Helpful Tips For Heavy People ============================= Weighing Yourself. Most balance-beam scales in doctor's offices go up to 350. If you are over 350, you can still weigh in at the office if you follow this procedure recommended by a national size-acceptance organization: 1. Have an average-sized person get on the scale and record the person's weight. 2. Attach a rubberband to the ear piece of a stethoscope and hang the stethoscope, from the rubber band, on the outer edge of the balance bar. Make sure the stethoscope is hanging freely and not touching the scale in any way. 3. Have the same person get back on the scale and record the person's weight now. 4. Subtract the second weight from the first weight and write down the difference. (Let's call this "Factor X") 5. With the stethoscope still hanging from the rubberband on the balance bar, get on the scale and weigh yourself. 6. Add the weight the scale said you weighed to the amount of the difference between the average person's first and second weights (Factor X). This will give you a pretty accurate weight. Getting Blood Pressure Readings. Most doctors and nurses know, but always check to make sure that they are using a large-cuff when they take your blood pressure. Arms that are more than 16" in circumference will not get an accurate reading if a standard cuff is used and are likely to give falsely high blood pressure readings. If a large cuff is not available, a standard sized cuff might be used on the forearm, with the pulse taken at the wrist. Getting Magnetic Resonance (MRI) tests. Many areas now have open-sided MRI machines that may work well for you. If you are having problems finding an MRI facility that can take you, you might try calling Philips Medical Systems at (800) 536-4963. They make the Gyroscan T5 that is designed to handle patients up to about 500 lbs and they should be able to tell you the location of the nearest hospital or imaging center that has one of their machines. Getting CT scans. Some hospitals use tables that are only rated to 300 lbs. If you have to have any kind of CT scan done, check first that the hospital you are planning to use can accomodate you. If they cannot, keep calling around. There are tables that can hold you, you just have to find them. When you make your appointment, you might also want to mention your size so that they can schedule you for an opening with the person on staff who has the most experience imaging large people. The more tissue, the more difficult it can be to get a good image, so you want someone with as much experience with large patients as possible for best results. Hospital Wheelchairs. The standard hospital wheelchair is not wide enough for many large people. If you are hospitalized or having outpatient testing and cannot easily walk through the hospital, you can request a wheelchair come for you. The standard hospital wheelchair is strained at about 200-250 lbs and may be too narrow for lighter-weight women with large hips and thighs, so be sure to ask for a large-sized or wide wheelchair if you need one. They do have them. If a temporary condition or diabetic complication (such as a foot ulcer) causes you to need to rent a wheelchair, be sure to call around and rent an extra-wide wheel chair. They are available for rent and you will not only be more comfortable, but also avoid pressure sores on your hips and the sides of your thighs. You don't need to compromise on this. Hospital Gowns. If the standard sizes of hospital gowns do not fit, you can purchase your own personal unisex hospital gown in one size-fits-all 10X to bring with you for exams, procedures and hospital stays. For information on how to buy your own gown, call NAAFA (National Assoc. to Advance Fat Acceptance) at 1-800-442-1214 or calling Lynn Meletiche directly at (212)721-8259. Personal Care. If reaching problems are making hygiene and selfcare more difficult, you might find some of the items from Amplestuff helpful. They have portable mini-bidets and other assistive devices for use in the toilet and for cleansing, as well as seatbelt extenders, moisture-absorbing bra liners, and other items for large people. The address is Amplestuff, P.O. Box 116, Bearsville, NY 12409. Misc. Resources for Large People. Royal Resources is a resource and information directory for products designed for large men and women. The booklet lists over 1,200 sources for items from clothing and furniture to health and personal care items designed for large people. For more information, call Vendredi Enterprises at 1-408- 739-4192. Many forum members are quite heavy. If you know of useful resources or tips to make life a little easier while folks work on slimming down, please post a note on the forum and share them!