What do we REALLY think about the weight loss jabs?

[Newbabynewhouse]

I've put this on AIBU rather than weight loss jab because I want a neutral audience rather than people who are all using the jab.
What are peoples thoughts on the jab? I'd love to hear from someone educated in the medical field about whether these are actually safe for people without diabetes.
I'm obese and I have lost a stone so far by dieting although it's taking me a long time! I know if I keep trying hard I can lose what I need to. Lots of people I know have started dropping weight from using the jabs and I am tempted however, can't shake a feeling that there's something not quite right.
What I mean by this is... these jabs have been around for years for diabetic people, so why have they only just been 'released' to people despite obesity effecting the NHS for years?
I know a woman who fainted in work the other day with gallbladder issues, she's on the jab.
Also, I'm going to sound a little conspiracy theorist now, but, isn't it odd these jabs became popular straight after people starting refusing to have more covid jabs..?.. I'd love to hear from people with a bit of background info or medical professionals to tell me whether I'm overthinking or if I'm onto something?

Bloody brilliant! I’m 61, started paddle boarding this year!

Wouldn’t have been able to do that last year!

So? 😂

Ill tell you what really wrecked my health and it wasnt mounjaro it was the gastric band I had put in some years ago.
I paid for a gastric band to be fitted by a proper NHS gastroenterologist not some cowboy abroad, and it was inflated far too tight. I lived with projectile vomiting as a result then had it privately deflated and still suffered months of pain.
Turns out it had slipped and wrapped itself round my stomach causing my blood supply to be cut off and part of my stomach to die. That part of my stomach had to be removed surgically under GA.
But nobody goes on about gastric surgery being dangerous do they.
Yet NHS surgeons still tout these operations as treatment for obesity. Give me mounjaro any day.

So what? 😆

Just because “these people” need the additional help of WLI to allow them to lose weight doesn’t necessarily mean they will get them. I was really thinking about maintaining.

What I’m saying is that you can learn the same good habits by calorie control on a non WLI diet. Especially when you’re in ‘determined’ mode. I think it’s maintenance that must be fabulous on low dose WLI, just eating normally, not feeling deprived, or hungry, not putting weight back on.

The jabs make it easier to eat less. It’s up to you to decide. As an aside lots of fitness influencers are taking them as they reduce inflammation.

And you can’t see any downside for society of people on lifelong medication for fat loss rather than a societal shift away from the insane way of life that makes so many people become obese in the first place?

I’m glad you find it funny, it’s absolutely insane to me that anyone would want to be on any drug for life unless for a life threatening condition. What if NHS funding for it ceases? Or private prescriptions become more expensive? It’s a captive market ripe for exploitation. Each to their own, I’m just not convinced that we should want to live like this.

Most pp seem to be saying they’ll stay on for life? Or are staying on because it stops them feeling ‘deprived’, or stops them having a drink every day. What good habits do you think they’ve gained, or could?

well I don’t I’m all for medication to treat diseases and health conditions, be it for heart disease on.

is it religious for you? I know for example some religions don’t like meds, is it Scientologists or jehovahs witnesses?

but for me, yes I’m all for medication to get the population healthy. We spend billions on obesity related illnesses, from cancer on, so for me it’s exactly what it is, a huge advancement in medical science.

but if it’s not religious for you, maybe you don’t need it, and are slim and healthy, lucky you. But 2 thirds of the population is not.

I honestly don't know - I do feel my attitude and mindset towards food have changed, and that I'm remembering now how much better and more rewarding it feels to be healthier. And I am making food choices based around real nutrition, e.g. prioritising proteins etc. But I won't know if any of that is 'real' until I hit my goal and try to wean myself off - it might be that I can maintain, but considering the mess I was in before I doubt I will be able to go it alone!

However I am now weight training and walking more so hopefully that is something I can keep up and stay committed to. I absolutely LOVE the gym and feel more excited if the magic machine tells me my muscle mass has increased than I do when I lose a pound =D

Again I can onlh speak for myself

I eat a clean and healthy diet, with healthy portion sizes
I drink minimal alcohol
I drink 3 litres of water a day
I work out 5 days a week

the drugs enable me to do this.

Shame!

@Allisnotlost1 it's not an either or. Clearly there needs to be social shift away from obesogenic environments, that's well known and accepted as a goal. Progress towards that is glacial because when it comes down to it people want convenience and ease rather than making an environment better for health and fitness. People who are obese now can't wait for the glacial pace of change to have an impact on their own individual weight. So we can use an effective tool to make an massive difference for us, now.

Obesity is not an immediately life threatening condition, however it will certainly impact your health and longevity which is why medication to address it is absolutely appropriate.

What if NHS funding for it ceases? Then it won't be available on the NHS. They are not widely available at the moment for weight loss alone, so it's small numbers in terms of the numbers of people on WLI.

Or private prescriptions become more expensive? They already have, it's not great and it pushes some people towards less effective medication that's cheaper, to stopping taking it or some people may turn towards illegal black market medication. I think it's a risk that anyone deciding to pay for it themselves is well aware of. In the medium term though there will be generics available which will reduce the cost significantly. This is the same for any new medication though.

Yes you got it, everyone can lose weight, but 80 percent regain. You’re fighting your bodies biology, and no matter how determined, for most people the cravings and hunger become too much and you slip back.

we can push through on the drugs, eat more than we should, the fact we don’t, shows this isn’t about greed or laziness, it’s much more complex. When our biology is under control, our insulin optimal, our blood sugar under control, we are able to do what we need to, to maintain. If it was just greed, lack of knowledge, the drugs wouldn’t work. As said, because you can push through.

I was thinking maybe contraception, yes could be. Though potentially serious side effects of hormonal contraception so there must be some in person element too.

My experience of blood pressure is that you provide readings then see the doc in person for testing. Might vary across the country.

Of course people can always lie about symptoms in person too, you’re right. I’m just surprised that people are comfortable with long term use of any drug without seeing a doctor at least periodically.

The energy from some in the thread feels like the food addiction has been replaced with WLI addiction. It’s not stopping people - including children - becoming obese and symptomatic, just solving the problem years later. I wonder if the long term costs of obesity will be outpaced/compounded by the long term costs of WLIs.

The thing is, there's no evidence there's any way to make already obese people not obese aside from ongoing WLI use. The people who think it would be possible to redesign society so populations with access to enough food for whole lifetimes don't get fat without lots of them being on appetite suppressants are just guessing. Some of them think because it happened for a few decades in the mid 20th century when more people smoked and heating was worse, that means we could recreate it now.

Exactly, we are already seeing more healthy products hit the shelves, protein is a key example. A move away from the typically fatty or sugary foods,

and nearly everyone on them gets them privately. The nhs is aiming for 200k people within 3 years, the uk has 7 million on them now, 22 million eligible.

the price will become cheaper as mor and more come to market, America has already seen its obesity rates start to reverse, and of course with it, comes a much healthier food offering to meet demand.

it is not a case of take the drugs and eat crap, it’s the opposite, take them and eat healthy, whuch drives a societal change we are already seeing.

I think it doesn’t deal with the root issue. The country is saturated with junk food and sugar everywhere you go.

The drugs work because they create satiety, more or less. But what is the evidence that all obese people have a disorder that means their body doesn’t produce sufficient satiety signals? Because that’s really what you’re saying, that it’s biological, not social or behavioural. And if that’s what the evidence says, shouldn’t we give WLIs to children who exhibit the same biological traits?

How would you solve rhe obesity issue then,

and you can see a doctor if you wish, plenty of service providers offer this, Personally I don’t need to see a doctor, why would I, I know how to eat healthy, I’m not an idiot and it’s no secret. I know about the macros, and weight lifting and the importance of water, and I get annual blood tests as gaining weight had made me so ill, so I also know I’m very healthy, as does my gp,

so I don’t need to go and waste their time, I don’t need a parent to over see me. I’m an educated adult woman making a decision for her health.

That’s impressive and glad the jabs worked for you. I hope you’ve been able to deal with the issues of why you got obese in the first place so you can continue to enjoy life.

UK is 73rd on the list of countries with most obese people per capita. How do the other 120 odd countries manage, since smoking and poor heating are not universally common around the world?

Of course you can make any choices you wish. If you know how to eat healthy, great. How did you become obese, and why stay on WLIs forever if you know what to do? It seems odd to me that anyone would put a drug in their body for longer than necessary. Obviously you think it’s necessary for life but I’m curious why.

I am not going to talk about medicating children, but the evidence of the lack of satiety is in the sheer fact two thirds of the population are over weight or obese. And the drugs are very successful. There is no other conclusion which can be drawn,

look, the drugs aren’t going away, there are more and more coming to market. Whatever your personal issue, be it religious or a fear of medication. Don’t worry, you don’t need to take them ever. It’s a personal choice. There is no medication any one will ever force you to take. You can be fat, thin, you can have signficant illnesses, diseases, and no one will force you to take medication

most 0f society wants medication and applauds medical science. You don’t. And that’s ok.

I too eat a clean and healthy diet, with healthy portion sizes
I don’t drink
I drink plenty of water
I walk my dog and exercise using weights at home
Being committed to lose weight and a calorie controlled diet helped me lose some weight, but not enough, certainly I am not slim but it’s probably my limit.@
I still have the same appetite as when I was obese, I just fight and control it (for now)
It is exhausting and relentless
Again, whether to use them or not is not a choice available to all me included.