How do you decide which glp1 to use?

[somekindof]

I am interested in starting on the jabs because my weight keeps creeping up. I’m early 50s with bmi of 27.
I have read a few threads on here and everyone seems very clear which medication they want to use, but I don’t know what the pros and cons are of each - apart from mj being more expensive.
I would be grateful if anyone could share their decision points with me, or point me towards a good source of info.

Thanks!
Also, which online pharmacies are good or to avoid?

I use BOLT (discount code available if you are interested) and I chose Wegovy because of the price. I can afford £99 a month.

I chose mj on recommendation of a friend, and because lots of people find it more effective than Wegovy. I didn't want to waste my money. It's worked really well for me.
I would order from any of the pharmacies on monj.co.uk - you can sort them by price.

Mounjaro for me because of the impact it has on inflammation. I have lipoedema and it’s been life changing, as well as the weight loss. It’s more effective than wegovy as far as I know. But it is more expensive.

I went with MedExpress as people in work had used it and went with Mounjaro as again, people in work had used it and the results were better than ozempic. I was 12 stone 9 and now I’m 8 stone 4. My dh started the same time and he was 19 stone 13 and now he’s 12 5. Its been fabulous for us.

Unless you have a weight-related health condition that qualifies you at BMI 27 or you are one of certain ethnicities where obesity is defined as from BMI 27, then there are only a couple of pharmacies who will prescribe off-licence to people who aren't obese or overweight with a weight-related health condition. They are Voy and MedExpress, so those would be your two choices.

Both Wegovy and Mounjaro produce clinically significant weight loss for most people. Mounjaro is more expensive, but more effective and does seem to have some other benefits. Side effects are not as common on Mounjaro as on Wegovy. That's the main decision points really, cost versus effectiveness. Depends where you sit on that continuum. With a small amount of weight to lose, you could consider Wegovy, if you qualify for it.

I was pre-diabetic, with a BMI in the 40s, when I started.

I chose Mounjaro because of the trials showing it was better at controlling blood sugar levels. I'm losing slowly and steadily, with no side effects and the added bonus of it curing my IBS.

My sister and niece both started at a higher BMI than me but without the pre-diabetes and are doing wegovy due to cost. Niece is doing really well, sis is a lot slower but had a break due to cost. She's still losing though!

From reading I've done, either will be an effective tool to help you lose weight. Mounjaro seems to come out better for related health issues thou

Interesting, and great to hear lipo edema improved.. does this mean you will stay on mounjaro long term, low dose, or how do you intend to proceed?

I intend to stay on it forever. I never want to go back to how I was before with legs so heavy it affected my mobility.

I'm staying on it forever too, well as long as I can get it, it's miraculous for inflammation,and also stopping alcohol noise, and myriad other benefits. The weight loss became almost incidental for me quite quickly, although I did lose a lot of weight too.

Me too. I can't imagine ever coming off it now. Ideally I'll get to maintenance but I still have another 5 stone to go (lost 7).

@PearlsTeapot @Smellmycheeses what kind of dose do you think you would settle on? Do your providers suggest anything?

@PearlsTeapot @Smellmycheeses what kind of dose do you think you would settle on? Do your providers suggest anything?

@JoaNiic , I take a small dose, generally 2.5 , I have tweaked it myself, providers aren't helpful ime, just because they really can only advise re the weight loss, because that's what it's licensed for.
You may find that private clinics who prescribe off licence may be more forthcoming with their advice and prescribing,but they tend to be very expensive.

Thanks everyone, very helpful! I’m going to sign up today and will give mj a try as I am nervous about side effects because my job is face to face with clients and also am hoping to not have to be on it long term so can manage the extra cost

Re the cost. I have found so far (I'm currently on 7.5mg with Bolt, £229/month) that I am spending so much less on my food and drink it's still paying for itself.

I've always done all my shopping each month on a credit card then paid it off in full. Everything goes on there - groceries, petrol, pet stuff, clothes.

My monthly bill has gone down from £700-800 to £350-500. I used to spend a LOT on food it seems!

I have a relatively small amount to lose, and related to that I am hoping to use WLi short term rather than permanently. I chose wegovy because I'm trying to use it as a tool to build better eating habits, reduce snacking habits, adjust portions etc, in the hope I can come off them and maintain.
I have friends who have taken MJ and it's been really effective, but partly because some of them felt so full they barely ate, or were forcing themselves to eat when they really didn't want to, to have enough energy. I knew if that happened to me that wouldn't help me long term.

I totally understand why people want to stay on the drugs long term, I just think I need to give it a good try first, because my weight issue isn't as severe/longstanding. I haven't had any side effects and I've found it effective so far at a low dose.

Just thought I’d throw in my opinion as it’s a bit different from a lot of responses you’ve had so far.

I didn’t have too much to lose but also have PCOS. My starting BMI was just under 27. Weighed 11st 6lbs. I went with Juniper and Wegovy as I was apprehensive to start the injections and didn’t wanted slower weight loss and side effects. Also the fact it’s much cheaper than Mounjaro.

I’ve had 4 weeks on 0.25mg and 1 week on 0.5mg and now 10st 11lbs so 9lb loss.

I’m super happy with that and will definitely carry on with Wegovy and highly recommend as I’ve had no side effects at all.

i think a lot of people switch to Wegovy from Mounjaro and find it less effect because it’s not as strong as their used to but I think if you’re just starting out on weight loss injections then I’ve found it life changing.

I have 2 stone to loose and considering wegovy and Juniper but really scared

@Notcreativeenoughforagoodname that’s fantastic input , and a fantastic result. Thankyou so much for sharing. And congratulations! How have you felt?

Exactly this. Lipoedema is not treated at all on the NHS, so I’ve resigned myself to be spending a fortune on this for life.
I’ve lost 35 kilos, but the impact on my leg inflammation has been phenomenal.

@EspressoWarrior I had no idea it wasn't treated on the NHS, how rubbish! Glad you've found something that works but sorry you have to pay out of pocket for it, esp with the current prices

I actually started on Wegovy and later switched to MJ because it suited me better. For me, the decision wasn't about chasing quicker weight loss, it was about finding something that fit my lifestyle and helped me stick to healthier habits. I'd recommend speaking with a clinician about your goals, as they'll be able to explain which option is likely to suit you best.

Thanks for your input everyone! MJ is arriving tomorrow 😬. I’m a bit nervous, but want to get started over the weekend to get a bit used to it when not working.

Started 18 months ago and chose MJ as a friend had a really good time on it. This was also before the price hike last summer, and once I'd worked through my stash I was pretty much at goal. So was lucky with the timing and costs.

But if I were starting now I'd probably consider Wegovy.

Good luck this weekend! Keep us posted! Stay near a loo, apparently, and get some Pepcid!