Anyone ask their GP first?

[SilkFloss]

Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere - I've run a search but can't find what I'm looking for.
I'm hoping to start Mounjaro asap and I have been discussing it with DH. Yes, of course it's ultimately my decision and he is supporting me but has suggested I see the GP first, for what would hopefully be an unbiased view on whether this is a safe option for me.
Has anyone else done this and if not, did you just rely on the doctors associated with the various jab providers?
What if the GP says "no?" What then?

I get mine from pharmacy 2u and they ask for GP details I presume the purpose of which is to let them know it's been prescribed.
It feels scary going it for it unsupported

@boredsolicitor you don’t have to go through this “unsupported”, you’re essentially under private medical care and you should be able to contact your pharmacy if you need support. I have contacted medexpress with my concerns/questions, I definitely don’t feel unsupported. Though you may need to seek out the support.

It’s not ‘self medication’, it’s prescribed by a private GP after a consultation. If it’s not suitable for you, they won’t prescribe it.

Similarly I have contacted Asda to ask about side effects and medications (to ask whether I could take omeprazole for the reflux I got as a side effect) and I got a very quick response from a doctor.

Only one gp at my practice knew anything about any of the weightloss jabs. The ignorance of others stunned me.
The gp who did know about it was quite supportive and said he wished he could prescribe for many of his patients. He even prescribed me some ondansetron at my request because I have emetophobia and fear of nausea as a side effect was holding me back from starting the jabs.

You know what, some beauty businesses offer fat dissolving injections (which I assume are different and a fad)- maybe the GP thought OP meant those? It sounds like they’re giving a warning about cosmetic treatments gone wrong. They don’t sound clued up on weight loss injections like Mounjaro, and this is why there’s not much mileage in speaking to your GP about a private prescription. They may not necessarily have the information to give an informed medical opinion as it is something they cannot prescribe.

I asked my GP about my inability to lose weight and how much it was distressing me. Also how little I was able to eat and whether there might be an underlying cause. She told me that I was just an age where weight gain happens to everyone and there wasn’t much I could do (she did do a blood test for cancer markers because I was feeling full quickly).

I started MJ and have lost four stone. My GP practice has had monthly letters but no one has queried it. I’d be astonished if they did given how busy they are but it I went to them for anything they would know I was using the medication. In my experience GPs vary wildly in their knowledge/interest, from excellent and switched on to dangerous.

I'm currently

Sorry sent too soon! I'm currently on it. Self funded, for weight loss, BMI started over 40, have lost 2 stone so far. My GP was completely dis-interested and basically said to me it was my choice and it was up to the prescribers who authorise it from which ever pharmacy you choose. They assess / prescribe. Once you start, your GP is notified by the prescribing pharmacy anyway.

They can't give you any advice as it's not on the NHS for just weight loss under our category, therefore it would be a wasted appointment.

I wouldn't bother. You will be using up an appointment for no reason.

I sought advice from my GP (but did not ask him to prescribe it). I was very honest about my intentions. He said medically it was fine but would prefer for me to try and do it with exercise and food first.

Edit: just wanted to add, I asked during an appointment about an existing medical problem I was seeing him for. I can imagine they wouldn't be too pleased taking up an entire appointment space to ask these questions though.

I went to see the nutritionist at my surgery. He wasn’t critical of my plan (and said it was likely that my area would be able to approve it at some point in the next 6 months) as well as saying that the medical treatment I had about 10 years ago may well have thrown my hormones off balance, leading to weight gain (and difficulties losing it). He did advise using a company registered in the UK. I was glad I asked (and I’ve followed his advice). I got the impression I was definitely not the first person asking advice on injections.

Yes, you should ask your GP. They have no financial interest in you doing it, and will give you decent advice.

A large proportion (at least one in ten) users get side effects, including gall stones and at a lower risk pancreatitis. It's also good to get it on your medical record.

No there's no need to ask the GP, and they're not neutral - they will have to abide by what the NHS guidance is. That guidance is different to private prescribers, as I think has already been described on this thread.

Side effects are usually mild gastric symptoms that are easily managed. Gallstones, as I think has been already said, are a risk whatever weight loss method is used. Pancreatitis is extremely rare.

The private prescription can easily go on your health record via a letter from the private prescriber sent to your GP. They won't add it to your health record in advance of you getting a private prescription approved, simply because you haven't been prescribed it yet!

@DadJoke what side effects have you had from the injections?

‘Side effects’ includes minor things such as feeling colder than normal or mild nausea. Gallstones are actually a (rare) side effect of weight loss, not of weight loss injections. Most GPs have no specialist knowledge of weight loss injections because they are not able to prescribe them. Use of weight loss injections goes on your GP record regardless, as the private prescriber will inform your GP via letter when they prescribe it to you.

You seem quite angry this - I'm not sure why. I was answering the OP. If I was thinking of getting weight loss drugs, I would of course consult my GP. I don't have the slightest problem with people using weight loss drugs whether for medical necessity or any other weight management reason.

The GP will give you their neutral advice, which is, of course based on NHS guidelines, informed by NICE.You can ignore it, and go to the private GP. They aren't going to stop you!

When you go to a GP, they make a note of the nature of the consultation.

NICE does in fact recommend weight loss drugs for certain patients and the NHS will provide them on presciption.

Why on earth would side effects I've had have anything to do with probability of the side effects in general? Why would I have any objection to people taking steps to deal with the side effects?

What exactly is the advantage to you of not seeing your GP?

I went to Bupa which is not the cheapest but they offered an actual 30min consultation with a GP before prescribing. The consultation was £99, but you could presumably then change providers if you wanted. I wanted to actually talk it through with someone as I have a number of other health issues and medications and it gave me sufficient reassurance.

I'm not angry, that's your misperception. Maybe reconsider your assumptions.

The advantage of not seeing your GP, like the almost entire majority of people don't, is not wasting your time or theirs. They can't prescribe it. They're not experts. They might record that you had a discussion about weight loss and what they were able to recommend (NHS tier 1 response), but that's nothing to do with getting a private prescription recorded on your health record. That happens when you get a private prescription, as already described.

I asked about what side effects you experienced whilst using weight loss injections as I was curious as to your possible personal biases. You've invented, or assumed, a motivation that simply isn't in my post.

You wrongly assumed that I must be "against" weight loss drugs because of my personal experience. Nothing I said implied that I thought they were a bad idea, and your inference suggested you are quite personally invested in these drugs. Asking me if I take them would have been neutral. Assuming I did implies an emotional investment. Do you take them? I'm going to guess that you take them and didn't see your GP.

It is absolutely not a waste of a GP's time to seek medical advice on private presciption drugs you are considering taking. Taking a power medicine regularly is not a decision to take lightly. I would say it's definitely not a waste of your own time to get neutral advice from your family GP based on your medical record. We disagree on this - that's fine.

Yes, I did an e-consultant to discuss obesity and did not ask for a GP but it was a GP called back, we discussed my weight and meds which are adding to the problem and we discussed things like tier 3 weight management referral (taking a long time) metformin, orlistat I think, and mounjaro

I tried metformin for 6 weeks but nothing changed so I made another e-consult and spoke about starting mounjaro and stopped metformin. I found she was helpful and told me to come back if it got too expensive, so I am hoping it may be available on the NHS pretty soon.

I didn't;t feel it was a waste of the GP's time, they could have asked a nurse to call me back but didn't.

My GP recommended it to me, but told me she couldn't prescribe it.

That was a year ago. I gave it a lot of thought, my GP left the practice, and I decided to go for it.

Best decision I've ever made.
I'm over 5st down now. And I chose not to tell the new GP because I don't know her.

@Orangesandlemons77 I think your situation is very different to the OP, who doesn't have any other medications that might interact or other pre-existing history. Clearly GP appointments are not in general a waste of time.

I asked my GP's view as I saw her just as I was about to start. She's been treating me for peri-menopause symptoms and I trust her view. She said that she had other patients who had had excellent results, that it was safe and she thought it was a sensible idea. She also said their practise had recently had training on new approaches/medicines and that the wider results seem good and she thought there may be a change in approach from the NHS at some point. I was really glad I'd asked her as I felt reassured by her views. I guess it depends on whether you have a good GP or not though, mine is really excellent.

I agree with PP who day a GP may not know enough about it.
I mentioned it in passing to my GP at an unrelated appointment and asked if he had been notified (he hadn't). So I downloaded the latest letter from Zava and emailed it over and I see that each time I do that now, they refer it to PCN pharmacist to review and then add to my notes - so I'm assuming they need to refer to a pharmacist to check it's suitable etc.
my GP was very supportive in general.