Has anyone used weight-loss injections? Did they work?

[DesertCacti]

I am severely overweight and have been for a few years now since youngest DC was born. Keep yo-yo dieting, and losing a bit then regaining. I have started getting ads for Saxenda injections. Has anyone tried them? Did they work? Would really appreciate any feedback. Thank you

Is it possible to be prescribed Ozempic if you don't have type 2 diabetes? Everything I've looked at online about it says it can only be taken if you have type 2 diabetes,and that it's not suitable for trying to lose weight!

I think Ozempic is only available on the NHS for diabetes, when Wegovy comes out that will be for weight loss but probably with a lot of hoops to jump through first, as it is with Saxanda:

my-bmi.co.uk/advice-medical-therapy-is-ozempic-available-on-the-nhs/

Basically the NHS aren't particularly willing to fund weight loss medication which I suppose is fair enough really.

@ALongHardWinter - yes it’s possible to get it in the UK. It’s not easy to get it prescribed by a GP though as far as I’m aware. I think it depends on where you are. It is possible to buy it privately. You fill in a questionnaire with an on line pharmacy and they will approve if you fit the criteria and then you order it. I have used The Virtual Slimming Clinic and MedicalWeightLoss4You.

I get why the NHS doesn’t want to fund weight loss medication generally but this drug really appears to be a game changer and we all know now the extremely high costs to the NHS of obesity and diabetes. I’m paying for mine privately and I’m lucky I can afford to. Many can’t. And we know obesity is such a complicated issue. It’s NOT all about calories in and calories out and will power. Especially for people who have been overweight for a long time. But the nhs is in such a state generally especially after the last few years that it’s probably way down in anyone’s priority.

This is a NICE guidelines summary of Semaglutide and Liraglutide for NHS prescription.

Semaglutide (trade name - Ozempic, Wegovy)

Atleast one weight related comorbidity (e.g. Type 2 DM, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnoea etc) AND

BMI >/ 35 kg/m2 OR

BMI >30 - 34.9 as part of a specialist tier 3 service

(BMI thresholds reduced by 2.5 for people of South Asian, East asian, African or Caribbean descent)

Liraglutide (trade name Saxenda)-

BMI at least 35 or 32.5 from minority ethnic group AND pre diabetes and high risk of cardiovascular disease (risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol) and it needs to be prescribed by a specialist weight management service.

I strongly recommend speaking to a medical professional and obtaining all the information before paying for a private prescription esp through online sources.

I've just ordered 3 more saxenda pens (£144) from Asda pharmacy

I'll be at 3 stone loss by July I hope so can return safely to exercise ...probably start c25k

Just not hungry at all this morning. Going through the breakfast motions ... thank god we have a dog to help me out!

@Spinfit sorry, but you are wrong. I am under specialist care and they are very clear that the hormone the Saxenda replaces what my body does not produce.

It is a symptom of obesity, in the same way insulin needs replacing in diabetes.

The Saxenda is the first of its kind since obesity is being recognised as an actual medical condition rather than a life choice.

@spinfit

They ask you to inform your own Gp.... I did.... they were happy for me to go ahead

What more is there to do??

I mean....were we ALL 100% sure and confidant when we stuffed ourselves full of Astra zeneca/Pfizer??

I'm taking ozempic for weight loss. One month in and a stone down. Appetite massively suppressed and feel full very quickly. Side effects have been minimal- some mild constipation once per week and fatigue. I started on 0.25 and then increased to 0.5 last week but not noticed any difference in dosage wise so might go back to 0.25. Mine is prescribed by nurse practitioner who monitors me and checks in regularly.

No. Just go back to basics and lose weight the normal way

@TonyBlairsLover thanks for this. You’ve just sorted the global obesity crisis. Someone give this genius a sticker.

@Attwoodsladyfriend no need to be rude 🤣 just said I don’t believe in ‘weight loss injections’. Your standoffish attitude is one of the reasons why there’s an obesity problem

No. Just go back to basics and lose weight the normal way

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/obese-people-have-slim-chance-of-obtaining-normal-body-weight-071615

Your advice doesn't work for people who are obese or morbidly obese and is unhelpful. The stats show that telling them it's just a matter of self control is not going to lead to success. It just makes people feel like fat failures.

So maybe we need to normalise medical approaches just as we would to any other health problem.

@TonyBlairsLover no, your ignorance is one of the reasons there’s an obesity crisis.

Read about the role of leptin and ghrelin for a start.

@NashvilleQueen yeh no I’m not a fan of healthline. They refer to women as ‘vulva owners’ just woke nonsense. So whatever they say should be taken with a pinch of salt

@TonyBlairsLover, what do you mean by no? You haven't tried them, you don't agree with them, or you don't believe in them? It's going to be difficult to defend a position of not believing in them - clearly they exist, and work for a lot of people.

If you don't agree with them, that's your prerogative of course. But do you really think that most people who try the injections haven't first tried to lose weight the 'normal' way?

@Attwoodsladyfriend nah, it’s because people can’t be honest anymore. Telling someone they’re overweight and need help is ‘fatphobic’

@moomoose I’m not overweight so why would I need them? But however, I have been on the other end of the scale. So I do know what it means to have a radical weight change. It seems to have gone off like Baghdad, which wasn’t my intention, sorry if it offended anyone

@TonyBlairsLover youve been at the other end of the scale? So drastically UNDERWEIGHT?

That begs the question why you’re even on this thread. Perhaps you have issues around weight that you might want to explore elsewhere. And “gone off like Bagdahd” is in very poor taste btw.

Well said @Attwoodsladyfriend.

@TonyBlairsLover I think being underweight and struggling to gain weight must be difficult. But if you were in this position now, it was getting you down every day and despite your best efforts you couldn't resolve the situation, then a seemingly miraculous drug that resolved your issues came to market - how would you feel if people said that they didn't believe in it, and that you should just gain weight the 'normal' way? Pretty shitty, I'd imagine.

@moomoose both being anorexic and overweight are unhealthy. There’s pills out there online for weight gain, and guess what I don’t agree with them either

@Attwoodsladyfriend I don’t understand why you’re getting so angry. I do not have issues anymore, I’m entitled to go on whatever thread I want.

@Attwoodsladyfriend if an overweight person wants to use injections to lose weight then so be it. If that works for them or makes them happy then that’s good, I personally disagree with it but that’s life. There’s no need to draw your guns and start raging in all caps, it’s a conversation on mumsnet

Why are you on this thread though? It’s weird.

I mean, anyone who posted like you are, might be thought of as a goady type with massive issues around people who are obese. Just sayin’.