Wegovy for 17 year old?

[Worriedmumofobeseteen]

DS is 17. He's been steadily gaining weight since 12 or 13, which ramped up around a year ago now he is earning his own money and can spend it on junk food. He's now obese with a BMI of at least 33.

For context, we've always eaten healthily at home, his dad and I have zero issues around food, and his two siblings are at the lowest end of the healthy weight category.

He just has no impulse control whatsoever around junk food, especially sweet foods and carbs. I've tried talking very gently with him around healthy lifestyle choices etc (definitely no fat shaming) but it has made zero difference.

His dad and I are now seriously worried because every month that goes by he is visibly heavier and I think it has gone well past a vanity issue and is now a serious health problem.

To cut to the chase, I know that Wegovy is approved for use in the US for 12 to 17 year olds and I am wondering if anyone has any experience of this here in the UK.

Hi! I don’t really know the answer but I would assume that none of the online prescribing services will be able to prescribe to a minor.

You could approach your GP for advice or alternatively (and this is probably
what I would do in your circs) start a savings pot on your DS’s behalf so that if he want to try Wegovy or Mounjaro when he turns 18, the funds are already there and waiting.

I haven’t looked at the costs of Wegovy but MJ goes up a little in price as the dosage goes up - if you are paying full price to a basic pharmacy service that doesn’t include advice sessions via Skype (Voy, Junioer) the first couple of doses (without discount codes) are around £145 and the next couple £165ish, then the highest doses go up again.

it’s only taken me two months to get from BMI 30 to BMI 26 but I intend to switch to a step down/maintenance dose for a few months before weaning off so I would recommend budgeting for at least 6 months worth of prescriptions, perhaps 12 months to be sure.

Of course, if you can get your GP on board it’ll be normal NHS prescription costs for your UK nation.
I believe NHS prescriptions are a bit of a postcode thing right now as many areas want prospective injectable patients to have exhausted all the old weight loss support avenues, but it’s worth making an enquiry.

Alternatively you could explore private prescriptions via a face to face appointment private doctor (eg local Spire hospital listings) rather than the online pharmacy services most of us are using (which will obviously be pricier but more closely supervised).

I have a young adult son myself so recognise the nomansland that is parenting a young person on the cusp of adulthood, best wishes re: finding a way forward that is good for your DS physically and mentally.

Just as an example (not a personal endorsement, I don’t know this chap at all!) my local Spire lists a Consultant Endocrinologist who prescribes weight loss medication:

https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-manchester-hospital/treatments/weight-management-treatment/

If anyone can legally and safely offer WL injections to a 17 year old in the UK, I would imagine that it will be someone in that sort of role.

@ChaChaChooey thank you so much for your sympathetic and thoughtful reply. Your comment about the nomansland of parenting a teen on the cusp of adulthood is absolutely spot on. I swing between feeling that it is absolutely my responsibility to help him, and feeling that my interference is unreasonable and might even make things worse. Coupled of course with the guilt that this is somehow my fault.

Gah. It is such a difficult thing to navigate - wanting to make sure he fully understands the health implications of being significantly overweight, and has all the information he needs to make better choices, while at the same time not wanting to demonise food or make him feel worse about himself.

Thank you for the link - I'll investigate - but having done more research I am pretty certain that none of the injectables are licenced yet in the UK for adolescents (although NICE is currently reviewing this it seems). So I think this will need to wait until he is 18.

How long until he's 18?

Mounjaro might be a better option as less side effects. So if he can wait until 18 then that's an option.

Also, he needs to want to do it himself. So maybe in the time until he's 18, talk to him about it and being healthy and if he's open to try it.

@ObsidianTree, thank you, he's only just turned 17 so pretty much a full year to go. And you're right, it does sound like Mounjaro is emerging as a better option overall so that might be a better choice if he has to wait anyway.

Absolutely it needs to be his decision and I wouldn't pressure him. I'm definitely going to wait until he's eligible for it before talking to him about it (assuming he is still obese at that point) because honestly, I'd worry if I mention it now as a future option it would make him even less likely to restrain his eating in the meantime.

Hi I’m not sure if you’re still looking or if your son has now turned 18 - but I have also been on the hunt for this as my son is 17 and having the same issues. I have finally found a UK private prescriber. It’s prescribed by a doctor and she has ann amazing team. The consultation was very in depth and my son is about to start his first dose tomorrow !
It might be worth giving them a call. They are called Diet UK

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