Sky News discussion about weight loss pills this morning

[ffsarewedoingthis]

They’re going through the daily papers and as per usual, three thin women are saying the same things, “there’s no long term data” (incorrect, these drugs have been in use for decades), “people who don’t need them use them” (very rare, and we don’t ban things like alcohol because kids sometimes get hold of it), “there’s a pressure to take them” (no, there’s not, if anything it’s the opposite).

AIBU to be utterly fed up of this discourse? I’m on WLI and have been for the last two years. I’ve lost ten and a half stone. It has quite literally saved my life.

Why, when they’re having these discussions, do they never discuss the fact that being obese is much much worse than any potential side effects of these drugs? Why don’t they discuss that almost every study coming out has been overwhelmingly positive, with noted positive cardiac benefits? The benefits in terms of addiction etc., are known as well.

The news trying to put people off these drugs is scary, especially when it’s three women who have obviously never experienced what it’s like to be morbidly obese and feeling like you’re suffocating in your own body.

Yes but some people will abuse any drug, you can’t stop dispensing it!

We dont leave people in severe pain because some people abuse prescription pain medications, we just have to be conscientious about prescribing it, regularly review dosages and need, ensure there are red flag markers on GP systems for concerns over addiction or giving one person’s prescription to someone else etc.

there’s a pressure to take them” (no, there’s not, if anything it’s the opposite).

I disagree with this. At times on here, it feels like a cult. People post about weight loss, and there are droves of posters pushing Mounjaro. Even when the OP has stated she does not want that.

Other than that, I agree with your post. For people who need to lose vast amounts of weight, it’s a no-brainer in my book.

When you’re asking about weight loss, it’s only natural people will suggest the most proven method.

Op of course you’re over whelmingly correct. And I do laugh at the posters pretending they know more than the scientists and regulatory health authorities, from the mhra to the fda to the who. Declaring pompously More research is needed.

i think it’s envy at its core for many, for some it’s simply they are clueless and say or post utter shite, and for others it will be resentment. A lot of it is due to lack of access, due to either cost, contraindications or health issues.

weight and in particular women’s weight, is a very contentious subject. You don’t see many men spouting so much shite about them. Being slim is seen as the ultimate goal, the aspiration, it’s linked to being conventionally attractive.

so women who have to struggle hard to maintain a healthy body weight resent the fuck out of women who can use the meds. Fat women who can’t access them resent the fuck and are envious of other fat women who can access and are now slim and living their best lives.

so so many women are fucked uo about weight. Theirs and other women’s,

the drugs are a huge advancement in medicine with so many benefits, both at fhe individual micro level and af a societal macro level.the global health authorities, the scientists understand these meds fully. This is not their first rodeo in brining a medication to market.

on a personal level, just roll your eyes and move on.

Someone obese can discuss the risks and benefits with their GP and come to an informed decision.
The talk about risks needs to be out there. WLI are available to buy 'on the street' now for a much lower cost and with no pharmacist checking that it is safe for someone. I am seeing people in my area who are abusing them. It's not just for the rich, they are 1/10th of the price off dealers.

That’s a different discussion that’s counterfeit and black market medication.

there is no medicine which is desirable you can’t get on the black market. From morphine to ketamine to weight loss drugs. If there is a drug people want, it will become available on the black market and people will abuse them,

Well I have def seen some examples of cultish pushing when people have said no thanks.

That’s… not the fault of anyone but the dealers and the people buying them? If you want to go ahead and take that risk, that’s on you.

It’s a bit like when lottie moss did that interview a few years back saying they were awful drugs - she was 8 stone, took more than double the amount she should have done, and then refused medical attention for two weeks when she was unwell. Yet the blame is with the drugs 🙄

That feels a little resentful. The diet industry has been revolutionised, for the first time in history obesity has been cured, we have a safe proven medication available, of what 60 million globally not one person has died due to correct us have of the legitimate med, not one. Any deaths are due to incorrect usage and black market product, and even then it’s limited.

lots of scare stories abound, it’d even now proven it doesn’t increase pancreatitis and it actually halves the risk of pancreatic cancer. So lots of shite being said

so if someone is desperate to lose weight and says they don’t want the meds, it’s important posters ask why if not contraindicated, as this is the first successful method available.

its not cultish pushing, but it needs to be recognised we have come a long way from having to try and repeatedly fail with shit money making plans like slimming world.

Mmm I think it's about the specifics of the situation. If someone's talking about weight loss and meets prescription criteria, it's reasonable to mention WLIs as the thing that's most likely to succeed.

But that's enough. People have all kinds of reasons why they don't want to and/or can't take them. They're not even available to everyone who both needs and wants them yet, and I think that does need to be remembered.

I think it’s less not available and more not accessible.

cost is a huge barrier, absolutely

Undoubtedly there are people who misuse weight loss injections and pills. And a large number will lose some weight, stop using them and regain because they haven't actually changed anything.

But for many, they're a very useful tool to kick-start big losses, and to make lifesryle changes that enable to losses to be long term.

My view is very much whatever works for you is great. I just prefer that people do it properly, whatever they choose.

I'm not saying anyone is at fault. I'm saying the risks need to be discussed rather than people just promoting it as some miracle cure and ignoring the risks.

Discussed by who? What risks? It’s an individual decision like any meds. It doesn’t need to be discussed by you of you’re not on them. You get to discuss the risks when you want to take them, or are able to access.

Also isn’t this proving the ops point, don’t you also want to discuss the benefits.

Being evangelical about them doesn’t make you right.
They ARE being abused by a large number of people. It is right that this should be highlighted in the news; if it saves one life it’s worth it.

You carry on - sounds like you are doing well and doing things properly. But don’t dismiss the damage drugs like these can do if misappropriated.

But again that’s black market and was not what the ip posted about. If you think a large amount of people are abusing legitimately sourced meds then post your evidence

The flipside to this is, if we take the view that the press, TV news and the like should discuss the risks for the sake of public education, they should also discuss the benefits of WLIs and the risks of remaining obese. It's all part of the same discussion.

Fine to be concerned about people taking knock offs and the like, and to think the general media should be part of the effort to tackle this. The same concern needs to also be extended to obese people who would benefit from WLIs but might be deterred by unbalanced discussion about the risks of the drug only. The two groups are as deserving as each other.

(I appreciate there's another argument which is that the likes of Sky News don't need to concern themselves with either, but I'm not focusing on that here).

Do you have a source that shows a large number of people are abusing them, and people are dying as a consequence of that abuse?

Obesity has not been cured, and whilst these medications are a potential solution for morbidly obese people where the benefits likely outweigh the risks, it's not the same risk/ benefit profile for everyone. Provision should be a more regulated and enforced. Alongside better messaging around food and food education and provision in schools. My kids go to a 'Naice' state secondary which excels in all academic areas. Nonetheless, food tech provision is woefully inadequate and their dinners and food offering even more inadequate (pizzas and burgers anyone)? Until the UK as a society focuses on the quality of food and provision of healthy dinners to young people and society changes it's attitude to easy and cheap food then nothing will change. It's a sticking plaster for life to continue to consume these medications with no end in sight and no understanding of long term effects (and yes that is the case, they've not been around long enough in this context). But whenever government determines teaching kids about nutrition is all about traffic lights and calorie counting and loses sight of the value of natural ingredients and homemade food, then nothing will change.

10 stone OP - WOW. You are right, these drugs can be life saving for many, and must have improved your health immensely, well done.
WLI are a game changer for so many, YANBU.

Do we know they are all taking WL drugs?

Out of curiosity, I just went and looked into it a bit. On one of the sites I see most frequently mentioned and advertised, I've just been through the process to buy weight loss pills.

I'm not obese, I'm overweight. I used my actual true stats and a photo of myself I took live, wearing non-loose clothing as directed.

My prescription has been approved. Less than half an hour. The focus on the site was promoting a discount code. There was no emphasis on medical risk or risk vs benefits. The email confirmation doesn't mention risk or side effects at all.

Its this sort of thing that's an issue. The primary focus isn't on health, it's on increasing the customer base with promo codes.

@MumofCandR such a great post perfectly demonstrating the intersection between 'caring' and contempt. In other area of life people trust me to weigh risk and benefit but when it comes to managing my weight I turn into a blithering idiot who's weak and stupid. Thanks!

If you have evidence a prescriber is providing the drug off label without warnings then report them to the licensing authority.