WLI - what do they actually do?

[Ilovemyshed]

I see various posts about these and hear they are effective. Then i see people are then exercising more and being careful what they eat WHILE on the injections.

Surely that’s how you lose the weight, so what do the injections do?

Top 2 causes of pancreatitis are gallstones and heavy drinking.

one of the top causes of gallstones is weight loss. NOT weight loss injections, just weight loss in general. One of the others is weight gain. So you are as at risk of pancreatitis as any other person who has lost weight. Even those on weight loss injections.

I got gallstones and pancreatitis 4 years ago after following a traditional diet plan and losing 3 stone

I might be a gullible fool taking snake oil, but I’ve lost 9st and gone from a morbidly obese BMI of 50 to an overweight BMI of 29 and still falling. So I’ll continue to take my chances that it turns out to be like thalidomide!!

You lost your ability to be a nice person along the way. I would suggest gaining all 5 stone back, finding the nicer version of you, then just popping the weight off again. HTH

Another one just looking for a bunfight. I'd suggest ignoring the sanctimonious fool.

My specialist consultant said it would be the only way I could lose weight. Because the medication I’m on inhibits weight loss (that would be medication I take to stay alive). That plus perimenopause and a long history of dieting (which messes with your sugar levels, and hormones that relate to weight loss.

Again my specialist consultant doesn’t see WLI as massively risky, or snake oil.

Obesity is a disease. A chronic, complex, multifactorial, recurring disease. You can go and look this up if you were unaware or didn't understand this.

There are many problems with the pharmaceutical industry, but ultimately advances in medicine save lives and improve people's quality of living. No drug comes free from risk of side effects. New drugs are researched, developed and rolled out all the time (and things have moved on since thalidomide - lessons have been learned). It's strange that no one starts threads on mumsnet about other drugs, only weight loss ones.

You think that obesity can be cured for everyone if they only deployed a bit of willpower and discipline; you do not understand and have not bothered to read up on the subject at all. You might think people taking WLIs are much lazier and stupider than you, but you're the one starting misinformed threads about something which you haven't taken the time to learn about.

I have a colleague who is well into the 20 stones. morbidly obese. But he won't take WLI cos of the 'possible health side effects'

oh the irony. The health effects of him being morbidly obese appear quite lost on him 🙄

There's been quite a few posts from people annoyed that they lost or maintain their weight the 'hard' way. The existence of WLIs really pisses them off. So you're not alone feeling like this OP. You don't need to pretend you care about the long term effects either - we know you don't.

Same advice to you as to them: smile, be happy for others, and be kind to others. Step away from this section of the forum if you struggle to keep the feelings of annoyance under control. Life will get better.

I weighed up the risks you mention (although I already have no gallbladder) alongside those which come with being obese and decided to try the jabs. It's great that you have managed to loose the weight without them but as I am sure you realise, lots of people can't or there wouldn't be so many people who are living with obesity. The drugs make it possible to stick to a calorie deficit and loose the weight. I used to be constantly thinking about food but on Mounjaro, I am not. It has been life changing for me.

You do come across as a bit judgy and I suppose that is in part because you are loosing weight without it. However, since you didn't get to be obese overnight and without consuming unhealthy food or just to much food I am surprised you don't have a bit more empathy.

It is most definitely not snake oil, it for me, is a wonder drug.
I see it as an aid. I'm not losing weight ridiculously fast and am working out and being mindful what I eat.

Yeah yeah WW or other diets may offer same results....but they really don't!

Gone is what I'd call the 'pain ' of losing weight. The constant thinking, can I have x or y, the gaining and losing the same lb incessantly....all that is gone.

Hence why I call it an aid. I feel fuller longer, I'm not as hungry, I eat less and make better choices but with the energy to work out.

Don't feed the troll.

Well surely it can’t be ‘snake oil’ as it actually works? In fact studies have shown it works incredibly well.

Well done on your weight loss. However it’s clear that on a population level, advice to move more and eat less does not work. We’ve been banging that drum for quite some time now and an increasing number of people are still obese. Obesity is multi-factorial: lifestyle, hormonal problems, mental health, ageing, medication such as steroids … Many people have several comorbidities.

The side effects of the jabs everyone gets most upset about are often the side effects of just being obese generally (but apparently it’s not an issue to have spent 20+ years or however long at increased risk of pancreatitis and a whole host of cancers and other health conditions).

Pancreatitis, gallstones… the leading cause of these conditions is obesity. And in the case of gallstones, weight loss in pre-menopausal white women by any means, jab or not, is a risk for gallstones. Gallstones are really common anyway, multiple women around my age (40s) I know have had their gallbladders removed, none of them related to WLIs. Mine were there before the jabs. The weight loss has worsened them but that was likely to happen however I lost the weight at my age.

I would spin it around and say I don’t understand why people are so worried about the risk of side effects when they already are living with the risk of the same side effects and plenty more alongside and probably have been for years on end.

And there’s nothing more insincere than people claiming on these threads with faux concern that they are worried about problems in the future for those who are on the jabs. Bullshit. At least have the strength of character to admit you’re sitting there rubbing your hands in anticipation.

I suspect they are going to be very disappointed however, as so far it seems like these medications actually reduce the risk of a lot more conditions and we’ve only scratched the surface of their potential. Cancer, neurological conditions, addiction, fatty liver disease (which has been a medical wasteland for a long time), and even more. It’s genuinely very exciting I think, that we are unlocking so much potential with these medications.

As someone who has worked over 20 years in an nhs histology lab, I can tell you that we have had no extra gallbladders on a daily basis over the last 2 years, compared to all the previous years that I have dissected gallbladders, and i've dissected a lot of them!
Also having completed a BSC and MSC as well as a RCPath qualification in dissection in GI and skin, I can also tell you that pancreatitis and gallbladder diseases as well as kidney diseases have been around for decades, if not centuries. As others have stated it is due to obesity and weight loss and whenever we study at uni we are told the highest risk of gallbladder inflammation and stones is fat, female, fertile, forty.
I competed this dissection qualification in December 2021, well before the big boom in weight loss injections started.
Maybe carry out some better research and look into clinical trials before you start threads judging everyone who uses WLIs to improve their health and extend their life expectancy.

Wow...do you have a 'favourite ' organ to dissect? Yes totally off topic but I'm fascinated.

Because obesity is already a risk factor for pancreatitis. Along with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and many more conditions which both shorten lives and make them more difficult.

Because the leading cause of kidney disease is diabetes, which is also a leading cause of amputations, blindness, and cardiovascular disease. See above.

Because it isn’t snake oil, but an evidenced based medicine with good outcomes.

Because we’ve tried the other stuff. Now we want something that works.

Because we can and it’s bloody marvellous.

I lik dissecting skins, colons and gynae like cervix, fallopian tubes, ovaries, uteri and placentas. Gallbladders are a pet hate as they're slimy and messy lol! I've not done much breast but it's quite easy to dissect.

I never thought I'd write this but I'm currently looking into WLI, as I just cannot shift the weight now I'm into perimenopause - the posts from @SmallVictories , @JunoRoma and @Histoscientist particularly resonated with me. I have 5st to lose despite doing plenty of exercise, and have been on a diet more or less for 40 years (I'm almost 50). I did spend around 10 years at a healthy weight but then piled on the pounds after having my DC

The WLI seem really helpful to reduce cravings as that's where I fall down, can't resist a nibble of chocolate, etc. It just seems like a minefield though, where to start, which to go for, is there a supporting programme or do they just give you the pen and leave you to it?! If anyone has any top tips/ recommendations they would be much appreciated!

WLI for me reduces the risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease.

they’ve improved my physical and mental health too.

and I’ve lost 5 stone.

I tried ever other diet there is and nothing worked because I could never stop the food noise.

the injections stopped the food noise and enabled me to stay in calorie deficit. After I lost the initial weight it enabled me to exercise effectively.

best thing I’ve ever done.

couldn’t give too hoots if the ‘certainly not’ brigade don’t understand or don’t approve 😜

@ScarlettMcCain as you have found out, exercise has little to do with weight loss!

The first thing to do is to have a read of as much info as you can. monj.co.uk is a great place to start. That page has a list of registered pharmacies that prescribe glp1 meds. If you have a think about what you want - your meds posted, available to collect, monitoring, ‘coaching’ etc - and then narrow down those that offer that service. You can pay basic prices (around £100 for the first dose) or much more for a subscription service that offers ‘coaching’. I put it in inverted commas because my experience of it was that it was not worth the extra money they were charging.

Another option is to find a local independent pharmacy where you can pop in to see the pharmacist and be weighed etc on a monthly basis.

How much/little support you want and what you are willing to pay for it is entirely up to you really!! Places like here are very good for info and support and where I found out so much in the early days.

@ScarlettMcCain in terms of “which to go for” do you mean pharmacies or which medication? Pharmacy-wise they all supply the same medication so it’s really down to price and service levels. Some offer coaching and additional support, some are subscriptions where you’re automatically sent the next pen at the next dose after 4 weeks unless you cancel or tell them not to. Everywhere else they will remind you but wait for you to reorder.

Every pharmacy should give you advice about the standard dosing schedule, healthy eating and how to manage any side effects. Either via email, on their website, or via their app if they have one. But it’s just a tool to support a calorie controlled diet, so whatever your particular preference is for how to do that.

Look on https://monj.co.uk for a price comparison list. All the pharmacies there are regulated by the GPhC so are legitimate and inspected. Don’t stress too much about which provider to choose, you can always change to a different one if you see better prices or better service. Be aware of the full price of the pens once you do your second order and no longer have the new customer discount.

I’d also suggest joining the July thread, or an August one if you start then, on this board for support and chat from people at about the same stage as you.

The pen arrives with instruction leaflets with step by step instructions to follow. As some have stated above www.monj.co.uk is a good comparison site with regulated pharmacies.
I'm with Oushk because the provide a lot of support, a Facebook group, regular live supportive and interactive hour long sessions on social media where you can ask questions, consultations for support that you can book, nominated delivery day and maintenance plans for when you get to the end of your goal. There are other companies available too.
You can ask questions here or on Facebook WLI groups for support too.
You do need a bmi of over 30 or 27 with a qualifying health condition to qualify for WL injections.
The best tips would be to reduce carbs and increase protein and drink plenty of water. Good luck 👍

Wow, thank you for everyone's answers!

@GonnaeNoDaeThatJustGonnaeNo I have 5 stone to lose as well! It just seems like a mountain (of fat) to lose, and I'm getting nowhere at the moment

@IReallyNeedThisToWork I'll have a look at local pharmacies, thank you - I did like the look of the Juniper program too but it was £££ I'm going through the monj.co.uk website now, thank you for the suggestion.

@SilenceInside oh, good question! I probably mean both to be honest wasn't sure which medication to try first (it sounds like Mounjaro is probably my best bet?) and which pharmacy would offer the services I wanted, or if in fact I'd be better off simply buying the medication and looking elsewhere for support. I'm still looking for a simple guide as to how to get started!

Thank you @Histoscientist, that's really helpful! Is all the Oushk support standard within the cost? It won't give me any details without me booking a consultation but my BMI is 35 so presumably I'd be eligible!

I'll have a look on Facebook for some groups too

@ScarlettMcCain the Monj website indicates which pharmacies offer additional support/coaching. But, from what I've seen discussed here, you pay more and the quality of support is not really up to much. Personally, I don't want any support or coaching, I do just want to be left alone so I value a pharmacy that will send me the medication and nothing else.

Mounjaro or Wegovy are the two options, and Mounjaro has a higher average weight lost from the research trial (22% of starting weight) than Wegovy (16% of starting weight). I had a lot of weight to lose, so went with Mounjaro.

To get started, you choose a pharmacy, fill out their form, provide the information and photos/id they ask for and pay. Some do video calls to verify your weight. They then review and approve (or reject), and then send you out the pen. It will be packaged as a cold delivery as it needs to be kept at fridge temp before use, so will come with ice packs and insulation. Stick the medication box with the pen in the fridge until you're ready to do the first injection. The pharmacy should supply the separate single-use needles, and some alcohol wipes. There are full instructions on the paper leaflet in the box with the pen. You follow the instructions to do the first injection, and that's pretty much it. You may find that the initial dose level doesn't do much for you, which is very normal. You may find it works from day 1, and you find that you're eating a lot less and getting full much quicker. Some people never get side effects, some get them straight away, generally they are associated with the first week or so of moving up a dose level.

It's a tool to help you stick to a calorie deficit - I think we all know what we're supposed to do but struggle to stick to it. WLIs help with that. It doesn't have to be any more complex than that. People like to discuss macros, protein amounts, exercise, supplements etc etc which is fine if you want to, but not necessary. Stick to a healthy diet that prioritises protein and is lower in carbs, do what exercise you can, things that involve strength are great alongside cardio. That's it.