To be really jealous of people who can afford weight loss injections?

[Charliede1182]

It seems like everyone and their dog is taking them, I personally know several people who are on them with significant and effortless weight loss, and I feel like there is becoming more and more of a disparity between those who can afford to buy themselves a smaller appetite and those who can't.

It's not just a social or cosmetic issue, it's about health equity.

In my case I don't want to lose weight for vanity or to cater to patriarchal beauty standards, I am comfortable and confident in my appearance and keen to model body positivity to my daughter.

However I am on the combined pill (for important medical reasons not contraception) and my weight is starting to threaten my ongoing access to this.

I am very fit, walk 5-8 miles a day, some of it with a weighted vest, gym 2-3 x weekly, resistance training, cook almost everything from scratch and although I am no angel I would say my diet is about 90% healthy.

I just don't feel full with small portions, it is an apparent mismatch between appetite and metabolism which is why I would love these injections to make me less hungry.

Even if I had the willpower to just eat less, being hungry all the time isn't a good quality of life and my attitude has always been I would rather enjoy myself and be a bit heavier than society thinks I should, than be thin and miserable.

Whilst I could probably get the money together for a couple of months of treatment, this is not how these drugs work, as people's appetite just comes roaring back if they stop, and then they can end up in a worse position having lost lean mass as well, so I would only go down this road if I could afford it longer term.

Just wondering if anyone else has Ozempic envy right now??!!!

In your shoes, I would give myself the opportunity to take them for 3/4 months.

A lot of people have reported that the saving they’ve made in the food budget does contribute to freeing up funds.

I also think a lot of women in particular never really prioritise themselves, and what’s more of a priority than your health?

Would your GP not prescribe it if your weight is affecting your health?

The NHS can’t afford the ever wider range of treatments available to an ageing and not particularly productive population.

GLP-1 medications are likely to be the thin end of the wedge where an expectation to fund the treatment ourselves is concerned

It's not that expensive especially at the lower doses ..works out to about 30 quid a week. You must pay for a gym membership as you said you go to the gym? I pay for wli but I don't have a gym membership...

If you can’t afford it you can’t afford it. I’m not sure why you are asking if you are BU for feeling jealous. I mean does it matter whether your feeling is reasonable or not? It’s how you feel either way.

I agree.
Taking them for 3/4 months is a waste. My DH put back on the weight and a bit more when he stopped using it after 6 months.
There is a huge black market for them, sellers bringing them back from Turkey.
The bmi to qualify on the nhs in the UK is very high.
Hopefully the jab becomes cheaper before the black market sales cause some deaths.
I have never had a problem with weight gain so I've no skin in the game.
If it helps motivate and make people with genuine weight problems then it should be available.

I totally agree with you op.

I think about this a lot.

im on Mounjaro privately and am very fortunate that I am in a position to pay for this. It has been absolutely life changing for me.

I wish that more people could have this opportunity.

I actually have serious health problems which, on paper, should make me eligible for nhs prescriptions but I’m not prepared to battle to get this on the nhs.

I will buy it for as long as I can and I hope that I don’t have the same issue with obesity when I do stop the injections.

it’s not completely without effort - you have to diet and exercise. But - this is the first time since I was early 20s that I have been slimmish. It’s been an incredible amazing year of turning my severe health issues around.

what I would say say to you op is that if at all possible that you could save for this or forfeit other things you spend money on, it could be well worth trying this. And I don’t mean to be facetious. I’ve been poor- desperately poor - so I know it might be impossible for you. But if you can do it it could be worth even a month or two. I really wish you all the best. I would say try it!

This is absolutely true for me too. The savings in food are substantial. (And I say this whilst making a lovely new years roast!)
but yes truly- even if I could only afford one month of Mounjaro I would absolutely do it.

It is not “effortless”.
Common misconception.
How about this - I’m envious that you can exercise and cook from scratch. Doesn’t have me writing threads like this though.

I have been taking max dose of these meds for well over a year and lost pretty much zero weight. It has not reduced my appetite at all and I feel cheated that I wasted so much money.

I'm only saying this as they aren’t a guarrantee. It never crossed my mind that it wouldn’t work for
me.

Why on earth did you keep taking them for a year when you were seeing results? I hope you have stopped now.

That hunger you have after a smaller potion would disappear after a few days. That’s without injections. Try and ride through the first week of smaller portions and you’ll find it easier. Or try intermittent fasting. Plan something nice for when you’re not eating such as a swim and sauna.

Don't be jealous, there's no point. They clearly work for many people, but you don't know for sure they'd work for you. Even if people can afford them, it must be jarring to spend so much on them and they might be sacrificing other things. However great someone's financial situation they still have the hassle of ordering the pens to add to their life admin.

I used the money I would normally spend on unnecessary food. Easily amounted to 120 a month.

I’m completely with you OP. I was on a different thread yesterday admitting how jealous I am and that yes it’s a new health divide.

Like you, I eat really well and spend a lot on good protein and whole foods. I can’t afford to do this and also pay for WLI. I have no “full” switch, I fail a lot, I keep trying. I would have to eat the same on WLI but I would be satisfied with less. How brilliant that would be, no “bad” days when I don’t stay in a deficit.

I am incredibly envious, because I don’t have the choice and I would find this way of eating so easy with something to tell me I’m full. It’s not rational but I think it’s because I’m finding trying to lose weight very hard and slow, even though I’m succeeding. So yes, I own my resentment but I don’t like feeling this way.

I thought about it but I ended up with liver issues and gallstones recently, I would want to tempt anymore health issues that may be caused by weight loss drugs, I did try orlistat and my issues started after taking them, fortunately you can stop oral tablets immediately but with injections, that’s it it stays in your system which worries me, I’d rather try and get my will power back.

”as people's appetite just comes roaring back if they stop”

Mine hasn’t. Lost a quarter of my body weight then stopped and maintaining my weight.

People who can afford WLI may have no more money than you but be prioritising their spending differently. I’d cancel the gym membership and use that money. Also you may find the food savings pay for a good proportion of the cost.

I lost 12 stone on my own. Cannot take them because I have had pancreatitis. Envious of people who can, because maintaining weight loss is hard. But learning the role of hormones in our weight, does go a long way.

I exercise without a gym. I could probably trade WLI for cheap rubbish food. But nutrition is priority and so is struggle to save enough on food to pay for WLI, even with smaller portions.

No. Only if you have type-2 diabetes which is not controlled by other medication.

I've been on Weightwatchers for a week and my appetite has reduced significantly. My GP won't prescribe WLI s unless you're diabetic and I don't think they'd benefit me anyway.

It’s everywhere - radio, news, websites - even on this thread I see an ad for Wegovy. Along with food noise the noise re WLIs is deafening.

OP says she uses a gym.

My food bill has reduced hugely and I still eat good quality food, just less of the snacks and puddings.

Exercise is great for your overall health but doesn't really help with appetite and losing fat, it really is what and how much of what you eat. Have you tried drinking a pint of warm water before eating your meals or going for volume eating instead of dense calories in smaller portions?
This would work just as well as the injections.

7 months in 4 stone loss. Still only on 5mg will be reducing in next month or 2. Paying £200 pm. My food bills have dropped more than what I spend.
gym weight lifting 2 x per week cardio 2x week.