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?!

There are numerous posts which go far beyond stating that there is a link between obesity and worse covid outcomes

It seems to me as if, the op is expected to remain quiet and calm, despite her anxiety about covid, while dealing with her physical conditions, a new baby and PND. If she doesn't lie down and let people on here get their jollies giving her a kicking because she is obese and didn't realise the precise risks associated with it, she then gets told she is the one being irrational, defensive and aggressive. People then use the thread as an excuse to congratulate themselves on their own current weight status, which seems a bit pathetic tbh, not to be harsh.

She has said many times that she agrees there is a link between covid and obesity. She didn't realise it was so significant, (neither did I by the way. It's news to me too and I expect news to much of the medical community, as it is a new virus).

She objected to specific posts which were indeed objectionable, in the circumstances. I am sure you can find the ones I mean if you care to look. Then she gets called defensive, irrational and aggressive. Does that not seem a little off to you?

@microscopicbastard here is the BMI ratio of those in ICU from ICNRC. I am also a BMI of 28. At the beginning of the pandemic I had a BMI of 42 and made it a top priority to get it down (still trying but slowing down now). It would seem that BMI 30 plus as added risk and even more so at BMI 40 plus. It's really hard and I support anyone trying to lower their BMI. Good luck everyone who is trying!

Sounds right OP.

But isn’t that good news though? As you can lose weight but can’t change having a health condition like asthma- so you have some control here.

Congratulations @monkeytennis97 that’s amazing!

So for those with a BMI of 25-30 they make up 42% of the population but 'only'31% of icu patients for Covid. In contrast BMI 40 plus make up 10% or so of ICU despite only being 3% of population.

@Lumene thank you!

I hear what you're saying @VanityWitch and I too wish the OP the very best and that things will hopefully get easier soon. It's just that often we can interpret things in a certain way mainly because of our own anxieties perhaps, and to me this is what happened here. No-one was "expecting" the OP to do anything, they just answered her question. People started to pile on about how much of a health issue obesity is because OP kept reiterating how surprised she was that it was more significant a risk factor that asthma and RA, despite all the explanations people had already given.

Anyway, it doesn't matter now really. I hope the OP got some answers that were useful in explaining the risk calculator results, and can gradually free herself from any shame or judgement she perceives about her weight, and hopefully the PND will lift too, it's such a horrible thing to go through.

Well @wheresmymargharita, I agree with your latest post, but that is quite different to the one you ardently agreed with by maccys.

By the way, if that refers to McDonald's, the name McDonald is not pronounced with a "mac" sound. Pet peeve of mine as I am from NI where there are many Mc... names.

OP you definitely have been treated badly on this thread.

Unfortunately though it really is true that obesity is a major risk factor, not just with covid, but lots of health issues. You have had a shite year, of course it is understandable that you have put on weight. Flip me I would have put on a lot more I reckon! It is absolutely not about blame, but the facts are that unfortunately your BMI does greatly increase your risk of complications from covid The good news is, your other conditions aren't particularly increasing your risk, which is great as you cannot 'cure' those conditions. Monkey up above is so inspirational, it can be done. I am obese too (BMI 31) by the way and had a really rough time with covid and I believe my BMI contributed to that (I do believe my asthma did too!).

Yes it's accurate. Being obese ( sorry, it's the medical term) makes you far more vulnerable. That is why the NHS has been focusing on getting people to lose weight

You don't look 14 stone in that photo. You look very well even if it is a side picture.
Are you sure your scales are working.

And obesity is generally something that could be 'fixed' where as RA can't be. There are so many reasons for people being overweight and some of the stuff is incredibly unkind to people who are. If it's possible to lose even a little it's a good idea as it definitely helps all manner of health issues. I'm sorry if people have been unkind.

@VanityWitch

There are numerous posts which go far beyond stating that there is a link between obesity and worse covid outcomes

It seems to me as if, the op is expected to remain quiet and calm, despite her anxiety about covid, while dealing with her physical conditions, a new baby and PND. If she doesn't lie down and let people on here get their jollies giving her a kicking because she is obese and didn't realise the precise risks associated with it, she then gets told she is the one being irrational, defensive and aggressive. People then use the thread as an excuse to congratulate themselves on their own current weight status, which seems a bit pathetic tbh, not to be harsh.

She has said many times that she agrees there is a link between covid and obesity. She didn't realise it was so significant, (neither did I by the way. It's news to me too and I expect news to much of the medical community, as it is a new virus).

She objected to specific posts which were indeed objectionable, in the circumstances. I am sure you can find the ones I mean if you care to look. Then she gets called defensive, irrational and aggressive. Does that not seem a little off to you?

I totally agree with everything you say @VanityWitch

I hope you are ok @Moriasroses and this thread hasn't put you off mumsnet.

This poor lady has had an awful time, one etc and still people pile on. As for the poster that felt too heavy post baby at 8 stone, what did you really want to add? How helpful did you really think your contribution would be?

I’m sure the OP is not happy with her weight and harsh truths are often not the way to go. People have to be kind to themselves to loose weight healthy and be in the mindset to do that. It is much harder to do that with a small child and the pandemic will have made that even harder. There will be many woman like the OP who have been left incredibly isolated at a very vulnerable time of life who have found comfort in food.

[quote Moriasroses]@tropicalwaterdiver

The higher the initial level of inflammation in a body, the more severe cytokine storm when infected with Covid.

So why then isn’t RA (which is an inflammatory condition) classed as a risk factor with Covid?

This was the point of my intimidating thread as is also read about cytokine storms and my worry was that having RA would make this more likely for me.[/quote]
I have Ankylosing spondylitis -- so same as RA - inflammatory / autoimmune arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Im not overweight, so I can't comment there, I'm naturally tiny but IBD means I can't put on weight even when I'm well.

Anyway. Autoimmune / inflammatory stuff is nothing to do with the cytokine thing. For us, our immune system is targeting itself - for arthritis, it's the joints and for IBD the bowel. That's not the same as the cytokine storm where the entire immune system goes into over drive.

Having active inflammatory illness puts you mildly more at risk (but not much I don't think and wouldn't put you on the shielding list).

I take three immunosuppressants for my illnesses & I was on the shielding list, well I still am. But I never shielded. Actually, the royal colleges of rheumatology and gastroenterology have made their own risk stratification and I will find and post them for you after this.

What puts you at the most risk with the illnesses we have is if you take steroids as they REALLY lower your immune system. So 20mg + of steroids plus other meds then would need you to shield, or immunosuppressants + an active flare (which is me, but I still didn't and Ive been at work teaching throughout)

You are obese but you know that. Weight does put you at risk, but you also know that.

I wonder if the people who have absolutely slammed OP know what having PND and arthritis is like? I do. It's fucking awful. You feel dreadful in yourself , you're depressed , you can't do the things you want to do, the things you do manage to do are fucking painful and a massive struggle and you're depressed and upset. It's awful , OP well done you've done 9 months , and you're doing so well. This too shall pass. I can't tell you when or how but it will. I don't turn to food, that's not something I do (and because of my illnesses I wouldn't gain weight if I did) but I absolutely understand why you have done.

For those who have slammed OP and fat shamed her, well done, I hope you feel very good about yourselves

OP, keep going with everything you're doing. I'll post the links to the risk tables in my next post.

Some people on this thread are nasty nasty fuckers

www.rheumatology.org.uk/practice-quality/covid-19-guidance

It says it's for medics but my hospital linked me to this.

You need to go to the section that says

How do I determine whether my patient is clinically extremely vulnerable?

And scroll down and there's a link to the risk stratification.

I don't know why I was going to post the gastro one , I won't , you don't have IBD!

I just want to add my support Moriasroses Sounds like you've had such an intense year.