Too overweight for surgery

[Lexxi]

Hello all,

I just found this somewhat sad article about obesity and trans people. It seems like a lot of trans people either can't or won't do what's necessary to lose their excess weight before they have GCS. Thus a lot of them are unable to have their surgeries.

Obesity persists as surgery barrier among transgender adults

More than a quarter of transgender or gender-nonbinary adults presented with obesity when seeking gender-confirmation surgery, and those considered ineligible due to high BMI were unable to lose weight to qualify for the procedures, according to findings from a single-center study published in...

www.healio.com

 

[Katie]

Weight management can be very tough for transgender people since depression is so common. Depression causes a lot of problems, such as eating disorders and metabolic changes. This is why it's so important that we have proper social support so that we can be healthy.

 

[Emma]

Totally agree Katie. Depression and weight go hand in hand a lot of times: I know there’s a BMI range for most surgeons that patients must fall within to have GRS. I have one friend who is in that boat rn and needs to lose some weight before she can have the surgery. She has her letters and such so it’s just a matter of losing some weight. She’s a beautiful larger intersex woman and a great friend. She’ll get there but I know she’d have the surgery in a heartbeat if her weight were within the boundaries.

 

[TonyaJanelle]

Since the subject has been brought up, is there interest in a weight loss support thread? I'm no expert on the subject but have had some success at it. The key both times that I was actively trying was support. First time it was just monthly weigh ins with my brother. Last year it was a program that my insurance covered. There was more to it but a main piece was the weekly group meeting online. The "coach" was the only one that anyone could see and hear, comments etc were messaged in. The coach was also the only one that knew everyone's weight so it can be done without needing to share that with everyone.

 

[Katie]

@TonyaJanelle I'm interested. I need to lose some pounds, and could use some accountability to keep me on track.

 

[Linde]

I also realize that being overweight seems to be a very common denominator among trans women. It may very well be that eating is used as an outlet for their frustration, even without knowing this.
It is also the lag of moving, which can be they don't want to be seen as not fitting in. I can attest what not enough movement does. With me it is currently because of physical pain when moving, and the quarantaine with eating as something to do to get the time to pass.

I gained quite some weight these last few weeks and would not mind to shed this as fast as possible. i want to look decent in my tankini once the beaches are opening again.

Just a warning, along with all the other fat, it also goes away from the boobs, and one can easily lose a cup or more up there.

Hugs
Linde

 

[OzGirl]

@TonyaJanelle , I have a weight problem directly related to depression, and I need to get from a BMI of 30 to a BMI of 28 by the end of this year, but I can do this, If I have a target to hit I can be very disciplined, I set myself weekly and monthly goals and penalise myself if I don’t make them. I was at 28 BMI before Xmas, but depression since then has seen me gain 23 pounds. I know the cause of my depression, and I have a solution starting in July (New Endo) so I would participate in a weight loss thread, as I think it’s a great idea to support each other through this!

Hugs,

Allie

And I love your new Avatar Tonya!

 

[Lexxi]

Even though no one can really tell because I hide it very well, I've suffered from depression for most of my life. It's just bothered me so bad that I couldn't be the person I know I was supposed to be. From 2010 on I completely quit caring about myself, my hygiene, my weight, or anything else. It's only since I decided to come out that I started taking care of myself...all except for my weight. I know I could have lost all my excess weight by now if I REALLY set my mind to it. But I sadly didn't do that.

But now that there's a possible surgery in my future I know I have to get crackin' on losing this weight. I'm getting ready to join the YMCA and I hope I can start shrinking within a couple of days after my membership starts.

Lexxi

 

[Katie]

I never hid it very well at all. People always noticed that I looked and acted depressed.

 

[MonicaMay]

Well, that's me screwed; I'm both clinically depressed and morbidly obese.

 

[marcieelizabeth]

Count me in on the having letters, insurance and a doctor chosen, BUT not meeting the weight requirement to have GCS yet!

I am for the first time I know of clinically depressed, have anxiety, and symptoms of PTSD from the treatment I am getting by my spouse. Some has to do with us separating, but it turns out a lot has to do with how I was treated before I even knew I was trans. My family has told me before and since that it was true. I never would believe it and never let it get to me. Now I am trying to move on and it is beating me up! Oh yeas, and the threads titte! . I have lost weight, then regained it and my nutritionist believes it is due to inflammation and depression, that I am unable to keep the weight off. I get hungry late at night and I graze all the wrong things. I also am unable to do a lot of exercise due to health issues, BUT I WILL PROCEED TO TRY!

I really do believe that support in all forms can be critical! Of course along with diet, and moderate exercise!

Thanks for this post.

Love and hugs Marcie

 

[Marie62]

Losing weight and maintaining it is a horribly complicated thing and while I am not obese by any standards, I still weigh in way to high, at least for comfort and being 6 ft 3 does not help either ...

After trying this, that and the other, I found that the one thing that works for me is to use an app (MyFitnessPal) AND - importantly - to enter ALL of my foodstuffs, meals and recipes into my own little database within the app AND to actually weigh any and all foods I eat with a fine scale, at gram level in my metric world.

This may seem a bit OCD at first, but the most important aspect to break is the automatic and cognitively unattended eating, since this is where all those excess calories come from and what this OCD like approach does is ...

- to make you aware of what and how much of it you eat
- what nutrients your food contains
- which automagically educates you about foodstuffs
- entering and weighing is tedious and slows down your eating
- keeping tabs makes it hard to overshoot and if you do then it is a conscious decision, no excuses ....
- the app allows you to enter any exercise, the energy expenditure of which is added to your “allowance”
- recording your intake, exercise and weight progress is instantly gratifying.
- the app has social interaction elements if you are so inclined
- the app is safe to use (password breach in 2014, but nothing else) and free

I found that what this does is that I eat way less, eat healthier stuff, enjoy eating the things I do eat and that I feel in control of myself. This might not work the same for everyone, but for those “compulsive eaters” like me, this might just be the right thing and giving it a try costs ... nothing!

Hugs,
Marie