My weight makes me more vulnerable than both of my health conditions?!

[Moriasroses]

Okay, so I’m 35.

My BMI is 38 I have asthma and I have rheumatoid arthritis.

I saw a post on here yesterday and someone had posted a link to a Covid risk calculator.

I done it several times and my risk is lower at a lower weight.

So even at my current weight, with no health conditions I would be at more risk than if I was skinner with my health conditions.

This doesn’t seem right. Does it?!

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5507106/ Info about inflammation and obesity

Not saying this about anyone on this thread btw, just to get that out of the way.

OP, while I'm sure you would agree that you would probably be a bit healthier if your bmi was a little lower, I have to ask you; have you been on MN for long? It's just that, (and again, not saying this is the case on this thread particularly), IME, if you say anything on MN which suggests that you aren't self flaggelating over your weight gain and 100% certain that you are at death's door, you will be met with much pearl clutching, hyperbole and outrage.

Just a friendly warning about discussing weight issues on MN generally! It can be extremely divisive and some very nasty creatures with some serious issues around weight and food tend to crawl out of the woodwork. You get used to it. But I did feel I should warn you!

Anyway, I'm sure you aren't gaining weight on purpose. The biggest risk factor by far, is age. Unless a miracle has occurred, I expect you are not in your old age, if you have just given birth. Yes, make some changes to more healthy habits, but stressing that you will definitely die if you get covid because of your weight, probably isn't healthy in itself. So please try not to worry too much.

@BecomeStronger

What are you wanting people so say? "Don't worry the science is wrong"?

Erm no...

My surprise didn’t come from learning obesity is a risk factor (not just for Covid)

It was from learning that it’s more of a risk that asthma & RA

What did you want from the thread OP?

You've gained weight, I'm sure you will deal with it, but you not believing what you've read isn't going to change it.

It is really bad and sad that people still do not know that obesity is a health problem not one of vanity.

OK so it was a surprise to you that RA and Asthma are no longer considered such a risk. That's what changed, there's a better understanding of the relative risks.

[quote Moriasroses]@1940s

Your weight is a health condition

I’m 5ft 2 14st 11lb size 16
I was 11 stone pre pregnancy (gave birth in Feb)
Yes I have a high BMI but I don’t consider myself to be dangerously overweight or class it as a health condition.[/quote]
You are very obese, with a BMI of 38. Another 9 lbs would put you in the morbidly obese category.

Your fat sits around your organs and in your blood vessels. Your blood pressure is likely to be higher because of it, and your cholesterol.

You are 5 stones over the highest healthy weight for your height. That is not 'a bit' overweight.

Mild RA and asthma are not the issues here.

@Bathroom12345

I don’t mean to be harsh but I have had two children and am half your weight and 5 ft 4. Honestly this virus targets the obese and you can do something about it

Good for you, would you like a big shiny medal.

Do you also have RA, which when combined with pregnancy actually make it pretty difficult to walk.
I had SPD which meant for weeks I was practically immobile.

I’ve never in my life been in the obese category. But forgive me for gaining whilst pregnant, giving birth to my first child during a pandemic, and then gaining more weight, most likely out of taking comfort in food during a VERY difficult time and following a diagnosis of PND.

Hey. I should’ve turned to drugs instead, at least then I would be your size and not obese.

What a load of bollocks.

For (nearly) everyone, the maximum amount of oxygen you are physically able to breathe in is bigger than how much you need to use in daily life. If you exercise, you increase the amount you're using (much the same as you need to use more fuel to drive uphill or accelerate your car), so you breathe harder and deeper to match.

Obesity increases the amount of oxygen you need at rest. Just like bigger cars need more fuel to power them. Obesity also impairs your ability to breathe deeply, so you can't get as much oxygen in. I'll put a couple of links at the bottom of this to articles that give more detail, if you're interested.

That means there's a reduction in the amount of slack you have between how much oxygen you need, and the maximum you can take in. Is that something you'd notice in daily life? Probably not. As long as how much you're using remains the same or less than how much you take in then you're basically fine.

Covid reduces the amount of oxygen you can absorb and process. Because your safety margin is less, people with obesity run into trouble with lower levels of lung damage than those who aren't obese. Their reserves are smaller, so are compromised sooner by the damage from the virus.

The good news is that losing weight will turn this around.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2765111/

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2683280/

[quote Moriasroses]@Bathroom12345

I don’t mean to be harsh but I have had two children and am half your weight and 5 ft 4. Honestly this virus targets the obese and you can do something about it

Good for you, would you like a big shiny medal.

Do you also have RA, which when combined with pregnancy actually make it pretty difficult to walk.
I had SPD which meant for weeks I was practically immobile.

I’ve never in my life been in the obese category. But forgive me for gaining whilst pregnant, giving birth to my first child during a pandemic, and then gaining more weight, most likely out of taking comfort in food during a VERY difficult time and following a diagnosis of PND.

Hey. I should’ve turned to drugs instead, at least then I would be your size and not obese.

What a load of bollocks.[/quote]
But you can do something about it!

That's the good news.

You might even find that if you reduce the inflammation in your body, your RA reduces too www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/about-arthritis/related-conditions/other-diseases/how-fat-affects-rheumatoid-arthritis#:~:text=Being%20overweight%20can%20worsen%20rheumatoid,fat%20can%20create%20extra%20problems.

It's all linked

@Lougle

You are 5 stones over the highest healthy weight for your height. That is not 'a bit' overweight.

My weight for years has always sat at 11 stone. I’ve been under a rheumatologist for a long time and never once have I have been told that my weight (prior to pregnancy) was an issue.

I came here to discuss my risks and how RA and arthritis aren’t as much of a risk as weight.

I did not come here to be grilled by keyboard warriors, all of whom I suppose go to the gym 5 times a week and eat a leaf for lunch...

@VanityWitch

Just a friendly warning about discussing weight issues on MN generally! It can be extremely divisive and some very nasty creatures with some serious issues around weight and food tend to crawl out of the woodwork.

Yes, I’ve realised 🙄

[quote Moriasroses]@VanityWitch

Just a friendly warning about discussing weight issues on MN generally! It can be extremely divisive and some very nasty creatures with some serious issues around weight and food tend to crawl out of the woodwork.

Yes, I’ve realised 🙄[/quote]
Honestly, this place can occasionally resemble a pro-rexia site! Again not people on this thread specifically. But generally. I've seen some very questionable posts in the past re weight loss and people who are overweight.

I am trying to introduce some healthier habits myself, starting with zero alcohol. I don't especially need to lose weight, but I do need to take better care of myself. Maybe we could start a healthy habits thread if you're interested?

I did not come here to be grilled by keyboard warriors, all of whom I suppose go to the gym 5 times a week and eat a leaf for lunch...

This reaction really confuses me. You ask a question about obesity and health, you get some answers that you don't like so go on the attack.

It is factually true that you are not a 'bit' overweight, you are very overweight. Is it really preferable for people to not tell you that and not point out that being that overweight is seriously unhealthy? I don't even mean for Covid really, you'd be OK with that because of your age most likely. But by god, the future health issues you are creating right now will be awful, and that is pretty much a guarantee.

Of course, it's your life to decide what you want to do, however being snarky with people who do chose a healthy lifestyle isn't a good look.

@VanityWitch

I am trying to introduce some healthier habits myself, starting with zero alcohol. I don't especially need to lose weight, but I do need to take better care of myself. Maybe we could start a healthy habits thread if you're interested?

Yes that would be helpful. 🙂

My brother and his GF are the same age and have the same overall lifestyle. They both contracted COVID at exactly the same time/place in March. My brother got over it in a week. His GF ended up in ICU. The only difference between them is that she is huge. I was surprised to read up thread that it’s only obese people in Intensive Care, but it might explain the difference in their experiences.

[quote Moriasroses]@VanityWitch

I am trying to introduce some healthier habits myself, starting with zero alcohol. I don't especially need to lose weight, but I do need to take better care of myself. Maybe we could start a healthy habits thread if you're interested?

Yes that would be helpful. 🙂[/quote]
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4100332-Healthy-habits-thread?watched=1

Here you go !

@hamstersarse

Of course, it's your life to decide what you want to do, however being snarky with people who do chose a healthy lifestyle isn't a good look.

When I have PP saying things like “I have two children and I’m half your size”
I will get snarky.

See this is a problem isn’t it.

So many people are incredibly judgey when it comes to weight.

Because of my BMI you’re assuming I’m
leading an unhealthy lifestyle.
A lifestyle is how you choose to live your life over a long period of time.

Pregnancy, a pandemic, PND.
That’s not really my lifestyle. Yeah, I’ve sought comfort in food during a very fucking rough time, but MN can carry on judging.

The point of my thread was to say that I’m
confused that arthritis and asthma don’t particularly put me at risk as much as being overweight.

Quite a few of my friends are doctors and nurses on covid wards.

Sickest patients are the overweight not-that-olds.

Reality is that the surest way of reducing your COVID risk is to sort out your weight.

I don't understand either. If you said "I recently gave birth and now I'm almost morbidly obese", people would respond accordingly. But you're saying 'I'm a bit overweight' when you're at least 5 stones overweight. Your surprise that it's an issue is the thing people are responding to. You don't mention your frame size, but you are currently double the lowest healthy weight for your height and 5st over the highest healthy weight. That's like carrying an entire extra person on your frame, which is why people are pointing it out.

[quote Moriasroses]@Lougle

You are 5 stones over the highest healthy weight for your height. That is not 'a bit' overweight.

My weight for years has always sat at 11 stone. I’ve been under a rheumatologist for a long time and never once have I have been told that my weight (prior to pregnancy) was an issue.

I came here to discuss my risks and how RA and arthritis aren’t as much of a risk as weight.

I did not come here to be grilled by keyboard warriors, all of whom I suppose go to the gym 5 times a week and eat a leaf for lunch...[/quote]
But sadly you are no longer 11 stone. You may find some of your other issues relieve a bit should you lose even a little. As a society we (myself included) have become conditioned to accept being heavier as normal , are less fit and, perhaps somewhat complacently, to deal with associated issues as and when. Obesity and consequential conditions use significant NHS resources. If you don't catch covid you may never find out if weight is a risk factor for you but if you are lighter it may be positive all round.

I OP i put on weight post pregnancy due to bad SPD carrying on. Its hard to have a health condition that effects mobility. Once my mobility improved it helped a lot. I had a lot of physio for the SPD.

My weight for years has always sat at 11 stone. I’ve been under a rheumatologist for a long time and never once have I have been told that my weight (prior to pregnancy) was an issue.

Well, maybe your weight wasn’t an issue for arthritis. But now you’re much heavier and it’s an issue for COVID. 🤷🏻‍♀️

OP given that you've gained a lot since giving birth and have had PND have you made sure that there's nothing going on with your thyroid?

My post natal depression (more like anxiety in my case) actually turned out to be related to an underactive thyroid triggered by pregnancy/birth. I was eating badly too, but that was partly because I was soooo tired. Might not be it in your case, but with one autoimmune disease already, it increases your chances of getting another...

I’m confused how many people genuinely don’t understand how severe a health risk being overweight is. Not just you OP but a large majority of overweight people I’ve come across are surprised by this. Do GP’s no longer explain things like this to patients? Is it not taught in school anymore?