To think it will be revealed WLI cause physical aging

I honestly can't imagine anyone not knowing obesity is a risk factor.

warped cultural norms.

These are really the key words - and what surprises me is that people who have been very much on the wrong side of those norms would not have more awareness about the potency of that.

Instead they flippantly reject the raising of any legitimate concern (though let's face it: I think this particular OP just fired the bomb and ran) about how these drugs might play out in that kind of environment as "you're just jealous."

Which is quite different from procuring a drug because it would help you look better against warped cultural norms.

Personally, I absolutely believe that some of the concern is genuine and heartfelt. Could even be a majority.

The problem, however, is that this doesn't mean the people expressing it know what they're talking about, or have done any research at all. It is worth critically examining why they nonetheless feel compelled to post on the issue, and think they're helping.

And some of them don't take kindly to their well meant advice about eating less and moving more being dismissed. But even the ones who are reasonable about it still didn't take the time to learn that obesity itself is a risk factor for a lot of problems, that an already obese person doesn't have a zero downsides course of action available to them.

plenty of posters have very defensively said things along the lines of 'The risks are worth it for me, you are just jealous' or 'I'm healthier than ever! You just can't bear fat people to be thin now' to anyone suggesting it might not be ideal for WLI's to be widely available to anyone for 'easy weightloss'.

yes this is balanced.

Exactly.

Isn't it pretty obvious that the specific concern about WLI is that they have an obvious market appeal other drugs do not have (lose weight easily), that anyone with half a brain can see is likely to be commercially exploited, and that is already creating a market beyond medical need?

I'm prescribed "off book" SNRI's for hot flashes.
Where is the thread of concern?

It is, but weight loss is something that has appeal beyond just a medical context, and the danger is people starting to see it as a "side effect free" form of weight loss.

Any such impression creates an issue in a society where plenty of people have body dysmorphia and eating disorders.

My friend's daughter is trying to "eat up" to eligibility as she sees that as easier than going backwards.

It also tends to make people feel gaining in the first place is not such a big deal as they can "just get the jabs."

I do know people who have become ill-looking on them and properly skeletal.

None of that is a desirable outcome, and, I guess, a worry for families and friends of people who battle some of these body image issues.

I think it is wonderful for people who genuinely need it. I know people who are obese and it genuinely has been a struggle for them to lose - not greedy, not lazy, it is just complicated. One of them I wish would take the WLIs, tbh, as I'd love her MIL to stop saying it isn't "worth" her spending money on nice clothes and the other sick and cruel things she tries to body shame her with.

But I think where people would feel more comfortable is if the discussion was more "I needed the WLIs and the risks were worth it for me, but, of course, I would rather not have had to." It is just far more balanced - and I suspect actually a reflection of reality - than this vehement insistence they are simply a brilliant and unmitigated panacea, no worries, no doubts.

Its the same on every single thread

I mean Im sitting here with a migraine starting, why? Because Im on HRT now and my migraines have increased a bit. Side effect, but have to balance that out with other things.

No-one is saying they're risk free for anyone to use - as with any medication. People taking them need to decide if they think any risk outweighs the risk of their obesity. Obviously people that don't need to take them, shouldn't but that's not a logical argument because that applies to literally every medication.

For the overwhelming majority of users, they experience no side effects at all. Pancreatitis, gall stones etc side effects of rapid weight loss, not from the drug itself. I can't find any peer reviewed studies that support serious risks directly caused by these medications, shame you've left as I'd love some links.

What people are saying is...why is there such concern for the supposed side effects of these particular drugs and no others. And no one seems to be able to answer.

No medication is risk free. No one has claimed that, if you can find the post, either on this or any other thread to prove that?

Ive already set out my OH for a start struggles with digestive issues, it it what it is, although Metformin isnt quite the same, thats the thing that really does him in, digestively.

@Soontobesingles um. not a single person on this thread has suggested that WLI are risk free.... but, ok.

I understand users of these medicines are desperate for them to be risk free for anyone to use - I simply don't agree they are, and both peer reviewed evidence and my own eyes support my view. Leaving the thread now, as have fully explored my view.

@likelysuspect yes, that's the kind of comparison I was thinking of. Hormonal contraception is used frequently to treat the symptoms of other hormonally related conditions, and is also chosen by women to manage periods for "non-medical" reasons, like not having a bleed every month or to manage very mild hormonal issues. None of which gets the same interest as WLI.

You can also get an online private prescription for hormonal contraception in the same way that you can get WLI online.

Birth control pills also have alternative uses, like treating endometriosis, PCOS or acne. I haven't seen much concern on mumsnet.

I was put on the pill when I was much younger to manage symptoms of PCOS.

There are endless comments from people of healthy weights on posts from people using GLP-1s for weight loss saying things like "eat less and move more" etc, so yes there are absolutely people that are envious (or furious) that fat people have an alternative method of dealing with their weight that doesn't necessarily involve them being utterly miserable.

I think the reason people find it hard to believe that people are worried about the serious side effects, as has been said a few times now, is that there are thousands of drugs out there with serious side effects, which we let strangers decide for themselves if they are appropriate. Varenicline for example, which aids smoking cessation, has huge risks - psychosis, hallucinations, suicidal thoughts, heart attack & strokes to name a few - and yet I've yet to see endless concerned bystanders critiquing their use as lazy and dangerous.

Its not a change of use.

Do you know much about them?

And by the way you know that things like hay fever tablets are sometimes used for MH conditions?

You're worried about that I assume?

It’s not really a new change of use. GLP-1 receptor agonists were developed for diabetes because they improve glucose regulation. But GLP-1 signalling also promotes satiety, slows gastric emptying and reduces caloric intake so the weight loss effect has been recognised for years. It’s not an unexpected side effect...it’s a direct consequence of the same physiological pathway.

Ime fat people are the ones who absorb and live with the shame of fatness and feel guilty about being fat and jealous of thin people. Those of us who are at a healthy weight, unless they have their weird self esteem issues, do not look at fat people or formerly fat people and feel envy that they have an easy method yo deal with their problems. Some of us do see easy access to weight loss drugs that have serious sid effects as a social risk, you might not believe that we do, but we do.

Changing hair colour is never going to be medical need though is it? You would need to think of a reasonable medical use that wasn't about birth control instead, for it to be a reasonable comparator. How about using birth control pills to treat the symptoms of extreme period pain, or PMDD?

The change of use is new. If we started using birth control pills to change our hair colour, there would be a mum’s net thread.

I've had 3 different surgeries (not weight or weight loss related) since I've lost weight on MJ and none of the surgeons mentioned anything about skin or organs being funny

I forgot that I’ve had surgery also and like you none of the surgeons or medics commented on friable skin or dodgy organs.

Im also due to have a bladder procedure in 2 months and I’ll make sure to ask about it.