Is there a cheaper alternative to mounjaro? Or a tablet?

[Scutterbug]

Just that really. I can’t afford £100 a month and I gather the nhs don’t prescribe it. But is there perhaps a tablet I can take that’s cheaper? I’m about 17 stone so very overweight.

You can ask to be referred to a weight management team - but you need to have the right "high" level BMI, a further underlying health condition (high blood pressure, diabetes etc).

That's not forgetting the postcode lottery of whether or not your NHS trust offer the service too. Plus, if they do you need to factor in the length of the wait list too.

Can you spot the person who had a "hitting a brick wall" health check up today. I was actually told, if I was asking for support to give up smoking "the support would be there on a platter for me" I don't smoke, drink, etc...I'm overweight...

Sorry to sound bleak - I am in the same boat, I have tried all the usual methods, I'm heavier than ever, and I simply cannot afford to do this privately.

Good luck x

@MumVUnicorns thank you for replying. I do have high blood pressure so I guess that might mean I am entitled to more? I struggle as I have MH issues so don’t leave the house. Do I can’t join a gym or walk or do anything outside the house. I do some yoga at home sorry you are struggling too x

There's no harm in asking your GP and getting started on the path of getting help via the NHS. There's normally "tiers" of support, with the first two being things like seeing a dietician, organised weight loss groups (slimming world) or things like Second Nature. If those sort of things don't work for you then they can refer you on to the highest tier of support which might include weight loss tablets or injections. But again, it depends on your local area and what they choose to fund.

The NHS will soon be starting a rolling programme of introducing Mounjaro injections, but it's a 12 year process where they will start with people with the highest BMIs with at least 3 obesity related health conditions. Then they'll work their way down to people with a lower but still obese BMI with 2 health conditions and so on down eventually to people with a BMI over 30 and no health conditions.

If you're already on the NHS lists then I guess that eventually you would be in a qualifying group.

In the meantime you could save whatever you can towards a fund to pay for the injections privately. In 18 months or so, the original manufacturers will lose their exclusive licence to make the injections and other companies can start to make their own versions. That should mean the price starts to come down due to the competition.

@SilenceInside thank you. I’ve actually got an online consultation with a GP tomorrow about my blood pressure medication so I’ll mention it then.

Good luck with your appointment today, I completely get where you are coming from. X

There is a NHS service called Oviva maybe could mention them? I think they might do wegovy