Can using weight loss injections be kept private from family?

[Darkcafedays]

After a fair amount of thought/research,I’ve decided to start on WLIs. I don’t have masses to lose - but it’s creeping up, and I also have high blood pressure.

My question is - I would like to keep this private from my DH and two teenage kids! Is this possible? I generally eat less than them anyway at meals - but do most people find they can barely manage to eat at all?!

A friend of mine was on them and she couldn’t manage more than a few bites of anything at a time.

I am alone working from home during the day so that’s fine, but hoping for our evening family meal I’d be able to eat a small healthy portion? How did others find it?

Why do you need to keep it a secret from your own husband? Won't they see it in the fridge? Just sounds concerning that you'd need to hide it from them.

How are you going to hide the WLI in the fridge. Thry need to be kept there?

I manage to eat a evening meal although it a much smaller portion. I stick to eating between 12 and 8 so by evening meal i am usually hungry. Cant eat anything fatty or much carbs either.

Why do you want to keep it a secret?
My DH has been a great support in my WLI journey.

Thanks @ThejoyofNC . It’s nothing sinister but I can just imagine the ‘but you don’t need to do this!’ conversations getting exhausting. I am about a stone overweight but ‘wear it well’ if that makes sense.

We’ve also had some financial strain lately and I can predict raised eyebrows over the cost, but I’ll pay from my own savings so that’s that. 😂

We actually have a spare fridge in our garage which no-one really goes into except me!

How much do you have in your savings?

I’ve never discussed my WLI with anyone. I’m a single parent to young adults. My pens live in a plastic box in the veg drawer and have done so for 15 months.

How do you even qualify for WLI if you’re only a stone overweight ?

I haven’t told my DD but I haven’t hidden the pens in the fridge either and she’s never actually asked me about them. Possibly she thinks it’s for the dog. I guess your DH is going to notice if he pays attention. My eating defintely changed and even DD queried why I wasn’t eating much.

Are WLI meant to be used to lose only a stone?

Irrelevant!

OP I think it’s fine. Only the unopened injections have to be kept in the fridge. After that it’s fine at the back of your sock drawer or wherever.

You’ll need to tell them you’re on “a diet” but I doubt they care that much about what you’re eating. You could always say you had a big lunch or going low carb or whatever.

Max appetite suppression is not the goal. Stay on the lowest possible dose where being in a calorie deficit is possible.

Put the pen under some celery in the fridge and no one will know. I kept them secret from my kids and my very nosy mother (doesn't live with me but visits and is the type to rummage in my fridge)

It's important that your dh knows because in an emergency medic staff needs to know you are on them. But seriously, you are under financial strain and you are contemplating using wli for ONE stone? Sounds unnessary- wlis are for obese people because the benefits outweighs the risks- in your case you are taking risks (many documented cases of gallstones, blindness etc). I wouldn't do it.

I have kept it secret (and also have a garage fridge and a plastic box) but dh knows. I feel more comfortable knowing he’s aware ‘just in case’ although I don’t know what that just in case is. It’s also been lovely to have a shoulder to cry on or someone to help when the pen jammed. And, one memorably romantic interlude when he told me yes, the sulphur burps did smell that bad to others……

@MJagain - thank you. I suppose my main question is really whether the nausea and appetite curbing effects make it impossible to eat at all, as this seemed to be the case for a friend of mine…but reassuring to hear that most can manage small portions (we eat quite healthily anyway).

My husband doesn’t know. He’s really against them - he’d really worry so I thought it best not to say anything.

I keep mine in my drawer. To keep it cool at first I brought a travel cool pack from Amazon which is made specifically for the pens.

@TheBlueKoala - maybe financial strain was the wrong way of putting it. We have been a bit squeezed this year but I can afford it ultimately- I just don’t want the ‘and you’re spending xxx on weight loss jabs?!’ eye rolling from him 😂

Interesting point re medical aspect though. I have heard about the gallstone risk, but blindness? Have there really been ‘lots of cases’?

@myladyjane - how often do the pens jam?!

I think 3 times in 18 months so pretty rare tbh. And usually because I have forgotten to prime or bent a needle.

i don’t think there are ‘lots of cases’ re blindness btw.

I’m a secret jabber. I collect in person from the chemist on the day of the first jab from a new pen, then store it in my bedroom drawer. So no fridge required. I can eat family meals, but find it easier to stop when I’ve had enough. I’ve stopped snacking as it doesn’t appeal. I think that if you can’t manage to eat anything, the dose is probably too high for you? I have a lot to lose so the benefits outweigh any small risks. Sounds like an expensive faff for a stone though.

I can understand keeping it a secret from your DC, but I’d have thought it better to tell your DH about it.
Both so that he’s aware in the event of a medical emergency where he may need to be able to tell medics about any medication you’re on (whether related to WLI or otherwise). And also so that he’s able to provide moral support .

I get small bruises where I inject (despite the fact you can barely feel it at the time). I'm conscious of these when swimming so think i'll swap to stomach. If this happens to you your DH might notice. I just said to my family that i'm on a diet- so smaller portions, and not to buy me surprise chocolate from the corner shop. Luckily the one day when the explosive side effects struck, it was early in the morning and no one else was awake.

Perfect time of year to say you aren’t hungry due to the heat! There’s loads of excuses you can use.

I was able to eat an evening meal, just less of it. Some foods I went off -greasy fried foods do not agree with me. But again, it’s a good time of year for salads etc!

But what if you’re really ill and someone has to advocate for your health. Surely your husband at the very least needs to know any meds you’re taking.
How are you going to get WLI just to lose one stone? I thought the eligibility criteria were very strict ( re BMI)

Is your BMI high enough to qualify? Ultimately there is a sliding scale from ‘can’t eat anything’ to ‘no change in appetite’ and you can’t predict where you will fall on that scale

My DH thinks I don't know he's on it. He's kept it a secret. I think it's odd but respect his wishes.

My friend hides hers inside a face mask that you keep in the freezer. Then ensures the little box is sealed ! Then hides it on top shelf behind the garlic pastes and sauces and no one in her house have known she is on it for one a year . She looks amazing. She has gone from a 18 to a 12 and she just seems to have her spark back.

They have discreet boxes on Amazon also !

I haven't told anyone in my family, I know DH would feel bad that I think my weight is a problem. I have noticed that most of the people who say they can't eat anything are on mounjaro, which is very effective but for a lot of people causes very strong appetite suppression, to the point that people struggle to eat at all.

Wegovy works slightly differently (mounjaro mimics two hormones, wegovy only one, and mounjaro seems to slow stomach emptying a lot more, it's why you can't use it alongside certain medications) So perhaps factor that in if you decide to go for it. Keeping to lower doses helps too. Of course if you're unlucky with side effects that would be harder, you won't know until you try it.

I'm eating smaller portions on wegovy and making healthier choices but I've just said that I'm trying to eat better and lose a bit of weight which is nothing unusual, other than I'm now able to stick to it!