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.

Well done on your loss so far.

Unfortunately, the NHS has one pot of money an decisions to make on who it cn be spent on. Sadly, there are winners and losers . My dad has dementia , no drugs as too expensive for the NHS to prescribe and their benefits deemed minimal. He also paid in to the system for years :(

Frustrating, but you've had a great kick start and have got your diabetes under control, which is great.

You've conditioned your body to take in less calories and kicked the sugar/fat dependency that so many unhealthy foods create. Take that with your healthier habits and carry it forward on your own now.

I think for many these injections have become a crutch and basically replaced a food addiction.

I can see why if you have never had a problem with food, you'd feel confused and not understand why people just don't just eat less.

I am on wli, I recently went on holiday and was watching people filling up their plates at the buffet. For the first time in my life I wondered how anyone could bear to eat so much. I genuinely felt sick just imagining eating such huge amounts. Whereas prior to the injections that was me.

Clearly there is something going on beyond just willpower.

I think you're right in that the NHS is short sighted in not prescribing WLI where it would save them money in the long term, you have my sympathy.

However.

Take the piss, and everything is handed to you on a plate

I take it this is having a go at people on benefits?
You realise that the people being dicks to you on this thread think exactly the same about you - that you can't be bothered making an effort and you're just lazy and want your problems sorted out for you?
But you know it's more complicated than that - so why not try having a bit of compassion for others, or at the very least finding out whether a life on benefits is the easy street that some flavours of media will tell you it is

what dose are you on for it to only cost £30 a week?

The GP is following the NHS guidelines but the guidelines are crap.
Well done for your amazing achievements so far!
I really do think the NHS should support you, your feelings are completely valid, but your GPs hands are probably tied by the guidelines.
Is switching to wegovy an option? Definitely do that if it's affordable.
Hopefully you now have some healthy habits in place which you can sustain. Do you have any support from family or friends who really get it?
Will the GP offer any alternate support?
People who are dismissive and just say eat less exercise more etc don't fully understand how difficult it is and all the emotional and physical issues that can led to weight gain.
I'm sorry you are in this situation it must be really upsetting.

Okay, so I'm "ignorant". Enlighten me.

I haven't walked in their shoes, no. I won't pipe down just because you are offended by my comments. I've been through a lot of health problems and know how hard it can be to struggle.

It’s not my job to enlightening you. You keep feeling free to flap your gums about something you’ve never experienced! You’ve never been through what morbidly obese people have been through and yet you genuinly think you have the right to speak on it. Sorry… you’re an absolute idiot. Do you really think that people who are struggling to walk, who can’t stop eating, even when their crying whilst they’re doing it, who want to look nice in their clothes, feel attractive, not be ridiculed and shamed … you really think it just comes down to greed and/or a lack of willpower? I can’t with you. Or anyone who believes this. Why don’t you go and educate yourself. Or if you can’t be bothered at least shut up.

All the sympathy in the world, but from someone who is self funding treatment for an acknowledged condition that the NHS won't treat - don't waste your energy. It is what it is and if you need to spend energy pushing back against this situation then join campaigns.

With the NHS here.....why should the tax payer fund people who eat to excess and just want a quick fix ....sod that. There are people with cancer that can't get treatment ☹️

I understand why diets fail, but after a year, the OP won't be having cravings now and her stomach will be used to reasonable sized portions. The physical addiction is over. If there's emotional/mental addiction to food, that needs to be treated separately.

Charming. As are you. You have no idea what health problems I've had.

If you don't meet the NHS criteria they can't prescribe, end of i.e. bmi 40 and 4 of the list of 5 comorbidities. I'm a GP and in my area there is no provision yet even for those who do meet those criteria

What research are you basing this post on, because it's completely contrary to everything I've read.

It's a free country. I can talk about whatever I like, and have an opinion on it. Just because I've not experienced it. Bloody hell.

A quick fix??? it is absolutely not a quick fix. I am losing 1 - 2lbs a week. I dont call that quick. I am shopping, preparing and eating healthy meals, all the ones I have eaten in the past. the difference is the lack of food noise meaning I dont stuff myself in between or eat when I am not hungry. Look at the illnesses associated with obesity and how much it costs the country? This isnt illness bingo - mines worse that yours, no it isnt, yes it is. It is just common sense.

Perhaps because, if someone is no longer obese, they will not be suffering from weight-related health conditions that cost the NHS a lot more than Mounjaro, @ARamblingRoseGarden.

Well done on losing weight, OP.

However, I do agree with others that we should not be funding people to stay on Mounjaro. You were one of the lucky ones, to self-fund while the price was so low. Now, it's time for you to learn how to maintain your weight without it.

I am tempted to self-fund, but the plan would be to lose the weight, then to come off. I don't understand the people who plan to stay on it indefinitely? it costs loads.

People in this country constantly complain about others getting any kind of benefits but when it’s something that benefits them personally the anger comes. I hope you had the same anger for disabled people dying trying to pass pip assessments and during the bedroom tax etc. Either we support everyone to have a meaningful quality of life or in all falls apart.

No need for name calling @Iloveyoubut This is a public forum, we're all entitled to provide our opinions.

Lol @ARamblingRoseGarden why should the NHS fund people who want to restrict their procreation with contraceptives? Why should the NHS fund people who play sport and get injured? Why should the NHS fund people who get themselves depressed? Why should the NHS help alcoholics or smokers? Why should the NHS treat sexually transmitted diseases?

Of course you can have an opinion, @ForeverDelayedEpiphany - but if you have not walked in our shoes, any advice you choose to give us is not likely to be of much use to us - so you will understand if we don't give your opinions much weight.

Why are some posters equating constant food cravings with overeating? Plenty of us constantly crave food, always feel hungry and never full but don’t respond to these feelings by satisfying the urge? By buying calorie dense foods? And what other than calories in calories out do you think is proven by losing weight after eating less because of a glp 1?

Thank you. Exactly. I can tell people what I think.

No, im not morbidly obese and I won't ever truly understand, but it doesn't entitle offended people to bully and name call.

Mounjaro doesn’t work like that and I say that as someone who’s lost 6 stone by taking it and has now come off it.