My BMI is 40 are they less likely to ventilate me?

[FuckADuckie]

If I did get it because I'm on the list of secondary issues?

I just read this somewhere and am terrified now :(

I would focus on how, unlike the majority of conditions and factors that place people at risk, you are able to change yours under your own steam. You may not become infected in a week so please don't resign yourself to your current situation and, instead, get started on improving your health as a gift for your children.

Wow. @scarlettBlaise, this is not your finest hour i'm sure.

Put down the microphone and go and do something productive.

I walk miles everyday. I'm not fit but I'm not unfit either.

I take a cocktail of medication for mental health issues and unfortunately the cocktail that seems to work for my head does nothing for my appetite and weight.
It's not ideal but like the doctor said better overweight than the alternative in my case.

I do not mean this nastily but at 4 stone over a BMI of 40 you are morbidly obese, it’s called morbid for a reason. It’s much harder to ventilate an obese person compared to someone with a healthy BMI.
I would take this time to evaluate your eating habits, try and lose some weight

Think about this, a fit elderly person will be lower priority than you a younger person with children.
There’s nothing I can do about being over 60. You can do something about your bmi.
That’s not to have a dig but just to show a different perspective.
So for your own and your children’s sake don’t panic but think seriously if you want to always be worrying about your health due to your bmi.

The reason that everyone needs to social distance NOW is that we are trying to keep the numbers low enough that these ethical decisions don’t need to be made.

My BMI was 41 in January when news of the CV started I took a good hard look at myself and made positive changes so that I could be around for my children. My BMI is now 35. Don’t crash diet but do make positive changes now, let this be the moment that you realise being obese is putting yourself health in jeopardy regardless and you can do something about it.

We are self isolating for 12 weeks as our children are incredibly vulnerable. In that 12 weeks I am going to lose another 2 stone, I am determined!

The medics only take physical capability of surviving when deciding who to treat and what treatment they're able to offer. Social and family circumstances are irrelevant and, in an emergency with overworked staff, they don't have time to even be aware of patient's circumstances.

Try to remain away from others and work quickly on losing weight if you can. Low carbing is quick and effective and the hunger goes in a few days. Try to get some exercise in to strengthen heart and lungs.

I'M NOT 4 STONE OVER 40.

MY BMI IS 40. ON THE DOT

I JUST SAID 4 STONE RANDOMLY.

Fuck this is bringing out the worst in people. Some of you are acting like absolute cunts. How about thinking about the real person behind the screen before posting?

This

OP I have a high BMI and am similarly terrified. I’m only in my 40s with 2 kids. I’ve actually lost 10 lbs in the last couple of weeks but I am still a good bit off BMI of 40. I suppose we need to try and be rational and think that the chances of getting such serious complications are still low.

They will allocate resources according to the triage system that will be in place.
BMI over 40 is likely to be one of the criteria.
The good news is that assuming you are WFH you will have opportunity (and responsibility if you have young children) to change your BMI over the coming months unlike most others who cannot change the condition which puts them in a higher risk category.

If you can, maybe start small by avoiding anything which contains palm oil or rapeseed oil (olive oil and butter are much better) and more fresh fruit and veg- that’s a pretty easy change- there is evidence that fats containing a lot of omega 6 (lots in processed food as has long shelf life) push your body’s set point for weight upwards so it is very hard to override that.

Lots of things are going to be difficult and not in the control of any of us, including whether we are triaged into or out of ICU/ ventilator treatment if we need it, but - making a positive change in your (and your children’s? ) eating habits IS something you have control over and could be a life long positive outcome.

Don’t panic, act.

unfortunately the cocktail that seems to work for my head does nothing for my appetite and weight

Hunger is a lot like running, half of the improvements you see come from teaching yourself what your body is capable of. I intermittently fast to reduce my risk of diabetes and the first time was a day spent thinking of nothing but food; now my body is used to it, it puts up much less of a protest and I'm just mildly hungry after 24hrs of not eating.

I'm an ex ITU nurse. The decision over treatment is a very complex one and certainly doesn't come down to 'fat - no, slim - yes'. I have looked after many morbidly obese patients in my time, some so obese that there was hardly room to turn them in the bed (there is no judgement there, just illustrating that patients who are very fat still get treated).

There will be difficult decisions to be made, but there are always difficult decisions to be made. Many times doctors would discuss a patient who was in A&E or on the ward and come to the conclusion that they were not going to benefit from ICU care (ie. they were too sick/frail or their conditions would not allow the aggressive treatment required to make them better) and those doctors knew that in saying 'no' to ICU/HDU care they were basically saying they should die.

So please don't think that there is anything unusual about assessing the care that can realistically be given in ICU/HDU and don't assume that your weight would be the deciding factor. This is a crisis situation, but ultimately all medical staff want every patient who can get better to do so.

Focus on staying as well as you can, eat well (nutritionally) and exercise where you can. Stay warm and well hydrated. That will make you a much better candidate for ICU/HDU if you ever need it.

Do not do a crash diet at this time - people who are nutritionally compromised fare far worse in HDU/ICU than patients who have had good nutrition.

No point in scaring yourself. Maybe your white blood cell count is high and it just passes you by

@Emcont

ScarlettBlaize oh fuck off. You know NOTHING about the OP.

I know she's morbidly obese and doesn't think that should affect her treatment, which is what is being discussed here. I don't need to know her life story to comment on the question she raised.

Take some heart from @makingmiracles please try not to be so frightened, I know it's hard. Reduce your contact with people to reduce your chances of getting it. We are all being careful with food now so you could use this situation to help you get healthier. Me and my little boy will be bouncing around with Joe wicks on Monday morning, we will see you there. Please ignore the spite, it's pathetic really, shame on them.

@SFCA
Well done ⭐️⭐️

Try not to worry OP. The stress is not going to do you any good. The important thing is to self isolate as much as you can. If you can lose a little weight you will also be at less risk so just try to work on that without stressing out too much.

A BMI of 40 is morbidly obese. There's no arguing with that.

If you are in hospital and there's one bed and the choice is BMI of 40 or BMI 20 and all other factors are the same, the doctors will choose BMI 20. This is a fact.

OPs BMI is clearly high due to the drugs. They can make you pile on weight. This is a fact.

OP the onus is on you I'm afraid. No one else can lower your BMI. The drugs make it harder but you can do this!

Just to echo PP who have pointed out that these decisions won't be made based on ethical or moral judgements. It will be purely based on chances of survival at that particular time.

To expect doctors to make decisions based on anything else would be horrifying

Since those hardest hit by the virus tend to be those who are elderly or have pre-existing conditions, most of the people being assessed will have complications of some sort.

There is such a stigma about health conditions associated with being obese, often more than of people suffering from addiction. It is not helpful and certainly will not help those who are in this category lose weight safely and long-term.

Try to focus on things you can change. Try to stop worrying about things you cannot influence. Easier said than done I realise.

Things you CAN change

Maybe try to use this time to start shedding some of the extra pounds?
Worry might help if you can turn it into not eating rather than over eating. I usually do the latter but I am trying to change that!

Look at some on line exercise programmes for heavier people. You CAN work on fitness.

Make sure you self isolate to the extent you can and that your family members do as well. Wash hands etc. You won’t need treatment if you do not get it. You CAN change your risk level.

Who will actually get hospital treatment will depend on so many factors which none of us can alter.

• how badly they get it (in China some sick 103 year olds have recovered while some healthy people have not so that is random and out of your control)

• when they get it ( more beds available at the start and end of the epidemic than at the height)

• where they get it ( some places have more resources than others)

@NotEverythingIsBlackandwhite Try not to worry OP. I think if you caught it and they find you have 4 children, the need for them to keep their parent if at all possible, would be a counter argument to your weight. The decision would be taken based on all relevant information.

Please be very mindful about spreading inaccurate information.

The decision whether or not to ventilate someone would have nothing at all to do with how many children they have, but everything to do with the likely outcome of any intervention I.e chance of survival

'you are in hospital and there's one bed and the choice is BMI of 40 or BMI 20 and all other factors are the same, the doctors will choose BMI 20. This is a fact.'

Why on earth would you say this?? What next, tell smokers they will be crossed off the ICU list too?

Op, please don't worry. Socially distance yourself, handwash. That's all we can do.

I’m sorry but it seems to only have just dawned on people (especially the over 70s round our way it seems ) that this is exactly why we are self isolating, trashing the economy and changing our whole way of life. It’s because there are no where near enough ICU’s. Yes doctors will chose who gets them by who is most likely to survive. They will have to watch everyone else die. I think the gov. Should be open about this and it might stop all these bloody pensioners galavanting about like they are invincible. They will not be treated. I know my mum wouldn’t be treated if she were to get it. It’s horrible.

Helpful advice from Lougle

My BMI is around 30. This crisis has given me a wake up call and I am already trying to cut back (which I'm also doing to minimise supermarket visits) to be healthier for my kids.
If I get a second chance I will not let myself become vulnerable again. I can control this.

I have put on 2.5 stone in recent years through stress of work. My BP also rides high (yet work even more stressful right now so double edged sword).
Losing weight and exercise will help towards lowering BP.

I'll be like Bette Middler in Ruthless People at the end of all this!

Take 12 minutes to watch thiswww.ted.com/talks/sandra_aamodt_why_dieting_doesn_t_usually_work/discussion?referrer=playlist-talks_to_form_better_habits