How do you balance the cancer risk?

[honkifyalikebeans]

So - I'm reading right aren't I? Mounjaro possibly increases risk of thyroid cancer? I'm due to receive my prescription tomorrow but am a bit panicked now. I'd value others thoughts if you could?

Yes it possibly does

But then again, doesn't everything??

I don't give it a second thought

I took the view that being obese increases my risk of other cancers so it was no worse than taking the jab

Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and cancer, so I decided losing the weight this way was the better option.

That's what I thought initially - that obesity causes more risk (and my BMI is 39) but now I feel I should make myself loose it the 'natural' way rather than subjecting myself to an increased risk?

What about the foods you eat, environment you live in

All cancer causing in various ways. Sounds like you would rather struggle on

Good luck!

The risks of obesity far outweigh the increase in risk of thyroid cancer. I say this as as obese woman (31bmi) on wegovy. I've been on it for 3 months and my BMI has gone down from 33 to 31. Once I hit the overweight bracket (within the next 5 weeks) I'm coming off the drug.

You can minimise your risk by being on it for the shortest time possible and using it as an aid to weight loss rather than a magic pill (it's not the latter, for sure, you still need to put the work in to form and maintain healthy eating habits).

Good luck!

So far there hasn't been any cases of humans getting thyroid cancer. Mice did in a trial, so that's why it's down as a risk, but so far, no evidence of it happening to humans.

Mounjaro has been out in America for a few years now, and nothing reported in American as far as I know.

The increased risk of thyroid cancer was seen in animal trials but these GLP-1s have been used in diabetics for almost 20 years with no occurrences in humans.
Obesity increases the risk of more than 10 types of cancer so is likely to far outweigh the thyroid risk

If you can lose weight without the meds then great, do it. Personally I tried and failed 100 times.

Thanks everyone. I did my research, seems that they're very confident GLP-1 don't cause cancer - but I hadn't factored that Mounjaro wasn't included in those studies . I would feel confident taking Wegovy but I've got Mounjaro coming and I don't understand the additional influence/risk of GIP

now I feel I should make myself loose it the 'natural' way rather than subjecting myself to an increased risk?

How has that worked out for you so far? No?

Take the injection, lose the weight. Much safer all round that struggling and ultimately remaining overweight

The increased thyroid cancer risks of GLP1 meds, including Mounjaro, were found only is rats so far and were dose-dependant and duration dependant. Obesity increases the risk of almost every single cancer, including thyroid cancer, for as long as you're obese. My BMI has been 41-42 for the last 10 years, so my increased risk is currently high. I've tried literally everything to lose weight, but nothing has helped until taking MJ. I'm 56, so weight loss is only going to get harder for me.

My attitude is therefore that if I work hard to maximise my weight loss so that I take (dose dependant and duration dependant) MJ for as short a time as possible and stay on as low a dose as possible, then I'm doing all I can to minimise the risks/side effects of the drug.

I also hope that if I work hard, whilst on MJ, to develop good eating and exercise habits, then I'll reduce my risk of regaining the weight in the future and will hopefully avoid further ongoing obesity-related increased cancer risks.

Who knows what the future brings, but all we can do is make choices based on the information we currently have available.

Thank you, I really do appreciate it. I've received it and put it in the fridge. I'm just not sure I'm ready yet, I know that's likely silly. I thought I was but getting it panicked me. The guidance says it lasts till October so I'll give myself a week or so to process how I feel. Wish I'd had this panic before it arrived

I like to take the time to process things too in my head and I’ve got a science/data background. For me in my 50s my risk factors from being obese from high blood pressure/heart disease etc were greater. I’ve tried many many times to lose 3-4stone I need to shift, I exercise every day I’ve tried fasting and reducing calories but I could not stop that food noise. Ive only been on it a week and the effect was within few hours I wasn’t hungry. I’ve made an effort to eat 3 meals of 400c a day with a protein focus and fasted overnight plus lots of water. I’ve got unopened chocolate in my fridge from last week which is unheard of! I hope it continues, I think it will become like statins are for BP if it’s proved to be long term effective.

I'd be more worried about going blind tbh, which I was told by my HCP when I was put on it.