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.

Oh Lord. Find your willpower please! I get hungry too but I resist and I am still a size 8 despite menopause. And no I can’t get surgery I need on the nhs so I need to go private and my surgery is due to a chronic condition on which I have no choice. You have a CHOICE! I’m absolutely furious. Don’t buy chocolates and buy wegovy or ozempic instead that are cheaper

I’m commenting on someone on Mounjaro - surely you started putting changes in place the day you started the Mounjaro.

I thought the whole idea was that it 'retrained' your diet and to exercise? You've lost a lot of weight. Why would it suddenly reverse? Are you sure you still need it.
If it really is the case that as soon as the jabs stop you're back where you began, is it really the panacea it's been made out to be?

Can I ask do people on MJ intend to stay on it forever? I had assumed the idea was that the drug helped you changed your lifestyle to make healthier habits and choices and then come off it and be able to sustain that. Just trying to understand as it seems crazy to be on it forever

Exactly this 👏🏻 People seem to forget that drugs have serious and sometimes irreversible side effects and can cause long term permanent adverse reactions. I should know. I have a neurological movement disorder from an off label antipsychotic 😳

Thank you. I am expecting a hundred comments from people who know nothing about the mechanics of diabetes and telling me to eat less and be more active. I can see that you understand. To make such comments is akin to saying to an alcoholic well you have managed 3 weeks off booze, so we won’t help you until you become so unwell and have stage 4 liver disease.

I'm surprised you are putting this on a credit card because I've found that the reduction in my food (well, alcohol!) bill has offset the cost. Have you not found any benefit in reduced food bills?

The ignorance shown in this post is breathtaking.

Why don't you think your way out of YOUR medical condition? I mean, it's all in the mind, right????

I hear your frustration. It seems likely that it is cheaper for the NHS to fund this prescription than to fund what would be needed to manage your health if it declines again. Maybe speak to Diabetes UK?

From what others have said, the food noise will come back strongly when you stop. One approach is to focus on increasing the fibre in your food as much as you can so you feel more full. I do this and I now eat a lot of pulses, lentils and whole grains. It does help. Also try to find a way to build more physical activity into your daily life. I have just signed up for a city electric bike scheme, mainly as it is only £2 to hire one vs £10+ for a days parking charges. But the side effect is it helps with weight management too.

Is it not possible to try and maintain the weightloss without the jabs? Surely, they aren't meant to be used for long-term use.

The NHS is already crippled financially. I just can't see how it could fund long-term use for everyone on mounjaro and other weight loss jabs once they have got to a weight at which they have seen a reversal in health conditions and reduced prescriptions for other medications. There has to be some effort put in by the patient to continue what mounjaro started, doesn't there?

Lots of medications are going to have parameters that have to be met before they are allowed to prescribe.

There are people unable to access cancer treatments and dementia medications. Just eat less and increase your steps and stop blaming your gp.

That is the wholesale cost to the NHS. They are not charging them the exorbitant rates they now charge the general public.

YABVU blaming your GP. They don’t make the rules on who gets Mounjaro, it’s set nationally by NHS guidance. They can’t just hand it out because you think it makes sense or because it worked for you. It doesn’t matter if you’ve done well on it, the system has strict criteria and your GP has to follow them. You’re angry at the wrong person.

Diabetes can be reversed and controlled drug free though. My gestational diabetes was controlled by a low carb diet for 9 months and i never took metformin or insulin once. It's possible.

Im sorry OP. It must be very frustrating.
NI doesn't "pay" for the NHS. It's not strictly hypothecation anyway but anyway.

Unfortunately GPs cant just prescribe things that make sense. They have to prescribe according to the NICE guidelines and the ICB guidance. That's what their directions are and so there's no point on getting mad at them, get campaigning for NICE to change the guidance. I'm sorry because it doesn't always make sense but honestly it's not their fault.

Type one diabetic here.

Yes its possible to control type two through diet & excerise. You do not need MJ - you just continue what youve done on MJ.

I don’t think you have any choice OP - either you find the extra money for the
MJ or you try to manage, because any GP can only follow the guidelines for prescribing.

Why isn’t it as simple as exercise and diet? This isn’t a goady question, I’m interested to know, mainly because I am also overweight with high triglycerides and I’m doing the “diet and exercise” path. I would be really happy to understand more about glucose management as I suspect I will struggle with this as I head into my 50s.

And just like Alcoholics the only person who is responsible for what they do is the person concerned.

Alcoholics have to Not Drink. Overweight people (including me) need to control their eating.
Of course it's hard, but it's your life and your choices.

Guess what most diabetics can't eat lots of? Wholegrains and pulses. Carbs are the devil for most of us.

You’re the only one who can control if you become unhealthy again or not.

The disdain for someone who has achieved a really good weight loss, along with improved health markers is sad to see, although fully expected.

Obesity is still seen as a moral failing it seems, meaning that people feel free to insult and punish 'stop eating crap, why would the weight go back on?, join a slimming club'

If it was that easy we would not have a global obesity problem. Dieting does not work and exercise definitely does not work long term to manage weight for most people.

This problem that has largely been caused by the food industry making lots and lots of money. If the government is serious about prevention of ill health then they will have to do some harsh regulation on food companies - but they won't because it makes money for our economy and we can't afford to piss them off.

I think Mounjaro can be life changing and wonderful for people, especially those who need support to build the 'willpower' other people have ingrained (some of the people on this thread dont seem to realise restraint and willpower are things that have to be learned... it's not just as simple as doing it, but you do have to actively be trying to learn) but im a bit confused at some of the comments I read on here - isn't the idea that you change your habits and thinking enough that you dont use it long term, as you might not always be able to afford it or get hold of it, so surely going without it is the main goal. That's not really relevant to you I suppose as you are not at the end of your loss journey and it's easier (but not easy!) To maintain than it is to lose, but I suppose could you take a look at what your original plan was to come off it and see if you can alter that to speed things up? Or will this mean you can't taper off and will have to do a hard stop? Apologies for any ignorance on how the actual stopping normally happens from a medical standpoint.

I’m someone who started it with the intention of coming off it, then living every day for the rest of my life using the things I’ve put in place this last year to make sure I never regain any weight. Im
at target now, titrating down and feel excited about the future.

Others perhaps know themselves really well and know they can never try to go it alone and that’s ok - who knows what has gone on in their life to make
eating such a problem for them. They must dread the future.

Then there are others who just don’t feel the need to try on there going forward because the medication can be their quick fix once a year for a month or so.

its just the way it is.

Exactly 💯 this. Absolutely agree. Drugs like metformin arent always needed. The NHS could educate the people with type 2 to work on controlling it through a low carb diet.

My obstetrics consultant told me that most pregnant women with gestational diabetes could do the same as me and not take any drugs. He said most just loved to eat too much instead 😳😅