figmentPez

Staff member
I had a thought today, but was unable to find statistics on what percentage of obese people are also taking taking prescription drugs known to cause weight gain (i.e. birth control, psychiatric medications, etc.). I'm legit curious as to how much of the obesity problem in the US is attributable to that.
 
I had a thought today, but was unable to find statistics on what percentage of obese people are also taking taking prescription drugs known to cause weight gain (i.e. birth control, psychiatric medications, etc.). I'm legit curious as to how much of the obesity problem in the US is attributable to that.
My educated guess would be not a lot.
 
1 in 10 Americans takes antidepressants. Something like 30% of sexually active women use hormonal birth control. Those don't seem like small numbers to me.
And 44% of Americans eat fast food at least once a week. I'm not saying there aren't people whose obesity was strongly influenced by medication, merely that there are so many other, more powerful influences in the US contributing to obesity that side effects of medication are likely a small factor.
 
I've known people who eat healthy and exercise, but stay heavy because of medication for depression or anti-psychotics. It sucks, because they're doing everything right, but there's no getting off the drugs if they want to have a life. Weight gain is a small price when you can stop the voices.
 
I've known people who eat healthy and exercise, but stay heavy because of medication for depression or anti-psychotics. It sucks, because they're doing everything right, but there's no getting off the drugs if they want to have a life. Weight gain is a small price when you can stop the voices.
As someone who's been off his medication for years and STILL can't lose the weight, I'm really getting a kick out of this. Short of exercising myself until I collapse or cutting my portions drastically enough that I'm angry and irritable 24/7, I can't seem to make a dent in my weight.
 

fade

Staff member
I don't have a statistical number, but anecdotally, I have noticed that a lot of people I've been close enough to observe seem to overestimate their own exercise and underestimate their food intake. Meaning, I know a lot of people who claim to "exercise all the time and eat right", but really don't. I don't think it's lying so much as self-deception
 
See, two doctors have told me that birth control weight gain is so negligible that it doesn't make a difference and really doesn't affect most women. And if it does, it's temporary...not that it isn't a tempting excuse.
Maybe not most women, but for those who it does affect, thyroid problems and a lot of weight gain. Not worth it when there are much better alternatives that aren't well known because companies can't make money off of something that you only need once every 10 years.

My wife has Paragard. Works great. Been a year, no babies.
 
Of course, copper IUDs also prevent pregnancy by preventing implantation, where as hormonal birth control's first goal is to flat out stop ovulation. That distinction matters to some.
 
Of course, copper IUDs also prevent pregnancy by preventing implantation, where as hormonal birth control's first goal is to flat out stop ovulation. That distinction matters to some.
To the best of my knowledge, hormonal birth control (at least "The Pill") also works by preventing implantation (it fools the body into thinking it is pregnant, thereby thickening the uterine wall and discouraging implantation of any Johnny-come-lately zygotes), so I'm not sure there's much of a distinction.

Sorry. :(

--Patrick
 

GasBandit

Staff member
From the comments thread:

The hotel's general manager, Carrie Rose Madder, knew the decision might be unpopular. "We recognized that this might be a Firestarter," she said, "but we have to take a Stand. All that's left out there is a Bag of Bones." She added, "the rest of the management staff have made it clear they intend to Stand By Me in this decision."

It has really affected the night shift, who were already working with a skeleton crew. The roadwork that is sure to begin soon, will keep the clientele up late at night, causing symptoms normally seen in insomnia. Considering the cell reception is in a proverbial dead zone, the use of the phone lines to reach a doctor (sleep disorders being his specialty), will strain resources and outgoing lines will become somewhat needful things.

Madder finished by saying "There is speculation that Sometimes They Come Back, but many charlatans, in their Desperation, have proven they're grasping at The Last Rung On the Ladder. The Body of their work is the stuff of Nightmares and Dreamscapes, and furthermore For The Birds. Now, let we hope this will be The End Of The Whole Mess."
 
PatrThom said:
To the best of my knowledge, hormonal birth control (at least "The Pill") also works by preventing implantation (it fools the body into thinking it is pregnant, thereby thickening the uterine wall and discouraging implantation of any Johnny-come-lately zygotes), so I'm not sure there's much of a distinction. Sorry. :( --Patrick
It's primary function is to prevent ovulation, so that there is nothing to fertilize. Secondary is to in fact prevent implantation. Really none of them work if you have a moral objection to it, except maybe condoms.
 
It's primary function is to prevent ovulation, so that there is nothing to fertilize. Secondary is to in fact prevent implantation. Really none of them work if you have a moral objection to it, except maybe condoms.
And even then, not if you're catholic*.


*I have no idea if they're still against condoms
 
It's primary function is to prevent ovulation, so that there is nothing to fertilize. Secondary is to in fact prevent implantation. Really none of them work if you have a moral objection to it, except maybe condoms.
Required:



Also, don't see how there's any moral conundrum about losing eggs--it happens every month anyway and we don't call women murderers for it.
 

figmentPez

Staff member
And even then, not if you're catholic*.


*I have no idea if they're still against condoms
Well, even if the Roman Catholic Church isn't, there are still the protestant groups that follow the "quiver full" theology. Referencing a scripture passage that says, roughly, "children are a gift from God, blessed are those with a quiver full of them", these groups claim that any attempts to avoid pregnancy, within a marriage, are a sin. For them it's not just about viewing a fertilized egg as a human life, they view every pregnancy as a miraculous work of God, the refusal of which is tantamount to rejecting God himself. No rhythm method, no condoms, no sterilization, etc., etc. I've seen some even argue that women who are at high risk of dying from a pregnancy are sinning by having their tubes tied because they don't trust God to keep them alive despite imminent risk of kidney failure. There are some real fanatical whackos out there when it comes to sex and reproduction.
 
Can you imagine how many children I'd have by now without birth control? Don't get me wrong, I love my kids, but I can't even look at my wife sideways without getting another kid when not using some form of birth control...
stienman: *sneezes*
mrs stienman:"Great, now I'm pregnant again."
stienman: "Curse you, seasonal allergies!"
 
Ravenpoe said:
And even then, not if you're catholic*. *I have no idea if they're still against condoms
Catholics technically are only allowed to use the rhythm method. I had to sit through the Pre-Cana classes to get married in a Catholic Church and I definitely spent 75% of the time elbowing my husband in the ribs.

I really haven't practiced a religion in a long time, but my childhood church is pretty. :p
 
I don't understand this world sometimes.

My wife's friend is married to ... a thing. I presume he is male because he smells strongly like a male that hasn't bathed since his ancestors left the sea. He has no job. He wants no job. He doesn't look for a job even when he and his wife are losing their apartment and move in with her parents, and then they want him out. He's obese and getting worse, with no effort to exercise and instead eats frozen Taco Bell dinners. He spends his days playing card games and video games. He does nothing for himself--if he wants something, he proclaims in a loud whine that he wants it, and then his wife jumps for it. No please, no thank you. When he was over here, I had an empty glass thrust at my face with a request of "more water". Everything he sees, he wants, like a toddler. "I want one of those. I want that." Spending money on this shit even as his wife struggles to keep two part-time jobs, with little money coming in.

She sticks with him. Somehow this giant stinking whiny sack has this beautiful, kind, thoughtful wife ... and then is cheating on her with another beautiful woman who's smart and career-oriented. The wife knows about this and still sticks with him, even as he continues cheating on her.

I do not comprehend. Both of these women could do so much better, and then allow him to sleep with both of them while offering nothing. It's like they both want a baby to take care of and have chosen a near 4o-year-old man-child to be that baby.
 
I don't understand this world sometimes.

My wife's friend is married to ... a thing. I presume he is male because he smells strongly like a male that hasn't bathed since his ancestors left the sea. He has no job. He wants no job. He doesn't look for a job even when he and his wife are losing their apartment and move in with her parents, and then they want him out. He's obese and getting worse, with no effort to exercise and instead eats frozen Taco Bell dinners. He spends his days playing card games and video games. He does nothing for himself--if he wants something, he proclaims in a loud whine that he wants it, and then his wife jumps for it. No please, no thank you. When he was over here, I had an empty glass thrust at my face with a request of "more water". Everything he sees, he wants, like a toddler. "I want one of those. I want that." Spending money on this shit even as his wife struggles to keep two part-time jobs, with little money coming in.

She sticks with him. Somehow this giant stinking whiny sack has this beautiful, kind, thoughtful wife ... and then is cheating on her with another beautiful woman who's smart and career-oriented. The wife knows about this and still sticks with him, even as he continues cheating on her.

I do not comprehend. Both of these women could do so much better, and then allow him to sleep with both of them while offering nothing. It's like they both want a baby to take care of and have chosen a near 4o-year-old man-child to be that baby.
Fascinating, in the worst way. I'm sorry to hear that :\
 
I don't understand this world sometimes.

My wife's friend is married to ... a thing. I presume he is male because he smells strongly like a male that hasn't bathed since his ancestors left the sea. He has no job. He wants no job. He doesn't look for a job even when he and his wife are losing their apartment and move in with her parents, and then they want him out. He's obese and getting worse, with no effort to exercise and instead eats frozen Taco Bell dinners. He spends his days playing card games and video games. He does nothing for himself--if he wants something, he proclaims in a loud whine that he wants it, and then his wife jumps for it. No please, no thank you. When he was over here, I had an empty glass thrust at my face with a request of "more water". Everything he sees, he wants, like a toddler. "I want one of those. I want that." Spending money on this shit even as his wife struggles to keep two part-time jobs, with little money coming in.

She sticks with him. Somehow this giant stinking whiny sack has this beautiful, kind, thoughtful wife ... and then is cheating on her with another beautiful woman who's smart and career-oriented. The wife knows about this and still sticks with him, even as he continues cheating on her.

I do not comprehend. Both of these women could do so much better, and then allow him to sleep with both of them while offering nothing. It's like they both want a baby to take care of and have chosen a near 4o-year-old man-child to be that baby.
That stink you smell is actually a powerful mind-controlling agent he secretes through his skin.

He's a mutant.
 
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