I know this is a touchy subject. Those who want to crucify me as a parent for making my kid fat need not respond, I need help and encouragement for this one, I punish myself enough already. I am afraid for my child and she has been in for regular check-ups constantly with her doc, and we just switched her from a pedi to a family practice (where I go and my grandma too).
You see, my daughter is 16 and has a very serious weight problem. All her workups and tests come back normal despite cushings like symptoms. Adrenal probs run in my family as do thyroid probs, bust still nothing on the results has ever been remarkable. This started when she was young very slowly and it seems like the last year she has just balloned out of control. She is going in Friday for a new lab workup and diabetes is suspected now.
She is at about a BMI of 47 and if 18 would be a good candidate for bypass surgery. Doc won't try meds even though we have worked on a diet for some time now to no avail.
Her vitals are very normal on the low side for BP, and cholesterols were fine too.
We are waiting for an appointment from a nutritionist (I hope they call tomorrow). Hoping for a referral to a counselor to help her deal with some of the emotional aspects of being heavy as well as a possible reason for this.
How have others dealt with this with both patients and family? Any great successes or failures?
I am tempted to look into a "fat camp" but the prices are WAY out of my league being a student with two other kids in college, and she is refusing to go. Stigma I guess.
Thanks, and mods, please don't delete, this is not asking for medical advice, but information on a serious condition affecting millions of kids and becoming epidemic- this is an attempt to educate myself and maybe a few others in the process.
I used to belong to Curves and my dd went once and hated it - "too many old ladies". I'd been going for 5 years but I quit.
We joined a gym, a real gym and work out together. I also cook healthier because her father was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome about a year ago (diabetes, high bp, and high cholesterol). He just had a check up and his numbers are all great and he has maintained a 25 pound weight loss.
We walk in the evening after dinner.
I focus this all on "health" and not weight loss - also as a preventative for not getting metabolic syndrome like dad.
She is not overweight but had bad food choices due to her parents - Dad has a sweet tooth and I have a taste for salty stuff. She has also fortunately been active in sports and is right in the middle of softball season. Also, her PE class at school makes the kids run (or walk) a mile at every class, plus weights.
I go to Curves and love it. You CAN weigh & get measured but they don't hound you about it if you don't want to. The focus is not just on diet & exercise but on women's health. I think every Curves is different; at the one I'm at, there are several mother/daughter pairs, and a lot of women in their early & mid-20s.
I wish you both lots of health, understanding docs, and a hug for you both.
I go to Curves and love it. You CAN weigh & get measured but they don't hound you about it if you don't want to. The focus is not just on diet & exercise but on women's health. I think every Curves is different; at the one I'm at, there are several mother/daughter pairs, and a lot of women in their early & mid-20s.
I wish you both lots of health, understanding docs, and a hug for you both.
I wasn't discouraging her from trying Curves . . . I liked it too. But it is all middle-aged to elderly women where I go. My daughter wouldn't work out with "old ladies".
I wasn't discouraging her from trying Curves . . . I liked it too. But it is all middle-aged to elderly women where I go. My daughter wouldn't work out with "old ladies".
steph
Hey Steph,
I know you weren't discouraging her from Curves! I was just letting her know it's not that way where I am, that's all. It's all good.
Specializes in pedi, pedi psych,dd, school ,home health.
Kristina,
I would first call Childrens Hospital in Boston (617-355-6000) or Dartmouth Hitchcock ... and see a PEDI endocrinologist or metabolism clinic ... they are much more geared to a 16 yr old than and adult MD. You joining WW without her is fine, you can get all the materials and bring them home to you. I did that and have kept 51 lbs off for over a year. They will tell you the basic foods that you need to focus on. I bought the journals and points trackers for my dd. Journaling and drinking lots of H20 are the key elements to staying on track. There is also a ww website with a bb for support. the other site i used was Dotties weight loss zone.(just google it) it will even figure out points for restaurant food. Best of luck to both of you ; pm me if i can be of any help!!!Mary
I know you weren't discouraging her from Curves! I was just letting her know it's not that way where I am, that's all. It's all good.
And I didn't think you thought I was thinking of being discouraging . . . . . .
I did see a show on, I think, Discovery a couple of weeks ago where a very obese teen male had the surgery and it followed him for about a year after. He did very well.
But it was hard for him to find anyone to do the surgery on a teen.
I agree that you have to change your lifestyle. This kid started exercising and eating well.
One of our ward clerks had the surgery about 7 years ago and initially lost 100 pounds of her 400 pounds but continued to eat the same way and had gained it all back plus some and is mostly stuck in her home and disabled.
Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN
11,305 Posts
I agree with doing this together.
I used to belong to Curves and my dd went once and hated it - "too many old ladies".
I'd been going for 5 years but I quit.
We joined a gym, a real gym and work out together. I also cook healthier because her father was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome about a year ago (diabetes, high bp, and high cholesterol). He just had a check up and his numbers are all great and he has maintained a 25 pound weight loss.
We walk in the evening after dinner.
I focus this all on "health" and not weight loss - also as a preventative for not getting metabolic syndrome like dad.
She is not overweight but had bad food choices due to her parents - Dad has a sweet tooth and I have a taste for salty stuff. She has also fortunately been active in sports and is right in the middle of softball season. Also, her PE class at school makes the kids run (or walk) a mile at every class, plus weights.
Good luck.
steph