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?

First, you need to ask for a referral to a menopause clinic. They are able to prescribe HRT when GP's are unable to / too scared to. Weight isn't a contraindication in transdermal HRT, as that doesn't carry the risk of blood clots like oral HRT does. But GP's are specialist in the area, so ask for that referral. Also investigate menopause clinics in your area to find the one with the shortest waiting list. Due to a non-associated health issue, my GP wouldn't prescribe HRT, and the clinic they suggested had a 14 month wait list. By checking neighbouring Trusts I found a clinic with a wating list of only 4 weeks.

I have asked! They said no

Insist. If they refuse again, make a complaint. If you are menopausal and suffering, and they're unable to provide any help, they have no grounds to refuse the referral.

I have asked more than once! So when I make a complaint and they no longer want me using their practice where do I go for my other medications, no need to answer I won't be making any complaint.

I'm sorry I know you're only trying to help but enough now, let's stop derailing FamilyFriend's thread.

Apologies to FamilyFriend, I wish I'd never said anything now lol

That’s not the way these weight loss injections work

it’s definitely not easy, it’s just easier in very particular ways.

The 'underlying cause' is the wide availability of food in our society.
This is a magic bullet and it should be freely available on the NHS
It really is a wonder drug
People who take it will have multiple health benefits

Gotta wonder what anyone would resent or be down on this ...

Re the cost. I pay £150 for a pen that lasts 5 weeks, so £30 a week.

Not spending £5 on WW Slimming World etc
Not spending £8 on weekly bottle of wine (gone off it)
Not spending £10 on sourdough and other ‘clean’ food
Not spending £10 on snacks, treats etc

I am actually saving money!

Totally agree
Spending so little on food

Fitting into lovely clothes that have been waiting in wardrobe

The cost is not what it appears to be when you calculate all this

5 weeks?! It's only 4 weeks at a time 🤔

No you can 5 doses out of one pen. Depending on how much you use to prime

Eh? Why would they sell it with an extra dose. To prime it the instructions just said release the bubbles and a drop of medicine will appear. Does that mean there's an extra dose?

Yes.

Silly question but how would I know? Can you see the extra dose in the pen? I havent looked. I've just bought my 5mg pen after 3 weeks (4th jab due on monday) so would I do an extra week on 2.5mg then start using my 5mg pen? Has it got a long enough shelf life to do that? Sorry for all the questions!

We used to spend £125iah a week on a family of five. It’s now down to around £100 a week as I’m eating less it’s amazing how it all adds up. Then on-top of the shop take off a treat here and there and a takeaway once a month and that’s the cost of your pen more than covered.

You might be best googling it and then you are getting pictures as well.

But yes. You can see the plunger hasn’t gone all the way to the end.

Yes, I did 5 jabs at 2.5mg and then moved up to 5.

yes it has a long enough shelf life, as the 5 would be done in under 30 days.

Thank you good to know!

Or you could just exercise a little bit of self-compassion and allow yourself the help you deserve to improve your life and health. You are worth that, even if you don’t believe it at the moment.

@Itsmahoneybaloney google Mounjaro bonus dose.

I do the hard twist method. You can also extract the bonus dose. It’s a whole new world and a bit of a learning curve.

Once you're no longer attracted to or want certain foods, there are whole aisles of the supermarket that you just dont go down anymore, its amazing how little you can end up with in the basket, thats why its so much cheaper

That’s interesting re the extra dose, my friend said something similar and i wasn't sure what she meant. Yes i could spend £30 a week on this for sure. Im going to do it. Its worth it. Im worth it.

i think in the back of my mind i feel people will think ive cheated, taken the easy route etc. but with so much to lose and ££ im giving myself one chance only. Then will be so strict with my eating when i come off it eventually. I just think if its available for weightloss, it works and its approved medically, then why the hell wouldn’t we use it?

Good luck with that. My SIL has a BMI of 38,weighs 19 stone,has high cholesterol and is pre-diabetic and her GP STILL refuses to prescribe it for her.

@FriendlyFriend You don’t have to tell anyone. No one will think you have cheated because no one has to know.

I weigh more than John's SIL 😳.

I'm fat and in my forties and really don't know if my next step is menopause patches, adhd drugs or weight loss meds.

And the frustrating thing is instead of having a GP to guide me through it she literally said at my last appointment "it's calories in... You could just eat 2 mars bars and that would be fine".

I feel like we're dismissed and overlooked once morbidly obese rather than helped.

Its going to be a bit obvious though if it works for me

There is some draft guidance for the NHS in England saying exactly that.

Page 41 here.

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/GID-TA11156/documents/draft-guidance-2

It isn’t in effect until they publish final guidance but I think that must be due pretty soon, within months- it will basically tell GPs they should prescribe for BMI of 35 + one obesity related health condition. I think it’s worth saying that you think this is coming up if they say no now