to think I shouldn't have to lose weight to get a prescription of weight loss pills?

[ThereWasOnceAGirl]

I've battled with weight my entire life. 20+ years of dieting.

Recently I put on just over a stone in a very short space of time. So I thought enough was enough, what I'm doing is clearly not working and I want to try weight loss pills under a gps supervision.

GP rang me and said she would be happy to sit down an discuss it with me, but I would need to lose 5lbs before she would prescribe them (I currently weigh 13.6stone)

Aibu to think this defeats the object? If I could lose that much then I wouldn't be asking for pills.

I think that's right
You need to show her you're committed to weightloss
The pills just help the process along , you still have to change what you eat

but the pills themselves aren't the answer. Its only helpful to take them if you are eating right and exercising anyway. Your GP is not going to want to prescribe pills unless you are showing a determined lifestyle change as well, the evidence of this would be to lose a few pounds first.

Diets don't work. You need to change what you eat but not as a 'diet', as small SUSTAINABLE changes. You have to do that with weight loss pills or you will make yourself ill. Your GP needs to know you can do this safely before prescibing. I've lost 9lb over the last 3 months. The ONLY change I've made is giving up my morning chocolate and coke at work plus I've been swimming lengths most weeks.
Pack up the diets and look at what your daily food routine is. What could you change without making yourself miserable or creating fresh challenges?

If you can't lose that much, the pills won't work.

On the plus side, you might find you can lose 5lb quite easily if you have only recently put on a stone. Go Monday and Thursday without eating and you will have done it within a week I bet. Good luck.

I don't think 5lb is that much to loose . I've lost just over 3 stone through Slimming World and there are a lot of people doing that and more in just one week!

If you are serious about loosing weight then just make some some changes like cutting out as much fat as you can out of your food and increasing your fruit and veg intake to fill you up. You'll soon loose that.

Sorry but I think YABU, unless you have reason to think the weight gain is down to something else (I suspect not if you're going down the route of pills) then GP's want to see a commitment to a lifestyle change.

They don't just want to endlessly prescribe pills if all you're going to do is pile the weight back on and need more. 5lb is showing that despite your recent weight gain you're serious about making changes and need the help to keep up your motivation and see some quicker results.

I believe that before considering bariatric surgery you often need to show commitment to the diet needed afterwards and lose a certain amount of weight before.

Medication/surgery is a really good aid, not a cure so it stands to reason it's reserved for people who show a commitment.

What did the Doctor say when you asked why?

5lbs is certainly not an unreachable goal and if you're determined enough, you'll do it.

There is no such thing as a magic pill, so you'll still have to muster up willpower and determination even if they are prescribed for you.

5lb is really doable. Look at not just what you et,but how much of it you eat.

How short a space of time did you gain the stone and have you been eating normally and doing some exercise? if you can't see a reason why you have suddenly gained weight, then you should go in to talk to the GP about it, not just get diet pills, but find out why you have suddenly gained weight. however, if you can look at your diet and exercise and point to why you gained the weight, then sorry, diet pills won't work for you, because you need to stop overeating/under exercising and the pills won't give you will power.

Rather than "go on a diet", look at what you do eat, work out if there's any small changes you can make or clearly see bad choices. As others have said, small changes are often a good point. Too many people who have a lot of weight to lose want a quick fix and see a large amount of weight loss quickly, unfortunately those diets are too much of a change from "normal" eating for that person to be sustainable. Make small "forever" changes, lose a small amount of weight. Then once that's your new 'normal' eating, make another change.

A gradual change from the diet of someone who overeats to one of someone who eats what's healthy for their height/age/lifestyle is easier to do than a fast fix that's not teaching you what of your old diet was wrong. However, you will have to wait to see a difference on the scales.

Do they have a practice nurse they can reffer you to for advice? Mine did and she put me on the counterweight programme ( weight wise is based on it ), I was 15.7 july last year and am now 11.7.
I was eating so much in the first 2 weels that I was ready to give up if I had not lost anything, I did lose weight and continue to do so.
I had been under eating for years so my body had been holding onto everything it could and when I started to eat properly the weight fell off.
The plan is all about healthy eating and I was amazed at how much energy I had and started going to classes at my local leisure centre to help out.

I think the GP ' s request is perfectly reasonable.

I was offered diet pills. I read up on the side effects and decided it was not for me. Instead I found a plan that suited me and stuck to it. I was over 14st in April and am now nearly down to 11st, eating normal food
and not shitting myself which is what the pills make you do

if I could lose that much then I wouldn't be asking for pills

Yes you would. You are. That is what your GP is trying to tell you.

Looking on the bright side, what other people do does work, and it will work for you too.

Don't bother with the pills. I got them from docs and they gave me dandruff and joint pain, not to mention the squits.

I think it's good she's asked you to lose weight first.

You can buy alli pills from boots online...

losing a few pounds is easy
Stop snacking : eat only at mealtimes and never ever in between
no fizzy drinks before 7pm (treat fizzy like alcohol)

if you are not willing to make the effort up front, why should the doctor give you drugs that cost a lot more than a prescription charge?

My friend used to shit her pants all the time on the pills from the doctor. I'd rather be fat tbh

I would say your Dr sounds reasonable. As others have said, losing 5lb is a good way to ensure you are in the right frame of mind and are living a lifestyle that allows weight loss before you begin the pills to encourage your progress.

Also, don't some weight loss pills have side effects such as increased blood pressure etc. We don't know your height but she may be trying to lower the risk for you .

Has someone seriously suggested the op eat nothing on Monday or Thursday??!! I hope there is some sarcasm/joke there that I'm not understanding.

Op please listen to those suggesting healthy and sustainable methods of losing weight instead.

astrael
Tens of thousands of people in the UK are now routinely not eating on Mondays and Thursdays : its easy and sustainable and means we get to enjoy our weekend meals.

OP
Before you have a biscuit out of the tin at work, think whether everybody else washes their hands thoroughly

Yabu.

You still need to eat properly and do exercise while using these pills, they are not a magic cure.

Your GP needs to know that you are able to do that before prescribing you medication that will only work if you do these things.

What commitment do doctors ask for before giving quit smoking help?

senua
Nicotine is a drug so addictive and smoking so life limiting that it would be illegal and class A if it were introduced to the UK now.

Overeating is not in the same category.