A doctor has claimed that patients who exceed hospital weight limits may be referred to a zoo in order to undergo scans.
Neena, a medic who specialises in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, often shares videos to help educate her 125,000 followers on TikTok, under the series name ‘Things they don’t tell you’.
The 34-year-old’s latest video stunned viewers, with the claim that some patients are re-directed to zoos and other facilities.
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In the video, which garnered 5.6 million views, she says: “If you order a CT scan or MRI machine, sometimes it can’t be done because of weight restriction.
“I actually learned this as a resident, that if you are over a certain weight, at some hospitals we have to send you to the zoo in order to get the scan done.
“Or sometimes to another facility.
“Interesting, huh?”
A standard MRI scanner reportedly has a weight limit of 350lbs (159kg), while some can accommodate people weighing up to 700lbs (317kg).
The video went viral, garnering 625,000 likes.
One person commented: “I’m an X-ray/CT tech and this is true! I believe our CT machine weight limit is 550lbs and our x-ray table is 500lbs.”
“Yes, a hospital I used to work at would send them out to sea world,” another user claimed.
Someone else added: “Being sent to the ZOO because I was too heavy for a machine would absolutely be the final straw for me. I honestly have no words.”
“This would be my wake up call,” another viewer commented.
Another user said: “Wait in line with the rhinos and elephants.”
Neena, who works in Florida, US, previously shared with What’s The Jam why we may need to ditch our favourite fizzy drinks – warning they could be causing damage to our bodies.
The doctor said: “Constantly drinking drinks – like bubblies, Pellegrinos, carbonated water beverages – is not good for you in the long run if you drink them every day.
“They can weaken the valve that keeps all your stomach contents down.
“Between the oesophagus and your stomach, that area has a valve that helps keep all of your food contents down.
“When you drink too much of these carbonated beverages, it can weaken that valve, and that can cause increased reflux.
“These carbonated beverages can also increase stomach acid production.”
The doctor says it can cause Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) – a condition in which stomach acid repeatedly flows back up into the tube connecting the mouth and stomach – and recommends only indulging in fizzy drinks in moderation.
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