Shopping yesterday, I saw a morbidly obese woman on a mobility scooter wearing a concerning shirt. It stated "I'm in pain constantly, every moment of every day." I believe it was a fibromyalgia awareness T-shirt. I've seen this woman countless times, bossing staff around, being rude to other customers and complaining when the mobility scooter wasn't charged. It was pointed out that it had just been used but she expected that "someone" should have somehow known she was coming in and had it ready. Her behavior represents what I call "weaponized obesity."
So why does her fibromyalgia shirt trouble me? Not that fibromyalgia isn't painful. I was diagnosed years ago with a chronic and intense type with neuralgia. I also hurt all the time. But I know from experience that obesity or just being overweight makes these chronic pain conditions so much worse. And there's such a thing as weaponizing pain or obesity, with rudeness, self-pity and entitlement. Using store mobility scooters, which are designed for elderly or people with disabilities, for example. If you need one, get your own and leave it for people who NEED it.
Watch one episode of "My 600-lb Life" and you'll see what I mean. Gastric bypass patients will find any excuse and then invent some to avoid weight loss and blame their health problems and chronic pain on every thing but the real problem: morbid obesity. This blog covers how I lost 100 pounds and I know those excuses well. I will say I never expected special treatment, though.
I'll be the one to say the non PC thing that many others are thinking. Obesity is not a disability in itself because it's manageable with diet, exercise and weight loss. Dr. Now proves it time and again on "My 600-lb Life." And if people are in so much pain that they have to wear T-shirts telling us, then maybe lose weight and see if it helps. But no, then that would take away the excuse to expect special treatment.
Part of how I lost 100 pounds, without gastric bypass, was to lose weight, the old-fashioned way, with calorie restricting, like Dr. Now uses on "My 600-lb Life." When I did, many conditions improved (pre-diabetes, liver functioning, depression, hypertension). Chronic pain is still an issue. So am I saying weight loss will fix fibromyalgia, back pain, knee pain, etc? Maybe not completely but, obesity sure isn't going to.
If you are overweight and want to lose weight, like I did, let me assure you that you can do it! Even if it doesn't clear up every problem, I guarantee it feels a lot better than self-pity.
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