Is anyone who isn’t diabetic getting mounjaro on the nhs

[Summerbay23]

I’m really close to starting mounjaro after doing lots of research. I’m 53 and around 16 stone 9lbs (bmi around 40). I also have high blood pressure.

Looking online it still seems as if the nhs are planning on rolling it out very slowly and in my area focusing on people already referred to the weight management service (who have a wait list of almost 2.5 years).

I’m getting pretty desperate and think I may as well just order online rather than wait but obviously cost is a concern. Wondering if anyone who isn’t diabetic has been prescribed on the nhs?

thank you.

Just order online - in my area even diabetics aren’t offered weight loss injections and tier 3 weight management only offer surgery. Whilst there is obviously a cost it breaks down to around £25 a week and I’ve saved that by not buying junk food/ alcohol and see this as an investment in my health

I literally talked to my GP about it today and got a whole long spiel about how they haven’t got a plan yet here and it won’t be given out easily, you’ll have to lose some weight first etc etc. And then he looked at me and said, ‘Wait, have you got diabetes.’ Which I do. And suddenly I’m seeing the diabetes specialist and am on course to start next week.

Definitely worth getting your blood sugars checked!

Thanks both. Still not sure but might be worth a conversation with my gp. They were dismissive about weight management referral when I last spoke to them (saying I’d need to demonstrate I’ve engaged with other services/try to lose weight on my own first - I pointed out I’ve had numerous referrals to slimming world, weight watchers etc but ultimately over 30 years I’ve struggled to maintain any meaningful weight loss).

I didn't know anything about WLI until my doctor mentioned them last August. She rang me back the next day to say I didn't qualify. I have struggled all my life with weight. I am 68. I got to near my goal in lockdown then gradually gained 2 stone over 4 years. 2 stone at my height is significant! After thinking about the cost and feeling guilty about cheating, I decided to take the plunge. I googled Mounjaro and the best information was on Mumsnet. It's honestly one of the best things I have done for myself. I have been at my goal for a month. It's not a magic cure at all, you have to limit calories and eat healthy. The best support I got was on Mumsnet. Happiest I have been in years!

@bridgetreilly great news. Good luck with your journey

I'm on it privately and am not diabetic, and hopefully never will be once I've lost the weight. Injecting myself once a week to prevent injecting insulin twice a day.

@mumalummum I agree with you. If you can afford it and are committed to losing weight MJ is the way to go! It's definitely not a skinny jab and doesn't melt fat! But after years of struggling, to me it is a magic cure. My average weight loss was a pound a week but I am at goal now.

Apparently you can only get prescribed up to 5mg on the NHS if you're lucky to get it at all whereas buying it privately through a pharmacy you can get up to 15mg.

I know people who have finally been prescribed it for diabetes after having to try loads of different meds first that failed to control their blood sugar, but then they decided to buy it privately anyway because the NHS wouldn't let them increase beyond 5mg.

My little brother gets it on nhs. His starting wieght was 390lbs but no diabetes. He's upping his dose next week. He's on benefits though so can't afford to buy it. His gp over sees it all

We live in Scotland though may make a differnce?

To answer your question, no, but it’s the best £28/week I’ve ever spent. I eat so much less (especially “treats” when I’m out) it’s cost neutral!

I’ve lost 6kg (around a stone) in 8 weeks staying on the starter dose of 2.5mg.

I have pre diabetes,I’m very overweight,my bmi is very high,I have 3 autoimmune conditions and have had to pay privately for mounjuro as I don’t qualify.
Gp referred me to weight management which is a 9 month course with no guarantee of wli at the end
I did have a couple of phone calls with weight management but found it so patronising as was told to eat lots of lovely vegetables as if that was a magic cure I hadn’t thought about before.
so here we are

If it works out as only about £25 a week, A prescription is £10 anyway, that means it would only save you £15 anyway (???)

Oh and I know for some people finding £15 (or £25) a week is completely out of reach, but from everyone I've spoken to, they spend so much less on food and drink, some say they save money.

I’m in the frustrating position where the private suppliers won’t issue it to me because of a drug I’m on.

My GP says it’s ok to take as it doesn’t actively interact the drug. The risk is the slowing down on the stomach emptying which they felt could be minimised by them increasing the blood tests I already had to to monitor any changes to drug level in my blood….but they can’t prescribe it for me.

Given my weight gain has happened as side effects of drugs I’m on, I really think MJ could work for me. Have meeting with one of my consultants next week - the one who started me on the drug that the MJ suppliers are concerned about.

I have also thought about trying more private suppliers but I suspect they’ll all say the same.

I'm on a higher dose so, it's more like 37.50 quid a week for me. But, I use the bonus dose, so that it down to 30, and I spend so much less on food and snacks out and about. Not had a takeaway in months and if I eat out at a restaurant I pretty much order a starter, a sandwich or soup so not spending that much extra a month tbh.

I've lost 44kg, almost 7 stone in 11 months. It's been life changing

Would one of the other weight loss drugs work ?

Good question. I’ll ask. I just said weight loss drugs and they looked into MJ and the interactions with all my current drugs (I’m on many!) I’m not sure why they chose MJ specifically so I’ll ask. Thanks.

I tried accessing it from the Doctors early last year as I was pre diabetic and almost 14 stone at 5 ft 2. He sympathised and said get the injections privately if you can afford to, as he'd seen the results in a family member. I'm currently 10 stone 7 and I started Aug last year. I'm so pleased, no one noticed until recently and now everyone does. I have even purchased shorts for the summer!

The only people I know who have got it on the NHS have type 2 diabetes, and have tried but failed with all of the standard diabetes medications.

I spent so much less all food on Mounjaro, that certainly balances some of the cost.

No, my BMI was 53 (“morbidly obese”/off the charts) with high blood pressure and pre diabetes and I couldn’t get it (Lancashire). I could be referred for gastric bypass surgery which imo is ridiculous as it’s much higher risk and costs. What the government is saying about rolling it out to all obese people isn’t what’s happening on the ground. I’m coming up to 2 stone off so far and feeling better already.

No, my GP just laughed. I bought my own, and I've lost three stone now. My blood pressure is now normal, it was over 200/130 before.

Thanks for sharing everyone. I'm wondering what will happen if we start privately but then as things are rolled out we become eligible on the nhs - in theory it sounds like we could move to the nhs but if we've already lost the weight then it might be difficult to get a maintenance dose on the nhs.

I think I'll have to view the win as losing weight (if I do) though and just not think about the cost (which as many of you have pointed out might be reduced anyway through eating and drinking less).

Could you not get a letter from your GP to the effect that he medically approves Mourjana, to give to the pharmacist?

That’s a good option. Thanks. I suspect my GP and consultant will have more ability to go away from the default position of the online pharmacist. I’ll mention that possibility when I speak to my consultant next week. A private doctor rather than pharmacy might also be a route to. My GP is happy to do the weekly blood tests but I guess the pharmacy doesn’t have the process in place to check that’s happening. My consultant may say don’t take the risk but if they ok with it then I’ll explore these options. I really appreciate people taking the time to make great suggestions.

All the best @Summerbay23 eith what you decide. I think you’re right that although it does sound like it might be available on the NHS in the future, it’s unlikely to be quick. Would it be worth asking your GP to record your current weight and that you are starting on MJ so that there is a clear record on your file that MJ helped you lose and keep the weight off - would increase your chances of being allowed a maintenance dose in the future on the NHS if that ever becomes an option.