Would you gain weight to become eligible for the vaccine?!

[sweetlikechamord]

I’m 9lb away from a BMI of 40.

As it stands I wouldn’t eligible for the vaccine until my age group (30’s)

If I was to gain 9lb (which I don’t think I’d struggle to do) I’d be eligible.

Would you? I think I’d be able to lose the 9lb again....

God no, this would be stupid.
You're already obese and every pound on takes so much more effort to lose. I know! I'm there. It's so bloody hard.
Don't make yourself less healthy on purpose.

If what is worrying you is not being there for your son, the solution is not get even fatter, no matter how temporary you may think it will be.

Good luck with the weight loss. It's bloody hard but if you can do it, that would be fab for both you and your son.

Sweet Jesus. If you have anxiety about leaving your son, lose the weight. Healthier in every way, longevity improves, mobility improves. Win win.

Sounds more like you fancy jumping the queue though.

I can actually understand how you feel. Sometimes when I’m in despair I have thoughts like this, but realistically it wouldn’t make sense. Try and get out for a walk with baby every day, it really helps. I was at my heaviest when I had my baby, my BMI was 31 and it’s now 22 one year later. Covid was one of my motivating factors for it.

@VettiyaIruken

God no, this would be stupid. You're already obese and every pound on takes so much more effort to lose. I know! I'm there. It's so bloody hard. Don't make yourself less healthy on purpose.

If what is worrying you is not being there for your son, the solution is not get even fatter, no matter how temporary you may think it will be.

Good luck with the weight loss. It's bloody hard but if you can do it, that would be fab for both you and your son.

@VettiyaIruken

Thank you. I was just thinking that with a BMI of 40, and a gain of 9 lb then I’d be closer to a vaccine which would make me safer than if I was losing weight, because it will take time and I’d be obese with no vaccine protection.

From what I've heard, the easiest way to jump the vaccine queue is to volunteer to help at your local surgery or whatever. I started doing this recently and on the very first session there was enough vaccine left over at the end of the day for all the volunteers.

This isn't why I did it, as I'm not in any high-risk group, but it was a nice bonus (other than the side effects which were quite unpleasant).

Much more sensible, and probably easier, than gaining over half a stone!

my bmi is over 40 i havent been contacted to have the vaccine

do you have to have been weighed very recently?

@TheOrigRights

No I wouldn't.

What about the increase risk in all the other conditions that are associated with being morbidly obese?

Is it true then that people with a BMI >40 are classed as CEV, in the absence of other conditions? I thought BMI >40 put you in the moderate risk group and therefore not called up for priority vaccine.

A BMI over 40 puts you in the clinically vulnerable category which is Group 6 in the vaccine priority list.

I get you’re anxious OP but as others have said putting on weight is not the answer. Aside from anything else you have zero extra protection for 3 weeks after the jab until immunity kicks in. What if you caught it during that period? If that happened you want to be a lighter weight if possible.

We don’t really have any control over when we get the vaccine. We do have control over trying to reduce our risk factors before then if we can.

Frankly I don't think the invitation system is significant enough to take more than very basic things into account. the NHS knows my age and very little more about me. They don't know I'm a key worker or that I care for my extremely elderly MiL.

The invitation uses a flagging system on the GP computers. If you have a medical condition puts you in group 6 (e.g. BMI over 40) this will be flagged and you will get an invite.

How do you think they manage the flu jab every year?

If there is something about you which means you should be in group 6 (medical condition or being a carer) then you should let your GP know.

@Nunoftheother

From what I've heard, the easiest way to jump the vaccine queue is to volunteer to help at your local surgery or whatever. I started doing this recently and on the very first session there was enough vaccine left over at the end of the day for all the volunteers.

This isn't why I did it, as I'm not in any high-risk group, but it was a nice bonus (other than the side effects which were quite unpleasant).

Much more sensible, and probably easier, than gaining over half a stone!

@Nunoftheother

I’m not trying to jump the que.

I’m very nearly vulnerable and this makes me anxious. Another 9lb on and I’d be vulnerable.
Covid isn’t going to say oh well you’re 9lb too low for me to make you seriously ill...

@GabsAlot

my bmi is over 40 i havent been contacted to have the vaccine

do you have to have been weighed very recently?

I don’t think they have started with group 6 yet. They’re still on 4 & 5.

I know you’re right. Just hate this anxiety and worry of Covid and how ill it could make me

BMI is a health risk indicator. Why wouldn’t upping your BMI give you just as much worry of CVD or cancer and leaving your baby without a mum?
Op I think if your anxiety is this high you may benefit from a discussion with the GP who may be able to offer you some solid advice on reducing your risks and your weight

That extra 9lb would make you much more vulnerable to lots of other dangers though. Heart attacks, stroke, etc are all as deadly as covid, and there's no hope of a vaccine for them.

It's better to decrease your risk than skip the queue.

Ps: Don't panic too much about nursery, we've had 2 close contact confirmed cases in toddlers and babies in my son's nursery bubble, isolated both times, but never caught it or got sick. No other staff or little ones caught it either. It doesn't seem to pass easily from little ones, somehow.

this list states obese ar ein the moderate category and wont be called yet

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/people-at-higher-risk/whos-at-higher-risk-from-coronavirus/

What do you think they're going to do, line everyone up in the street and weigh them? The Dr doesn't know your current weight, so they definitely don't know your future weight!

sorry crossed p0ost with you op

maybe might be called on group 6 then

I'm 0.1lb away from qualifying for the jab. My GP still says I don't qualify as 'computer says no'. Common sense says I should get the jab as something as simple as not having a poo that day would put me in the at risk category on the scales but apparently the world has gone mad.

I do wonder if the GP might have exercised her discretion and manually added me to the list if it had been for something other than weight that was so very very close to qualifying. I'm sure weight discrimination comes into it, as evidenced by the utter ignorance of the "just lose weight" crowd in this thread.

The truth is I'm on a very very long waiting list for a very specific type of eating disorder and so it isn't that fucking simple. I try to lose weight every day, trust me I try.

OP I understand where you're coming from.

I don't know about you but the "slow and steady" approach to dieting is hard for me. I need to see big drops on the scales to keep me motivated in the first few weeks until I become used to it.

I have been calorie counting (No more than 1500 calories) combined with intermittent fasting and making sure I go for a walk every day. I've lost a stone in 3 weeks and feel much better but have a very long way to go.

I don't think you should put the weight on to get the vaccine (although I can see why it feels like a quick fix) just ring your GP and have a chat.

Do you honestly think anyone in the NHS is going to have time to weigh/measure everyone and check their BMI is exactly what they say it is, before sending them an invite for a vaccine?

I'm 0.1lb away from qualifying for the jab. My GP still says I don't qualify as 'computer says no'. Common sense says I should get the jab as something as simple as not having a poo that day would put me in the at risk category on the scales but apparently the world has gone mad.

Not going to lie at that point I would be putting weights in my pockets, wearing heavy boots and going to get weighed again!

Gosh, no!

Maybe if I were right on the boundary and just needed to gain a pound or two, I would.

But 9lb is a huge amount.

Surely, any small risk you removed by gaining weight for the vaccine would be countered by having put yourself at more risk of other issues.

I do understand that you're worried. But I don't think this is the solution.

You’re an absolute plonker to consider this. My BMI is similar to yours. I’m about 3lbs loss away from being under 40 also in my 30s. I’m still working my arse off to lose weight even if it means I can’t get the jab sooner.

I’d be an absolute tosser to consider gaining in order to secure a jab and increase the covid risk myself and potentially taking up a hospital bed that could be prevented by getting off my arse. Ok my current weight isn’t risk proof but I’m in an infinitely better position now than I was 20 weeks ago when I started losing.

Do you honestly think anyone in the NHS is going to have time to weigh/measure everyone and check their BMI is exactly what they say it is, before sending them an invite for a vaccine?

I was very surprised when my GP receptionist made me an appointment to come in to be weighed when I phoned up to get them to update my BMI (truthfully!) I thought they would just take my word for it because they are so busy but they said it had to be do e officially.

To be honest if they hadn't removed asthma from group 6 I wouldn't have bothered.

@Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady

OP I understand where you're coming from.

I don't know about you but the "slow and steady" approach to dieting is hard for me. I need to see big drops on the scales to keep me motivated in the first few weeks until I become used to it.

I have been calorie counting (No more than 1500 calories) combined with intermittent fasting and making sure I go for a walk every day. I've lost a stone in 3 weeks and feel much better but have a very long way to go.

I don't think you should put the weight on to get the vaccine (although I can see why it feels like a quick fix) just ring your GP and have a chat.

That’s amazing weight loss @Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady - congratulations

Genuinely considered it @Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady , I'm too honest for my own good! I keep kicking myself because if it had been a few days before I know I would have been over the limit (pre and post period).

There's a lot of batshittery on MN at the moment. This suggestion is up there with the finest.