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 pay 24 a month (us) for ozempic.

It’s really important to remember that when you stop taking it, the weight will come back unless you change your old habits. I’ve never had a weight issue but DH has, and has lost 70 pounds with ozempic. He felt great while on it and thought he could maintain once he stopped using it….but the increasing hunger returned. Now he’s been gaining again and trying to stay fit through the gym, the dietitian, portion-control. It’s not easy.

You buy much less of it. I'm now happy making stir fry with just veggies and no meat or chicken; drinking less wine etc

Sorry posted to fast. If you get on either one just know the side effects are hell. I take a few weeks off a year just to feel normal. You will lose weight even when you don't want to.

I’m on wegovy. You don’t have to go to nil appetite - I’ve kept my dose at one of the lower ones (you go up every month). This means the edge is taken off my appetite but I still get hungry and eat normal dinners with my children

I am losing 1-2lb a week afte five years of being depressed about my weight and unable to shift it. I’m moving to exercising more now I’m not ashamed and stuck in a rut

the only thing that has changed massively for me is I really don’t like alcohol now

I really struggle to eat. I have to force it - i've just spent an hour on a bowl of veg soup. I do know that's not good for me to eat too little. I've lost just under 2 stone in 8 weeks. Nothing worked for me. I put on weight with anti depressants then peri menopause and nothing shifted it. Personal trainer who gave me a diet plan - well cals and macros - to stick to and I lost 8 pounds in the same amount of time. I don't have as much energy and my gym visits are shorter because of that but I think the energy levels will get better as It's still fairly new in my body. People have a lot of ideas of why you shouldn't do it but it was effecting me and my confidence hugely and the short term struggle is worth it to me. I have 2 stone to go and I will force myself to eat so it's not so much of a shock when I come off it and get hungry again. Side effects have been a lot of nauseau for me. What is great is the no urge to snack though. Food noise.

I haven’t had any side effects. Everyone reacts differently.

Not a single side effect for me either

Tenuate Dospan? That stuff had everyone cleaning the house at 3am! 😂

Not everyone is skint. I am on Mounjanro. I don’t eat out half as much as I used to. Used to be a work thing, I just eat less when I do go out and can’t finish. I also can’t drink on it. I have expensive tastes in wine and gin - so there is that.

No. But they all eat too much. Surely you don't deny that? So whatever they are eating too much of, when they stop eating it they will save money.

It's ££140 per month for me and I'm saving at least half that in grocery shops. If I go to a cafe I have a tea or black coffee. So it's actually costing me very little. Probably £15 per week. I don't have to buy any special foods. I eat unprocessed fresh foods.

I buy very little, don't shop for pleasure or fun, my hobbies are pretty cheap. I can afford it.

There are endless weight loss programs out there that cost more than £60 per month.

All ok with you now op?

@Karmacharm you mention extra food due to dps hobbies.

How much extra does his 2 hobbies cost you per month?

Well, basically you will save up on food right? An aquaintance of mine went on it while not being underweight because she wanted to be skinny. Well, she's skinny alright, everybody thinks she's very ill because she looks ill (anorexic skinny) but she's "happy". Says she's never hungry even though she barely eats anything. I'm not jealous.

I've not given up takeaways or cheap processed food.

Incredibly not every who is obese is living on beige & sugary food supplemented with takeaways.

I have stopped buying any alcohol though. Not that I was a big drinker anyway.

How did she get it prescribed? Lying?

Breakfast now
small bowl of cereal or single piece of toast (less topping than before)
might not finish my tea
apple
lunch
small serving of leftovers
Snack on veggies before dinner
small portion of curry and rice

I make sure to remind myself to push the veggies and fruit, otherwise I’m so full I forget. If I haven’t eaten enough I feel it at bedtime and have cashews and raisins

usually around 1000 calories a day. I try to focus on healthy choices and the portion is naturally small. Before I’d eat about triple that plus snacks and was always hungry and craving junk. So I’d have both. Like PMS bottomless pit hunger.

I’m sure you didn’t mean to be so ignorant but I’m taking weight loss medication and I rarely eat takeaways even before I started! My weight gain was from eating relatively normal size portions which as a 5’1, menopausal, insulin resistant person is a no go but don’t let that stop your snide comments.

@Karmacharm - we aren’t wealthy by any means but save over £1k a month so I can afford it. That said, I’m actually using my bank switch money that I had put to one side (done lots of switching!) so haven’t had to use other money yet. Some people have money to spare and some don’t. You could try earning extra money by bank switching, using cash back sites etc but agree, it is expensive.

Different people have different incomes.

Yes please!!

I'm about to spend £10k on fixing my teeth - otherwise this toothless hag is completely unemployable. Although I am poor, I'm credit-worthy enough to be able to pay for it (as well as selling my house and finding something even cheaper in a year).

Needs must, so if you can, you do. Best not to ask me why I have lost so many top teeth as I saw my NHS Dentist as regularly as possible. Thankfully I'm slim and fit so need not concern myself with being obese as well.

Not wanting to derail this post and turn it into an AMA type I'm also very interested in how long you stay on them and what happens/is the next step when you're at a weight you feel comfortable being.

I'm on Mounjaro. It's completely put me off wine so the amount I'm saving on that alone covers the cost of the monthly injections.

Hi, no problem with you asking - I just don't fancy it anymore. I still get hungry but the cravings are gone so where I used to crave stuff like burgers and chips, pizza etc I am just a bit indifferent to it, and I don't feel like I am missing out even when DH sits with a massive pizza. Same with wine, it's just taken those urges and cravings away. I had a glass of wine yesterday, it was fine but I didn't feel the need for another. The hunger is also controllable - it's there but it doesn't distract me. You also feel full quicker and might find you just can't eat fattier foods without feeling a bit gross. Saying that, I've had zero side effects so far but I do think it depends on what you're putting into your body.

I am also eating a lot cleaner, about 80/20 towards a vegetarian diet and because I want to get maximum benefit, I am making sure I have a calorie deficit. It's not a miracle drug, you still need to put in some effort. And yes, I am taking long daily walks making sure I hit at least 10,000 steps a day (work from home, my average before was 3000) and also going to the gym for strength training.

When you stop using it, you will of course regain weight the same as any other diet - if you don't make permanent lifestyle changes - which is what I am doing because long-term, it's not just about weight, I have comorbidities that mean I really really need a healthier lifestyle.

I also didn't have as much to lose as some people, I was/am 2.5 stone overweight so in theory I should be able to maintain that with effort and work - I know why I was overweight - it wasn't psychological or medical related. I drank too much, ate too much crap and didn't move enough!