When are the pills coming?

[GenieGenealogy]

i am in my 50s, under active thyroid, high cholesterol and find it really hard to lose weight. I am currently 80.5kg and need to be more 70kg.

I have no idea where to even start with injections. When are the pills coming? I was in the US last week and saw them advertised on tv so not that long?

If you mean the pill version of Wegovy, it has yet to be approved in the UK so it won’t be any time soon.

Are you obese according to BMI, or BMI over 27?

My BMI is 29 so I’m in the overweight not obese category.

With high cholesterol you meet the criteria for Wegovy injections or Mounjaro, as it’s BMI 27 or higher with a weight related health condition which high cholesterol counts as.

I could be viewed as in desperate need of help but I cannot countenance taking the jabs due to the associated risks. I’m hoping the pills, when approved for UK use, may be safer.
It astounds me that so many are dismissive of that potential, particularly when only a stone may be needed to be gone. It astounds me even more they might lie to get it.

The medication in the Wegovy pills is the same as in the injection, at a higher dose to take account of the mode of delivery (digestion rather than injection). The risk profile is pretty much the same.

Oh well, that might be me out then.

Hmm. I have mixed feelings about starting the jabs. What sort of dose? How long would I need thrm? Is it a yeast of your life thing??

My GP is rubbish at this sort of thing.

Ah, your GP won’t be able to prescribe WLI to you, as the NHS applies additional criteria as they are rationing access due to cost and practical implications. You’d need a BMI over 40 and 4 out of 5 specific serious weight related health issues. What I was referring to is a private prescription for WLI.

I need to do more reading in this before making a decision.

Tbh the pills would have the same questions, about doses, duration etc. The answer about doses is the same too, everyone starts off on the lowest dose and then moves up if you feel you need to, with input from the prescribing pharmacy if required. You can move down again if you don’t get on with a higher dose.

Duration on medication, well you’d lose around 1 to 2 pounds a week on average, so to lose around 24 pounds you’d expect it to take 12 to 24 weeks. Then you’d want to spend probably the same amount of time again maintaining and/or reducing your dose to see how you get on. Some people then might choose to continue to take a low dose over the longer term.

DH was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes last year and was prescribed the oral tablet of semiglutide. We are in England. So yes, there is a pill, but I assume its only if you fit certain criteria (possibly just type 2 diabetes and a certain BMI?) and likely ONLY via a GP and not generally online like the injections. We got the impression it was still being tested because both the pharmacist and his GP called a few times to check on his symptoms etc.

He was started on a smaller dose and gradually built up, same as you do on the injections. He had no symptoms at all and initially did lose some weight because he was walking more and eating slightly smaller meals and less snacks. Over winter he has some sciatica and stopped the additional walking. He now has orthotics and hopes to start it again.

I've never tried injectables but from reading online, after 12mths, I'd have thought DH would have lost far more weight. He did initially lose about 10kg, but over winter, put it back on. I also don't think he eats less than before either! I read an article about injections being more effective, but can't find the link now.

It just seems like a big decision, even though thousands of others are on these jabs.

@7238SM your DH was/is likely on Rybelsus which is an older version of semaglutide pill. In the UK it is only available to treat T2 diabetes, and it’s not intended to produce weight loss, it’s for controlling blood sugar. Ryblesus is available at lower doses than the new version of tablet Wegovy, which may explain the small amount of weight lost.

@GenieGenealogy it is a prescription only medication, so it is a fairly serious decision to make, whether you want use a medical approach to support weight loss. There are risks to using any prescription medication, although the health benefits are judged to outweigh those risks. But deciding whether you are happy to take those risks is a personal decision, and different for everyone.

It genuinely astounds me that anyone can live with obesity and discount the risk associated with that, and be unable to do a risk assessment.

obesity is the number one cause of cancer unless you’re a smoker, then smoking is the leading cause and obesity the second.

it causes cardio vascular disease, fatty liver, high cholesterol, diabetes, strokes, it is the most fatal and life limiting disease we have in society,

yet these drugs, which have been about for over 40 years, with more data on than most other drugs, approved hy all the world health authories as safe. With over 50 million on globally and not one death directly linked to it. The small number due to incorrect usage or fakes, about 200 In total out the 50 million. Are seen as the bigger risk? A drug used to treat a condition that will very likely cause death or life limitation?

it astonishes me anyone would think that’s the bigger risk

its like people think obesity is almost benign. It’s not. It’s killing us.

I thought Orlistat was one such weight loss pill that absorbs 25% fat from your body. Is that not a recognised script?

It’s not a glp, I think the poster is talking about glp meds.

orlistat, or allie has been available for ages, it’s very under used as it literally gives you anal seepage if you’re not careful, and it doesn’t impact your apetite. It’s nothing like a glp.

My BMI is 27.8 and I have high cholesterol. All the injection companies have said no.

Thanks for the lecture. I’m fat but fit and blood tests prove that I maintain good health.
I live a useful fulfilled life - I think it’s for me to decide how to move forward.
I’d refute your claims of the collective drugs safety. So much evidence emerges all the time.
You do you.

What do you mean Injecfion companies, fhey are just pharmacies, and 27 with health conditions due to weight, ie cholesterol are standard, who on earth said no? Some are even offering it at 25 bmi now.

no need to be defensive, but quite frankly no one obese is in good physical health, it is a ticking time bomb, and you can refute all the scientific evidence you want, doesn’t change it, it remains factually correct, both in the safety of the drugs or the impact of obesity.

but sure, you decide obesity is the safest option for you.

You can buy Rybelsus which is semaglutide ie Ozempic/Wegovy although I am not sure at what strength because I had only tried it at the Ozempic equivalent level back before Wegovy arrived.

I read that the pill version of Mounjaro is supposed to be available 2027.

Also Retatrutide is likely to be approved around then, although that will be injection at least initially.

Over 200 other weight loss drugs are in development at various stages so the future looks brighter for people battling severe and chronic obesity than it ever has before.

What a peculiar reply. You made a completely illogical and factually incorrect statement about GLP-1 meds. The poster did not ‘give you a lecture’ she pointed out the facts and explained the logical way to calculate risk. To which your reply was basically- I don’t care about actual facts or logical risk assessment factors, I have made my decision based on my own inaccurate prejudices ’ . Are you related to Trump ?

I’d return that sentiment. I did find it a lecture from someone that probably either taking the medication or is an advocate. Fact is truth to those believing in it, nonsense to those they’re failing to convince. It matters not to me, as I’ll make my own decisions at 67 years of age, not follow the herd.

I’d return that sentiment. I did find it a lecture from someone that probably either taking the medication or is an advocate. Fact is truth to those believing in it, nonsense to those they’re failing to convince. It matters not to me, as I’ll make my own decisions at 67 years of age, not follow the herd.

Blew up 10 yrs of age in 91 with under active thyroid, been on (Levo)thyroxine since 18 November 1991 today the dumb gp just thinks its goes away…
not life long at all.

had to fight for glp1 all the way for years since the good old head diabetic nurse in 2020 plants the seed of since then and 2 serious operations later, no way would I install any trust in them to do what is right for me.