Nhs has refused injections because no budget

[JessieLongleg]

I've waited 15 months for todays appointment with nhs weight lost services. 4 years ago I was 50kg lighter and rejected for help for to pain by nhs as I was too fat Dr said just needed to lose weight and be ok. Over the next few years on a private health insurance found out why I can't walk saved the nhs about 15k. Yet typically with my illnesses put weight on due to mobility problems. Yet private will not cover weight loss.

So get why people are buying the injections but I can't as live of 10k. Been told by nhs eating disorders not to why I'm on a wating list for that.

Now I'm freaking everyone out crying on the bakerloo line.

What I find stressful is the looks from thinner girls in eating disorders waiting room. And staff in weight loss department talking about getting a snack and pushing tummy's out joking the are getting fat.

Why do you think the NHS should fund you losing weight?

Many different reasons as said have eating disorder and been told by nhs to not seek private help.....also due to the nhs neglect I put on weight..... overall whatever anybody's circumstances are for higher weight problems cost the nhs more than intervention.

In my area, NHS Weight Loss Management Services offer diet and exercise and a bariatric surgery pathway for the most challenging cases, they don't offer injections, I expect this is probably true nationally so whoever put your hopes up about injections was ill informed.

OP, I am paying for the injections. I have PCOS, pre-diabetes and also an eating disorder. I’ve been told that it would take me up to at least 6 years on the weight list to get these injections, I suspect you’re the same.

id really consider buying them if you they can change your life

Injections are not recommended for those with eating disorders for very good reason….if you have disordered eating you need to be in long term therapy, an injection will only ever be a short term fix unless you address the root cause of your eating disorder.

I feel for you, 50kg is a lot and it will be take longer to get off with reduced mobility.

With the injections, you still have to eat in a calorie deficit to achieve weight loss. I think it's the appetite suppressant effect that helps people eat less which gets them into a calorie deficit. You can't eat the same as now and still lose.

If you're eating disorder is one that restricts calories, it probably isn't the best treatment for you anyway, but if it's overeating, it could possibly help. It's a shame you haven't been able to get the result you wanted on the NHS.

I have purchased Mounjaro privately as have 2 and a half to stone to lose to get to a healthy weight it wasn't as much as I expected at £122.

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit this was tier 3 which is the first stage of surgery, diet help or drugs. People that have the operation go through this one and have a final referral to stage 4. I can't be offered exercise as in physio. After 4 years and treatment I've restarted my indoor cycling been doing it for 3 months now. Do 5km 3-5 a week up hill. Started doing local walking to gp etc. I'm still struggling to lose weight even though its helping.

What a mean reply. The OP is looking for a medical treatment for a medical condition. The costs of obesity over time are high to both the individual and society. Reducing obesity is incredibly important to the NHS long-term. Losing weight the old fashioned way is hard, and keeping the weight off is even harder. It doesn't matter whether you think obesity is a complex condition with multiple causative factors or whether you think it is a moral failure of greedy people who like cake too much. If you believe in free healthcare, then this should include care for obesity.

Why shouldn't the NHS help OP lose weight? NHS also helps smokers stop smoking and other similar services. Should those people not get help also? Your response is typical of the blaming attitude which really doesn't help. Most people with a little weight to lose will not need NHS help but those with a lot to lose do. It's recognised that severe overweight is a metabolic disorder and can also be related to mental health difficulties and underlying physical health issues and side effects of medication for some.
It's unhelpful and not pragmatic to suggest that severely overweight people should not have NHS help...it helps save the NHS money in the long run if people can be supported to lose weight.

Your exercise is good, you do far more than me and I have no mobility issues, so if you are still struggling to lose weight it will most likely be your calorie intake is too high.

With that activity amount you will be able to eat a good amount of cals and still lose weight.

You can't outrun a bad diet though.

@JessieLongleg
I am also on Tier 3, I had also been told at referral I might get injections. Tier 3 were VERY clear from Day 1 they were not a prescription service. Have you been asked to meet any milestones?

@Summerinthecity12354 totally get why, in the group meeting they told us they wanted them treated through gp referral so that's what I did. So with that a 6 month waiting list just for assessment then back on a waiting list for treatment.

Can you ask for feedback on the decision? I wonder if it is your eating disorder, as this can preclude patients from bariatric surgery due to high risk of complications and poor outcomes, and patients have to undergo extensive therapy before being approved.

The weight loss services are stripped very very tight on budgets, I know someone waiting for approved surgery who has a very high BMI and now cannot walk and she still can’t get the injections prescribed at the present time, she is expected to do a 3 month food diary in another hoop.

Their model is to push other resources at patients until there is no other last resort apart from a surgical or drug intervention so they will be expecting patients to self manage to their best ability (complying and losing weight on diet plans)

As they suspect you have an ED I think they are being cautious as the medication is a very expensive resource and they may intend that you need psychological support for your ED rather than ‘mask’ it with weight loss drugs

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit tier 3 did a online group video call and told us exactly what was available. The drugs was included but not which ever one's you wanted. They mentioned supply and funding issues. They said it would take at least 2 years to get to surgery.

I am at the end of the bariatric tier waiting for a decision to be made. Injections were never offered or in any way on the table. I hope you do take whatever help is available and wish you best of luck

I’m really sorry you are disappointed and were hoping for a different outcome 😞

I was also under the impression some tier 3 clinics are prescribing so I don’t think you were wrong to be hopeful.

it seems mad they would fund surgery but not the injections which are a relatively low treatment and could potentially improve someone’s overall health and reduce treatment costs for co-morbidities.

What is your diet like op?

Sorry you can't get them on the NHS op. I think one day a generic version will be available and the NHS will start prescribing that. But that could be years away.

Question about affordability... Do you spend money on takeaways, snacky foods etc? Just asking because if you do pay for a weight loss jab, the jab will reduce cravings, stopping you binging etc. So you might spend less money on food /drink which might mean you could afford the jab.

For the same reason they should help smokers with lung cancer, drinkers with liver disease and runners with bad knees. It's not there to help people you deem worthy of help but everyone who needs medical treatment.

I'm sure one day it will be more widely available on the NHS, especially as more and more drugs are developed and the costs come down. Right now they just can't afford it.

The NHS is completely oversubscribed. You know what the problem is. So, find the solution.

Keto also helps with eating disorders.

You can still go on the waiting list for bariatric surgery.