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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be concerned at the number of people lying to get weight loss jabs?

186 replies

sahah · 02/09/2024 20:07

Not to mention the people buying the unlicensed stuff off of the streets?

I’ve seen it so much lately, this surely can’t end well.

OP posts:
Mebebecat · 03/09/2024 13:57

Oh come on! Realistically we all know that as soon as these drugs are off licence they will be as widely prescribed as statins. Or actually very likely available over the counter. The only reason they are not officially available for under 30bmi is because the research isn't complete. And to protect the supply chain. Not because they are dangerous. They are cheap to produce, the price will come down and people want to make their own choices.

Theordinary · 03/09/2024 13:57

As far as I can see there's two separate topics being raised. I believe the Op was expressing a concern about the ilegal and unlicensed use of weight loss injections. Can't see any reason why anyone would disagree with that.
However, there is another discussion to be had about the ethics of prescribing medication or indeed surgery for people to lose weight. I think it must be considered the risks of obesity are high. Obesity is a metabolic disease caused by complex environmental and genetic issues, amongst many other things. It is not a disease of greed or idleness! The ill health caused by obesity is costly to the NHS and much more importantly is causing great suffering to the patients involved . Why should anyone be denied help, in whichever form is the most appropriate for them. Be this healthy lifestyle (best tried first) or failing that weight loss drugs or surgery.
For genuine need ie. Patients with BMI above 30 it should be made more widely available under strict medical supervision.

Snugglemonkey · 03/09/2024 14:01

youngerself · 02/09/2024 22:07

@ThePure
Indeed
I've spent all my adult life making sure I don't become overweight. I don't care about the weight loss part but it strikes me a very wrong that I will not get the apparent extra benefits of these drugs as I am not overweight.

The drugs would not benefit you though.

Vabenejulio · 03/09/2024 14:08

For an obese person, needing to lose weight is a health issue. The weight loss these drugs facilitate leads to lower incidences of many and serious health problems. It’s the losing of the weight that makes rates of (say) heart disease drop. The drug itself doesn’t magically cure heart disease (as @mozempic was suggesting by linking that Guardian article above - classic case of seeing what you want to see rather than what’s written 🙄). I haven’t seen or read anything to suggest that the risks of these drugs outweigh the benefits for patients such as these. Bluntly, so high was their risk of death from heart disease or whatever that the known and unknown side effects of these drugs are worth it if they can get their weight down. What happens once a healthy weight is achieved I don’t know - and I don’t think anyone knows, definitively.

For a somewhat overweight person or even, god forbid, someone at a healthy weight but just not skinny enough for their liking, these drugs are a cosmetic issue rather than a health issue. This is about vanity for 99% of people (body dysmorphia is real, but exceedingly rarely diagnosed because of the conditions that have to be met).

Trouble is it’s the same drug, whatever the issue. It’s like Botox for migraines versus frown lines.

A miracle weight loss solution is second only to age-reversing drugs as the pharmaceutical holy grail. If capable adults haven’t learned by now that drugs companies are interested in only one thing - profit - well, there’s no accounting for stupid. And actually no, I won’t care. If you’re stupid enough to take drugs (not “medication” as some people euphemistically call them) for cosmetic reasons without medical supervision, that’s on you. Get the Botox, get the fillers, take the online wegovy, have the face lift, whatever. Your body, your choice. My choice to consider you a gullible and weak fool.

mozempic · 03/09/2024 14:16

Vabenejulio · 03/09/2024 14:08

For an obese person, needing to lose weight is a health issue. The weight loss these drugs facilitate leads to lower incidences of many and serious health problems. It’s the losing of the weight that makes rates of (say) heart disease drop. The drug itself doesn’t magically cure heart disease (as @mozempic was suggesting by linking that Guardian article above - classic case of seeing what you want to see rather than what’s written 🙄). I haven’t seen or read anything to suggest that the risks of these drugs outweigh the benefits for patients such as these. Bluntly, so high was their risk of death from heart disease or whatever that the known and unknown side effects of these drugs are worth it if they can get their weight down. What happens once a healthy weight is achieved I don’t know - and I don’t think anyone knows, definitively.

For a somewhat overweight person or even, god forbid, someone at a healthy weight but just not skinny enough for their liking, these drugs are a cosmetic issue rather than a health issue. This is about vanity for 99% of people (body dysmorphia is real, but exceedingly rarely diagnosed because of the conditions that have to be met).

Trouble is it’s the same drug, whatever the issue. It’s like Botox for migraines versus frown lines.

A miracle weight loss solution is second only to age-reversing drugs as the pharmaceutical holy grail. If capable adults haven’t learned by now that drugs companies are interested in only one thing - profit - well, there’s no accounting for stupid. And actually no, I won’t care. If you’re stupid enough to take drugs (not “medication” as some people euphemistically call them) for cosmetic reasons without medical supervision, that’s on you. Get the Botox, get the fillers, take the online wegovy, have the face lift, whatever. Your body, your choice. My choice to consider you a gullible and weak fool.

You sound a bit miserable - you OK?

I was quoting from the article - are you saying you know better? Here's another one for you in case you struggled with the first.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/may/14/weight-loss-drug-semaglutide-reduce-heart-attack-risk-study

You're welcome.

Weight loss drug could reduce heart attack risk by 20%, study finds

Researchers say semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, could be biggest medical breakthrough since statins

https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/may/14/weight-loss-drug-semaglutide-reduce-heart-attack-risk-study

BlackShuck3 · 03/09/2024 14:36

Snugglemonkey · 03/09/2024 14:01

The drugs would not benefit you though.

Exactly.
The benefits of the weight loss drugs are all due to the weight loss.
Obesity is extremely detrimental to overall health. The drugs remove obesity and thereby remove problems caused by obesity.

HeySummerWhereAreYou · 03/09/2024 14:48

BlackShuck3 · 03/09/2024 14:36

Exactly.
The benefits of the weight loss drugs are all due to the weight loss.
Obesity is extremely detrimental to overall health. The drugs remove obesity and thereby remove problems caused by obesity.

Obesity is extremely detrimental to overall health.

The drugs remove obesity and thereby remove problems caused by obesity.

See also:

Eating less and exercising more.

Seriously, you are breathtakingly naïve - and also (along with some others) are being hoodwinked and conned by big pharma. Desperate to push their weight loss drugs onto people who are desperate to lose weight.

I am actually genuinely freaked out at how many people are acting like it's perfectly normal to pump crap into your veins so you can lose weight.

WTAF? Confused

Arraminta · 03/09/2024 14:50

SilenceInside · 03/09/2024 13:43

"This thread wasn't started to criticise obese people who use weight loss drugs."

And yet, predictably, that is what happens. Misinformation and prejudice pop up pretty darn quickly.

Yes, quite. If your BMI is already telling you you're definitely overweight it's ludicrous to wait until you tip over into obesity before taking a stand.

Arraminta · 03/09/2024 14:54

HeySummerWhereAreYou · 03/09/2024 14:48

Obesity is extremely detrimental to overall health.

The drugs remove obesity and thereby remove problems caused by obesity.

See also:

Eating less and exercising more.

Seriously, you are breathtakingly naïve - and also (along with some others) are being hoodwinked and conned by big pharma. Desperate to push their weight loss drugs onto people who are desperate to lose weight.

I am actually genuinely freaked out at how many people are acting like it's perfectly normal to pump crap into your veins so you can lose weight.

WTAF? Confused

Please explain why an extensively researched and reviewed, pharmaceutical grade medicine that my GP happily advocates I use, can be termed as 'crap'?

Notsuchafattynow · 03/09/2024 15:09

These threads always decend into chaos.

I can't imagine anyone thinks people buying fake, black market drugs to lose weight is a good idea.

Same for people lying to medical professionals to get the proper stuff. They have to go to some lengths to fake the pictures etc. Professionals run the risk of loosing their licences, so do have stringent checks in place. Some people must be very devious! Shame on them!

Everyone else? The 'real' fatties, with enough income to pay for it, and do the work along side, to see the results they need? Fair play and kudos. But these are not the people the OP is concerned about, or has started the thread about.

I just wonder why the OP specificly worries about people who lie to get WL drugs. Not worried about the ones lying to get benzos etc? Or taking shit cocaine? Just the WL ones?

sahah · 03/09/2024 15:21

Notsuchafattynow · 03/09/2024 15:09

These threads always decend into chaos.

I can't imagine anyone thinks people buying fake, black market drugs to lose weight is a good idea.

Same for people lying to medical professionals to get the proper stuff. They have to go to some lengths to fake the pictures etc. Professionals run the risk of loosing their licences, so do have stringent checks in place. Some people must be very devious! Shame on them!

Everyone else? The 'real' fatties, with enough income to pay for it, and do the work along side, to see the results they need? Fair play and kudos. But these are not the people the OP is concerned about, or has started the thread about.

I just wonder why the OP specificly worries about people who lie to get WL drugs. Not worried about the ones lying to get benzos etc? Or taking shit cocaine? Just the WL ones?

I just wonder why the OP specificly worries about people who lie to get WL drugs. Not worried about the ones lying to get benzos etc? Or taking shit cocaine? Just the WL ones?

Well I think it would be quite far-reaching for one thread to go over every possible concern. I brought this up specifically because I have seen it mentioned so frequently on here, it’s commonplace and people are pretty open about it. It normalises using a drug fraudulently that can have dangerous consequences when not medically approved for their usage. A&E doctors are concerned about this, I should think they don’t spend their time worrying over non-issues. They see people every day with issues related to taking weight loss injections, people who are not eligible to be taking these from a medical standpoint. Some of these are teenagers. So while yes, there are many things to be concerned about, this is what I chose to make a thread about for the above reasons.

OP posts:
Todaysbetterthanyesterday · 03/09/2024 15:23

YABU to believe what you read on the daily mail

sahah · 03/09/2024 15:31

Todaysbetterthanyesterday · 03/09/2024 15:23

YABU to believe what you read on the daily mail

I have not even mentioned the Daily Mail. The article I posted from is for pharmaceutical professionals.

‘C+D has been informing, supporting and championing community pharmacy since 1859 and is proud to be at the forefront of providing the latest news to everyone working in the sector.’

Or is this not credible enough of a source for you…?

OP posts:
SilenceInside · 03/09/2024 15:36

Whenever anyone posts about wanting to use injections to lose one or two stones, who clearly has a BMI of less than 30, they are usually told straightaway by several posters that they won't qualify. Same if they ask for places that don't ask for photos or ID. Or anything else that seems dodgy. I don't think I've seen a post where people have encouraged lying or faking photos, or buying from illegal suppliers.

I think MN would probably remove posts that suggest taking illegal or fraudulent action if someone reported them.

sahah · 03/09/2024 15:50

SilenceInside · 03/09/2024 15:36

Whenever anyone posts about wanting to use injections to lose one or two stones, who clearly has a BMI of less than 30, they are usually told straightaway by several posters that they won't qualify. Same if they ask for places that don't ask for photos or ID. Or anything else that seems dodgy. I don't think I've seen a post where people have encouraged lying or faking photos, or buying from illegal suppliers.

I think MN would probably remove posts that suggest taking illegal or fraudulent action if someone reported them.

I’m not saying they are telling others to do it, I’m talking about posters talking about themselves with regards to how they were able to get the medication. ‘I got it from my nail salon’, ‘I used weights on the scale’, ‘I used a pharmacy that doesn’t require photos’. This is what I’m referring to.

OP posts:
Milsonophonia · 03/09/2024 15:52

I didn't have to send photos with Voy. I didn't go through with it in the end, but just had to input my weight and height. Would have been easy to exaggerate if I'd wanted to.

SilenceInside · 03/09/2024 15:59

Asda only ask for photos after you've filled out the consultation.

SilenceInside · 03/09/2024 16:01

@sahah those "I got it from the nail salon" posts are the ones that get challenged. I don't think I've seen that many, and those that I have get challenged and told they're getting illegal drugs from illegal suppliers.

Arraminta · 03/09/2024 16:10

Notsuchafattynow · 03/09/2024 15:09

These threads always decend into chaos.

I can't imagine anyone thinks people buying fake, black market drugs to lose weight is a good idea.

Same for people lying to medical professionals to get the proper stuff. They have to go to some lengths to fake the pictures etc. Professionals run the risk of loosing their licences, so do have stringent checks in place. Some people must be very devious! Shame on them!

Everyone else? The 'real' fatties, with enough income to pay for it, and do the work along side, to see the results they need? Fair play and kudos. But these are not the people the OP is concerned about, or has started the thread about.

I just wonder why the OP specificly worries about people who lie to get WL drugs. Not worried about the ones lying to get benzos etc? Or taking shit cocaine? Just the WL ones?

I would hazard it's because weight and weight loss are incredibly emotive subjects. I suspect that much (not all) of this concern is actually faux. Underneath, people are resentful that some are able to spend a lot of money to get slimmer more easily. Having this kind of money = very unfair. Using it to get slimmer = doubly unfair.

youngerself · 03/09/2024 17:23

@Snugglemonkey
There was a source up thread from my post saying that positive effect re heart disease, dementia and cancer were independent of weight loss. So yes, they may well benefit me, just as they be of benefit to others who are normal weight.

Snugglemonkey · 03/09/2024 17:34

youngerself · 03/09/2024 17:23

@Snugglemonkey
There was a source up thread from my post saying that positive effect re heart disease, dementia and cancer were independent of weight loss. So yes, they may well benefit me, just as they be of benefit to others who are normal weight.

I read the full thread. No they would not benefit you. They may have positive side effects, but the consequences for you would not be positive as you have no weight to lose. Do you want to look emaciated like Sharon Osborne?

BlackShuck3 · 03/09/2024 17:50

youngerself · 03/09/2024 17:23

@Snugglemonkey
There was a source up thread from my post saying that positive effect re heart disease, dementia and cancer were independent of weight loss. So yes, they may well benefit me, just as they be of benefit to others who are normal weight.

These drugs make it easier to eat healthily, this leads to improved diet & body composition.
All of the benefits are a result of improved diet & body composition.

User364837 · 03/09/2024 17:56

TooMuchOfNothingIsJustAsTough · 02/09/2024 21:23

What I mean is that Boots wouldn't be selling fake drugs. Yes there are people who react to the actual drugs due to other health issues or their body system simply don't agree with the drug.

I’m not sure it’s understood that this is quite hardcore medication that can lower blood sugar. If you take it and aren’t obese and have lied about weight then it could make you ill even if it is the genuine stuff.

It makes me uncomfortable even when people on the threads have lied about their weight a little bit to get it to lose a stone or two.

I take it and I have mixed feelings about it!

Rfthyhuj · 03/09/2024 18:12

updownand · 02/09/2024 22:38

It's not fair that fat people can become thin

This is people’s problem without a doubt. They like fat people being fat.

Arraminta · 03/09/2024 18:24

User364837 · 03/09/2024 17:56

I’m not sure it’s understood that this is quite hardcore medication that can lower blood sugar. If you take it and aren’t obese and have lied about weight then it could make you ill even if it is the genuine stuff.

It makes me uncomfortable even when people on the threads have lied about their weight a little bit to get it to lose a stone or two.

I take it and I have mixed feelings about it!

I've taken Tamoxifen which is supposedly the gold standard drug to prevent breast cancer reoccurrence. Yeah great, except it has also been clinically shown to increase my risk of a stroke, osteoporosis and heart disease. So damaging my future health whilst supposedly 'helping' me. Taking Mounjaro seems like a bloody tea party in comparison.

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