Extremely hacked off by GP. Won’t prescribe Mounjaro

[Hakunatomato]

I have been self funding Mounjaro for the past year, and have a debt on credit card because of it. As a result, my HBa1c has gone from 19 to 5.5. I have lost almost 5 stones, now down to 16 .stones so effectively I have put my diabetes into remission as a result. I can no longer afford it because of the price rises and have asked my GP to start prescribing it. Their response is that because my blood sugar is now nearly normal they won’t do it, despite me having a bmi of 46. When I finish the course I have I now have to watch my good work go in to reverse and watch my health decline. All for the sake of the £30 a week is would cost my GP at wholesale NHS cost. If I put the weight back on again and wait while my blood sugar levels rise and I will have to apply again. I am so pissed off.. The relatively small cost as opposed to what the bills will be when my Diabetes returns doesn’t make sense.

Do you have 4 of the other conditions required to be eligible for an NHS prescription? It’s not just about BMI and HBa1C levels only and the NHS has to draw a line somewhere.

If you are unable to continue self-funding then have a look at the Fast800 by Michael Mosley. I know this is not the same as the drug reducing food noise etc but not sure what else to suggest. You have done extremely well so far so well done.

Could you carry on eating an exercising as you have been when taking it? You should be able to maintain with diet and exercise.

Sorry but the nhs has to draw the line somewhere. Maybe work on your willpower? Look at less calorie dense foods and upping your activity levels???

Surely you just continue what your eating and doing now just without the MJ? You only need willpower, you wont just pile it on unless you choose to go back to bad habits.
Yabu to expect the nhs to fund it.

It’s not your GP
its the prescribing rules set by NHs England

It’s not your GP’s fault. It’s the government guidelines

Congratulations on your weight loss.

Can you join slimming world or join weight watchers to carry on the good work?

The GP's hands are tied. You could ask for referral to a tier 3 weight management programme, and then they could refer you on to tier 4 if necessary.

I have reversed my hypertension, and my cholesterol levels as a result of taking this medication. I am staggered that a medical professional is condoning me becoming unhealthy again just so I can be prescribed the medication. I’m not asking for an expensive drug. I have tried every diet under the sun including the fasting. This worked for me. I am so pissed off that despite working my whole life, 40 years paying NI , that I am refused something that will now shorten my life and cause me complications. I hate this country. There is no reward for working and doing the right thing. Take the piss, and everything is handed to you on a plate.

I don't think they're condoning you become unhealthy. They are just saying that unless you meet the criteria, they can't prescribe at GP level.

YABVU. You have had it for a year and have lost 5 stone, you are surely at the time now where you can start doing it yourself without the aid of weight loss injections? Also, there is a board for these threads. Maybe you can get some advice and tips on there as to how to wean yourself off them.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections

Such a huge drop in HBa1c is probably due to the mounjaro. Maintaining the remission without the drug that caused the change is not as easy as eat right and exercise. Diabetes is rarely that simple, especially if you have had out of control glucose for years.

I feel your pain OP. I've just switched to MJ and in my country it's a private script, no provisions for getting it on the public scheme. We've been paying higher rates than the UK and I think even after your savage price rises, we're still paying more. I'm doing a couple of months on MJ and then back to ozempic.

but your choosing to be unhealthy! MJ isnt a miracle drug, it just literally stops the cravings. Surely you can muster up some will power not to scoff yourself? You have done so well, you dont need a drug to help you succeed it’s literally just will power. Stop blaming other people and look at yourself.

OP, take some responsibility. Your GP is not responsible for what you put in your mouth.

I do understand your frustration but it may be that you do not currently meet the criteria to allow the GP to prescribe for you on the NHS.

It does seem likely that WLIs are a medication that will need to be taken long term and I don't think this realisation has sunk in yet.

There are so many people who WLIs would help out there - and so few that are currently meeting NHS criteria. It does seem crazy that you have to wait until you are sicker to access them.

Can you switch to Wegovy? It has been suggested that you can switch across at any dose level rather than having to work back up.

I didn't start with such a high bmi but did have high cholesterol, fatty liver and high blood pressure, now all reversed and 5 stone lighter thanks to MJ. I can't afford to stay on it for maintenance so ive no choice to permanently change my eating and lifestyle.

What amazing results you've had. I read that nobody expected the population to go for weight loss drugs in the way they have done, because they misjudged how much an injection would not be a barrier: they thought people would be put off. They now have potentially millions of people who would benefit from the treatment on the NHS and they just can't afford to do it. If you want to blame anyone - and I totally get the frustration - then look to the drugs companies who are sitting on the golden goose. Eli Lilly is on my shit list for sure.

The NHS is not proactive and seems to prefer paying out huge amounts to fix problems which would be cheaper to prevent. You are not being unreasonable, this is a ridiculous situation

How much would it have cost if her Hba1c had remained at 19? The longterm health effects and costs are very high, probably higher than the cost of a WLI.

the entitlement is astounding, just don't eat shit

You're getting a lot of harsh replies @Hakunatomatoand I sympathise. Food addiction is a real thing just like with alcohol, drugs etc.

The cause of the current problem isn't the GP or government. It's the pharmas being greedy by pushing up the prices disproportionately.

Surely you can continue the healthy eating and exercise you’ve been doing which has enabled you to lose 5 stone?

I don't think people understand that "willpower" isn't the problem here. Obviously it's a far deeper issue than that but you all keep saying it like it's some magic revelation.

Also @Hakunatomato where have you got 'it only costs the NHS £30 a week' from?

Came to say this. I have a friend with a BMI of 50 and 3 of the other conditions.

No MJ for her from her GP. But they WILL refer her for weight loss surgery.