To wonder how people afford weight loss injections?!

[Karmacharm]

So many people I know are doing Mounjaro or Ozempic. I’ve looked at the price online and even with the discount it’s still hugely expensive in this cost of living crisis.
I would love to do it but there’s no way I can afford it long term.

I used to spend at least £50 a week on takeaways and meals out which I don't anymore, so it's honestly cheaper!

But then in the kindest possible way - others are not struggling financially in the way you are, and that’s how they afford it.

They spend less/make more/both.

This is me! My husband makes a decent but not extravagant salary. We did the math on how much extra we spend based on my cravings. It’s also all my fun money until I’m off it. We discussed clothes, and since I’m a SAHM I’ll keep it simple and inexpensive. I have some pre kid clothes I should fit in another month or two. And when those are embarassingly big I’ll get a handful of dresses and some cheap outfits and pyjamas

I've been on it since May and so far have paid once - for my first dose which was discounted anyway. I have then shared my referral code online and so far at least 4-5 people per month have used it... the provider I'm with offers 50% off your next dose if you make 2 referrals and 100% off if you make 3 referrals per month. So I'm reaching that target easily. Currently have my next dose for free and have 12 " in the bag " meaning I won't pay for at least the next 4 after this month even if no one uses my referral code now.

When there's a will there is a way.

It has changed my life entirely and even if I didn't get the referral numbers I would find a way now. I have cut down on food / snacks cost, alcohol is a big one as I no longer tolerate more than a glass - that's a lot less expensive than a bottle! and I am so much healthier @
& fitter.

I wish there was a cheaper way of getting them 😔 I don’t think I ever will be able to.

I have been using for 6 months. I pay £114 per month due to discounts for referring to friends . I have saved significantly more than this per month in food and drink.
My appetite is much reduced for example I don’t eat breakfast, I have a very small lunch eg I cannot eat a whole sandwich . I don’t snack . I often do not eat a proper dinner at all .I no longer eat alcohol. If I go to a restaurant I would have a starter only .
I am a woman who previously ate 3000 calories a day.

My shopping bill alone has dropped hugely by £30 a week .

You are on a low income. But not everyone is.

@Karmacharm

Is your GP able to offer any other forms of support with weight loss?

My local GPs have a wonderful dietitian who sees patients at the surgery.

Some areas also offer WeightWatchers Membership on prescription..

I just prioritise it over some other stuff, but we aren't struggling for money, we like to be careful but we can afford something like this if we readjust spending elsewhere. And for me it's more important than quite a lot of other stuff for health and wellbeing reasons. Plus DD1 just started school so we aren't spending nursery fees on her any more so those have gone to paying for it I suppose.

Hopefully your health doesn’t get bad enough that you need it for the kind of issues it can get covered for. I do think even if you aren’t doing takeaways it gives more brain space for cheap/healthy meals. Like my brain doesn’t want oven chips so my kids are more likely to get a microwave jacket potato.

For me it’s an appetite AND craving suppressant. Before kids I could eat healthy and maintain or pay extra attention if I wanted to lose weight. After kids I just couldn’t and then pre-diabetes. But we are lucky enough that we had that much wiggle room. And I do think this kind of income difference is more about luck than how hard you work

I did wonder about them, but didn’t realise it was so expensive.

Have paid for a 200 plus gym membership instead - I’m retired, so have the time.

Have last 1stone 8 in weight but have built up muscle in my thighs and shoulders. Probably in the fat covered areas as well.

Boobs have gone down and pectoral muscles have improved.

Reckon it’ll take another 2 yrs to get rid of all the excess, but this way is better for me. I can understand why younger women might prefer the injections.

Will add that I’m also using the NHS app.

Priorities

I pay £170 a month from Lloyds Pharmacy, it's a lot but it's working and we can afford it just about without having to stop feeding the kids or anything! 3 months in and 32lb down with Mounjaro, it's life changing for me and I'm no longer pre diabetic.

MLM Ozempic...

I haven't tried it but I see online you can get the first month's supply for about £150...so about £35-40 a week. A takeaway and some treats can add up to that easily.

It cost me just under £160 for a months supply (4 injections), I can easily afford it and have lost 8lb in 2.5 weeks.
Had to have an online consultation.

And for me, I've lost 9lbs in two weeks without any conscious effort, I have so much energy and feel great, I've been eating nothing but healthy food because the cravings for sugar and unhealthy stuff have just gone, I just have no interest in any of it. I eat like I did in my 20s. Small portions, feeling full early, staying full between meals so no snacking.

For me, it's almost how can I afford not to, given the difference I think it'll make to my life.

It's not just an appetite suppressant, though it does do that and makes you feel full for longer on less food than you'd normally have.

It affects the reward system in your brain so that food no longer becomes the treat it was.

I've been on it nearly four months and I've not had any alcohol or sweets or cake in that time. Before I went on it I'd have two good sized glasses of wine every night and had done that for years. I would have peanuts or crisps with that. Most days I would have chocolate or biscuits or a cake. Honestly, it came as a complete shock (but a really good one) when I realised I hadn't thought of having a drink or a snack at all. It just doesn't occur to me to have one. Last night I was at a friend's and she poured me a glass of wine without asking. After about an hour I could see her staring at my untouched glass, so I had a sip (I didn't want to tell her about the injections) and it didn't taste nice, though it was a wine I've enjoyed before. I didn't have any more and I've only just thought of that now, so it's not as though I was deliberately 'being good'.

Same with chocolate and cakes. I can go into the supermarket and just buy what I have on my list. I am never tempted.

As for affording it - I live alone so I've really noticed the difference in supermarket bills. It costs me about £45 per week and I imagine I was spending perhaps £25 on alcohol, another £10 on snacks (or more, realistically) and then I'm also eating a lot less at mealtimes. I think it would be much more difficult if you're in a family situation where you have to buy loads of food anyway, but try being realistic about where you're spending money now and see how much it adds up to.

If it reduces your appetite significantly then I guess you save money on food.
I'm not sure the exact cost but £200 a month or so isn't it?
I used to get dodgy speed from a doctor back in the day and it was only £90 a month. Damned inflation.
I honestly don't think the cost is the main issue, people buy hello fresh, WW, SW, loads of online weight content.
If I was obese I'd happily pay that.

I'm not sure that I could afford them. Some people need a maintenance dose after they've reached their goal. I'm on Phentermine, appetite suppressing tablets. We have a doctor led slimming clinic were I live but they can be prescribed online. I pay £36 for two weeks worth. My DD is on the injections, she's given up her pedicures and eyelashes, combined with no take-aways/junk food, she isn't noticing paying for them.

Offset by the food they aren't eating. My friend takes it prescribed by the doctor, but she has only lost 2 stones. She's still grossly overweight

Sorry if I’m derailing the thread but for anyone using mounjaro have you had any side effects? Is it safe? I’m really tempted as i’m massively overweight but i’m also nervous of it as well as i don’t know much about it and not sure what information online to trust

What a goady comment. I'm fat and I can't touch takeaways or alcohol or chocolate or various other things because of a stomach condition.

The idea that everyone who us overweight is a junk guzzling glutton is a fatist myth perpetrated by horrible people who want to feel superior.

I'm fat and apple shaped like my gran. Genetically I'm like a clone of her and will likely die young of heart related issues like she did. Despite tiny portions that are often commented on by others and an active lifestyle. I also fast regularly. It won't change the fact I'm huge or have high cholesterol. When I started fasting I didn't lose a single ounce. It's just my natural body. Despite a physical job I'm often cold and tired due to a low calorie intake. Yet still with each year I gain weight.

My sisters are like my mum. Slim and pear shaped and they can both eat and drink me under the table.

I'm so sick of people saying it's a case of eating less and exercise. It really isn't for a lot of people like me. The understanding of weight is constantly changing. Gut microbiome is just starting to be understood.

I hope you are proud of yourself, because you come across as a nasty piece of work with absolutely zero clue.

It is an investment. My obesity is seriously impacting my health now so I am prioritising it and them over other things.

The 5mg pens I am currently on are £135 each (there are cheaper providers, but I like the one I use) - I can use a pen for 5 weeks (with a bit of encouragement and a pair of pliers!) so cost is £27/week. I have been on this dose for 8 weeks now and it is doing what I need for steady losses. As the doses increase they cost more, the next dose up is £30/week which I have planned for.