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 :(

@SuckingDieselFella Please don't think this way. I'd have thought that having four kids makes you a priority.

No, that's not how medical decisions are made.

Knock off the comments about people doing this to themselves so why should they be prioritised , you dont know their circumstances, you don't know their history and if you are actually the kind of person that thinks people should be judged by choices in terms of whether they should live or die then that says a huge amount about you. None of it pleasant and remember you will need to face the person you have chosen to be when this is over.

We know the NHS have put pathways in to make these heartbreaking decisions when they come. It will come down to several factors ultimately and remember these amazing NHS staff have to make judgement calls and decisions like this all the time. I genuinely trust they in most cases try to make the fair human decision, it's not a case of hey she ticked the BMI box for over 40 , chuck her out.

OP I know it's easier said than done but try not to be anxious, ultimately you dont know what will happen, you dont know you will get it , or that you will need to be ventilated. Try to breathe and take a step back (I really do know that's a huge ask of a suggestion)

If you went into hospital now they'd ventilate you. Everyone is treated as they come in regardless of their prospects.

Britain (presuming that's where you are) isn't so overwhelmed they are having to choose who to treat or not.

In a situation where the medical staff are in this situation it's not just the patients with Covid-19 that the medical staff have to decide between. If you came in with breathing difficulties due to Covid-19 at the same time as a 90 year old man having his fourth heart attack and a stage 3 cancer patient with Covid-19 and there's only one patient who can be treated (due to staff numbers, equipment and beds.) the medical staff have to chose which person is most likely to survive when given treatment. A Sophie's choice for hospitals.

It isnt a case of you coming in with breathing difficulties and not getting treatment because your BMI is 40 (they are unlikely to weight and measure you to work it out as anyway)

Your weight is entirely your own responsibility and choice. Think of all the people with chronic illnesses completely beyond their control.

This is important stuff we are talking about. OP there are things you can do now that will benefit you regardless of whether you are affected by this vile virus

But honestly, without enough ventilators medics will have a choice to make. I was telling an elderly couple in the supermarket yesterday that they shouldn’t be mooching around and complaining the cafe was shut and they needed to stay safe.

They said they were war babies and that nothing was going to stop them carrying on as normal.

If they are taken ill they will not be given priority - quite rightly so in my view but they will have family who will be fighting for them.

Do I think they are being reckless and quite frankly stupid.

YES I DO..

Those unsure about this just look at what Italy did. Doctors since the NHS was set up and probably before (which my father joined as a doctori n the 1950s) has always rationed care and decided what operation is worth it, whom to save etc.

If there is something you cannot change due to the drugs meaning even on much lower calories you still pile on weight then just keep up lots of social distancing. My local hospital is now 100% full (outer London) so I imagine at the moment even if you are the healthiest person on the planet no one is being seen there, 111 will try to keep everyone at home where possible. I suppose they could ship us to a different area but even healthy people may well not be able to be saved where they get the virus very badly and need a ventilator. In a sense we are all in the same boat.

However for those with children do try to make sure they aren't the same by the time they are 20 - over weight, even if the parent cannot control their own weight because of drugs they are on you can do basic things like only let the children drink tap water, never juices etc

Hi Fuckaducki,

My circumstance are similar my BMI is now just under 40 and i am Mum to 3, 2 with disabilities. Whilst in just under if i so much as gain a couple pound i will be over. Im following slimming world have been since January, but its now hard get the food i need to continue. I lucky don't have any other health problems, well that i know of! im sure if i actually had an MOT at the drs that would be a different story.

Im gonna try and continue and shed the pounds! but i eat when im anxious and worrying about my families futures is so hard, as i know it is for everyone else of course!

OP can do something now though. That is her choice and if she choose to take her chances with such a high BMI that will be her choice.

No one who has seen Italy and their shocking death rate will disagree. Italy is not Africa.

We must all take personal responsibility whether that be losing weight or mooching around the supermarket. If you decide to take your chances by not following the advice then sadly so be it.

Op all that you can do now is to work hard at keeping fit, healthy and if you can get your bmi down. Self isolate as much as you can.

Maybe look at training videos such as the '30 day shred' etc.

Reduce your carbs, sugar and up your protein and fat. Eat lots of veg!

You can do it, you have 4dc to live for.

BMI is the worst way to judge it, most athletes will have high bmi due to muscle mass.

Xenia is right. There are so many obese parents with children going the same way. If you don’t do it for yourself do it for them.

OP please try not to worry unnecessarily. For one thing you don't know you'll get it, for another you don't know you'll have complications if you do.

The NHS is going to do its level best to help everyone who needs helping. Yes choices will have to be made if they become overwhelmed but there are many more factors that affect those decisions than just one complicating issue. We're a way off that yet. Focus on your mental health for now and observe the guidelines

Fear there wont be enough beds to intubate everyone is why we have been social distancing/isolating a week already.

DS cant loose his medical condition.

BMI is the worst way to judge it, most athletes will have high bmi due to muscle mass.
True, but if you have a BMI of 35 and you're not training for the Olympics you'll have an idea it's not due to muscle mass.

ScarlettBlaize

I hope your judgy pants split at the seam and cause you to trip over your self righteousness.

Not all obesity is caused by overeating. I had a work colleague who was obese, as a child she attended the same paediatrician as her sister who was incredibly slim and did not gain weight easily.

Social services were called in by a neighbour who thought the parents were starving one and over feeding the other.

Lots of medications cause weight gain.

If you can't physically exercise then it is difficult to not gain weight, added to the fact if you are physically disabled you may not be able to prepare healthy food.

BMI is very useful and accurate for just about everyone other than athelets and rugby players and rubgy players often turn to fat once they stop playing anyway.

If you don't like BMI the NHS recommends also looking at waist measurement and says try to be under 31.5 inches if you are female . I am over that. Actually most people don't need a BMI or tape measure to know if they are badly over weight - they just know.

Just out of interest, how do they know what a seriously ill patients bmi is?
I had an op last year and had a bmi of 39 at the first assessment, was advised to lose weight on the run up to the op, which I did getting my bmi down to 35.

Bmi was never mentioned again so I’m assuming they operated on me using my original bmi as the guideline?

Im in a similar boat and im absolutely terrified. Im 2 points below the 40 bmi bracket.
I have cut down this week anyway foodwise as things i normally like to eat are not in stock and realised now is the time as good as any for me to cut down but at the same time its going to take atleast a month or so to lose 10%of my body weight to see some sort of bmi difference.
I have children too and now im hearing the ages are getting younger for needing the ventilator in italy im cacking my pants. I'm the only decent parent left in my children's life, my ex dh is abusive and controlling i would hate to die and for him to be their sole carer.

'eat lots of veg'
I'm self isolating. There's no veg in the shops. I rely on weekly online deliveries. Stuff isn't getting delivered. Where do I get this veg from?

I have what's in the house which is mostly tinned food, rice, pasta, sauces.

Now isn't the easiest time for me to do this.

I'm not making excuses. It's just reality right now.

I can't go to the shops every 2 days for fresh stuff

You mention medications that make you hungry. I can empathise with that - certain mood stabilisers, anti-psychotics & anti-depressants can give you the appetite of a lion and a really slow metabolism. You have drugs working both for and against you.
Be very strict on social distancing even if the children are driving you up the wall. Better that none of you catch it.
Good luck.

I have a box of exante stuff. VLCD. I could lose a stone a month on that

Let's remember the vulnerable group was not set up to triage patients but to show who we should be protecting. This country is not taking all these measures because we don't care about these people. We are trying our best to keep them safe and get through this with as few casualties as possible.

Its emotional eating too. Its super ingrained from my childhood.

Also binging and purging. Stress eating.

My relationship with food is very messed up

I have agoraphobia so social distancing isn't an issue for me.

I did the school run walk daily, which was miles, but now I don't have to do that. I'm happy to stay in.

I have a huge garden for kids (all of whom are slim little things BTW)