Would you stay on the jabs for life if you didn’t have to pay?

[PuzzledObserver]

Just that, really.

When you reach your goal weight (maybe you already have) would you want to get off GLP-1’s even if you didn’t have to pay? To put it another way - do you feel there is any benefit in NOT taking them, other than saving money. Assuming you’re currently paying privately, of course.

I came off about a month ago (was titrating down for about 3 months before). I’ve regained 2 stone and feel crappy and so sad to have food noise back :( if money wasn’t a problem I’d stay on it forever. Only stopped because I couldn’t afford it any more

I would stay on them indefinitely.

Yes I looked into it as I have had 2 surgeries under GA while on the jabs.

Association of Anaesthesists of Great Britain and Ireland actually does not require or even recommend that patients stop GLP-1 before surgery. The opposite in fact, see page 7 of the Full Guidelines: "Patients should continue to take glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists throughout the perioperative period"
guidelines

And this is my big fear

That's interesting. I worked in a pharmacy when I started the jabs, and the risk of aspiration (and so stopping the jabs prior) was listed on the advice pharmacists were to tell patients. Perhaps it was particular to my company to cover their back.

Yes this was the general advice as well when I had my surgeries, but I'm bit of a geek so like to 'do my own research', meaning read actual research and recommendations. I've often find that it takes for ever for any official recommendations to trickle down to even their target group, never mind general public.

No, I'm off them at present because I'm pregnant, but the hair loss meant I couldn't realistically stay on then permanently. I'm fairly certain it was the drugs themselves and not the weight loss that caused thinning hair as it got worse when I was maintaining. I expect I'll go back on them intermittently, I'm happy to pay the financial cost but couldn't handle the way it made my hair look.

Interesting read but I have a question to people who are buying higher dose and then split it: are your pharmacies ok with that? Because from what I've read you should only be taking prescribed dose and finish the pen in 4 weeks from opening it. I would though the pharmacies will be more strict with it.

Pharmacy doesn’t know, my one let’s you order every 8 weeks (spacing doses is widely understood). It’s more of an efficacy issue than a health one, although there is a small risk of bacterial contamination from repeated use, I keep mine in the fridge and use anti bac wipe on the pen, benefits outweigh the small risks for me.

I came off before I reached my target weight (was close) but the side effects are not great

my hair became thinner and flat
my skin started to look awful
I swear my face aged about 5 year due to taking it

so no, I wouldn’t stay on it
I’ve been off for 6 months now
and yes I gained a bit back
due to everyone’s birthdays being right around the same time as 2 holidays
so 2 months where I was eating terribly and enjoying some wines
but I’ve not put any weight on in the last 7 weeks
so I think this is my ideal weight that I can maintain

Yes

The ones who allow are def more costly v ones like mmp who allow 5w and 200 for 10 v others like swift who I think are £276

I’m with SwiftDr I’m only on 2.5mg though so it’s £169 for a 5mg pen, so about £85 a month, I think that’s alright tbh, I didn’t think they were hugely more than others, they were one of the cheapest maintenance providers when I first looked. I can’t be arsed with all the swapping around.

The low pens aren’t so bad and obv if using them /extending then get more value for money

and works out Cheaper so I get why people use more costly if happy to order 8w and using half the dose

Right, I thought they knew. I was watching something unrelated on YouTube and someone said that all that micro dosing etc is apparently ok in the US.
I was thinking maybe the UK is as progressive now and they let you play a little.

So you order your pen every 8 weeks and they don't say anything? I know someone who got cancelled by their pharmacy for not ordering within 2 weeks from their last dose. So I was wondering how you people do this.

"you people"??

@VeronicaRaven What happens in the US is very different to the UK and I didn't think that the US did officially approved sub-dosing even if a youtube video says otherwise.

Pharmacies let you order less often than every 4 weeks because for various legitimate reasons you might not use your 4 doses over a 4 week period. Illness, side effects, change of schedule etc can shift the dose days and extend the timeframe.

2 weeks is daft for a 4 dose pen though. Was this in the US where they provide single dose pens?

Yes I spoke with the pharmacy and they said they allow 8 weekly orders without having to go back to 2.5mg, I make sure I order just before 8 weeks.

Voy also started allowing 6 weekly ordered I believe. I think clinically micro dosing is not endorsed due to infection risk, but spacing doses out is more common and a reason people legitimately order less which pharmacies are comfortable with.