Depressed that I can’t afford WLIs

[Velveteengreen]

I am ‘obese’ according to the BMI calculator.
I’m 5’7 and 16 stone 4.
I have lost about a stone through calorie counting, so was even bigger before.
I am now a size 18/20, instead of 20/22.
But it feels like everything has significantly slowed down and it’s much harder to shift any more of the excess weight.

We are on a very low income and I’m unfortunately in significant debt to my credit card. I have several long term conditions that stop me from working full time.
I do get Pip but that covers the necessity costs for my disabilities.

I have started swimming twice a week as any other exercise is awful for my joint pain - in doing that I do feel physically fitter.

I have spoken to my GP and I don’t fit the criteria for jabs on the NHS.

Our monthly grocery spend for a family of 5 is £800. My share is about £180 of that. I’d have to eat nothing for it to remotely made an indent into the cost.

I hope this helps you OP, I was on Mounjaro and managed 6 months before throwing in the towel. I was ill on it pretty much every day and it made me so unwell I couldn't keep taking it anymore. I then put on the 2 stone that I'd lost! So trust me they aren't a miracle drug for everyone.

Keep up with calorie counting and have a goal to reach. You've done well so far!

@Lovebeingadoredsame!! There’s more of us than you think

It sucks though doesn't it! But it made me miserable. And with calorie counting, as hard as it may be, atleast I'm now not throwing up and feeling like I have a tummy bug every day.

I told my Doctor why I came off them and he said the same as you @DeluluTaylor that many people are now giving them up as the side effects aren't worth it.

I have used WLI OP, they worked well and I could just about afford them, but the side effects got too much for me.

I’m mostly keeping it off via calorie counting/ tracking using an app, mine is a paid one called Lose it and it’s fine but I won’t pay again I’ll just get one of the free ones that does the same job.

Prior to WLI I had a lot of success with Slimpod - there’s a cost implication with that too but it’s fractional of what WLI would cost. There’s a thread or two about it on here too. It really really worked for me until one day it just didn’t. There’s absolutely lots of people who have lost the weight and kept it off this way, but there’s others that it doesn’t work for. You can get your money back after a few weeks trial if you don’t think it’s working for you so it’s maybe worth a go - or do some research/ reading around it and see what you think. I’m actually listening to the recordings again now and I think they’re helping me - not like ‘magic’ which is how it felt the first time I tried, but they do seem to help me keep in the right, positive mindset and if nothing else they help me sleep.

Funnily everyone talks about upping protein but I’m working on upping my fibre and I actually feel full. Might be worth a go?

Yanbu at all to be fed up OP. I very much hope you're able to get access at some point. Good luck with the dieting efforts.

WLI aren't all sunshine and roses.

DH qualifies for them as he's overweight and diabetic - he had horrendous side effects on the lowest dose and had to come off them as they made hmim feel so unwell.

Don't be fooled by all the positive stories on here - while they can clearly be amazing, the majority of people can't afford them!

If it helps, I was in a very similar position to you last year. 5ft7 15st10. Multiple chronic health conditions, on PIP do work part time. Joined team RH. Increased steps gradually. Calories counting with focus on protein and fibre. Today I'm 12st 8. Size 16-18 to 12-14. It does work when you stick to it, as soon as i slack off calorie counting weight loss stalls.

You can do it without the jabs, be better for you long term as you will make sustainable changes to your eating habits

Have a watch of the BBC show What Happens When (it’s on iplayer). It’s the episode about what happens to people when they come off GLP1s. It turns out that it’s not quite the magic bullet everyone was thinking and many people wi have to take them forever.
Try to remedy the problem and not the outcome ie concentrate on why you eat as you do rather than trying to reduce your weight. Once you get to the bottom of it and get some strategies in place, the weight takes care of itself. The weight is just the outcome of the issues you have with food and not the issue itself.
I hope you find what you need.

The rate of weight gain following WLIs injections is broadly the same as the rate of weight gain following any significant weight loss via any weight loss method.

Keep on with the calorie counting. You've already lost a stone which is a great start! Yes, it will slow down the closer you get to a healthy weight and you may need to re-check your TDEE and adjust your calorie intake, but it will work if you keep at it. WLI might make the process easier but the end result will be the same. You can do it!

@InfoSecInTheCity

I think the difference is that after “natural” weightloss you don’t experience the same huge hunger afterwards as you’ll be used to eating less
In any case, if weight gain is the same, I’d say save your money!
it’s the cause that needs addressing and not the outcome.

If you dont work id go swimming most days
Calorie control is also where its at.

I'd love the time to do more meal prep.

Id also look at low impact exercise like walking

That’s not correct, the hunger is the same as before injections, and if you’re at maintenance you shouldn’t be hungry on a healthy balanced diet,

I understand folks are trying to make the op feel better, but better to keep it accurate.

No, the hunger is the same afterwards. And you do get used to eating less when on WLI, because you eat less. That’s the mechanism by which you lose weight.

I’m going off several people I know who have used WLIs who have told me when I said I was considering how difficult they are finding managing the hunger now - including one who is restarting.
Surely addressing the issue as to why we overeat and getting coping strategies in place is far better than concentrating on just reducing the weight.
I hope the OP finds the best way for her but I’m of the opinion with the research I’ve done and the people I’ve spoken to that WLIs aren’t all that.
Having said that, if you’re using them, I really hope they work for you.

Why are they coming off them instead of lowering to a maintence dose?

Many people can't afford to be on them long-term. They're bloody expensive.

Sorry, I’m in the US. I didn’t realise they were so expensive in the UK. I think going on them here, you’re aware you’ll probably be on some form of GLP for life so can plan accordingly.

Can I ask how do you think wli work how do you think people lose weight on them?

They can cost up to £300 a month, even the maintenance dose can be almost £150.

Im sorry you dont have the option of NHS GLP 1.
Your BMI seems high enough to meet NHS guidelines ,is it that you are deemd not to have any co morbidiities/underlying health conditions that prevents you being prescribed GLP 1s?
I was in your situation and decided to save up for a private prescription (lots of introductory offers around) Considering my food bill went down by half it was worth it . i did it for 6 months and lost 4 stone.

@allthingsinmoderation unfortunately the OP doesn’t meet the NHS requirements which is a BMI of 40 or higher plus 4 out of 5 specific weight related health conditions. I mean, it’s fortunate that the OP doesn’t have a BMI over 40 and several serious health conditions, but it does also mean the NHS will not prescribe Mounjaro. Wegovy can only be accessed, in some areas, by working through the specialist weight loss service “tiers” of support without successfully losing weight. But you are likely to be offered bariatric surgery instead of Wegovy, if you get to that point.

@Velveteengreen you could ask your GP to be referred to the specialist weight loss service, or in some NHS areas you can self refer. You may be offered some level of support with weight loss, which you might find helpful.

They’re a bit cheaper here but people earn more. Even with the higher cost of living in the US, they are still more affordable. We also have access to compound GLP-1s, which are cheaper than the branded and the WL tablets have started to come out. By Summer, there will be lots of options, all of them cheaper than the current offerings. Hopefully when the prices come down, the NHS will shift their criteria for prescribing.