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.

I genuinely don’t understand why ppl are so concerned about others getting into debt for this. People get into debt for cars, holiday etc, so bloody what? People seem so bothered when it comes to anything to do with wli’s. Even the fake concern about what the ‘consequence will be in 20yrs time’, personally, I don’t care about 20yrs time. Without the 7st loss I’ve had, I would probably not be alive in 20yrs time due to the state of my health. People need to mind their own businesses unless it affecting them personally. I don’t believe for one minute that anyone is concerned about strangers at all, it’s nonsense.

I’m sceptical of the data, I mean most people on WLI that are paying for it with no issues are hardly going to respond to that type of survey, are they?

But even so I’m not surprised people are willing to pay for health and vanity. You can now largely choose how heavy you want to be if you can afford to pay for it. That’s a huge societal change, and there have been a number of articles about how WLIs are increasing the divide between rich and poor especially given how outwardly obvious it is. I’m afraid it is likely to result in increased discrimination against fat women.

Someone went to bed too late.

This. All day long.

Whoever has written those articles doesn't have a very good understanding of the GLP 1 treatment landscape. We already have generics and biosimilars are in development. Prices will tumble in the coming years increasing accessibility via both the NHS and privately, so we can look forward to the criteria for use being relaxed.

I'm vegan. I could eat enough protein if I ate tofu, seitan or tempeh for 3 meals a day but oddly enough I don't fancy that for the rest of my life. I've spent ages researching and optimising my protein intake without sacrificing my calorie limit and it's very challenging. I like adding protein bars because they are tasty and feel like a treat but they add 10-15g protein for only 175 calories so they meet several purposes. I also drink clear protein powder as I get 22 grams protein for 109 calories which is impossible to get from food in that ratio.
I ate enough protein before WLI because I ate much more food overall. Now I'm calorie budgeting I have to make choices. Adding protein products is a choice.

I think we are a long long way away feom that, 2 and a half million people on them in the uk, which is about 10 percent of the eligible adult population, so 90 percent not on them. By the time it tips the other way the injections will be much lower cost and easily available, inc on the nhs.

will it mean discrimination against fat people, I think that exists today, and primarily by other fat people, ( as two thirds of the population are fat so they make yo the majority) but the discrimination is against people fatter than them. Healthy weight people are in the minority, but that will increase and yes they discrimate too. It’s there, it’s always been there.

obesity rates will drop in all counties globally with a functioning health care system now we have a cure for obesity, the USA is already seeing theirs reverse, and it will become where an overweight or obese person is the exception rather than the rule, a bit like post war period, with a healthy weight population in the majority,

this has an enormous societal benefit, reduced cancers, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, fatty liver, less nhs resources used and thay money and resource then freed up to be spent on other health issues currently under funded. But it will take time, at least a decade I suspect till we see that bite.

A key societal benefit from the government's perspective is more people in work and working for longer. I'm sure Wes is literally salivating at the thought of being able to leverage data from Lilly's 'poor people in Greater Manchester are lazy fat f***s who need to get back to work' study.

There are many, many things to potentially be concerned about when it comes to WLI, especially when such a large proportion of people take them. I’ve noticed that many people on weight loss drugs are extremely defensive and very quick to shout down any concerns over them. I think the reality is, they think the drugs are working for them, and want to bury their heads in the sand when it comes to potential issues, so they have a very biased perspective.

I don’t take WLI, but I’ve had money invested in the drug companies who make them, so I’ve been very interested in the data coming out. It’s certainly not the miracle drug that people want to believe it is. If the government was really concerned about obesity, they’d be looking at the shit that goes into our food, not trying to medicate the population for a problem that has been created by food manufacturers. It’s all money.

I’m a member of Virgin active which includes unlimited reformer - I’ve been known to manage 6-7 a week. But yes only works if there is a gym nearby.

You don’t take it, so you really don’t know how it feels to be obese enough to need to take it then I guess or how you feel when on it. For the likes of us who know, we do not need your concern, which lets face it is simply for your financial Investment as opposed to genuine concern for a bunch of strangers taking wli. And no we only come across as defensive due to you’s not on it, thinking we are stupid enough to take it without much thought which is how a lot of these posts come across. Some are rejoicing that ppl put weight on when they come off, I won’t be coming off it ever, and I was on the verge of needing statins which I would have needed forever too and yet I bet you don’t have much concern about that.

So yes… as a vegan, I am sure that you would spend a lot on food a month whether pre WLI or post. And the difference in expenditure would be marginal @ShawnaMacallister

but for the majority (and the majority isn’t vegan!), they won’t be getting takeaways etc on WLI and they will likely make food savings evert month.

Well all the world health authorities disagree with you, so I will go with their recommendations, and that of my gp on a micro level, and I guess as you’re not the target market, Don’t factor in the fact obesity is the biggest killer in society and don’t have any experience it does limit how knowledgeable you are.

in addition it’s about ten percent of the eligible population on them, it’s a very small proportion, so you need to spend some time educating yourself not just reading threads and jumping to conclusions due to some underlying feelings you’ve got about people being slim.

people shout down misinformation only. I’ve never once seen accurate information shouted down on here. Not once. And people should continue to shout down misinformation.

these drugs are life saving, and it would be very wrong for people to allow misinformation to spread. Inaccuracies should always be corrected. Like yours.

I’m defensive of them because I’m sick of people judging me incorrectly. I guess I’m not defending the drugs themselves but my use of them, which seems entirely reasonable to me. WLI can work well for people, I have completely changed my life. I eat properly, I exercise and I have a really physical job now too. The eating/exercise part for me is exactly the same as I would for any other time I have tried to lose weight. The WLI helps me achieve it. I realise some people just work their way up to the max dose and barely eat anything, and what they do eat is terrible but that’s not how everyone approaches WL. I am going to be defensive if people constantly assume I’m doing it badly. I have actually never eaten so well in my life, well not for more than a few weeks anyway.

My head is not in any sand either, although even if it was I think the potential problems are far less than the risks I was carrying whilst morbidly obese. It’s interesting that so many people are saying ‘what about the risks’ when none of them have a flying fuck about the risks I was under before.

There's a good PhD to be written, if someone hasn't already, on how attached some people are to their evidence free, essentially religious faith that there must be a way to curb obesity through food industry regulation.

I never ate take aways but am eating a bit less on mounjaro - even with 2.5mg for maintenance.

It’s costing me around £70 a month (I get 11 doses from a 5mg pen). I’m not sure how much money I’m saving on food, it’s likely marginal but I don’t care. I’m not in a rush to stop taking it.