WLI Mum’s dilemma .

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Hi, I have a huge dilemma . I am using Mounjaro And have been successful in losing my excess weight. I have always been overweight now in my 50’s . I have a teenage daughter who is weeks away from being 16. All she wants is wli’s . She has a high enough bmi and she has been asking for a considerable amount of time i have been a definite “NO” and explained it’s not legal in the uk at her age. Studies are still gathering long term data. I’ve given her my reasoning and she understands. She doesn’t even eat badly and she exercises a lot. We have been to the doctors who just say it’s puppy fat, she has pcos , and we even had “she’s big boned” ( from a doctor 🤦🏻‍♀️) . She has severe ibs-d, as do I and my symptoms have all gone whilst on the jabs. This I’m itself would be a huge bonus for her as it’s debilitating at any age but trying to negotiate exams when she becomes ill so easily has been mentally exhausting for her. So this conversation keeps happening. This weekend however she told me many of her friends are now using wegovy and mounjaro which they are buying unofficially from friends of friends and at a good price 😳. She’s told me as she is desperately unhappy but luckily she is bright enough to know the jabs are probably not as they should be . She said she almost bought some Friday and she broke down and cried and said that now her large friend group are all slimming down and she feels even worse about herself. I’m all over the place . Do I try to buy them for her ? Is there anyone else who has experience with this ? She is an amazingly level headed young lady and I’m so lucky she’s come to me . Her Dad says just get them for her but I feel so torn as I would feel better if it was official. She works so has her own income and she has savings as she is very good with money so it’s not like I can stop her . I feel sick with worry. Please be kind I’m not stupid regarding what they are and what they do my research has been extensive. It’s a hope really that someone may be having the same experience and have some advice . TIA 🙂

Im taking Mounjaro so no judgement, but I have gradually realised this will be me for life. Can you really afford to fund both of you on glp-1s for life?! I would be trying other things first - otherwise you are currently looking at 400-600 per month.

She might think she wants to pay for it herself now but as she grows up and has competing priorities I’m sure she will lean on you to pick up the tab.

I'm sure she can contact them too, but I am fairly certain that the answer will be a no from the standard online pharmacies. The detail in the approval for Wegovy for under 18s clearly indicates that it isn't a standard option and needs to be specifically supervised.

I feel for you, watching your daughter suffer is unpleasant but please don't let her buy these illegal unregulated drugs that are being sold to her friends.

Get her a PT that specialises in young people, pay for Gousto meals, work together as much as you can.

I didn't know wegovy was 12 but I'd be surprised if you found somewhere to prescribe it to her.

A quick search says the online pharmacies will not prescribe for under 18s but the following link might be able to offer more support or guidance https://dietukclinics.com/supporting-adolescents-with-obesity-wegovy-as-a-medically-supervised-option/

lots of comments saying “don’t buy it for her etc” but please don’t underestimate the desperation a teenage girl will go to, especially if her friends are doing it. She has trusted you and opened up to you for help. As someone with pcos, I remember how awful it was, especially as a teenager - the symptoms made me feel really ugly and unfeminine. I would have tried anything to change that

Thank you everyone for your responses i appreciate every one of them.
Just to clarify she has had help via nutritionists , personal trainer and has had lots of very upsetting tests in regard to her weight gain . She is sadly just as I was so this makes it hard as I now emotionally how much pain she is in . Insulin resistant pcos. Which hasn’t responded to treatment . She eats very healthily and we don’t have treat foods in the house . She doesn’t like fizzy drinks only water . She does running, swimming, badminton and walks an hour a day at least to school and back.
I did speak to the school of my concerns at what is going on in regards to counterfeit wli’s and the danger I was told unless they’re administered on school property they don’t “need” to know about it and therefore they are unable to do anything about it. 🤯 not a school issue !
I have spoke. To a nurse at the local surgery she says she feels generally 15 is young but as she knows my daughter’s health history she also can’t deny she could possibly benefit greatly from them.
i haven’t told her I’m thinking about it she hasn’t mentioned it and but she has gone to bed already because she doesn’t want to give in and eat.
This is not considering a quick fix for her at all she is doing everything right . I can see why people will judge and feel it’s a black and white issue but for some people it’s not that straightforward. I eat pretty much the same on my jabs as I did before as have always cooked from scratch and love fruit and veg. The jabs have normalised my whole system . I’ve lost almost 4 stone in 6 months. It’s life changing. I wouldn’t have said it was a lifetime thing for everyone, for me I think yes but not because of weight . The reduction in inflammation in my body means less arthritic pain. No ibs -d. No back pain.
As My Dd like me suffers with similar issues she may very well need them for life . Things progress all the time i hope for her the positive side effects will be noted and these medications made available not just for weight loss.

@crumbssonmyface
yes I too had pcos diagnosed at 12 . Overweight, greasy hair, acne, hairy . Constantly in pain High school was hell . She has done so well but also know of o was her at the same age I would’ve taken anything that may of helped .

I can totally sympathise with your daughter. I also have PCOS with insulin resistance and it seems the average GP doesn't know much about it and just tells you to go on the pill. Even an endocrine specialist could only offer me "do more exercise" advice when i finally got a referral and asked why my diet and regular exercise was not shifting weight from around my mid section, but was everywhere else. Unfortunately, its a chronic condition with no cure and no two women will have exactly the same symptoms. The simplistic rule of eat less/move more doesn't really work for PCOS with insulin resistance, and that's why these injections are life changing for those of us with the condition, particularly if you have the insulin resistant version of PCOS (there are 4 sub-types), not to forget the reduction in PCOS related inflammation they also help with.

What about working out and getting a personal trainer? I worked out with my very overweight the time 12yr old for a few months with a pt. He’s learnt the skills over the 18months we worked out to join the gym himself and work out safely. He’s slimmed from a 42” waist to a 32” waist over the past 18months. I’m on the injections and he knows I’ve struggled with my weight including having had gastric surgery so the gym was a godsend for him.

Apologies just read your latest post. Poor girl it’s so hard! I do feel for her and you.

See if gp will consider prescribing or a paediatrician.

Do not buy from friends "good price"

Somexpapers

Unintended consequences of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists medications in children and adolescents: A call to action - PMC https://share.google/bvFb9RwMKaPM4jya9

GLP-1 receptor agonists for the treatment of obesity in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials | Pediatric Research https://share.google/DkJAumlE4HsYdb5p1

How Ozempic and GLP-1s Are Changing Childhood and Teen Weight Management | Think Global Health https://share.google/ucvasgPtvDS1H3NdF

Do GLP-1 Analogs Have a Place in the Treatment of PCOS? New Insights and Promising Therapies - PMC https://share.google/XfLWfQikquLdH6baw

I have read thousands of studies on pcos over many years . For every 10 you find telling you something is positive there are twenty telling you it’s negative . When I was very young I was given metformin by a hospital consultant who promised me it was a miracle . I was violently sick from day one they told me it was normal my body would adapt I had taken it for 3 months under advisement from the gynae department at my local hospital and I lost a huge amount of weight . I was hospitalised in the end as I was dehydrated and vitamin deficient . They then said it wouldn’t work i should’ve only persevered for a few weeks . It was my one and only chance . Knowing what effect the jabs have had on me I wish they’d been available at a younger age .

Would your GP consider referral to an endocrinologist in view of her insulin resistance?

This is the product licence info Wegovy which includes information about use in children. As PP have said, online pharmacies (rightly imo) mostly have tight criteria for safety and so you will need a practitioner with the right expertise, but you may be able to find a private clinic if she doesn’t meet the criteria for NHS funding.

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/13799/smpc

I think you could find a private doctor specialising in childhood obesity who might prescribe although won’t be cheap.

I would be trying to help her on a low carb diet, works really well for PCOS.

It's a very specialised area (more tightly regulated than for adults) and not many people are offering it.

You might want to take a look at this.
https://dietukclinics.com/weight-loss-for-adolescents/

I know nothing about them so am definitely not recommending them at all but they are regulated and have been inspected so it does look legit.
Could be really expensive I imagine but your options are very limited.

Based on your update at 5.30pm yesterday, then I would take her to your GP and ask for her to be approved for private prescription for whichever of the two options are most effective for PCOS.

It's a really hard decision given her age, but based on everything she is doing right, I'd be inclined to take the risk and give her a better quality of life from her PCOS symptoms.

The doctor route is key so she can be monitored, even entered into a study but also that she is on birth control.

I doubt an NHS GP can do a private prescription will have to be a private doctor.

The nhs don’t prescribe this Really it’s a tiny minority would need to be a private doctor.

Regardless of the payment/prescription route available, it should be a) legal and b) ideally the childs GP should be looped in to ensure if there are any nasty side effects there's a medical record.

I can understand why she wants it if sees you losing weight and her friends are

honestly is she over weight like bmi 30

or just a little bit over weight and calorie counting will help

i think from memory they say if over 95th percentile for under 18

i def wouldn’t be taking illegal cheap products as don’t know what they are

maybe contact a few prescribers by emaiL and ask if they would allow wegovy for your daughter an send them her stats and obv say you give your permission

you won’t know till ask