Not started yet.. thinking about it.. Trigger Warning - health anxiety and death (not GLP1 related) mentioned.

[MyWildOliveGoose]

A year ago I was advised to start GLP1s but due to personal reasons - my sister had recently passed away due to complications of other prescribed medication and I felt GLP1s were fairly new outside of diabetes at this point.. it caused severe health anxiety and I just shut down on the subject.

A year later, I’ve managed to lose 10kg through calorie deficit diet and regular exercise.. but despite that, it just isn’t consistent. I lose 10kg, gain 4kg, lose 2kg, gain 4kg, lose it again, gain it again - and so on. It is a constant yo-yo. My GP revisited GLP1 option with me this week, I have cardiac disease, I’m 150cm and weigh 78kg so my BMI is 34.7.. and I’ll be honest I am thinking about saying yes. I would be prescribed them on the NHS, which is great.

My main concern, is my anxiety. Every side effect and symptom I will literally over think, panic or worse.. talk myself down and ignore because of my anxiety, when it could be serious. I don’t know why I’m posting, maybe just to get it out of my head. I don’t have any usual tummy issues, but I do have quite bad acid reflux, I don’t know if that changes anything. Although I’m restricted physically I am quite active with a walking pad and stair master at home.

My muscle mass percentage is really high, and that’s something I am protective over as before my health took a turn my favourite place was the gym.

Any insights and opinions are welcome 🙏🏼 maybe they’ll help me over the hill x

I have some health anxiety and I’ve been fine with taking MJ actually. Essentially I just keep telling myself that the risk of anything going seriously wrong is very very tiny, whereas the risk of staying the weight I am carried more risk. I feel like I’m doing something proactive for my health by taking it which has always helped me in terms of health anxiety. Stay away from reading anything on the internet about it though, just stick to the instructions and your prescriber for advice,

Have you looked into hypnotherapy/remedial hypnosis? You could tackle the health anxiety and the weight issue simultaneously, if the method is successful for you.

Presumably the GP is offering the GLP1 for the caridac protection properties rather than for weight loss. If the GP said that a different relatively recent medication would benefit your health would you have the same worries? Or is it because it’s a GLP1 and there are lots of news stories about them at the moment?

I’m also guessing this is due to your cardiac issues as they are about to be approved to cure cardio vascular disease. Are you getting help for you anxiety?

I am not being offered GLP1s for cardiac reasons at all, I am being offered them to aid weightloss. They want me to be a healthy BMI.

I am not getting any help for my anxiety, no. I have asked for it and also self referred to talking therapy but the local waiting list is 8 months long. I should be near the top of the list soon 🤞🏼

This is very true, it is something I can definitely adopt into my thought process. Thank you so much x

I’ve been taking Citalopram for anxiety for about 14 years and it’s been hugely beneficial. I was recovering from agoraphobia when I started it and it was a big help just getting me out of the house without my knees buckling. Big hugs to you OP.

What is the reason for the yo-yo weight loss? You’ve shown you can do it. So when you lose 10kg, what happens to make you gain 4kg? You’ve shown you know how to lose weight, your body is responding. But you need to fix what makes you gain fat back.

I thought I was going to actually die when I took my first injection. I was so depressed I didn’t care. I had been sinking for years and my anxiety and depression matched each other in that I was terrified I might die but also didn’t care if I did.

Ad it happens I had absolutely no side effects, used 2.5mg for over a year before moving up to 5mg and literally got my life back. I cannot tell you how much this one drug has done for me. I still take a blood pressure tablet but aside from that I take no other medication now.

I didn’t die, I got handed a new life.

I can relate, I have health anxiety and emetophobia so the pen sat in my fridge for ages before I went for it. My only regret now is not doing it sooner.

1 year and 4 stone down. Only side effect is constipation which isn’t nice but manageable.

To be honest I started on a half dose of 1.25 for 6 weeks then titrated up to 2.5 over the next 6 weeks. So took me 12 weeks I think to get there but that eased my anxiety. And I still lost weight.

Having a high BMI is dangerous. The treatment is very low risk.

FWIW I have found Mounjaro reduces my anxiety. I am much calmer on it.

Honestly, I don’t know. At no point have I ever eaten 7000 calories over my maintenance calories. I lost the 10kg on a very restricted calorie deficit, and then Christmas happened and I ate like a normal human, not over the top at all, for a couple of days and regained 4kg. Lost some of that again, and then Easter happened and I regained weight eating like a normal human again. It’s like my maintenance calories actually cause weight gain, no matter what. Unless I am on a consistent constant serious calorie deficit I just gain weight fast.

This is absolutely amazing, I am so so happy for you. Well done for overcoming both the anxiety and the depression and embracing life.

This is very true, I don’t disagree at all. I’m glad that mounjaro has helped with your anxiety too, do you think that’s confidence related or drug related?

The drug - the effect was pretty much immediate.

Tbh it’s a bit double-edged. At first it was lovely, but after 18 months I’m starting to feel like it’s a flatness. Perhaps I’ve just forgotten how the anxiety felt. I love being 5 stone lighter. A new life.

After a chat with my GP, and another with my dietitian.. I’ve decided to have a go with mounjaro.

They’ve given me so much advice on how to protect my muscle mass and GP also agreed to be with me when I take my first dose. Which is nice, as I’m an anxious little bunny. I don’t know if that’s usual practice?

I haven’t heard of that before but wow what a caring and compassionate GP. I’m so glad they’re taking you seriously and supporting you as you start this process. I wish you all the best and hope you have a positive experience and outcome.

That’s extremely unusual, possibly unique, because the injections aren’t dangerous at all and medical supervision isn’t necessary. Your GP must be very empathetic and supportive to realize it’s worth helping you take this opportunity even though no protocol requires it. It’s fantastic s/he is making sure you have the extra reassurance you need to get started.

Some GPs won’t even discuss the injections with their patients because they aren’t allowed to prescribe them. I started MJ when it was relatively newly on the market and I was quite nervous about mentioning it to my GP, but he was in fact very positive and asked me a lot about my experience because he wanted to learn. There are good GPs out there!

Good luck with the med! It really is a an astonishingly effective treatment. Follow the basic advice and look after yourself and you’ll be so much healthier in just a few months.

What a good GP! I’m pleased for you you’re going for it.

I found it very anticlimactic! Hope the same for you.

I am extremely lucky with my new GP to be fair, she cares; and that means the world.

My last GP, at the same surgery, decided I had anxiety 5 years ago when my cardiac symptoms started which resulted in a 4 year diagnosis delay.

So now when I do actually have anxiety, I say “I am genuinely anxious about this” and my new GP just hears that, and helps.

Good luck OP. I’m interested to hear how you get on. Please keep us up to date with your progress.

Have you considered psychological support alongside taking WLI - id recommend seeing a psychologist or CBT therapist for the health anxiety