Doctors/Nurses/Dietitians/healthcare professionals, what are you real and honest beliefs about the whole weight loss injection moment we are having?

[Banrockmystation]

A genuine thread for me who is too afraid to ask in real life. For context I’m in my 40s with pcos, at least 2.5 stone overweight and despite exercising 4 times a week and calorie tracking etc for the last few years my weight issues continue.
I don’t have an opinion on other people being on the injections. My reason for asking is because despite probably being a candidate for them and knowing how hard I try to control weight, there’s something that stops me.
I worry that there is more to it than what is being shown by the media and that there isn’t enough research done on long term effects etc? Aibu? Is that just fear or an actual possible concern that others in the industry have too?
Despite my weight, I’m heart healthy and fitter than I’ve ever been.
Thanks!

@LolaLouise I totally agree- I don’t think the purpose for weight loss was to be used ad infinitum - and I’m finding it a bit alarming at posts debating how low will prescribers go for people who are no longer overweight by any means.

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Can I ask what your plan (or advice) is for maintenance?

I suppose I’m a bit different to you, because I can feel 2 things at the same time. I feel bad that someone has an unwanted side effect AND at the same time relief that I didn’t jump on the bandwagon. I think it’s quite natural tbh.

Ah, not different at all, and nothing at all about holding two feelings at the same time, which you surely know that most people can do. I'm talking about one of those feelings, and the oddness of hoping that you will feel it in the future - which absolutely necessitates other people to suffer.

It’s the glee expressed I find quite disturbing. Would they say the same to a person using a new to the market cancer/ diabetes/ heart failure drug? ‘I’m looking forward to the bad side effects to show up’? Fucking mind boggling.

@SwingTheMonkey I’m afraid the anti vaxxer mentality is strong in many and I’m seeing similar on anything involving WLI - now personally I’m not keen after my 4 weeks on them - feel sick and not great , but that’s just me, I’m not wishing harm or ill effects on others. . You see it on social media anytime someone mentions ill health - especially amongst Americans!! Did u take the jab - accompanied by laughing emojis - ! There is a desparate need amongst some to be proved ‘superior and right’ and a lot of them really aren’t bright who have this mentality - same was true of Brexit . A chronic need to ‘win’ ‘be right’ - regardless of whether it made any sense or not. You see it with Trump at the moment too -

No one has seemed bothered about side effects for diabetic people for the 20 years these medications have been in use! They don’t seem to all be dropping dead from them and riddled with cancer. Is it just us (former) fatties who get those kind of side effects?

Note, I’m absolutely not any type of medical professional but I’ve lost 8 stone in a year and it has been completely life changing for me. I still need to loose another 4 stone to be a healthy bmi but I’ve already completely stopped snoring and my resting heart rate has dropped. My diabetes is in remission.

My only regret is not starting sooner, but I was scared after reading so much bad press.

One of my slight concerns ( and I’m on week 4) is with regards to those planning on maintenance along term - ( I certainly don’t) is many of the side effects that are pretty common, indigestion, headaches, vomiting/feeling sick, burping, constipation, diarrhoea - along with the wanted side effect of ‘feeling full’. can actually be side effects for some pretty serious things - that are nothing to do with MJ - and I do wonder if some will get missed by putting it down to MJ if used ‘very long term’

I think your maintenance dose should really be one that doesn’t cause you side effects in the first place. Most of those side effects are fairly limited to going up to new doses or the first few weeks of starting the medication, not still just as bad months later on the same dose. I have no side effects on my maintenance dose. If I did, I would reduce it.

Perhaps. I don’t get any of those side effects any more and haven’t for months and months. I’m not concerned about masking anything more serious. This was always going to be a very long term project for me, as I am not in the same category as you @Crikeyalmighty - I had about 12 stone or so to lose to get to my final target weight, with a starting BMI of just a touch over 50.

@SilenceInside blimey - good on you - yep I need to lose about 4 . Half a stone down at mo in 3 weeks -

8 stone down, another 4 to go.

@SilenceInside fantastic going!!

Well it’s been a “quick fix”, “easy” and “cheating” due to the Mounjaro of course. 🙄

@SilenceInside well done 8st gone is huge. Sorry if I've missed it how long has it taken?

42 weeks since I started at the beginning of July.

42 weeks since I started at the beginning of July.

I can only speak for myself, obviously, but the side effects (and I only had reasonably mild ones) wore off after the first couple of months as my body got used to the medication. I’ve been on it for 7 months now and don’t have any side effects apart from mild appetite suppression and increased satiation.

That's amazing a stone a month. You must feel like a new woman

@SwingTheMonkey ah that’s good news- it may just be my own personal concern as 3 weeks in I feel constantly sick and a fair bit of acid reflux/indigestion - I’ve bought rennies today . I do still hope others don’t dismiss it though if they get issues further down the line as’oh it’s just MJ ‘

Ive had side effects the whole time. Mostly nausea, sometimes vomiting, and sulphur burps but uncomfortably "gassy" regularly, some acid reflux. My presriber also has cyclizine and omeprazole availble as an add on to the injections, i tried both, cyclizine has no effect on me, omeprazole however keeps most of the side effects under control. I also find the food choices i make make my side effects worse, mostly carbs - if i have potato or pasta they are much worse, if i have rice as a carb its much better. I have to be careful with vegetables too, ones that are known to be mose gassy i have to avoid as they are sitting in my stomach much longer. Its beena bit of trial and error over the ast 7 weeks, but im 6 stone down, able to make sure i get the correct calories, and known which foods to have and make sure i always have omeprazole available.

That’s unfair.
Isn’t the idea that certain people have “mentalities” stupid in itself . It doesn’t matter if it’s ethnicity, class, Brexit or anything else. There will be a Venn diagram of overlapping agreement somewhere between all people.