to feel uneasy about what this means long term rather than surprised by the weight regain itself?

[HazelMember]

I’ve just read a BBC article about research into weight loss injections like Ozempic and Wegovy showing that people who stop taking them tend to regain weight quite quickly.

I’m not shocked that weight comes back. That happens after most weight loss attempts whether they involve medication or not.

These drugs are increasingly talked about as something people might take for years or even indefinitely. That raises questions for me about what happens when someone cannot afford them anymore, when supply changes, when side effects become an issue or when a person simply does not want to stay on a medication for life.

If stopping leads not just to regain but to a fairly rapid rebound, it feels less like a temporary aid and more like something that is very hard to step away from once started. That sits oddly with how casually they are sometimes discussed.

AIBU to think the real issue here is not that people regain weight after stopping, but whether we are quietly normalising a treatment that may be difficult to discontinue once begun? Or is this simply the reality of managing a chronic condition?

Well done for getting help in order not to be obese. Personally I think WLI is great for those who are obese. What I don't think is good is when people who are not overweight use them to become emaciated like a friend of mine and several celebrities that just look sick. For those with ED it's clearly dangerous.

Obesity is not a disease, save for in a limited number of cases (at a population level) where people have an endocrine disorder or similar. Yes, some people are built leaner / with a higher metabolism / have a different relationship with food but the fact is that an obese person who is on a calorie restricted diet via any means will lose weight. Someone with an actual disease (eg cancer) cannot be “cured” without actual medicine.

Weight loss labs are undoubtedly a game changer for people who struggle with their weight but not everything is a disease and not everything needs to be seen through a victim mentality (see also: anxiety).

If people want to stop a few kg via weight loss meds instead of shakes / boot camp / whatever other method then that’s their decision. Frankly, good for them if it makes them feel and look better!

Because they don't have the condition of obesity that as the title piece of this thread points out is hugely likely to recur without long term intervention. Yo yoing weight is dangerous and will further damage metabolism so the regulator has decided that long term benefits outweigh the risks. Whether I like it or not my body's metabolism is broken. The drugs counteract that and enable me to eat healthily without them the chances are I won't. I've lost weight naturally and every time my body gets faster at starting screaming at me that it's absolutely starving and I put on more than I've lost. It's miserable. I can live a complete and healthy life on wlis and, to be honest, if they cost me a few year's life but they're healthy and present I'm fine with that.

^ this

What company sells food and also WLI?

How will this affect you OP?

I wouldn't expect anyone coming out with statements such as yours to be losing any sleep.

So the BBC shouldn't publish articles on WLI if they do not also publish about statins and thousands of other medications? They need to show the same concern?

These are good questions.

Just looked it up and 81% of those aged 65-74 are overweight or obese.

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2023/06/obesity-in-later-life-may-cause-muscles-to-age-faster.page

People will always abuse things. Millions of people are using the injections safely.

I have a school friend who has struggled from the age of eight as long as I’ve known her with her weight. Her mother struggled before her. I’m absolutely absolutely delighted that she’s been able to get down to a size 12 probably for the first time in her life.
She was a lovely person before and she was a lovely person afterwards. I don’t think anybody is anything other than really concerned.

Lovely for your friend but that is a rather simplistic view.

@velvetgeranium the risks of any possible unknown future issues with GLP1s are weighed against the very real knowns of remaining obese. That has again been ignored in the discussion about the long term implications.

I’m not at risk of diabetic retinopathy as I’m not diabetic, so I have no risk of that worsening. There’s no causal proven link with NIAON, it needs further investigation. It is still also an extremely rare event for anyone, and if there is a proven causal link to using GLP1s then it would still need to be weighed up against the risks of remaining obese or even the risk associated with losing weight regardless of method, as it may be caused by weight loss alone.

It seems that possible risks of side effects are allowed for T2 diabetics because that is considered a valid disease and people understand the risks of not treating T2 diabetes effectively. It seems that obesity is judged as a lifestyle choice and something that should only be addressed by non-medicated approaches. As a result of that judgement, any side effects from medication to treat obesity are considered not worth the risk, and anyone choosing to use GLP1s is therefore taking unnecessary risks full stop.

😂
I love that the "care" is mainly from people that have never experienced weight issues and will never know what it is like to live in a bigger body.

Overweight people aren't stupid, they know everything they need to do to lose weight. It's deeper than just eat better and move more. It's a psychological and often emotional issue. The WLIs take that constant niggle and food demon off the shoulder enabling the patient to easily make those healthier choices.

Some people taking the WLIs are looking for a quick fix and afterwards will go back to overeating and therefore regain their lost pounds and some will have learned portion control and developed exercise routines and keep the weight off.

If it isn't obvious from my defensive post, I've lost 5 and a half stone with WLmeds and am finally at a normal and healthy weight for the first time in 30 years. I had gotten to the point where I considered gastric surgery even though that terrified me. I was worried about the meds when they came out but decided it worth that last try to lose those lbs before menopause. I've lost those 74lbs slowly over 2yrs and have developed healthy habits.

Well yes, if I need them in my 80s and 90s I intend to take them as long as I have capacity to do so. Hopefully my body will recover enough to allow me to come off them one day but who knows? At least I might see 80 now.

I took them for a while and lost around five stone. I stopped because of chronic constipation. I have kept to my calorie counting and have just returned to swimming after a major operation. I avoid, or try to, avoid cakes, alcohol, crisps etc, but have still put on around a stone since last year. I still write down everything I eat and watch what I eat like a hawk. I think healthy eating and exercise is a life long commitment, not easy I know. I think it is a myth that overweight people necessarily eat uncontrollable and metabolism comes into it as well. I read somewhere that the human body sets itself at a particular weight which is why keeping off the weight is so hard. Oh well, back to the swimming pool!

read somewhere that the human body sets itself at a particular weight which is why keeping off the weight is so hard

yeah i heard 2 years is a bit of a reset

i was overweight, not obese but being on wli has allowed me to not only stop the food noise and make better choices but its shown me that my body can cope on less calories (i need less calories than others my size to an underactive thyroid and PCOS)

because its stopped the food noise its also stopped the hamster wheel of thoughts i had before sleep which meant that i quite often struggled to sleep

i am quite happy at this weight, i have a bmi of 24.6 but would be happy slightly higher if i could maintain it

Its not even better food choices, i have a much better relationship with food now, not scared to eat things that might work out calorific but filling and good for me

not feast and famine which was what i did before to lose weight

do need to work on upping my fibre though 😳

There are people on this thread who have weight issues and have concern.

You cannot determine the care is mainly from people who have never experienced weight issues.

If you're not on HRT why would you be on a thread about HRT?

Friends of mine that have stopped the WLI suddenly have found appetite comes roaring back. Those who have 'tailed off' gradually have not.

I think it’s great you spend time worrying about the prescription meds people take op. Very kind of you. To help ease your concern. That data is based on people in trials who loss an average of 8kg then gain it back at an average of a pound a week, subsequent trials on real life people ie non trial shows weight loss is much higher than 8kg on average and people keep it off, so you can google or there is another thread on here where it is linked.

anyways, this comment someone made made me laugh This is a HUGE issue. It is a drug that needs to be taken continuously otherwise you lose all benefits

there is no drug you take which when you stop keeps working. Every single drug stops working when you don’t take it. It’s moved into the land of comical that anyone actually thinks this is unique to this prescription med. 😂

In that case, if you genuinely have concern about the meds then you shouldn't take them. All meds have risks, those that take them know this. I have concern with the black market meds from the beautician. I have concern with the risks of WL surgery and decided against it. I had concern about vaping but it helped me quit 15yrs of smoking, now I do neither.

I've written concern in my post so much that it seems a weird word :)

The same as what happens when any medication becomes unavailable. Just like HRT or statins or PPIs. People need to stop thinking of them as a lifestyle craze/fad and start thinking of them as medication to treat a disease (obesity among others).

Nobody gets all faux concerned when my eczema medication is having production issues.

I grew up in the 1980s and see how our environment has changed. Genetics may affect individual risk, but today’s obesogenic environment is terrible. Easy access to processed foods, food industry influence, and politicians reluctant or in hook to food industry e.g. donations or lobbying etc. Faced with this scenario unfortunately, its down to individuals and families to protect themselves with everyday habits: For my family this means

• mostly home‑cooked meals 7 days a week. Occasional takeaways like pizza
• Careful shopping minimum heavily processed food and no sweets or fizzy drinks except special occasions
• throwing away excess sweets and treats from school and kids parties
• encouraging regular outdoor activity e.g. swimming, walks, bike rides.

One friend who struggles with weight along with his whole family says the above is extreme and kids need to be kids. Unfortunately, sustainable lifetime healthy habits need to be ingrained at younger age. Otherwise, it will be lifetime of anguish and agony struggling to manage food.