Would you take WLI if you were me?

[leviosaluna]

I have hashimotos and a host of other autoimmune conditions, mostly rare ones, on 2 biologic drugs and immunocompromised
my mum had thyroid removed, dad can’t remember but thinks it was cancerous and she isn’t here any more to ask

I can’t see to get advice from anyone as my combo of health issues is so rare (my haematologist only treats me with my condition)

Are you obese?

Yes off BMI, dress size 16
do a lot of exercise but still fat

Should add no health issues relating to weight, they’re all a lovely group of autoimmune that started when I was 12! No heart issues or blood pressure etc

If losing weight would help the other conditions you have then do it.

It wouldn’t make any difference at all to any of them

I also have a miserable clutch of autoimmune problems and luckily enough have managed to lose weight. I have more to lose. If I stop losing weight I will take WLI. Why not, they are safe drugs.

I think it’s the thyroid thing my mum had that worries me most and the fact I have a really rare blood disorder
I asked my consultant and he said he honestly couldn’t advise as he hasn’t come across anyone else with it (it’s more common in children) and he doesn’t know how my bone marrow drug would be with it

in the consultation they will ask about family history of throid issues so I think you would be rejected based on your mum possibly having throid cancer

I don’t think you should use WLI if you are only a size 16. That’s not overweight enough, in my humble view, especially with your health conditions.

If BMI is over 30 (or 27 if one of a list of ethnicities where obese is classed as starting at 27) then that is overweight enough. Dress size is irrelevant and pretty meaningless given that what is apparently a size 16 in one shop is nowhere near a size 16 in another.

@leviosaluna I think I would be cautious due to the slowed digestion that Mounjaro produces, and the medication you take for your bone marrow issues. Assuming it’s an oral medication. It might interfere with the uptake, and I guess that could be a very bad thing for you?

Interesting. Do you think the same about statins, HRT, nicotine patches?

I’m dense! I don’t look my weight but my BMI is 34

All injections, my bone marrow one is weekly and my other one is 5 weekly

I have hashimotos and a couple of other rare autoimmune diseases plus MALS and take azathioprene. I've been told to not take it by my consultant. I'm not sure how they would know how it would react with a specific cocktail of conditions but I'm not going to risk it.

My friend has hashimotos and uses Mounjaro. So far, she’s having great results.

So this question can only really be answered by an expert in your conditions

however I will query something you’ve said - that none of your conditions will be improved by it. Reducing inflammation in my body has transformed my life. Being overweight makes almost everything worse. My arthritis is negligible now whereas before I was having steroid injections every 3 months. I have so much less pain just by having a normal bmi.

No seriously, none of them will be improved
i am pretty aware of my own health conditions but going into detail because I don’t have any pain from them except from the bone pain from the medication

one is urticaria which started when I was a skinny 12 year old and is only controlled with a biologic because I’m allergic to heat. That’s like being allergic to eggs, losing weight does nothing for that

one is a blood disorder which doesn’t have anything to do with inflammation, I have severe neutropenia. It’s a diagnosis that days old children can have but is much more rare in adults than under 5
i inject a drug used in chemotherapy which causes severe bone pain as it affects my bone marrow

Do you feel like your weight affects your health currently? Things like blood pressure, achey knees, breathlessness etc?
If not, and you feel that it doesn't really impact on your health I'm not sure it would be worth the risk?

Although chances are a BMI of 34 is having some impact

Hmmm not really I don’t think? It’s more how I look but I feel self conscious anyway as I’m 5ft 10 and feel like I tower over everyone with giant shoulders
my blood pressure was 110/75 last checked, my bloods are fine (I have full bloods every 12 weeks) apart from my dodgy white cells!
breathless - no - I exercise regularly so I do spin classes of up to 60 mins plus weights and netball so I guess that helps my blood pressure?

It’s only medullary thyroid cancer which is an issue (from the thyroid point of view I mean). It’s rare and if your mum did have thyroid cancer it’s much more likely to have been papillary or follicular. However, I wouldn’t want to take WLI without knowing. Is there a way to track down her medical records? Speak to her GP or does your dad know which hospital she had her thyroid removed in? They might be able to help with pathology records. If that’s not possible you could potentially ask for a referral to clinical genetics - hereditary medullary cancer is associated with a RET mutation - if you don’t have that your risk of hereditary medullary carcinoma is tiny. I guess my short answer is no I wouldn’t take them without knowing more about the possible history of thyroid cancer so it depends how much effort you are willing to put in to chasing up that history. I’m afraid I can’t help with the other conditions.

Hi Op,

I have a host of Auto Immune problems, although different to yours. I have a weekly Methotrexate 25mg injection which is also part of the 'chemo' family drugs and have had no issue with interactions.

I think only you can do the risk/benefit analysis.

You won't know what side effects you have unless you try it.

My mounjaro journey has been positive and I'm very pleased to be healthier and free of food struggles.

However I'm not sure I would tolerate the side effects (feeling not great every week for a day or two after the injection, loose stools, some eggy burps, exhausted) if my weight was not affecting my health initially and it was just about appearance. You sound fit and healthy. Be aware mounjaro might make exercise easier as it does for some people, or might not (I feel too tired often or don't trust my tummy!)

Yeah that’s the other thing is my current medication basically gives me 24-36hrs of flu (high temp, shivering, cold, headache, bone pain) once a week
fucking brilliant(!)