Today 14:44

Druggies and alkies get it.

Reporting this. You have form for hating on benefits claimants

BettyBoh · Today 14:51

This sounds so hard for you OP.
you are going to end up as a full-time carer for both son and husband. That is no life for you.
your husband should be sharing the load of looking after an autistic child. His weight anf lifestyle don’t permit him to do that. He has let it get so bad that it would be a lot of work to change it. He does not have the mental strength to do so.

i could go into the detail of what might be going on psychologically but it’s not worth the time. He obviously has huge mental health issues, addiction problems, dependency problems and denial problems.

I do wonder if he is doing it because he wants to get to the point where you have to look after all responsibilty in the household. It’s sabotage and it is awful for everyone. He is sabotaging your life for the sake of being in “control”. He gets to control everything by having no responsibility whatsoever.

i also think you need to look at the future with a severely autistic child and realise things will just get harder for you.

please set up a future for you and your son which is the best future for you both. At the moment that would be without your husband as it stands. You cannot change him. Only he can change him.

LoyalMember · Today 14:55

Why on Earth are you still with this fat, useless mess? You and your son deserve better.

LoyalMember · Today 14:56

This reply has been deleted

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SpryTaupeTurtle · Today 14:56

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SpryTaupeTurtle · Today 14:57

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SpryTaupeTurtle · Today 14:57

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Nice edit from the post that just said grass.

LoyalMember · Today 14:58

SpryTaupeTurtle · Today 14:57

Nice edit from the post that just said grass.

Three in a row. You're on a roll...👏

SpryTaupeTurtle · Today 15:00

LoyalMember · Today 14:58

Three in a row. You're on a roll...👏

Off you go. Shoo

LoyalMember · Today 15:01

SpryTaupeTurtle · Today 15:00

Off you go. Shoo

😆