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.

WLIs are not the only way to lose weight though.
I suffer from mh problems. When I’ve been unwell, I have gained a lot of weight but once I’m well I have lost it again. I’m currently losing weight at a steady pace.
My partner is on ozempic and has lost weight but I’m concerned about him. He has no appetite at all and he also seems very flat in his whole mood and outlook. It’s like he’s lost his appetite for absolutely everything and not just food.
He can’t eat out anymore or enjoy food. We can’t go for meals in restaurants or anything as a celebration or something nice to do.
He doesn’t eat with us as a family anymore. He eats something standing up or says he’s still too full from lunch.
My mum is the same. The weight has absolutely dropped off her. It’s actually frightening. She is not like she used to be in her personality either. Also very flat and has little interest in stuff she used to enjoy. It’s like they’re depressed.
I’ve been on medication in the past that inhibited dopamine and it was horrible, so my concern is not really what the long term effects or general side effects might be. What worries me is what it’s doing in the brain.

And there are significant side effects from long term use (over 2 years) including to the kidneys, my friend’s husband is on dialysis now due to this, he took it for diabetes long term

The prescribing guidance is for obesity (bmi over 30) or bmi over 27 with certain weight related conditions. The benefits outweigh the risks long before morbid obesity at bmi 40+. That's the evidence based decision of an expert panel. I'm not sure why you think you know more than them

I agree that they look upsetting, but I grew up in the early 2000s and pretty much all female celebrities looked this way then. So it was a thing before WLI, and I don’t imagine the methods they were using to get to that weight at that time were particularly healthy either.

@PrincessTiabeanieMariabeanie I wonder if they’re on too high a dose. I think one of the issues with these drugs being in such a commercial environment is the pressure to race up the doses. Voy seems to encourage one month 2.5, the next 5, the next 7.5 etc etc. And the thing is it seems to wildly differ how the drug impacts you (and size doesnt seem to the the contributing factor) I couldn’t get above 3.75mg, I lost most of the weight on 2.5mg which isn’t even considered a therapeutic dose.

I didn’t want to feel complete suppression, I didn’t want the weight to fall off, I didn’t want to stop enjoying food. You can control that by managing your dose and not jumping up, I still enjoy my food, I’ve lost every steadily. So I would consider talking to your family members about reducing the dose, they may have a better chance of long term success as well if they don’t get too reliant on the highest dose.

I've never been given a prescription without a discussion around what the medication is, how to take it safely and things to be aware of, no.

I've also not gone through a titration process in complete isolation of medical overview and guidance either.

The online retailers are the prescribers here, and that duty to inform lies with them.

There is no clinical evidence of a direct link between WLI and kidney damage. The diabetes is more likely the contributing factor, or the indirect issue of not hydrating enough on GLPs.

Does Davina McCall use them? I though she was just v into fitness?

So you have bought prescription drugs online and had a discussion with someone in person about them? What company was this?

I think part of the issue is that they keep being referred to as weight loss injections. They were developed to reduce T2 diabetes glucose levels, the weight loss was a side effect. A bit like thalidomide was a tranquilliser initially. The issue is that although ozempic etc has been around a while the research done on them was the effects on diabetics, not obese patients. One side effect is potential blindness. Well T2 can cause blindness, so swings and roundabouts, obesity doesn’t. I know it’s rare but the more people who use them the higher the % risk. And it’s no consolation if you are the one.

Yes exactly, unfortunately diabetes is a dangerous disease.

The discussion doesn’t have to happen in person?

So the diabetes damaged his kidneys? My kidneys are functioning perfectly well and all of my other bloods are in perfect range.

They are both being prescribed it by their doctors . My mum has raised it with her GP as she is not happy with the results. They are really very dramatic. Her blood pressure keeps plummeting now too so she is pushing for a review on all of her meds.
My partners weight loss hasn’t been dramatic but his overall health has improved (lower cholesterol, normal glucose, lower BP etc). He is not concerned and if anything would take a higher dose. Part of the problem I can see is that it hasn’t made him want to eat more healthily, he just doesn’t want to eat. He is probably less inclined to exercise now because he feels bloated and sick a lot of the time and as I said, just generally demotivated.
Of all the people I know who are taking it, not one of them seems particularly happy with their weight loss. They all seem miserable to be honest. My mum has lost weight before for example and been proud of herself, buying new clothes and so on. She used to love her clothes. This time she just doesn’t care. Her clothes are literally hanging off her and she hasn’t bought any new ones.
It’s probably just an individual thing, where they are at in their own lives and in themselves but it is really worrying to see someone in your life change like this. The fact that it’s multiple people…it just makes me very anxious.

Also just to add to this, recently I have done a couple of econsults about new conditions I suspect I have, where it asks you what you think could help or what you want the GP to consider I have put what drugs I thought I needed for that. The prescription just went straight to the pharmacy both times, no appointment, no triage, no text information, no phone discussion, nothing.

I think it’s quite obvious I wasn’t referring to black market.

If you want to get black market and risk making yourself ill, that’s your choice. But you can’t blame anyone but yourself for that.

Well that normally is what a discussion is, you talk to someone. Rather than email or text

It’s two people.

If you met me you’d have a positive example - I am literally the happiest I’ve ever been. The most confident and radiant version of myself. Everyone in my life comments on it.

They happen via video call.

There is no concern. If there was, they’d acknowledge just how awful it is to be obese and the damage it does to your body

Unbelieveable

You’re missing the point. The media discussion is to raise awareness. You seem to be affronted by something that is absolutely necessary.

It should need to, to check you’re not lying about your weight, vitals etc.

Celebrities did this in the 90s, they just used different drugs.
Another PP mentioned being congratulated for losing weight, again this has been a thing for a long time, I had an eating disorder in the 90s and people I barely knew would stop me and tell me I look great.
Im not saying this is a good thing, just that its fashion and media that are putting on the pressure, and this shouldnt stop other people accessing medication that they may need for their health.

The media discussion was regarding legitimately sourced, prescribed wegovy pills.

I know someone who’s awaiting a kidney transplant. She’s also an uncontrolled t1 diabetic. She takes black market mounjaro as well as various other drugs that are supposed to help hair growth etc.

Do I think that means the legitimate versions should be restricted? Of course not. It just makes her an idiot.

It’s not two people. It’s more. I’ve given two examples.

If you are happy with your results then why bother arguing about it on here? Other people have a right to be cautious or concerned and that doesn’t affect you.