AIBU to think it's time for the NHS to do itself a favour and make WL injections readily available.

People on these types of threads are obsessed with loose skin.

Its not mandatory to get it removed, people seem to think it is!!

I have it, one day I might decide to do something about it, but right now Im just enjoying a new life!

@thereiscustardinthejamtart that’s per month

That's per month, not per week

I totally agree OP. There literally is a magic 'pill' (injection) to solve the obesity crisis and will massively improve the NHS as all the overweight people will obviously be healthier. And yet it's still not available for most people.

I just looked it up. £200 per week privately!!!

I had no idea it was so expensive, although I expect considerably cheaper to the NHS.

I agree with you though OP.

For the same reason they fund smoking cessation and “exercise on referral” - it’s cheaper in the long run for all the reasons the OP outlined. In fact, most common medical interventions can be avoided if a person made lifestyle changes. So should we stop treating type 2 diabetes, depression, anorexia nervosa, coronary heart disease…

Cost-benefit analyses of these drugs has already been undertaken as part of the NICE evaluation process. This will have factored in predicted savings associated with delaying or averting obesity-related comorbidities and complications. If they are not recommended for a particular group, that's because the analysis suggests they will not be cost effective at current pricing.

The major problem is that the data show that about two thirds of the weight lost is regained within a year of stopping the drug. Therefore if they are prescribed for a limited period they are postponing rather than preventing the obesity-related issues, therefore not reducing the costs as much as you might think. The alternative would be that they are prescribed indefinitely, but then it's much harder to offset the enormous cost of the drugs.

I do understand how it works and the effects it has (although I would suggest if your appetite is suppressed to that point you may need a lower dose as you should always manage to eat TDEE minus 500cals including a good amount of protein to maintain health, metabolism and weight loss. Ideally the drug should help override urges to overeat without nausea or totally suppressed appetite)
What I am suggesting is that the input required to encourage patients with no understanding of nutrition and no previous experience of eating well to eat healthily would be huge. A lot of the patients I have worked with do not choose to diet even knowing that their health is impacted and, on this drug, would exist on e.g. one slice of pizza a day then rebound when off it

YANBU, I have several health problems including an underactive thyroid, the consultant at the Pain Clinic felt I would be an ideal candidate for the injections. I have been referred by my GP at the consultant’s request to the dieticians at the local hospital. I received a letter saying I had been put on the waiting list and they would be in touch when I reached the top of the list. When I looked on their website the wait is around 3 years, and they hope at some point to offer weight loss medication to a wider group of patients, as per PP they implied that weight loss surgery might be offered at an earlier stage!

I have decided to pay myself for Mounjaro, I have lost and kept off 10kg since last summer and reversed being pre diabetic, but it is very hard, especially as I have a chronic pain condition as well.

I suggest those judging people who are obese read Chris Van Tulleken’s book Ultra Processed People, he is very clear that people who struggle with their weight have tried much harder to lose weight than anyone who has never been overweight can ever imagine. There is much research into obesity that indicates it is almost impossible to overcome it with diet and exercise alone, I can also recommend Why We Eat Too Much by Andrew Jenkinson to explain the science behind this.

There is approximately 10-15 year gap between research and practice. Chances are, the drug will be available on the NHS in the future, but there is along process of evaluating evidence, doing risk vs cost vs benefit analysis and amending NICE guidelines.
The same process happens with most medications and it is annoyingly long, but sometimes, necessary process. Just remember how much uncertainty and publicity there was around covid vaccine being expedited due to unknown long-term effects. Public wasn’t happy about it and, you can see on this thread that the public isn’t happy about WL injections either.

Why should the already underfunded NHS have to fund blatant lack of willpower? I’ll admit that I’m a bit overweight at the minute. I need to get a grip, eat less and move more, so I will. It’s that simple. I don’t feel the need to place the blame, or the bill for my own bad choices on the state.

I'd love to have it but can't afford it. My GP can't give me any help - including referral to sw/ww/ injections/ medication because I'm not diabetic. If I was diabetic it would open me up to so many more options. Seems a strange way to operate

@Bignanna my point exactly. Surely once you stop taking it, all the weight comes back on as it's not taught you about nutrition, calories etc.

YANBU

Bupa will not cover it, nor should they.

As far as I’m aware and you can shout me down if I’m wrong but MOST of these drugs are nothing more than appetite suppressants. Would it not be better to plug the money into drumming into people the benefits of better diet and making sure healthy food/gym membership comes at a reasonable price.

I say this as someone who got their arse in gear and lost five stone. I have gone from a size 18 to a size 10

No thanks I’d like there to be functioning mental health provision for children and adults first and easily available ADHD medication.