AIBU to ask GP for weightloss jab?

[FriendlyFriend]

Im 43, bmi 37, 5ft 8inc, size 18. Ive recently had my over 40s health MOT at the doctors and ive got high blood pressure and cholesterol (they text and want me to go in a statin). Ive not really discussed my results properly yet with them as we keep missing each other on the phone.

i saw the GPs will prescribe it for those classed as obese (me) and have high BP.

morally should i? Could i use this opportunity with the weight loss jab to change my lifestyle/habits?

This is a rare attitude 👍

That's not how these injections work, at all. You don't continue with the same diet, it's not possible to do so. That's the whole point. It's not "magic", it's a carefully developed medicine.

"Why don't you just eat well instead?" Seriously, if this was all anyone needed to be told then no one would be obese. Just stop and have a think about that before posting such a trite comment.

@oakleaffy it's a rare attitude because it's incorrect....

Our tier 3 doesn't do weight loss injections. I'm morbidly obese and scared when I read how it's only surgery or drugs that works St this size.

Ours offers surgery after you get onto their books which scares me more than drugs.

If I had money I'd try drugs.

There really isnt a MH reason for everyones obesity, this is playing into the narrative that there is some special reason why people are overweight. This may apply to some people but not the majority.

Does the UK have more MH issues contributing to how people eat than other countries where obesity is lower, to a significant degree?

No, we have a food environment and food culture that glorifies snacking, plentiful, large portions and our food is cheap.

No one is ever overweight where food is restricted.
Famine zones & historic places were people were kept doing hard physical work on little rations.

Everyone would lose weight in these circs.

None of us are FoieGras Geese.

We are all responsible for what we eat - and how much we exercise.

People in old films are slim. Probably til 1980,s

Street scenes from before then in U.K. show slender people

Snacking and palm oil probably don’t help.

@oakleaffy I was referring to the idea that it's correct to not ask for weight loss injections via the NHS, because it would supposedly be denying appropriate support for diabetics.

I got offered going on to tier three for either WLS or injections.
I picked Wls because I'd heard of people waiting 3 years for a consultant appointment for injections,then being told their BMI was to high and surgery was all that would be offered
Then they went to the bottom on the surgery waiting list for another 3 years wait .
I thought that would be just my luck ,so I went on the surgery waiting list .
But I really don't want surgery,and I'm funding the injections myself,if it doesn't work for me ..as I've heard injections don't work for 15%of population...than I will accept surgery if I'm offered it

@Tiggiwinklescousin given your weight and genetic links to diabetes, if you lose weight by taking the medication, you have a better chance of not becoming diabetic yourself.

Not available in many places on NHS, definitely not from GP and e.g.not one tier 3 wt loss clinic in London has funding

I am not overweight. I do have a serious mental health condition. I keep myself sane (because the alternative is being insane) with exercise, ensuring good sleep and diet and drugs. With only the drugs it wouldn't work and I would be mostly very ill.

So go to your GP and ask for the drug you need but be super clear with yourself that you still have to do most of the work yourself. There really are very few short cuts in this life.

Dont get me wrong i know i need to change but if i could have a one time reset to lose the weight, that would be amazing. I dont want to be on it long term. Not getting out of breath going up stairs, being able to keep up with the kids, start running again etc just to wear nice clothes in the summer fgs

The question is (if you want it anytime soon) 'have I got enough money to get the WL jabs privately'

I'm paying £138 a month on Cloud Pharmacy.

Tbh I was probably spending that in a month on snacks/just eat/wine before mounjaro anyway.

When looking at cost think about the amount you will save on food. If you are anything like me you will have spent a sizeable amount on treats and extra food without really thinking about it, over a month that will add up. If it is say £20 a week then that is £80 saved for the WLI.

Please don’t take up GP appointments asking for weight loss injections, they cannot prescribe them unless you are diabetic. You can ask for a referral to weight loss services, but there is a three year waiting list here, even though I was recommended by the consultant at the Pain Clinic. Also as per PP they are not currently prescribing the injections in my area.

I am not prepared to wait three years so have taken the decision to pay for the jabs, I am hopeful that the NHS may be in a position to prescribe for maintenance by the time I have lost the weight. I have lost 10 kilos and kept it off and reversed being pre diabetic, but have not been able to lose any more.

You cannot get it on the NHS unless you are obese and have Type 2 diabetes and already tried at least two diabetic medications that haven't worked.
It hasn't yet been rolled out on the NHS for obesity alone.
Your diabetic nurse will keep and eye on you and monitor your bloods every month in order for the GP to prescribe it.

It's not £200 a month to start with.
2.5mg is £129
Then the price goes up in stages.

Just to clarify I have lost 10kg without Mounjaro, but feel I need help to carry on and lose the rest!

Funny thing is.. what l wrote before...in how to qualify l do.
I was 20 stone.
Have Type 2.. tried two diabetic medications and had bad reactions to both
I'm also on statins.
I am severely disabled.
Have MH problems and see a psychiatrist every week .
I do actually qualify.
But l fund my own.
Lost 2 stone in 11 weeks.
Yes l also pay to see my psychiatrist.

Not £200 much less.
They won’t prescribe on NHS at the moment for your indication … sorry.
It would help you though - feels good to lose 3 stone ! I have spent £700 in 6 months. I have actually saved the same amount in buying food and drink .

I honestly don't get the morality arguments
people don't do it for any other drug, all of which cost the NHS money to prescribe
nobody says you shouldn't get medication for depression, just pay for therapy instead
nobody says you don't need surgery on that broken leg, just bandage it up and carry on
nobody says you shouldn't get contraception for free, just buy condoms.

as for "doing it the hard way like everyone else" - the whole point is that most people DON'T do it the hard way - they try dieting and exercising but it doesn't work. very few people lose a substantial amount of weight and keep it off.

you have absolutely nothing to lose from at least asking your GP. If they say no then you can consider how to potentially fund it yourself.

I know someone severely obese and the gp said no.

YANBU to ask your GP for the weight loss job

However, unless you meet specific criteria they are not going to prescribe for you and so you'd have to look at buying it instead like many others seem to do in recent times

Definitely sounds like you need to speak with the GP about your recent blood results so may as well ask them

At our practice you have to have failed to improve your hba1c on 3 different diabetes meds before they will consider the injections.. Even with high BP, cholesterol etc.