Dd wants to get fat loss injection

[Behappyandbehave]

I don't agree. She says 'everyone is taking it and it works'. She is 20 and ND. Also overweight (in the obese category just). Has social anxiety and vapes too much which makes physical exercise difficult as she's too embarrassed. There is no one for her to exercise with and she won't do it alone. She thinks the injection is the answer. Help!

I would support her but make sure she realises that unless she lifts weights alongside the medication around 50% of the weight loss will be muscle and then when she stops the drug her TDEE will have decreased and she will put the weight back on and end up with a higher fat % than what she started with.

With these drugs it is vital that lifestyle changes happen alongside.

@VoyOySaveloy Mounjaro has taught me to reach for higher calorie, more nutrient dense snacks like nuts and seeds rather than quick fixes like chocolate bars, crisps and biscuits. It’s taught me to listen to my hunger cues and not just boredom or emotional eating. It’s helped regulate my hormones and lower my blood sugar also.

I’m very aware that many people pile the weight back on when stopping MJ, but at the heart of it, my cravings for UPF’s have stopped and I’m now genuinely really fancying higher fibre, higher protein snacks. It’s teaching me to listen to my hunger and not fill up on pasta and carbs (SW), calling chocolate ‘syns’ (SW) or calling food ‘points’ (WW). I will probably continue on a low MJ dose for as long as possible.

I wish I'd been able to use Mounjaro to get a grip on my weight when I was 20. Instead, I spent 15 years slowly gaining more and more and losing all my self-esteem and ability to enjoy life without constantly feeling embarrassed.

I'm now facing at least a year until even Mounjaro has helped me get back to the weight I was when I was 20, never mind a healthy BMI.

If you don't want to fund it, that's fine. Although I absolutely would if I could for my child in future if they have inherited my tendency towards obesity. But if she's paying for it herself, you should keep your opinions to yourself and help ensure she's getting it from legitimate sources.

Thyroid cancer was found in mice but not in any humans so far. There is a risk, but so far not been proven to cause thyroid cancer in adults. These drugs have been available in the US for a few years now, ozempic longer and nothing reported there so far.

I've spent the last 4 years losing 4-5 stone and then stopped for six months. I really wish I'd been told about this 3 years ago

In the UK they've only been out for a short time. Mounjaro since February this year. Wegovy /ozempic I'm not sure. Ozempic maybe a year, ozempic since late last year ish. So really only recently we've had access to them.

Unless Boots are very expensive, I think you mean £200 a month nota week.

My Medexpress prescription was 150 for a month

@ObsidianTree yes but medication for weight loss has been around a lot longer. I've always been told that you have to do it the "right" way

I’ve been on Ozempic for 4 months with good results but I would hesitate with this. Is she able to pay for it herself and to inject herself? And remember when to do it? If the answer to any of these is no then don’t go there. If she is able to take on this responsibility including cost and administering the injections then she may also be responsible enough to reform her eating habits and take up exercise. If not you’re both wasting your time and subjecting her to health risks and she will go back to eating afterwards with increased enthusiasm. You’d be better cutting out junk food and any snacks at home and going for a family walk once a day. The injections are hard work with nasty side effects and if she does not stick to a proper diet while on them she will struggle with nausea and diarrhea/constipation. It’s not much fun and not an easy fix.

If she's tried everything else and has failed, it might be worth exploring. It could potentially save her from a long life of being overweight and miserable. She needs to know that despite what SM shows, it is not a quick fix and you do need to make lifestyle changes as well. She will still need to address her eating habits and doing some exercise will also be of benefit.

I think the issue is that the DD thinks it's a miracle cure with no effort involved. If she won't exercise or follow a calorie controlled diet I can see why op is concerned tbh

I think it goes to show how beneficial these drugs are as there are a lot of people on here saying they wish these drugs were available when they were younger etc.

I think now this is available young people with weight issues have the options to use these drugs and get their weight issues under control. Along with losing weight these drugs truly help you change your health and eating habits and hopefully done correctly can instill life long healthy habits.

Except it doesn’t work, actually.

Just another person who believes that a person with obesity is just a glutton who doesn’t try hard enough to lose weight.

How long has she been overweight?

Some people have tried for years to lose weight and just struggle.
This is a tool to help them.

But some people see this as an easy fix and a miracle cure, which is just isn’t.

If you are paying, I would tell her that you will only pay if she joins a gym/club and exercises 3 times a week and eats healthy, whole foods.

She needs to build healthy habits into her life because it’s not possible to stay on this medication long term.

If she really wants the medication and she’s serious about losing weight, then she’ll be willing to work hard to achieve the results.

She is 20! Not 12! Op can't impose family walks on her ffs.

@CombatBarbie except, the whole point of the medication is that you don't want to and essentially can't overeat. You end up reducing calories easily because of a lack of hunger, a lack of a drive to binge on quick easy calories, and feeling fuller on much smaller portions.

Doesn't that apply to all weight loss through diets though? Hence yo-yo dieting leading to weight increase long term

Op please speak to a health professional with your dd. They will need to discuss this with her, to see if this is the right option and I'm sure take note of medical history. There are pros and cons as with any mediation , and these need to be discussed with the correct health professional.

No, @letsjustdothis has a valid point.
https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-184168/mounjaro-subcutaneous/details

@Soontobe60 the worry about thyroid cancer comes from a study on mice where they were exposed to lifelong super high amounts of the drug. No evidence was found in the two main large human studies. The manufacturer has to mention it but the risk is not significant.

No there isn’t. No human got thyroid cancer in any of the big trials. It’s only been proven in animal studies. There obviously is a risk, but to say there is a ‘big risk’ is misleading

Support her to do proper research on this and make sure she gets a proper prescription from a legitimate pharmacy.
Her info will be checked by a doctor before being prescribed.

The many Mounjaro threads on here would be a great read for her. They're so supportive, which is a great help when all we get from those who don't know much about it is ridicule and scaremongering.

The context to this is weight loss requires will power. If you are otherwise medically able then you have the ability to lose weight without injections. if this wasn't possible ppl with obesity wouldn't slim down ever without aid. You both have good points but ultimately it comes down to if you want to then you CAN lose weight with a calorie controlled (safe and healthy controlled) diet.

@Sunsetbeachhouse of course you can. But usually obese people have a mental health condition such as an eating disorder

She can exercise if she wants because there's brisk walking, home workouts, endless possibilities.

Does she buy lots of chocolate and crisps? Maybe she's comfort eating.