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Weight loss injections/treatments

Discuss weight-loss injections and treatments, including personal experiences. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any treatments.

Original poster

Did you speak to a GP before starting?

30 replies

IKnowAPlace · 06/02/2025 07:52

I'm seriously considering weight loss injections. I've always been big and have lost weight a few times before through diet and exercise but this time, I just can't seem to focus.

I don't have a huge amount of interaction with my GP and was thinking about speaking with them about weight loss. Did any of you do this and are they happy to recommend weight loss injections even if you're buying them privately?

OP posts:
IReallyNeedThisToWork · 06/02/2025 08:35

No, I didn’t. Don’t even cross my mind tbh!

The response of health care professionals towards these medications seems very mixed. I have heard of many negative responses alongside the positive! I did have a chat with my asthma nurse about it around 5 months in and she was very enthusiastic as they prescribe MJ for diabetes so she was asking all sorts of questions!

If it would make you more comfortable and you can get an appointment and have a supportive gp, go for it! But don’t be despondent if you get a negative response.

Mrblueskys · 06/02/2025 08:39

Are you due a health MOT, mine offer after 40 / or perhaps ad hoc? Bloods to check liver function etc, blood pressure / cholesterol.

If you haven't been checked for a while it might be worth ringing and asking (mine was initially with the nurse) and at this point mentioning it.

If you have no other health conditions I don't think you would need a face to face GP appointment but would be worth telling the surgery so it can be recorded on your records.

Shrinkingrose · 06/02/2025 08:46

Yes, I was being checked for high bp anyway, so asked the doctor, they recommended.

SilenceInside · 06/02/2025 08:57

Nope. Getting a non-urgent appointment with my GP surgery is basically impossible, and if they are not prescribing then they can't advise. I have never spoken to my GP about my weight, and they haven't seen me in person for about 8 years. All my high BP reviews are done on the phone with a pharmacist these days, and I have a BP monitor at home so I don't need to physically go to the surgery.

IHateMozzies · 06/02/2025 12:37

No, the NHS don’t really prescribe so I didn’t bother. I just bought from an online pharmacy.

BrownJenkins · 06/02/2025 12:40

I did. Had an appointment with a random GP at my clinic. She was so against it, refused to discuss it. A couple of weeks later I had an appointment with the diabetic doctor. Mentioned it to her, she was very happy to discuss it. As I'm diabetic, she recommended it. Been on Mounjaro since October last year, lost 2 stone and I'm now classed as pre-diabetic.

Barmcake · 06/02/2025 12:43

I did, she was very dismissive about it and told me to go to Slimming World or Weight Watchers!

Irisilume · 06/02/2025 12:46

I don't see what the point would be? At my practice I never see the same GP twice so it's not like I'd be discussing it with a doctor I have a history with. It would just be whatever their personal bias is.

Sugarnspicenallthingsnaice · 06/02/2025 12:49

I couldn't be bothered TBH. I just wanted somewhere that would post it out to me every month without even having to talk to them.

readytochange21 · 06/02/2025 12:50

I didn't but I had seen an endocrinologist before I started who had been heavily pushing for me to get them on the NHS and was having no luck as they completely stopped tier 3 weight management in our area. She was even advocating for me to be sent to a different county, but my GP just didn't seem to want to get involved.

So I just bought them and started. I can see they put it in my notes each time I get a pen and they update my weight each time, but it's not been mentioned at all aside from this.

Finallydoingit24 · 06/02/2025 12:53

No I didn’t. But I’m very used to taking personal responsibility for my own healthcare. I get the contraceptive pill and migraine pill through a private pharmacy as I can’t be arsed to discuss with my GP or try to get an appointment during work hours. I have also purchased antibiotics for cystitis and the morning after pill via online pharmacies. I am clued up and read about medications. In the past I have mentioned certain medications to my GP and she’s googled it as she’s never heard of it and she then ended up prescribing it based on me saying I thought it was good for me. So I didn’t feel any different about weight loss injections.
Obviously I do sometimes visit the GP - I went to have a cyst drained last year and am getting a smear and coil fitting next month. I’m just not a person who is overly reliant on my GP.

Finallydoingit24 · 06/02/2025 12:55

Barmcake · 06/02/2025 12:43

I did, she was very dismissive about it and told me to go to Slimming World or Weight Watchers!

Lol Slimming World. So effective. I mean most GPs know fuck all about nutrition and dieting and the NHS website recommends 1200 calorie diets.

Gcsunnyside23 · 06/02/2025 13:19

Barmcake · 06/02/2025 12:43

I did, she was very dismissive about it and told me to go to Slimming World or Weight Watchers!

Mine said this before so I asked her if she'd ever been to which she says no. I went on to explain that while I had done success they were telling people in my group their weight wasn't going due because of exercise, there was no nutritional information whatsoever and info that was discussed by the leader was incorrect. I stopped going when the lady started saying exercise was why someone wasn't losing, she was not happy when I told her that was such poor advice

CanIGoHomeNowPlease · 06/02/2025 13:29

I was at the doctors for something else and mentioned it. As I only have a fatty liver and high blood pressure she said that she couldn’t prescribe it, but recommended getting it on private prescription.

morbidcuriosity · 06/02/2025 15:32

I did, but back when I started in August I didn't know much about them, and I thought with a BMI of 36 I would be able to get them on NHs.

Obviously I couldn't, but the doctor lady was very for them, said she knew people on them and it's a fabulous medicine. But sadly can't prescribe it for me.

All she said was if I do go private just to make sure it's from a reputable proper place, I started with Asda Doctor. But then learning mostly through here there is loads of places and online pharmacies we're the real deal, I had no idea about them.

Mounj website will list them all and has the prices etc..

Only regret is I didn't start sooner! .

StayingHealthy · 06/02/2025 17:07

No i didn't because I thought I'd be judged. I don't think most GPs know much about them. I got lots of blood tests done privately and a bit of an MOT, weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, heart check etc.. done privately. When I knew I was healthy and no major issues I took the plunge and ordered from medexpress. So far so good.

MJOverInvestor · 06/02/2025 17:15

I emailed my surgery and was given an appointment with the nutritionist there. He looked over my notes, asked me what I thought of gastric sleeve surgery (er, no) and then was chilled about it, although suggested that I made sure that I bought it from a British-registered pharmacy for safety reasons. I got the feeling that I was not the first person who had asked.

llamamma · 06/02/2025 20:34

I did speak to my GP. He was very supportive. His advice was to use a reputable online pharmacy and to listen to my body. He said he would only go up a dose if I felt the previous dose was insufficient. He explained about pen clicks and said go up 5 clicks at a time each week, to get to next dose if required then remain on that dose while it works. I started in July. I was 8 weeks on 2.5 dose. Then slowly moved to 3.75 and then to 5.0 dose 5.0. Ive been on 5.0 since November. I've lost 15kg since July (6 months) I've had no side effects. I've got 5 kg to get to goal. I will then discuss maintenance with him and weaning off. He was really well informed, really happy to help, and said losing weight this way was far preferable than becoming diabetic and requiring medication for that. Hope this is helpful.

Saggyknickers · 06/02/2025 20:39

No, you can't get a gp appointment near me unless your leg is hanging off. I haven't actually needed to go for years luckily but the last 2 times my dd has been ill and needed antibiotics they just got her to send over a photo of her tonsils!

I doubt I'd get an appointment to discuss the fact I want to buy mounjaro privately - they'd think I was completely wasting their time.

FedUpandEatingChocolate · 07/02/2025 20:35

No, but I was at the GP for something unrelated this week and she randomly prescribed me something for GERD, so I'm guessing it came up in my notes?!

DH is about 2 months ahead of me. He had already been on the pooey tablets (prescribed by GP - can't remember what it's called but it stops you absorbing the fat) which had worked but made him extremely unwell. He's been morbidly obese for years so I can't imagine any GP would be against him having the WLI.

Lola3034 · 07/02/2025 22:05

I spoke to my Gp and she wasn't against it, she said that some of her patients are on it. She advised me to do all the blood tests beforehand though just to rule out things.

barstar · 07/02/2025 22:18

I tried but she wasn't interested in a discussion, it's a private prescription and nothing to do with the GPs who don't yet prescribe it so I think she was sticking warning the guidelines of not recommending or wasting appointment time on something they don't deal with.

DollyPlastic · 07/02/2025 22:28

Yes, she said they're not tested enough and they've got lots of known complications.

I ignored her and went private.

(I was there for another matter)

Shrinkingrose · 07/02/2025 22:36

DollyPlastic · 07/02/2025 22:28

Yes, she said they're not tested enough and they've got lots of known complications.

I ignored her and went private.

(I was there for another matter)

Wow, my doctor explained thr trials and how the drugs had been in use in different formats for 20 odd years , had great results with diabetes patients and thoroughly recommend,

the trials were 15 years, your doctor is a twat.

Thisisthewayz · 07/02/2025 23:43

I didn’t before I started in August. I wasn’t sure if the online pharmacy had been contacting them, I get a copy of the GP letter each time I order. Today I had an appointment for my high blood pressure, which has greatly improved now I’ve lost over 3 stone. So took a copy of the letter with me. They hadn’t been informed. But he was so positive about it, & my blood pressure medications have been reduced. He congratulated me on the weight loss,& I’ve just looked at my online records & he’s added it to my list of medications I take. So at least if I get taken into hospital unconscious for an emergency they’ll know everything I take.
I wasn’t expecting such a positive response actually, seems a real mixed view from GP’s. I do know from my diabetic nurse friend that some GPs in our area are prescribing it for their type 2 diabetic patients on the NHS though.