How overweight do I have to be?

[WeAreNumpties]

I am really struggling with weight gain on Pregabalin which I have to take for really bad neuropathic pain. In addition to this I have to take steroids for Addison's disease, which make me very hungry all the time. I know it sounds melodramatic but it's making my life so miserable. I'm not massively overweight yet and I could pay for a private prescription but my understanding is that I can't even do that until I am a lot more overweight. Is that the case?

You have to be clinically obese for wli.
And some, myself included, don't experience strong appetite suppression.

BMI if 30 or if you have weight related health issues and it will get accepted with a lower BMI.

I have had incredible appetite suppression, my struggle is insuring I get enough calories and enough protein etc.
the weight has just fallen off me and I'm almost at goal now.

Depends on ethnicity and comorbid health issues - so BMI can be 27 if you are non-white or have certain medical conditions. Otherwise it is a BMI of 30. There is no harm in submitting an enquiry to see if you qualify?

Thank you all for your answers. It seems I'm still considered in the healthy weight range so no chance at the moment even though I am a lot bigger than I was and I can only see me continuing to gain weight. It's really hard to deal with as I can't do any real exercise due to health issues and I keep reducing how much I eat but it doesn't seem to make any difference and I am just so hungry.

Go and see your go and explain the side effects you are concerned about.
You could also fill up on healthy foods, eat little and often?

You can volume eat without gaining weight. What kinds of foods are you eating? If you're able to fill up on the right foods then there's less chance of you overeating on more calorific/less nutritious ones.

I do eat a lot of healthy foods, I love veg and eat huge amounts of salad items but I still feel hungry. I try to eat higher amounts of protein too as it's satiating. I eat about 1300 hundred calories a day now. I used to eat that when I was dieting and the weight would fall off, now it is not even maintaining the weight I am. I've spoken to the endocrinologist and the GP but they just don't seem to understand. The endocrinologist asked me why I think the steroids are making me feel hungry - it's a well known side effect and I never felt this way until I was prescribed them!

I think you need to discuss any use of weight loss drugs with your endocrinologist. If it interferes with the drugs you take for your Addisons it could cause serious problems.
Steroid crisis is a serious complication, my DSis had a major steroid crisis after surgery when her adrenal glands stopped working for a while.
The weight loss drugs slow down the movement of food through your gut and can reduce the absorption of drugs. You may end up having to take a higher dose of steroids as a result.

Thanks, I am very clued up on adrenal crisis, having lived with secondary Addison's for over a decade. If I were to receive the drugs you can be sure I would fully discuss it with my endocrinologist.

No you really can't take the drugs at a healthy weight.

Also if you are a healthy weight yet desperately unhappy could this be something perhaps you seek some counselling support with? It could be coming to terms with a condition and changing body around it.

@FatsiaJaponicaInTheGarden I'm not desperately unhappy with my bodyshape at the moment and I'm generally very happy in my life - lovely husband, no money worries, great job and friends etc - but I live with chronic pain and now constant hunger, which is very challenging. Not sure that a counsellor would help with that. My problem is that, with the way things are going, my weight will continue to increase until I will be unhappy - and unhealthy. I'm not really that bothered about losing weight, it's more I don't want to put any more on and I really don't want to feel so hungry. The only time I wasn't was when I was on the keto diet so I may have to go back to that but it's very restrictive and I didn't enjoy it TBH. The thought of having to eat that way permanently is depressing.

They do help with adjusting to live with chronic pain. Sometimes there's groups but often 1-1. It's free if you Google "iapt" and your area. You get an assessment and then go on a waiting list. But being deeply unhappy with your body and living with a chronic condition are both good reasons if it was something you were interested in perusing.

Ive struggled to live with a chronic condition and I've found it helpful.