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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to seek a consensus on who is a socially acceptable recipitent of Mounjaro?

266 replies

Periperi2025 · 03/09/2025 19:05

So it seems that much of mumsnet and society judge users of WLI extremely harshly seeing them as fat and lazy people who should just eat less, move more and use more willpower. But apparently not all of us, some of us after divulging enough medical history as 'okay'..."not you just the other fatties!!"

So, are people with diagnosed endocrine and metabolic conditions, acceptable?

What about people with undiagnosed endocrine and metabolic disorders, it's taken me over a decade to get to the point i am now, which is under endcrinology with a confirmed 'problem' and a working diagnosis but nothing more, my story is sadly far from unusual. You don't know who they are, they don't know who they are (although they may have astrong inkling), quite the conundrum!!

What about people with diagnosed Type 2 diabetes, who once were also just fat people without type 2 diabetes (mostly)?

What about people who are just fat now but statistically likely to develop type 2 diabetes in the future, like the current Type 2 diabetes patients were 10 years ago?

What about the people with severely disordered eating? As a society and a health service we deem it justifible and, hopefully preferrable to treat Anorexia Nervosa, including as inpatients at great expense (£500+ per day in the NHS), compared to treating an obese eating disordered patient with Mounjaro at a cost of approx £9 per day to the NHS for the highest dose. Presuambly in a civilised society we think that both groups of patients deserve a chance at a better quality life and improved life expextancy, and we dont think that Anorexics should just eat more and move less?!

So my AIBU is?
Are all of the above groups socially acceptable recipitents of Mounjaro?

YABU - no there are not all acceptable the gluttunous, lazy, weak willed cheats.

YANBU - of course they are all socially acceptable recipitents given that they meet the prescribing criteria for Mounjaro which has been accessed for Risk vs Benefit via peer reviewed research.

OP posts:
PyongyangKipperbang · 03/09/2025 22:45

sosorryimnotsorry · 03/09/2025 22:36

Perhaps actually read my post before calling me ignorant! I’m far far from ignorant on this! I very clearly said IN A LOT OF CASES! I did not say ALL.

I am well aware that not every case of obesity is caused my mental health but a lot is. And far more than will admit it. You say you didn’t put the work in to loose it. Why? What was going on in your life? If your honest if your mental health was not a factor in that I would be surprised! Gaining weight in pregnancy isn’t unusual. Gaining so much weight in pregnancy that you become obese isn’t usual without other factors in play. Be it mental health, hormonal or other medical conditions.

You say you didn’t put the work in to loose it. Why? What was going on in your life?

Because I couldnt be arsed. It meant going without things I liked and going to the gym, and I didnt want to do that. So I accepted being fat as a side effect of my laziness.

ETA it wasnt one pregnancy, it was 6. So a stone overweight afterwards for each pregnancy equals 6 stone over weight.

Homec00k · 03/09/2025 22:44

sosorryimnotsorry · 03/09/2025 22:43

Then the solution is more beds are needed. Not that one group of patients is more or less deserving than another.

But there is no money because obesity patients cost the NHS double that of everybody else.

Homec00k · 03/09/2025 22:43

PutThe · 03/09/2025 22:39

That isn't an answer, its a statement of quasi-religious faith made against all the existing evidence. Again, we simply cannot afford to indulge ourselves with this sort of non-scientific policy idea.

So maybe those with obesity should get what everybody else gets- nothing! So no double funding for all the conditions obesity causes. If Anorexics can be just give palliative care maybe those with obesity should be offfered the same.

sosorryimnotsorry · 03/09/2025 22:43

Homec00k · 03/09/2025 22:40

Everybody isn’t self inflicting heart disease , high blood pressure , sleep apnea and the other deadly conditions obesity causes. Getting beds for focused anorexic treatment is nigh on impossible. There are no spare beds and sufferers are left to get worse which is deadly.

Then the solution is more beds are needed. Not that one group of patients is more or less deserving than another.

Namechange2700000 · 03/09/2025 22:41

The whole thing is terrifying.

My friend put loads of clothes on, to look bigger in order to get it.

Her photos were rejected x 3 until they finally agreed. Same person, same company just a few more jumpers on. Terrifying.

GeckoClimber · 03/09/2025 22:41

“The vast majority of cases of obesity are not caused by trauma or mental health issues.”

In your opinion. This does not play out in real life.

Thinking about people I know:
There are links with neurodivergence (as does anorexia).
Links with childhood trauma.
A great many ballooning after taking certain drugs, including birth control pills and antidepressants. Particularly seems to affect women - maybe because drugs are tested on mainly men?
Some following cancer treatment.
Some with depression.
In real life cases it’s actually more uncommon to reach morbid obesity without an underlying cause, or from simply overeating.

Homec00k · 03/09/2025 22:40

sosorryimnotsorry · 03/09/2025 22:36

As would be the case for anyone. Including those with anorexia!

Everybody isn’t self inflicting heart disease , high blood pressure , sleep apnea and the other deadly conditions obesity causes. Getting beds for focused anorexic treatment is nigh on impossible. There are no spare beds and sufferers are left to get worse which is deadly.

PutThe · 03/09/2025 22:39

Homec00k · 03/09/2025 22:33

People taking more responsibility and trying harder. Learning self control. I’d love to be able to eat what I want but I can’t.

That isn't an answer, its a statement of quasi-religious faith made against all the existing evidence. Again, we simply cannot afford to indulge ourselves with this sort of non-scientific policy idea.

HairyToity · 03/09/2025 22:37

I don't judge people for being on weight lose injections. Their body and their money. I don't however think it should be prescribed on NHS. If in 20 years time we discover it has damaged people's health the NHS will only be sued for prescribing it. Best keeping out of it, especially with the blame culture.

sosorryimnotsorry · 03/09/2025 22:36

Homec00k · 03/09/2025 22:35

But you won’t be waiting if you need to be seen in the heart, blood pressure, sleep apnea etc depts They are prioritised .

As would be the case for anyone. Including those with anorexia!

Homec00k · 03/09/2025 22:36

GeckoClimber · 03/09/2025 22:28

But the NHS and its treatment of obese patients is exacerbating the problem.

You go to the gp for an unrelated issue and they dismiss you as you’re obese, so the problem gets worse and requires more and longer lasting treatments.

The obesity care they offer is laughable. 6-12 week courses to teach nutritional information - most obese people I know know more about nutrition than most GPs! We’re fat, not stupid.
Short term psychotherapy, for which there is little evidence of success.
Prescriptions for weight watchers of slimming world - known to be business models that keep people coming back.

Every single one of your posts is dripping with contempt.

Lucky you getting 6-12 week courses. There are parents out there desperate for help for their kids who get nothing.

sosorryimnotsorry · 03/09/2025 22:36

PyongyangKipperbang · 03/09/2025 22:28

The vast majority of cases of obesity are not caused by trauma or mental health issues.

Every single case of anorexia is.

I was very obese (size 22) as result of having several children and not putting in the work to lose it in between pregnancies. Then, as an adult, developed anorexia as a reaction to severe trauma (my ex husband attempting to murder me). The two were not the same at all. I did choose the easy way of not dieting between pregnancies, I did not choose to become severely mentally ill to the point where I ended up in hospital, starving to death.

The fact that you think that the two are even vaguely comparable shows how ignorant you are about the difference between an eating disorder and eating too much of the wrong stuff. Being obese does not automatically mean ED.

Perhaps actually read my post before calling me ignorant! I’m far far from ignorant on this! I very clearly said IN A LOT OF CASES! I did not say ALL.

I am well aware that not every case of obesity is caused my mental health but a lot is. And far more than will admit it. You say you didn’t put the work in to loose it. Why? What was going on in your life? If your honest if your mental health was not a factor in that I would be surprised! Gaining weight in pregnancy isn’t unusual. Gaining so much weight in pregnancy that you become obese isn’t usual without other factors in play. Be it mental health, hormonal or other medical conditions.

Homec00k · 03/09/2025 22:35

sosorryimnotsorry · 03/09/2025 22:29

As do those with obesity the wait list to get a first visit with the weight management service (not actually get weight loss treatment) currently is about 7 years.

But you won’t be waiting if you need to be seen in the heart, blood pressure, sleep apnea etc depts They are prioritised .

Homec00k · 03/09/2025 22:33

GeckoClimber · 03/09/2025 22:30

What’s your answer then?

The diet approach has been proven to not work, even before UPFs were so prevalent.

People taking more responsibility and trying harder. Learning self control. I’d love to be able to eat what I want but I can’t.

PyongyangKipperbang · 03/09/2025 22:31

GeckoClimber · 03/09/2025 22:28

But the NHS and its treatment of obese patients is exacerbating the problem.

You go to the gp for an unrelated issue and they dismiss you as you’re obese, so the problem gets worse and requires more and longer lasting treatments.

The obesity care they offer is laughable. 6-12 week courses to teach nutritional information - most obese people I know know more about nutrition than most GPs! We’re fat, not stupid.
Short term psychotherapy, for which there is little evidence of success.
Prescriptions for weight watchers of slimming world - known to be business models that keep people coming back.

Every single one of your posts is dripping with contempt.

Her daughter is desperately ill, of course she is contemptuous of the amount of money given over to weight loss when her own DD had to almost die before anyone offered any treatment at all.

I would feel the same, you would feel the same. I wonder how contemptuous you would consider her if you were standing next to her DD's bed.

PutThe · 03/09/2025 22:30

GeckoClimber · 03/09/2025 22:28

But the NHS and its treatment of obese patients is exacerbating the problem.

You go to the gp for an unrelated issue and they dismiss you as you’re obese, so the problem gets worse and requires more and longer lasting treatments.

The obesity care they offer is laughable. 6-12 week courses to teach nutritional information - most obese people I know know more about nutrition than most GPs! We’re fat, not stupid.
Short term psychotherapy, for which there is little evidence of success.
Prescriptions for weight watchers of slimming world - known to be business models that keep people coming back.

Every single one of your posts is dripping with contempt.

I don't mind the contempt, but the wishful thinking and and ignorance is a problem.

GeckoClimber · 03/09/2025 22:30

Homec00k · 03/09/2025 22:20

They are being reviewed and there is going to be uproar if one demographic keeps on getting more and more of the funding pie whereas everybody else gets less and less.

We are pandering to obesity far too much.

What’s your answer then?

The diet approach has been proven to not work, even before UPFs were so prevalent.

sosorryimnotsorry · 03/09/2025 22:29

Homec00k · 03/09/2025 22:24

They’re not. All they get is long waiting lists.

As do those with obesity the wait list to get a first visit with the weight management service (not actually get weight loss treatment) currently is about 7 years.

PutThe · 03/09/2025 22:29

MsRumpole · 03/09/2025 22:25

So so I, but it's very hard on people in an equivalent position who just can't afford to do that.

This is very true. I have a great deal of sympathy for people in that position, and look forward to the day when they can access WLI too.

PyongyangKipperbang · 03/09/2025 22:28

sosorryimnotsorry · 03/09/2025 22:09

Fuck me!!! You really believe that?!!! BOTH obesity AND anorexia are eating disorders! Both have the same roots in a lot of cases. You are prepared to say that obesity is self inflicted well then by your measure so is anorexia!!!
BOTH involve choices about what you put in your mouth. Both are rooted in trauma and mental health issues. Both can be deadly! Obesity is just as real and dangerous and difficult to overcome as anorexia. Your ignorance is astounding!!!

The vast majority of cases of obesity are not caused by trauma or mental health issues.

Every single case of anorexia is.

I was very obese (size 22) as result of having several children and not putting in the work to lose it in between pregnancies. Then, as an adult, developed anorexia as a reaction to severe trauma (my ex husband attempting to murder me). The two were not the same at all. I did choose the easy way of not dieting between pregnancies, I did not choose to become severely mentally ill to the point where I ended up in hospital, starving to death.

The fact that you think that the two are even vaguely comparable shows how ignorant you are about the difference between an eating disorder and eating too much of the wrong stuff. Being obese does not automatically mean ED.

GeckoClimber · 03/09/2025 22:28

Homec00k · 03/09/2025 22:10

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/may/18/obese-patients-cost-nhs-twice-much-healthy-weight-study

Obesity is crippling the NHS and on top of all the other expensive conditions it causes it’s the second biggest preventable cause of cancer.

It is very much eating up funding which can only have an impact on other areas.How can it not?

This way of everybody having to pretend it’s not happening because of hurt feelings is frankly ridiculous.

But the NHS and its treatment of obese patients is exacerbating the problem.

You go to the gp for an unrelated issue and they dismiss you as you’re obese, so the problem gets worse and requires more and longer lasting treatments.

The obesity care they offer is laughable. 6-12 week courses to teach nutritional information - most obese people I know know more about nutrition than most GPs! We’re fat, not stupid.
Short term psychotherapy, for which there is little evidence of success.
Prescriptions for weight watchers of slimming world - known to be business models that keep people coming back.

Every single one of your posts is dripping with contempt.

PutThe · 03/09/2025 22:27

Nah, there isn't. Weight is trending upwards, or was before private WLIs became so easily available, and that combined with age means more and more of the population potentially qualify. The 'everybody else' will get smaller in percentage. And the costs of WLIs will decrease over time.

We're not yet at the stage where we'll see obvious savings from greater NHS WLI availability, as it's one of those pay now benefit later things. But in a few years we will be, and that will become increasingly hard to ignore. It'll outrank half baked moral takes from people with unevidenced faith about the importance of diets.

(This was supposed to quote @Homec00k but managed to disappear the post!)

MsRumpole · 03/09/2025 22:25

Elsvieta · 03/09/2025 19:19

Your body, your business - you don't need anyone else to "accept" it. (You don't need to tell them, either, if you'd rather not). I pay for my own MJ and it's nobody else's concern.

So so I, but it's very hard on people in an equivalent position who just can't afford to do that.

Homec00k · 03/09/2025 22:24

sosorryimnotsorry · 03/09/2025 22:23

Perhaps people should stop pandering to those with anorexia too then!

They’re not. All they get is long waiting lists.

sosorryimnotsorry · 03/09/2025 22:23

Homec00k · 03/09/2025 22:20

They are being reviewed and there is going to be uproar if one demographic keeps on getting more and more of the funding pie whereas everybody else gets less and less.

We are pandering to obesity far too much.

Perhaps people should stop pandering to those with anorexia too then!

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