To think weight-loss injections should be prescribed in person only. The scale of abuse must be shocking.

[Thisisdrugabuse]

Hear me out here. I have had 5 friends in their 30s and 40s tell me they're using weight-loss injections from online sources. Fine. Except one is a size 8 and another a size 10. Oh, it's so easy to get, just upload a photo of a day you looked chubbier a few years ago and change your height/ weight a bit. Out of my friends that recently told me they're taking it, the size 8 is on the highest dose. She looks ill. Only 1 is over a size 14 I'd say.

Am I being unreasonable

No-to think these medicines are not licensed for normal sized people. They might be at risk of osteoporosis, liver problems and who knows what else. It all seems dangerous and completely unregulated.

Yes- jog on op. These are important medicines helping lots of people and if people lie, that's their issue.

There was an item on woman’s hour a few months ago where a journalist had managed (without much difficulty) to buy it through someone doing fillers. She also spoke to other women who were obtaining it from illegitimate sources - one of them was singing its praises because it meant she didn’t abuse laxatives in an attempt to lose weight any more. I don’t think it’s a non-issue.
But like any illegal trade in prescription drugs, it’s not exactly simple and easy to stop. Although I imagine the bigger problem is people lying to online pharmacies, which as you say, are now a lot stricter anyway so that problem is reducing. There’ll be a limit on the number of people willing (and stupid enough) to inject themselves with something they’ve bought from some random guy.

Wow!!

So rather than support your friend with her ED, you would rather judge her and then throw in that her dh is ‘thinking of leaving her over it’
Rriiiggghhttt.

Of course he is 🙄

This thread smacks of a jealous overweight complainer that is irritated that all of her friends are slim and ready for the summer, and she is lashing out at the WLI for this disparity. Op honestly get a grip or order them yourself.

I think the prescribers should team up with Weightwatchers and Slimming World (who are likely to go out of business) or launch their own similar services to have in person weigh ins in random school halls and church halls.

There are enough people on the jabs - it shouldn't be too hard.

If people are choosing to take these injections with no legitimate reason, if they get ill, it's their own daft fault imho.

I agree. I see the pharmacist every month, he weighs me and takes my bp. A friend whose BMI is not nearly high enough buys it online. She wore her daughters gym gear for her photo to make herself look bigger, and lied about her weight.

Agreed.
Sounds like nonsense to me.
Reputable suppliers are far more stringent than some mumsnet posters would lead others to believe.

I've only made one post before as on op i think. I've commented on others and so changed my name as didn't want identifying information as think I've said where I live on another post. Im sorry you find this post tiring. I think it's an important topic. I think we're seeing a new addictive/ abused medication. I am concerned.

@spoonbillstretford I agree with much of what you say but dissagre about the side effects!!!

I've had most of them (I haven't physically been sick although had nausea for a few weeks) and have persevered. I was already eating a upf free diet and I have been meticulous about following guidelines for both mounjaro and found it easy to improve my diet. I've increased exercise due to the anti inflammatory effect increasing my mobility I'm the healthiest I've been in a long time.

BUT I've had a lot of side effevts to deal with. This isn't due to bad eating or misuse. It's a potent drug and many of us will be dealing with side effects as part of that. I was morbidly obese and now just obese (and still likely to be at the end of the year) - I'm a poster child for this drug and it's life changing effects but yes side effects. Blaming the person taking the drug just because you didn't get side effects really really isn't helpful. And another reason I think supervision is important with dealing with them.

Totally with you here. A friend I know needs her gallbladder removed 3 months after starting to take the jabs, Dr said it was a direct result of taking the jabs (which she didn't need and she got online) and was a recognised side effect - she really regrets taking the jabs in the first place.

That would be awful. The best thing about MJ for me has been freedom from SW and ww style diets that are designed to keep you reliant on them and going back and can cause disordered eating in itself. Being able to eat well and healthy now I'm on Mounjaro has been fantastic and I never intend to do a slimming club or diet again.

I agree with PP, wish the NHS had the funds and inclination to get ahead of it and prescribe to those who actually need it.
My starting BMI was 42.2 and the GP said ‘if you want them, buy them, it’s nothing to do with us’.
I go to the GP a lot for things have have reduced hugely since being on MJ -
• palpitations (not just GP, had a 24hr heart tracker),
• autoimmune disease (again not just GP, rheumatology)
• painful liver (again, not just GP, I once had 4 ultrasounds in a year for it which seemed very OTT!)
• omeprazole repeat prescription, although I now just buy it. But, hiatus hernia from having kids and remaining fat.

My point being, my fatness has surely cost the NHS a LOT and I’m only in my 30s. Imagine 40 more years at that rate. Give me the jabs!

Off-topic but I do MJ and WW together and it works really well for me. But I agree it’s going to be different for everyone.

Also at BMI 25 (I'm 5'7" and a size 10) some people would think I'm too skinny to take it or don't need it. But I still am perfectly legitimately. I looked a lot better than most people at BMI 29 and a size 14 as I am fit and toned. It doesn't mean I don't need it. I've tried to get down to normal BMI for 16+ years, usually losing a stone and putting it back on again every year, and being BMI 27-29. I have higher risk of cancer being overweight with PCOS and endometriosis, plus heart attacks and diabetes. Coming up to 50 I want to reduce those risks significantly. My mum had a heart attack in her early 50s and was only very slightly overweight. Later she developed diabetes. I'm trying to avoid it if possible.

I'm using WLI started with a BMI of 37 5 months down the line i've lost 16KG BMI is 31. 16.7% weight loss. I was pre diabetic and needed to do something as well for work medical need a BMI less than 35 and also to get blood pressure down.

I'm aiming for another half stone to lose, ill still be overweight with a BMI of around 29.

I have used a online Pharmacy for the treatment and have spent around £800 so far, I'm not obsessive with getting to a BMI of 25 but I am feeling so much better and fitter than I was for reference I'm also hitting the gym 4 times a week same as before, but now seeing results as not craving food soon after leaving the gym.

yes people are using dodgy WLI or lying to get medication, people want the perfect body its look at social media with infuencers etc using WLI and people will try it.

Fucking hell, the people asking if the OP is OK and accusing them of being jealous... It would be very, very disordered thinking if the OP was jealous of anyone who was abusing drugs, whatever their weight. And the whole "jealous" thing that is flung at anyone who raises concerns about the misuse of these (miraculous and important) drugs is so simplistic and childish, and takes it for granted that everyone wants to be thin. There's a lot of fatphobia present in these conversations.

I also have oesophagitis and a hiatus hernia and was only in the overweight range before. Three years ago I was being investigated for oesophagal cancer as I was having trouble swallowing. I've had none of these issues while on Mounjaro and I hope the symptoms never return.

I have no issue with people that need it, using it. Well done. This post is really about people with low bmis abusing it.

My colleagues Mum who is overweight, purchases it, and then gives it to her daughter (my colleague), who is not big enough by a mile to purchase with her own stats. The Mum has no interest in using it, but is heavy enough to qualify with the prescribers. Her daughter is a size 12 but wants to lose 2 stone before she goes to vegas in October. She’s not shy about telling people at all.

I have a healthy bmi, five foot ten and a size 10. I’ve recently got approved for mounjaro on an online website, I put in that I was far shorter and weighed a lot more than I do and I wasn’t even asked for photos. I’ll be using it to get down to a size 6/8 and then doing a maintenance dose.

Ahh thank you! I've found some posts a bit shocking. There's certainly a lot of feeling around this topic. I definitely am okay, not jealous and just a bit concerned about the way it's being used. I think the drug is amazing for those that need it. But we can all see from the replies it is being abused on a widespread basis.

I was overweight at a size 12, I'm still very slightly at a size 10 at the moment. I'm not condoning their daft actions but with an overweight BMI there are very few risks, and more health risks with being fat as you get older.

Concentrate on looking after yourself and save the worry of your friends to the people around them.

Oh and be honest with yourself about the real reason you started this thread because a throwaway line like I think its a brilliant breakthrough in medicine for people with high bmis and things like diabetes usually gives the game away anyway.

Hate this faux “I’m so concerned about this drug!” Definitely just jealous your friend is skinny, as are most of the people who are “outraged about weight loss jabs”. You sound like you just wanted a place to gossip and be bitchy to be honest

People are so odd about this. Thin people resent fat users for "cheating". Fat users resent thin people for ... I dunno muscling in on their territory??

People can do what they like it's not cocaine.

You wouldn't have to follow their diet - they could just weigh you. They are weighing people anyway and are all set up to do it, and as things stand they are likely to go out of business if they stick with their old model.