I don't understand weight loss injections. I have questions

[nevertuesday]

Google tells me that people loose 10% of their body weight over a year. so if you started at 100kg, you would be 90kg after a whole year!! that is not good weight loss at all. definitely not worth, what it costs

but people loose significantly more than that, don't they?? certainly people on social media have definitely lost more than 10% and in a shorter space of time

2nd question from a place of considering trying it because I have mobility issues and it would really be beneficial to not be over weight. but, I don't particularly eat loads and loads. I have a sweet tooth and I emotionally eat, I'm not eating because I am hungry. so am I correct in thinking that it probably wouldn't help me much?

I’ve seen many people talking about reduction in food noise, not craving snacks, etc.. but does it take ALL pleasure out of food? When you do have a meal or an occasional small treat does it feel like a chore / make you feel sick? I wouldn’t want to lose all interest!

I have lost about 15% of my weight. The difference even just that relatively modest amount has made to my health and quality of life is insane, but then I was/am very obese

For me it did to start with, but now I can still enjoy food I just don’t want to gorge on it

No, at least it hasn't for me other than for a short period when I first went up a dose. That's why I stuck at that dose for three months as I want to enjoy food still, rather than struggling to eat much at all.
I still enjoy a bit of chocolate sometimes but a bit rather than a huge bag and I enjoy it rather than a sort of panicked craving for it.
I couldn't eat a big meal but I've enjoyed things like pizza or a burger and chips occasionally, just now I probably won't eat all the chips as otherwise I feel too full.

It doesn’t take all the pleasure out of food. You just don’t obsess about it or feel the need to over eat. It’s actually quite liberating, to have a normal relationship with food for a change.

This is a really interesting thread to read. I can’t use injectables because the bulimia I suffered as a teen is now non-purging bulimia as an adult (which is different from the binge eating I simply thought it was!). Quite a few posters have mentioned Mounjaro has stopped them bingeing - is there any concern among you that it will trigger terrible BE when you stop taking it, if you stop? I am gutted not to be able to try it myself - I am the heaviest I have ever been and it’s hard reading all the success stories. But I have to listen to my doctor.

Mounjaro isnt an 'anti-eating' drug.

It works by stimulating your body to produce insulin to process sugar out of your blood, it reduces the amount of sugar your liver produces. It slows down the speed at which food is moved through your digestive system.

You crave carbs much less because your body isn't rushing between peaks and troughs of blood sugar.

It doesn't take away enjoyment of food but you are satisfied with a lot less.

It doesn't do all the work. You have to listen to your body. You have to eat a diet which will leave you in calorie deficit. But it helps a lot if you aren't having to fight your body craving for high carb food because your blood sugar is on a roller coaster.

That’s good to know, thank you. I just wouldn’t want to feel like I couldn’t enjoy a family meal because I felt full and sick all the time, because I’d be wary of modelling that to my kids. What you’ve said sounds great though and precisely what I hoped it would be like.

@GnomeDePlume Thank you for explaining, that makes sense. I’m new to educating myself about WLI and am very into knowing the mechanisms and scientific evidence for how things work.

Not for me, other than the couple of days when I first started but that settled down quickly. I still enjoy food and think it tastes good. I'm just satisfied with less. I had pizza the other day, but had a few slices rather than eating a whole on to myself like I would have previously. It has allowed me to control my portions and funnily what I'm craving is meat or fish and vegetables. I find myself wanting a really good steak with asparagus and am not so bothered about the chips which is revolutionary!

Why do you have to be overweight to get it? Lots of normal weight people like me have a horrendous time trying to restrict their eating because of constant food noise. I don’t understand the weight criteria. I would absolutely love to no longer be dominated by food obsession .

Its changes enjoyment. For me, my old enjoyment wasnt food, it was drinks. I drink litres of coffee a day with full fat milk and sugar or syrups, now, though caffeine withdrawal was a hellish few days, i have coffee 2 or 3 times a week. My other enjoyment was milkshakes, i cant remember the last time i had a shake, they are far to sweet now, But i do get enjoyment from different foods. I have gone off sweet stuff, but citrusy food i love, and more spicier foods. definitely less carbs than before, though im very partial to sticky rice with a squeeze of lime juice. Its different, but easier to make better choices as others have said.

Because there are risks involved in taking it and it had been calculated that the risks of being obese or BMI over 27 with qualifying accompanying health conditions are greater than the risks of taking it. The same doesn’t apply for those who don’t meet the criteria ie. the risk of damage from taking it is higher than the risk of being overweight.

I suppose because you are clearly able to restrict your eating and hence be a normal weight. As an obese person, I couldn't and therefore I was (and still am but hopefully not for long) very overweight. I knew how to eat healthily but I just couldn't stop myself from bingeing, even though I'd hate myself afterwards. I wouldn't wish that feeling on anyone.

It's a serious medication, with side effects and risks. It's not an easy option. If you are able to restrict your eating to stay a healthy weight then you're already doing what I and other obese people have been unable to do. The injections are helping me to change my relationship with food but I absolutely would not be taking medication unless I really needed it.

Yes @Seaitoverthere @GameOfJones but I have to eat protein and vegetables and low sugar fruit only to avoid horrific carb cravings and have no added sugar or alcohol to achieve it. It’s joyless and very hard.

Ive lost three stone in four months. I'm temporarily in a wheelchair while I'm waiting for an orthopaedic operation and working full time from home so can't do any exercise.
I am most definitely a comfort and sweet eater.
Mounjaro has switched the emotional eating part of my brain off. Yesterday I realised with some horror that I had forgotten to eat for two days because work was busy. I've never forgotten to eat in my life before.
It works on the brain too, I just don't feel hungry.
I had to start this because my weight was affecting my health.
I have two more stone to lose. Its been a miracle drug for me.

Whether it would even work for you would possibly depend on whether your food 'obsession' was more physiological or psychological.

If it is physiological, have you ever been tested for diabetes? I am on mounjaro for diabetes, the disease it was designed for. I am seeing good improvement in my diabetes symptoms and losing weight so a win all round.

If psychological, have you ever looked at therapy to help you?

Mounjaro doesn't make you thin. It manages physiological symptoms of insulin resistance. If that isn't the problem then mounjaro is unlikely to help other than as a placebo.

Because it's prescribed for obesity. It's 'skinny jabs' in pop culture, but it's prescription medication for the disease of obesity, to get our weight down to that of normal weight people like you.
Because it's medication with potentially serious side effects, the risk balance is usually worth it for someone who is obese, which comes with its own huge health risks, but not for someone who'd like to lose half a stone before a beach holiday.

@GnomeDePlumeyes I have had 25 years of treatment and therapy. If it only works for insulin resistance how come it works for celebs that are already slim?

It worked for my sweet tooth. Now I can eat one or two biscuits without eating the whole pack! I eat less generally, hardly ever finish a meal. I’ve lost 2 stone 2lbs in 5 months but I eat anything I want really. No limiting carbs like I did before! 2 stone left to lose and I’m on Mounjaro.

i can understand your point, @Objectrelations

many people who are a ‘normal’ weight are there because of significant sacrifices, yet they aren’t ‘eligible’ for help.

I do think GLP-1s like Mounjaro work much better on long term obese people because, as a previous poster said, it works on insulin management etc, which is very likely to be ‘faulty’ in very overweight people.

therefore when obese people get into a normal weight range, they need to remain on it to maintain the treatment.

the medication is evolving all the time though, I do think it would be very helpful for someone in your situation to be able to take something that would help with the mental elements.

I’ve lost 19% of my body weight since September, BMI 58.3 to 47.3. I have PCOS & severe psoriasis which seems to be improving. I’d like to lose another 5 stone. I feel amazing, no side effects apart from feeling tired the day after injection day.

Because the medication was developed and tested for diabetes.

They then realised that it has the side effect of weight loss, so they tested it on obese people.

It has not been tested on normal weight, non-diabetic people, because they have no need for the medication, without testing they can’t know what the results and side effects would be.

Yes some people obtain it either through dodgy suppliers or by lying, but their results can’t be counted towards anything that could be considered a scientific study because they have bypassed any possible controls.

That’s EXACTLY what it helps with.

It clears out everything. You really aren’t interested in eating until you are actually hungry.

Thank-you for your understanding @KnewYearKnewMe