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Horse scanner for fat patients

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Jan 22, 2012 3:28 AM GMT

I was on a London Tube train the other day and saw the following article in the Evening Standard (excerpts):

"Health officials in London have approached a veterinary college to use its animal CT scanners on patients who are too fat for the equivalent hospital equipment.

The Royal Veterinary College said it had to refuse the request because it is not licensed to use its customised horse CT scanners on people.

It comes as hospitals face pressure to adapt beds and wards for the increasingly obese population in the capital.

Riaz Dharamshi, a geriatric registrar at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, claimed on his blog that he was told to refer obese patients to London ZOO when he was training.

He wrote: "Imagine the humiliation for the patient. 'I am sorry Sir, but you are too fat to have a CT scan, so we are going to have to send you to the ZOO where they are used to dealing with larger specimens.' "

At this point I just burst out laughing. Couldn't hold it.

commoncoll

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Jan 22, 2012 4:51 AM GMT

CT scanners are expensive. I can't believe they have some for horses. It must be gigantic! And why exactly do they need them for horses?

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Jan 22, 2012 7:24 AM GMT

As I understand it, this is becoming routine in America. Patients who are too heavy to safely lie on the moving bed of the scanner are sent to extra-large scanners like the ones at zoos. I think the upper limit of CT beds is something around 400 pounds?

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Jan 22, 2012 7:38 AM GMT

I hate to sound ... conservative....republican... whatever, but sometimes I wonder, what if there was just a rule that, except in emergencies, no one could use an XL CT scan machine?

I dont understand why we continue to accommodate UNHEALTHY levels of obesity.... and within the healthcare system no less!

It's one thing for the airlines to sell an obese person two seats, but completely another for the healthcare system to be tacitly complicit in Americans getting larger and larger and larger....

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Jan 22, 2012 7:58 AM GMT

ZbmwM5 saidI hate to sound ... conservative....republican... whatever, but sometimes I wonder, what if there was just a rule that, except in emergencies, no one could use an XL CT scan machine?

I dont understand why we continue to accommodate UNHEALTHY levels of obesity.... and within the healthcare system no less!

It's one thing for the airlines to sell an obese person two seats, but completely another for the healthcare system to be tacitly complicit in Americans getting larger and larger and larger....

Although it can be hostile at times, the healthcare system doesn't exist to punish or control people. Limiting care for obese people until they're in a crisis is inhumane, and you can see the lawsuits that would come from that. Legalizing denial of care to people who don't meet some arbitrary metric of health...that sounds like a decision that healthcare providers can't make unilaterally. And don't count on overwhelming public support since 2 out of 3 Americans are already overweight or obese. Besides, emergencies would probably end up costing everyone more than prevention.

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Jan 22, 2012 8:08 AM GMT

There are weight limits on the machines... usually 400 lbs. The newer ones can accommodate 400-700lbs.

We send our patients to a hospital with a newer one if they can't fit.. but back in the day they did used to go to the Bronx Zoo for the CT..

Personally, I'd rather die.

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Jan 22, 2012 8:12 AM GMT

MuchMoreThanMuscle saidOh my gosh..a horse scanner for large people.

Dang.. I got the giggles from reading the title of this thread.

Honestly, that was my reaction too

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Jan 22, 2012 9:37 AM GMT

MuchMoreThanMuscle saidOh my gosh..a horse scanner for large people.

Dang.. I got the giggles from reading the title of this thread.

Awwww, I admit that I lol'd too. I'm gonna go to hell...

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Jan 22, 2012 10:07 AM GMT

CT/MRI scans aren't expensive...

HMOs and the American medical system are lying to you... They can be had here in private clinics for €220, the boyfriend needs one and were getting it done here instead of in the USA where it costs $3-4k

When I priced them all in the USA the clinic websites all kept quoting just how expensive the machines were... It's a complete racket

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Jan 22, 2012 10:10 AM GMT

LOL!

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Jan 22, 2012 10:15 AM GMT

adam228 saidThere are weight limits on the machines... usually 400 lbs. The newer ones can accommodate 400-700lbs.

We send our patients to a hospital with a newer one if they can't fit.. but back in the day they did used to go to the Bronx Zoo for the CT..

Personally, I'd rather die.

Me, too. I would rather die than be told that I had to be scanned at the zoo.

But I am going to say something on behalf of those XL people. - I never made it to 400+ pounds, but I was well on my way.

We look at alcoholics and dug addicts as having a disease. - Well, in my opinion,obesity of that level demonstrates a disease as well - some very serious mental health issues.

Only this disease is a bit more tricky and challenging - drug addicts and alcoholics can simply stop doing drugs and drinking and they can recover over time. Unfortunately, everyone has to eat.

Yes, the secret to losing weight and getting into shape is eat less, move more, but for someone that's been really obese - like me - there is a much bigger battle to fight on that journey - the psychological one.

We don't like people judging us for our lifestyle choices, or vices, or other behaviors. Remember most of those people already hate their lives and feel utterly helpless and hopeless. It makes me sad for them.

commoncoll

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Jan 22, 2012 3:59 PM GMT

MsclDrew saidCT/MRI scans aren't expensive...

HMOs and the American medical system are lying to you... They can be had here in private clinics for €220, the boyfriend needs one and were getting it done here instead of in the USA where it costs $3-4k

When I priced them all in the USA the clinic websites all kept quoting just how expensive the machines were... It's a complete racket

I don't think it costs $3-4K anymore anywhere in the US. They're both under or around $1000 here. If you go to the hospital to do one, it will be more expensive. It also depends on the body part. A shoulder or something is going to be around $400, a brain around $1000.

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Jan 22, 2012 4:10 PM GMT

You realize that by starting this thread you have opened the door for Miss Chuckystud to pontificate about the overweight.

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Jan 22, 2012 4:21 PM GMT

sahem62896 saidYou realize that by starting this thread you have opened the door for Miss Chuckystud to pontificate about the overweight.

And who is Miss Chuckystud??

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Jan 22, 2012 4:23 PM GMT

say it 3 times... i dare u

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Jan 22, 2012 4:29 PM GMT

onaquest said
sahem62896 saidYou realize that by starting this thread you have opened the door for Miss Chuckystud to pontificate about the overweight.

And who is Miss Chuckystud??

Just some moron who has done so many steroids that the muscles in his neck have cut off the flow of blood to his brain. He thought that you should dump your friends who are overweight because they will make you overweight... when I tried to tell him that that was ridiculous and infantile, he told me it was the enabling attitude like mine that was dooming these people.

It has absolutely nothing to do with CAT scanners (does anyone ever call them that anymore by the way? Or is it just CT scanners now?) for larger animals or people. Truthfully, I understand the practicality and see both the humor and the tragedy in it. I'm just dreading the fact that he's going to open his fresh mouth and let the roid rage out.

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Jan 22, 2012 4:32 PM GMT

Oh. LOL. Thanks for letting me know. I will keep watching. lol.

I do think it's a bit funny, but sad at the same time. That's one of the reasons I am working so hard to change my story because I could see myself heading that direction. I was too heavy for bathroom scales when I started. It's hard to understand unless you've been there.

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Jan 22, 2012 4:58 PM GMT

Toscar saidI was on a London Tube train the other day and saw the following article in the Evening Standard (excerpts):

He wrote: "Imagine the humiliation for the patient. 'I am sorry Sir, but you are too fat to have a CT scan, so we are going to have to send you to the ZOO where they are used to dealing with larger specimens.' "

At this point I just burst out laughing. Couldn't hold it.

I'm pretty sure the humiliation started for them about 1000 cheeseburgers before they needed to get scanned at the zoo.

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Jan 22, 2012 5:02 PM GMT

I thought this story was absolutely hilarious!!
There should be NO special treatment given, nor special equipment made to accomodate fat people.

Now I will admit that there is a very small % of fat people out there whom have true medical conditions. But the GREATER majority of fat/obese people are like they are because they over eat and don't exercise.

Now the only thing that should be given to these people is encouragement when/if we see them in the gym, or walking on a track, etc... Anything they are doing to correct themselves physically deserves encouragement and repspect.

Tristan

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Jan 22, 2012 7:18 PM GMT

musclefetish1 saidI thought this story was absolutely hilarious!!
There should be NO special treatment given, nor special equipment made to accomodate fat people.
Now I will admit that there is a very small % of fat people out there whom have true medical conditions. But the GREATER majority of fat/obese people are like they are because they over eat and don't exercise.

Now the only thing that should be given to these people is encouragement when/if we see them in the gym, or walking on a track, etc... Anything they are doing to correct themselves physically deserves encouragement and repspect.

Tristan

I truly hope that you nor someone you love ever has to go through something in their life that makes them feel utterly hopeless and helpless. - Just like with most psychological and physical diseases, it's not as simple as stopping eating.

It's common sense to say that people are overweight because they overeat and don't exercise enough, but there are usually deeper problems at play.

And by encouragement in the gym, I am assuming you mean pointing and laughing. - This is one of the reasons people are so intimidated by the gym.

Your assumptions about fat people are about as stupid as those that think 99% of gay people have aids.

FredMG

Posts: 989

Jan 22, 2012 7:25 PM GMT

To the zoo with the fat boys: maybe that'd be a good wake up call for those lard butts that made themselves obese.

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Jan 22, 2012 7:27 PM GMT

Fahrenheit said
ZbmwM5 saidI hate to sound ... conservative....republican... whatever, but sometimes I wonder, what if there was just a rule that, except in emergencies, no one could use an XL CT scan machine?

I dont understand why we continue to accommodate UNHEALTHY levels of obesity.... and within the healthcare system no less!

It's one thing for the airlines to sell an obese person two seats, but completely another for the healthcare system to be tacitly complicit in Americans getting larger and larger and larger....

Although it can be hostile at times, the healthcare system doesn't exist to punish or control people. Limiting care for obese people until they're in a crisis is inhumane, and you can see the lawsuits that would come from that. Legalizing denial of care to people who don't meet some arbitrary metric of health...that sounds like a decision that healthcare providers can't make unilaterally. And don't count on overwhelming public support since 2 out of 3 Americans are already overweight or obese. Besides, emergencies would probably end up costing everyone more than prevention.

Well then there needs to be a systemic intervention regarding weight.... I mean 63% of Americans are overweight or Obese! it's a health pandemic.

I know its very harsh to say 'you can't get a CT' because of your weight... but the truth is, there are a lot of people who cant fit into the machine... and who would not have access to an "XL" machine because of their location or other limited access. It's just disappointing that we are, in a way, complicit in America getting fatter and fatter.

And BTW, the healthcare system does limit people's access to healthcare all the time. It's called Insurance

KissTheSky

Posts: 1982

Jan 22, 2012 7:36 PM GMT

onaquest said
adam228 saidThere are weight limits on the machines... usually 400 lbs. The newer ones can accommodate 400-700lbs.

We send our patients to a hospital with a newer one if they can't fit.. but back in the day they did used to go to the Bronx Zoo for the CT..

Personally, I'd rather die.

Me, too. I would rather die than be told that I had to be scanned at the zoo.

But I am going to say something on behalf of those XL people. - I never made it to 400+ pounds, but I was well on my way.

We look at alcoholics and dug addicts as having a disease. - Well, in my opinion,obesity of that level demonstrates a disease as well - some very serious mental health issues.

Only this disease is a bit more tricky and challenging - drug addicts and alcoholics can simply stop doing drugs and drinking and they can recover over time. Unfortunately, everyone has to eat.

Yes, the secret to losing weight and getting into shape is eat less, move more, but for someone that's been really obese - like me - there is a much bigger battle to fight on that journey - the psychological one.

We don't like people judging us for our lifestyle choices, or vices, or other behaviors. Remember most of those people already hate their lives and feel utterly helpless and hopeless. It makes me sad for them.

I agree. Two very nice obese women I know had the stomach-reducing surgery, lost a huge amount of weight, and almost immediately developed severe drinking problems -- compounded by the fact that they can now get seriously drunk on 1.5 glasses of wine (because half their stomach is gone).
It's like they traded one addiction for another one.

melloyello

Posts: 149

Jan 22, 2012 7:55 PM GMT

MsclDrew saidCT/MRI scans aren't expensive...

HMOs and the American medical system are lying to you... They can be had here in private clinics for €220, the boyfriend needs one and were getting it done here instead of in the USA where it costs $3-4k

When I priced them all in the USA the clinic websites all kept quoting just how expensive the machines were... It's a complete racket

I had a CT on a broken foot, it was $400. Insurance its probably less (I was paying at the door).

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Jan 22, 2012 7:58 PM GMT

This is bloody hilarious. When I was a baby I played with this thing that taught me that square pegs don't go in round holes so I am acclimatized to the idea that some people won't fit where other people might. You ate a horse - now you go in the horse hospital =)

That said I don't think chanting Move More + Eat Less is the answer. That's like saying Your Doing It Wrong + Be Less Hungry. If diets were focussed on fat reduction rather than weight reduction and eating to feel full rather than eating fewer calories (and getting enough protein every day) I think we'd be moving forward.

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Horse scanner for fat patients