Humiliated at pharmacy

[Mythyral]

So I’m 54 years old, 5 foot 5, and weigh 83kg. I used to be around 70–73kg a few years ago, but since menopause I’ve just piled on the pounds. I walk every day for at least an hour — up and down hills — because I’ve got two dogs who will be walked, whatever the weather (except in extreme heat, I admit!).

I also intermittent fast and do a bit of keto-ish eating — around 30–60g carbs a day. I try to regulate my portions… simple lunches, a slightly bigger dinner, but still the pounds keep creeping on.

My sister is morbidly obese and gets Mounjaro from the local pharmacy. She loves them and said I should go… so I thought I’d look into it. I went into the pharmacy and let’s just say the whole thing was awkward. The pharmacist did the NHS BMI check — raised eyebrows, a huff, and a general sense that I was being judged.

When it came to ethnicity, I said Asian, and he looked at me and just said, “Doesn’t matter,” and ticked “Prefer not to say.” It came back that I was overweight. I was so embarrassed. Did the bum-scoot out the pharmacy muttering something about maybe putting in the wrong height. I couldn’t understand why it said obese when I’d done the calculation at home.

Got home, plugged everything back into the NHS app… and lo and behold — it says I am obese. Apparently, if you’re African or Asian, a BMI over 27 is considered obese. I didn’t know that. And now I do.

Now I’m wondering — should I go back to the pharmacy and speak to them? I ordered my pen from ASDA instead. But it still bothers me. The way he was so dismissive — like I had an eating disorder or wasn’t being honest. It really got under my skin.

NGL, my Boden A-line dresses do a decent job of covering the lumps and bumps… but yeah.

So — long-winded post, sorry! But what would you do? Go back and explain? Or just leave it? I get all my prescriptions from them usually, so part of me feels like I should clear the air.

I don't understand your issue, sorry.

What air needs to be cleared?

Long winded due to ChatGPT, that’s what it does.

For them it’s obviously a case of computer says no.

Try another pharmacy or just stick with Asda.

The thing is that any conversation with any provider about a weight loss medication is going to involve talking about weight, which is awkward and uncomfortable for most people. With online providers it will also involve taking photos of yourself in skin tight clothing and sending them to strangers. So you are going to need to accept some level of discomfort in order to get started. That being said he does sound like a bit of a grumpy hit with limited social skills, he shouldn’t have been acting like he was judging your weight and he shouldn’t have disregarded your ethnicity if it’s relevant which in the case of BMI it can be.

Make a decision on whether the uncomfortable conversation is worth the potential of losing weight to you. If it is then go back to the pharmacy armed with a screenshot of your BMI and try again, or contact an online provider and complete their assessment.

I thought if you were Asian it was 27 BMI? Don’t know if you need a linked health condition as well but I’m sure it’s easy enough to find out.

I’d go somewhere else (but not Boots, they are too expensive) I’d also wait till after 1st September as by then all of the online pharmacies will had released the new Monjaro prices.

If you like the convenience of your local pharmacy and their price is good, go back and ask why they didn’t take your ethnicity into account.

Why were you humiliated? Do they say you are not heavy enough to qualify for weight loss injections - ok. That’s not humiliating though?
Snd the exercise is great but you need to cut the calories - that’s how the weight loss injections help. Have you made a concentrated effort to do that?
Try another pharmacist if you really want to give injections a try.

Sounds like the pharmacist is not very personable, professional or up-to-date in the prescribing criteria for weight loss medications.

Don't give it another thought. Their loss as you will neither use them nor recommend them to others.

I think it’s weird that a pharmacist would say ‘it doesn’t matter’ when it does matter. How did they not know that it mattered?

Maybe it’s because the OP is over 30bmi and so meets the prescribing criteria regardless of ethnicity?

Why did you go to the pharmacy in person to discuss it? Does that pharmacy have a sideline in prescribing Mounjaro?

Huh? It’s a prescription med most pharmacies prescribe.

I didn't know that! I assumed you needed to have a doctor sign off the prescription and wouldn't be able to get it directly from a pharmacy. Obviously you can collect it from a pharmacy if that's how your prescriber does it I knew that but for eg with boots you still do the consultation online.

And in this one you do it face to face?

Most people get their WLI by ordering at online pharmacy, you just fill in a consultation form, send what evidence they ask for, photos, proof of BMI etc, some pharmacies now require video consultations but not all.
It’s pretty easy if you meet the BMI requirements.
No need to involve you doctor, infact most GPs aren’t interested.

Sorry you had an upsetting experience - but well done for going ahead with an online order and taking control of your health. Your pharmacist got it wrong. If you are 5’ 5” - 165cm and weigh 83kg then you have a BMI of 30.5. So you’re obese for a white person.
With Asian heritage you’d still be obese, as that’s categorised from a BMI of 27.

As PP have said, the pharmacist has missed out on earning money from supplying you. No need for you to clear the air as it’s their mistake. You can still pick up your other prescriptions from them, if you still trust them to be able to perform simple calculations and measurements.

What you do need is to be buying WL medication from a sympathetic and understanding pharmacist or doctor led business - in case you get side effects or want to increase the dose or stay on the same dose, or want to stay on the medication once your BMI gets to ‘healthy’. Really helps to know whoever is supplying you isn’t going to make you feel ashamed.