The amount of cheating the system is scary

[Adultautismdiagnosis]

I find it so concerning how many people on here and beyond are perfectly happy to cheat the system to get MJ e.g. people taking photos of their scales while holding a weight behind their back so they look heavier. Another example is a friend of mine who knows someone finishing MJ so she's going to buy her remaining pens off her. She only needs to lose a stone and is on no way in need of weight loss injections.

It's also concerning the amount of people giving medical advice on here when they are in no way qualified or experienced e.g advising people on supplements to take, advising people to count clicks etc.

Then those that are in 1000+ calorie deficit a day.

It's all just so completely unregulated and rather worrying.

I know I'll get slated. I'm on MJ legitimately myself and need it. I just worry that the more this stuff happens the more likely it is that people will get seriously ill. I also worry they'll make the process so difficult that it'll put off people who genuinely need it.

The difference between BMI 30 and 27.5 for me would be 8% of my body weight. That is not negligible!

When it is allowed to be prescribed by pharmacies, especially remotely, there has to be a cutoff.

Exceptions have already been considered for those outside the standard parameters, and are in place in the prescribing guidelines for that very reason, those with weight related health issues are eligible down to BMI 27. If your BMI is below 30 and you don't have a weight related health issue that tips the benefit vs risk balance to against medicating.

Realistically, what did you think was going to happen? Mounjaro was the stuff of fantasies 5 years ago for everyone with that stubborn couple of stone that they’ve never been able to shift. Look at what people used to put themselves through before to try and lose a bit of weight - cabbage soup diets, dangerous unregulated “diet pills”, crazy expensive “fat melting” supplements from Holland and barratt, there was even a rumour of a small minority of people eating parasitic worms to deliberately infect their bodies with in order to lose weight!! Now this magic injection (and it really is magic compared to willpower alone) comes along that’s a hell of a lot easier and less dangerous than the above, of COURSE people who want to lose a little bit of weight are going to do whatever they can to get it. I take your point about too many people lying to get it potentially resulting in it being harder to get for those who are eligible but that’s down to the government/pharmacies to regulate. I don’t blame individual people. In our society people are obsessed with being slim and losing that 2 stone when you’re middle-aged and have been trying your whole life is very difficult. Plus, being overweight still has health implications that can be improved by getting down to a healthy bmi so why shouldn’t those people have it too? I think those with a bmi over 25 will be eligible very soon anyway, when it’s clear that the strain on the nhs from weight-related health conditions is easing. I was eligible but only just, bmi 30, but I’d have lied to get it if my bmi was 28 or 29. I’ve got 3 stone to lose, the same 3 stone that I’ve been trying and failing to lose for 10 years. I’d get to a stone loss then just couldn’t shift anymore, probably because willpower-wise it was just too hard. MJ has been amazing, I’m a stone down after a month, feel way more confident, got loads more energy, eating much more healthily and I’m not far off a healthy bmi. What is so “concerning” about that? Plus I don’t get this faux concern about “lots of people getting ill” - you’re not anymore likely to get ill from it with a bmi of 25 than you are with a bmi of 35! It’s just like literally any other prescription drug. Some people get side effects some people don’t

I don’t think that misunderstanding is limited to those slightly underweight. I see on the mumsnet threads people suffering from nausea, heartburn and other side effects and they are still drinking wine, eating pizza and only managing to eat crisps!!

I am doing 12 weeks at 2.5mg to lose 1.5 stone to take my BMI from 24 to 21, back to the weight I was for all my adult life until I had 6 pregnancies without much break (only two children) and I couldn’t get back to where I was. I’m following a diet really strictly - in 5 weeks I’ve had a couple of drinks only, eaten a clean and high protein diet with only one treat meal a week and otherwise made healthy choices. I do this anyway to maintain most of the time (not really ever gained weight outside of pregnancy) but I’ve found MJ has just allowed me to turn off the noise and get down to a calorie deficit. I do reformer Pilates and yoga, I’d been going to a PT for almost two years twice a week for an hour and I do 10-15k steps on average.

i think it’s far less risky for me to take it then it is for someone with multiple health conditions! I also think (from my work with Pharma and linked to metabolic disorder management) that these drugs will be investigated as potentially preventing rather than treating obesity.

@Focusispower I agree yes, I do see people on them who have a lot to lose say stuff like I only managed a bag of crisps and half a pizza. It’s not exactly retraining your brain for not being on them - or very healthy in the long term either - out of interest though as you clearly eat well and have good habits and never been really overweight outside pregnancy - why are you not able to lose a bit more ( and it is a bit) without them? Seems an awful lot of money to me for something you probably don’t really need - I’m not criticising by the way , just curious - what do you think it’s giving you that say 6 weeks on Atkins or keto or just strict calorie control wouldn’t ??

My food bill has reduced by more than the jab is costing me. Last month I was up by £160 (£290 not considering the cost of the jab itself). Mounjaro is improving my bank balance.

I also have seen no evidence for people who are slightly overweight 'often' misunderstanding how the jab works. I've seen only sporadic instances of that, while most seem mega-engaged in their diet and lifestyle changes.

I appreciate that youmisunderstood it however, and as you are someone who is not a snacker with good willpower you took a drug that you didn't really 'need'. Then again, it's spurred you into a weightloss regimen that presumably you wouldn't have started otherwise. So it's brilliant that you were able to get your hands on it.

(ps - my lovely sister had a stroke aged 40 after a being a slim, long time follower of the Atkins diet)

I am not worried about the micro dosing but I am very worried about the people lying about their weight to get it.
I had a very difficult experience with it. I was obese so obtained it legitimately.. however from the start I had horrific side effects. I've been off it 3 months now but am having health problems due to it.
I've lost 6 stone in 5 months. Not by trying.
I'm currently terrified of food.
I know that I've just been unlucky to have such an extreme response when other people are barely effected but what worries me is if that happened to someone who was never obese to begin with! I could afford to lose 6 stone. Someone who was just mildly overweight would be dead or at best very very ill.
I don't think people realise what an effect it can have.
I was only ever on 2.5ml!
Immediately I could barely eat and it hasn't worn off.
Being investigated for gastroparesis.

Overall for me I'm glad I'm now a healthy weight at least but it's been very very hard.
It's simply NOT worth it if you were never obese to begin with.

@JustPinkFinch yep it did kickstart me - and I’m def not against it in future if needed - I think it’s a really individual thing and for me I realised it wasn’t needed, I just thought it would quicken things up - it didn’t really and I hated the heartburn ( appreciate many don’t get this) - but yes I am still following the principles a fair bit - an awful
lot of Greek yoghurt, berries, Longley farm cottage cheese, prawns and eggs!! Plus water
with regard to atkins though - MJ encourages, low carb, high protein, lots of good fats - that in my
Opinion as I see it is very much following the principles of atkins - although maybe not quite as much ‘fat’ as atkins seems to take that a bit far .

im so sorry about your sister. I’m glad if it’s working for you - and yes if it’s necessary I would use it again for a quick kickstart for a couple of months

I’m middle aged, menopausal and had a stubborn 2 stone to lose - I’m 4 pounds off target and I couldn’t care less what anybody else thinks. My body, my money

Why is that a surprise, when for lots of women 2 stone will be the difference between normal BMI and obese? I had that to lose, was obese and had two conditions that were associated with obesity plus knew from experience that dieting does not get and keep me at 25.

The side effects are by no means a given, I've had virtually nothing, and knew that to be a realistic possibility before starting. Had they been awful, one can just stop taking it. I'm surprised anyone would expect short obese people to all be deterred by the possibility of side effects, to be honest.

Do you apply the same thought process for medications other than weight loss injections?

Let give her high blood pressure meds but lets not optimise her blood pressure just bring it down to the highest end of healthy? Insulin, just enough to lower sugars enough so they are under dangerous levels, but not enough to improve health outcomes? Asthma, enough to stop the wheezing but not enough to allow them to breathe comfortable and perhaps exercise more?

What is your objection between someone moving from "just" healthy to thriving?

Actually reflect on what you are saying here and why...........is this really about the persons health or something else? It sounds more like a personal issue you have with others receiving this medication than a medical one and what is best for the patient.

I take it ( not from a legitimate source ) it’s a fraction of the pharmacy prices and im
not interested in the right or wrongs of taking it
it’s works for me and for many of my friends so I will carry on taking it

I’ve been on it for over a year and I initially took it to lose that last stone which took 2 months and now it to keep my weight stable and it works I inject maybe every 5 weeks and I’ve not put on a single pound in fact my weight drops every so often by 2-3 pounds and I have to increase my protein to bring it back up to my weigh that I am happy with

But that’s your experience
mine is totally totallly difference and it’s the same to all my friends

I micro dose every 5 -6’weekr to keep my wait stable I’m under 9 stone and have kept that weight for over a year with 0’issues

i know someone who bought it off a friend and ended up in hospital-shes autistic and for somr reason thought it was funny?

Wow I honestly thought press reports of people abusing Mounjaro and obtaining it fraudulently were massively exaggerated but it seems not! I really thought people were very unlikely to take medication with significant associated risks unless they really needed to, especially when it hasn’t been tested for use in people without obesity and/or diabetes.

I understand why there are people with a BMI 26-29.9 have "cheated" to get MJ.
My start BMI was 33. Was I happy with my weight at 28? No. Yet because I'm already on it, it's fine for me to take but not them?

This, basically.

Humans have been doing unhealthy things to lose weight since the dawn of time, and compared to a lot of those this is actually much lower risk to health.

you must have very nice friends

everyone I know ( and I know a lot of people) aren’t taking it through pharmacy’s.
I can get it next day both ozempic and mj no question asked

I don’t know anyone who’s been ill or had any side affects apart a bit of mild sickness
the only thing I get is when I go to take mine I get they funny feeling you get when you take a tablet like a little shudder but that’s before I’ve even injected but I get the same feeling when I take a tablet and it’s a dam site cheaper at least 50 percent less

Well yes, because it’s a drug for treating obesity and you have obesity and they don’t?

Where do you get it if not from a pharmacy @ChrisMartinsKisskam?

From a friend
everyone I know knows someone who knows someone 😂

Nobody ‘genuinely needs it’. Mounjaro doesn’t directly make you lose weight, it helps you stop eating to excess, which you can do without it. Some people don’t - because it’s hard. They prefer to take the easy option. That’s fine, but I see no reason why that easy option shouldn’t be available to anyone who wants to take that route.

I personally wouldn’t want to take it because we don’t know enough about the long term effects. The human body isn’t stupid, it will adapt, the drug is likely to lose effectiveness with time, and I think people could be left with some serious metabolic issues. However, I still think it’s their choice if they want to take that risk.

Hands up if you know nothing about Mounjaro!

Stop guessing just so you can get all your prejudices out in one post.

Diabetics and people with insulin resistance genuinely need it.

Starting Mounjaro means I was able to stop taking insulin and metformin and have better sugar levels now than when I was on both of them. I’ve also lost 5 stone,

Mounjaros primary function is to increase the amount of insulin you produce in response to excess blood sugar levels, it also increases your bodies sensitivity to the insulin produced so that you more effectively break down glucose. This benefits our bodies in many ways preventing damage to eyes, kidneys, nerves, circulatory systems and liver. It also prevents the excess glucose being stored as fat.

secondarily it slows down digestion which again aids in the break down of glucose, it also leads you to feel fuller more quickly and for longer,

And what prejudices would they be?

May the universe grant me the confidence of someone who knows fuck all about obesity but is nonetheless wading in on a Mounjaro thread.