Obesity Frustrations
What are some things that frustrate you most about living with obesity?
That it is our fault, we're lazy and we have poor eating and exercise habits.
Genetics and other health conditions (or their treatments), too. It's a lot more than just eating right and exercising for sure. I don't celebrate this holiday since not everyone was "free" when it was proclaimed. It isn't inclusive of any people of color at all and we are on stolen land, so I've spent it working like any other day.
you are so right about how a person's genetics and/or health conditions and their treatments could affect a person's weight. It seems like every medication I am on for one thing or the other has weight gain as a side effect. So I have to weigh the balance of the treatment versus the possible weight gain I might have. I hope that you are well and having a good day. ~Shay (team member)
Being that I suffer with bipolar disorder and depression I also suffer from COPD and am oxygen dependent making my weight gain after having five children is literally challenging
to interact with them
They never want to spend time with me and they constantly remind me that I am too much of a burden and they don’t have the energy or patience for my
presence
My family and friends never invite me to go anywhere nor include me in anything
That breaks my heart,
. Have you ever talking with them about how you feel, especially your children? I wonder if they are aware how much their omissions impact you. Do you have portable oxygen for times when you want to leave the house?
I also moderate in our community for people with COPD, COPD.net. If you are not already a member, you might want to check it out. It is a very active and supportive community. It's not the same as having people physically there at your side, but you will find people in this community and in or COPD community who understand what you are going through.
It is very hard to lose weight or even maintain when you suffer from depresssion and when you add a physically debilitating illness like COPD to the mix. I wish they understood that and had more patience with you, but I hope talking openly about it helps. Please know we are here for you whenever you need us. Gentle hugs. - Lori (Team Member)I love this pictire of you,
. Thanks for sharing! Did you want to make this your profile image? If so, just click on that blue circle in the upper right corner of the page. A drop-down menu will appear. Select "Account Settings." A page will appear that gives you the option to change your profile picture. Let me know if you have any trouble. - Lori (Team Member)
The misconceptions about health and weight, BMI charts (out dated and extremely biased), that even medical professionals don't understand fully the effects of other diagnoses and treatments (like cancer/chemotherapy) on the body and that sometimes things get worse and the person experiencing the worsening symptoms has no fault or control.
, I have been in remission since I had my surgery in September 2016 (surgery, then chemo for me). I did not have steroids, but the chemo cocktail I had is one of the strongest they're legally allowed to give, according to my oncologist. They've been using it for decades, and since bladder cancer is stereotypically an old, chain-smoking white man's disease. They didn't include women in many clinical trials until the 80s, especially young women, and the treatment was never trialed on people like me, so the effects I've had, even long after treatment, have been much more severe and long-lasting than what is typical. What a journey,
. They must have been very interested in seeing how you responded to the treatment. I hope you continue to see some improvement from the side effects over the years and that your cancer is gone for good. - Lori (Team Member)
The misconceptions about the obese frustrate me most. We are often perceived as too lazy to exercise or stay on a diet. It is not a character flaw. It is a disease with no cure.
thanks for the link. I am busy with preparation for my family Christmas celebration. I make sure we have some sugar free desserts to enjoy. We have 2 diabetics in the family and they appreciate my desserts. 
That's really thoughtful of you to include some sugar free desserts as options! I have no doubt that your family members appreciate not only the effort but the thought and care to do so. I hope you and your family have a wonderful, safe, and cozy Christmas celebration. 💙 Kayleigh, Obesity.net Team Member
