Two in five people using private weight loss jabs are going into debt

[WeAllHaveWings]

Just heard this on the radio. The percentages of WLI users going into debt and the amount of debt is so much higher than I would have ever guessed.

Scotland, 39.5%, £1,799.06
North West, 33.1%, £1,861.74
North East, 50.0%, £1,396.19
Yorkshire and the Humber, 42.3%, £1,901.07
Wales, 44.9%, £1,466.05
West Midlands, 38.3%, £1,326.34
East Midlands, 45.8%, £1,365.47
South West, 36.9%, £1,758.79
South East, 36.8%, £1,501.95
East of England, 42.2%, £2,463.41
London, 37.6%, £1,386.74

https://www.independent.co.uk/money/north-east-north-west-south-east-east-of-england-south-west-b2906244.html

Is this is the outcome of patients not researching this is not a quick fix fully before committing, or, providers not fully informing/consulting with potential patients of the long term financial commitment they are undertaking when initiating treatment, or, desperation for treatment for a chronic health issue with limited alternatives?

The findings may also intersect with broader factors, such as obesity links to poverty, as well as stigma that leads some patients to hide treatment/costs from partners.

Whatever the reason, the high numbers of people found to be struggling was eye opening for me. Always assume some would struggle, especially those who need higher doses, but never realised it was so high.

You really think those same people weren't going into debt before for takeaways, nights out, treats etc? Or just generally using credit as a normal everyday fallback? Klarna/clearpay/zilch etc...

I bet the amount of people in that study that have gone from zero credit utilisation to that JUST because of WLIs is very low.

Alot of people are surviving on credit for many reasons. Weightloss/health seems a better reason than most.

I think it’s desperation for treatment. Just reading the MN WLI threads we know that users are very aware of the monthly cost, and many jump suppliers every month to keep costs down. Others have moved to Wegovy. In my opinion it’s not up to the suppliers to counsel patients on the financial aspects of long term use.

I pay £300 for my mounjaro via a private GP. This includes body comp scans, face to face medical and nutrition support, and will soon include 1 free 1-2-1 reformer pilates session a week. Personally, I think this is value for money.

those are not big numbers it’s a few months of the injections. So it would not be about long term use.

id say it was people desperate to lose the weight and also many of them will be able to service the debt too, many people have credit card debt. And for many things.

the only issue would be if they couldn’t service it. I am lucky I can pay for mine from earnings, but honestly if I couldn’t I’d absolutely consider debt to do it for these sums if I could service it, as it’s your health and that is priceless.

Absolutely it’s such an odd article. How many people put hols or clothes on credit cards, and those sums it’s about 5 months of medication on average, I can’t see the big deal at all if they can service it.

how many went from zero debt or how many can’t service it is more interesting but making out debt at low levels is some weird new thing for wli is the oddest thing I’ve ever seen written on tnem,

and much better to put something for your health on a card than two weeks in turkey,

I remember years ago going to WW with my sister, paying £10 for the week then spending £30 on WW bars at the tuck shop there 😅 We then got a taxi to iceland to buy weight watchers meals galore.

We used to use BNPL and credit cards some weeks.
We probably spent just as much monthly as WLIs

Only difference is WLIs work

So weird this. It’s just another WLI bash.

People get into debt for all sorts of things. Take a look out your windows at the cars in your street for a big easy one. I would far rather see people better themselves by using a credit card for WLI than cut about in a Range Rover or whatever

The ability to service the debt is a good point. One I have probably dismissed as I generally do not buy something until I can afford it (looks at 15 year old living room carpet with the odd stain that keeps getting deprioritised!).

I am fortunate I was able to stay on low doses and I can budget/prioritise and afford them.

If I couldn't afford my personal aversion to debt would probably have put me off buying privately and I would have missed out on what they have allowed me to achieve.

I don’t have debt, and am averse to it as well but can see others live differently and for me I see absolutely no issue with this if serviceable. Investing in your health is much better than some of rhe things folks get into debt for. It’s just a silly pointless point of data,

I am debt adverse other than a mortgage which is now paid off. CC is cleared every month.

It is worrying when online pharmacies are offering Klarna and ClearPay etc to fund purchases. It does make it easier to build up debt for those who have to use it. Just so long as people can clear the debt and they haven’t necessarily overstretched themselves then guess it’s okay.

The long term MJ use is already factored into my budgeting. My MJ journey has not been cheap as along with WLI itself there have been all the new clothes, beauty stuff, supplements and exercise classes. 💷

Madness. What happens when they can no longer service the debt and have to come off the medication? No doubt they’ll put on more weight than they had to start with as their body will think they’ve survived a famine.

Huh? You think people borrowing to take the meds have no idea in the long term or whether they can service the debt and the debt providers do no checks?

I've found the amount I save from not buying rubbish food, takeaways and wine each month is almost compensating for the cost of the WLI. That said, I'm very debt averse so even if it wasn't, I just wouldn't buy it if it was going to cause me to accrue any debt (even though it's working well for me).

Going into debt only as the result of weight loss jabs? Are they’re in debt and they use WLI?

I haven’t at all. If anything my food bill
has gone up as a result of buying better quality food.

Yes, that’s exactly what I think. WLI is an ongoing cost. It’s not like getting into debt to buy a new sofa which you eventually pay off.

It's interesting to think about why people would opt to pay privately rather than go to their GP.

I'm not on WLI but I have considered them. For me I would want to have control of my own weight loss pace, I wouldn't want to have regular check ins with the GP where they make me feel pressured if I haven't lost enough weight fast enough. For people with eating disorders the pressure from the GP can be a very difficult experience. "Only lost 2 lb this month? We might take your injections off you because it's not working well enough." I would rather be in debt than constantly be worried about the treatment being taken away from me.

But people do come off, plenty of them, there is no law saying you need to stay on. And people’s finances change, they ebb and flow, as someone needs help at one point doesn’t mean they won’t later, could be a bad few months or something,

Um, because it's not available through GPs unless your BMI is about 45 or something.

But practically no one gets them via the gp, it’s v strict criteria, and a tiny percentage, nearly everyone buys via private prescription and there is no gp involvement,

40 and have 3 out 4 specific medical conditions

If you are getting into debt to pay for WLI, then can’t afford them, it’s really as simple as that. Most people’s finances don’t change that much. They are building a debt problem which will spiral because they won’t want to come off the jab and put weight back on. It’s almost addictive.

Yes of course they CAN stop taking it, but most people then regain weight, so they won’t want to. They will end up overweight AND in debt.

There’s already a debt crisis in the UK with WLI adding to it.

I save £30 a week taking leftovers into work instead of buying lunch at Pret etc, coffees and so on- as I'm being careful with portions there are leftovers! So that's £120 a month straight off. Then I'm shopping for ingredients and planning meals so I am more careful and less wasteful with my online shop at Tesco. If I eat out I tend to have a small plate or starter and side, and one drink, so I'm a cheap date. Those savings have pretty much paid for the Mounjaro.

I also thought I'd spend money on clothes, but many of my clothes just fit better rather than being too big, as some things I was obviously squeezing into! My more generously cut size 14s are too big, but 12s still look ok, though if I'm buying new 10s usually fit best. And because I'm pleased with how I look in clothes, I'm not on an eternal quest to find flattering tops or jeans so I'm buying fewer clothes.

48% of people in the UK have debt so 40% of people using WLI having debt seems like a likely correlation.

I thought weight loss injections/surgery was cost neutral? IE, what you spent on injections you saved on food/cafes/snacks/restaurants/takeaways etc.