OK I'm convinced, weight-loss drugs are Incredible and will change the world

[AliceAbsolum]

DH has been on them for a couple of months and they've changed our lives for the better. He's an over eater/ mild binger and generally quite obsessed with food. Never managed to keep weight off.

Now he's happy, calm, doesn't think about food, eats like a 'normal person' and it's freed up so much space and joy in our lives.

Apparently in the future it'll be a pill you can either take that day or not, e.g. Most days but not Christmas day. Incredible!

Yes I know people get side effects and they don't work for everyone, etc. But I'm very impressed.
Apparently they also help alcoholics and other addicts as they work on the reward centre's of the brain. Amazing.

For many millions of people obesity IS a debilitating health condition.

They do have both common and rare side effects just like every other medicine including some of the common ones like paracetamol, ibuprofen, contraceptive pills, etc.
Doctors also warn of the horrible side effects of anti depressants for example while prescribing. This isn't any different. It's about weighing up the pros and cons and deciding if the positives/benefits outweigh the negatives/possible side effects for you.

@jc50 if your BMI is not 27 or higher, with a weight related medical condition or whilst being one of a list of ethnicities where the BMI boundaries are at a lower level, then you are not going to get a private prescription for Mounjaro. The poster is clearly talking about being in the healthy weight range with no weight related health conditions, and trying to access a Mounjaro prescription in order to lose weight for cosmetic reasons. No one will prescribe in that situation unless the person is actively trying to fraudulently acquire it by lying and submitting fake id and photos.

I agree. One of the disqualifying questions is if you're pregnant or looking to get pregnant. It's also strongly discouraged in the assessments and patient leaflets to take if looking to get pregnant or breastfeeding. Those who do so despite these warnings take the decision at their own risk.

You are missing the point that option a supports people to undertake option c

Otherwise they literally can't - that's how humans have evolved and we are in an obesogenic society

WLI allows people to follow Option c

I'm not saying that it's not a debilitating condition but what I am saying is that surely being on something for life, even when you're not obese anymore isn't ideal. What happens if your doctor doesn't prescribe it anymore? Or as with other medication there becomes a shortage and only those who are obese can get it and maintenance isn't seen as a priority. Surely addressing something holistically is an ideal scenario.

Many people can't afford therapy or decent healthy foods, don't have the time and money for exercise so looking at how we can help people maintain without the drugs once they've reached a healthy BMI would be preferable?

You will not get many agreeing with you on here though. The upcoming generations need to be educated regarding eating healthily, or being medicated will just become the norm. The powers that be have allowed the food industry to peddle their poison over the years, and now this is where we are at, as a society. It is really sad.

You don't regard obesity as a debilitating medical condition

And you are wrong about that

@ACR7 You can change providers at any point as long as you meet their criteria for safety/medical check and then provide them with proof of your previous prescription such as an email or picture of the last pen supplied with info on.
Always wise checking prices and at the moment medexpress are issuing credit of double the difference if you find the dose cheaper elsewhere than them. £40 off for first purchase with a referral code and also cashback from topcashback. Feel free...or anyone else...to message me for a code if you are considering it as they've always been good for me, link with own GP and nearly 2.5 stone off now :)

Your point and @Nogg 's point in a previous post aren't valid points against Mounjaro.

You can lie on any medical form or to your GP about anything that can't be objectively checked. This is no different. This medication was created and licensed for a particular group of people. That some other people can and probably will misuse it or obtain it illegally doesn't mean it should be taken away from the group it's meant to help. People with certain issues will be triggered by one thing or the other and will find a way to do what they want to do regardless. This has nothing to do with Mounjaro itself but human behaviour. The absence of Mounjaro won't stop it.

What else can we take away from it's intended group because of what and who it will trigger elsewhere?

@Bakedpotatoes should I not take my BP medication because my BP is now normal? That's not how treatment for long term conditions work. I have been obese for almost my entire life, from early teens onwards, having been overweight as a younger child. Only a brief period in my young adulthood where I was not obese. It's a chronic state for me. A long term treatment to prevent it seems entirely normal and like many other treatments to me.

I have addressed that in a further comment - wrong wording. Mine is for a condition that could kill me if I didn't take it - whilst I appreciate obesity comes with its own challenges and subsequent medical conditions such as diabetes which is itself potentially lethal there are alternative methods that could support people rather than meds, for me there isn't.

Like I've said I'm not against MJ or weight loss drugs or even surgery, I do think we need to educate, and tackle things in society that are perpetuating obesity rates rather than just medicating people.

It is now on the NHS but at a higher obese bmi than private pharmacies. NHS is 40+ with underlying conditions. Private pharmacies are 30+ or 27+ with underlying conditions/other ethnicities. All still in the obese category.

@Bakedpotatoes you are not wrong that there is much to tackle regarding obesity. People have been dieting long before William Banting wrote his "Letter on Corpulence" in 1863 and people started "Banting" as a form of diet.

Given that the widespread advice has been to move more, eat less since the 1980s, it seems to me that we have to come up with some better ideas and better ways of tackling obesity, because the current advice clearly isn't working. We are all only getting fatter globally.

If WLIs can help, they are but one tool to call upon in what does of course need to be a far broader and wider global approach to obesity.

If you actually know about the medication which you obviously don't, you'll see that the opposite is the case. But don't let facts stop you from opinionated doom-mongering and made-up tragedy prediction.

Even if people don't believe obesity is a disease, surely they can understand that obesity causes multiple diseases. So it's better, cheaper, and life-saving to prevent these diseases from developing rather than have them develop and then treat them.

@Bakedpotatoes I see this "educate" comment so often. I wonder what I need to be educated about that would enable me to lose weight consistently and effectively over the course of many months to a year at least?

"Tackle things in society" - absolutely, and there is no reason why that can't happen alongside people using weight loss injections to improve their individual health. Societal change is a huge issue that takes generations to make long lasting effective change.

Why? Your point doesn't make sense. Did they say on the thread that they're only on it for December and December alone? Do you realise there are other threads for other month starters, not just December? Anyone can start at any time. Perhaps they're not treating it like a fad or a new year resolution but wanting to get started at a time they are able to for their health. Perhaps they want to start so they can overcome any potential 'Christmas overindulging' and carry on to the new year. Why wait another month to begin sorting out your health when you can start immediately?

Being on medication for life is better than being obese, yes. Your other questions are hypothetical and rhetorical.

I'm sure they are just like they're concerned about the risk of other horrible side effects of other medicines they take but still take them. You have to weigh the pros and cons and the likelihood of either or both and decide what's best for you.

What are you hoping will happen in 5 , 10 years?

Another positive post from me.

I was worried about potential side effects but I’m on my 2nd pen (5mg) of Mounjaro and (so far) have had absolutely no side effects whatsoever!
Mentally feeling a lot brighter in myself. Honestly, when looking in a mirror I don’t see the 1st loss but I guess the scales don’t lie.

I’m signed up to Voy. Not entirely impressed with the aftercare though, lots of hype when you sign up about your own "coach", fantastic app & customer support. I had one Teams call with my “coach” which wasn’t particularly inspiring. Followed up by a WhatsApp from “coach”, to which I replied and got an AI response.

My first pen failed on the last jab (so frustrated!) and as it was a weekend there was absolutely nobody to contact, just send an email into the abyss. Finally, got a call back on the Tuesday and they refunded me £49, but still missed a jab.

So, after all that, I do feel I can manage this myself. Asda Dr Online seems to be the cheapest supplier so will probably switch over to that service.

With regards to long term, I guess it’s about educating your stomach/brain to anticipate smaller portions once we stop the jabs, it will be actual hunger pangs that will be the kicker!

For transparency, I'm 55, 5'7" and starting weight was 14st 10lbs.

I am not sure if your point, if I was not on it, I’d remain obese, and keep having to take bloood pressure tablets for life and encounter not only the risks they pose but the huge risks of obesity.

and as to what happens if your doctor does not prescribe any more, why wouldn’t they for those it is helping, it is approved for life. Even the prime minister said some will be on for life.

if there is a shortage I am sure they will prioritise according to risk, I don’t think you need to worry there.

and it’s not preferable for me to maintain without the drugs as it is now strongly indicated I’m insulin resistant so would likely regain without the medication, hence why my gp wants to take over prescribing when she can.

It should be obvious that for those who have "resorted" to taking the WLD, option a and b is all they have left. Option c doesn't work for them.

Option c works for many other people and these are the people who don't need and aren't on WLD. Pure common sense. So your cliche preaching isn't relevant.

It’s very kind though isn’t it. These poster with their 👀 out on stocks, all over these threads, worried for us all, and giving advice on how to lose weight, asking questions like “how can WE support people to maintain a healthy bmi”

im sure we are all grateful;

😂