How are people getting WLI??

[DrLeoSpaceman]

I'm slightly overweight with a bmi of 27. I'm just struggling to shift it. I've always been a healthy eater who exercises and was consistently a 10-12 my whole life but, since entering perimenopause and starting HRT I've been gaining weight. My arms and legs are still ok but my stomach and face look so much bigger it's really getting me down. None of my clothes look right.

I've seen people online saying they've used mounjaro to shift a few pounds and it is phrased like it's no big deal and easy to get. I've even seen ads on Facebook from places like Bolt where it is a woman much thinner than me and the caption is something like "I didn't need to lose 50lbs, just 10lbs".

So I bit the bullet and applied to Bolt. Despite it's claims that you hear back straight away, I was stuck in a back and forth with them since sunday where I kept having to submit more and more information, often repeating information I'd already submitted. I did the video verification, gave medical history etc. I've just heard back that I'm not suitable! No reason given. At an early point they said your bmi isn't high enough so I was ready to give up and get a refund, but they urged me to push on and keep giving more info, only to then reject me 4 days later.

My question is - if they're advertising a slim looking woman saying she only had 10lb to lose and achieved it with Bolt, how is my bmi too low when I'm significantly fatter than her?? I've also seen other women say online that they've got prescribed it with a bmi of 25 or 26, so what am I missing?

I just feel so deflated.

It's aimed at obese people, not for those who have to lose a few pounds. There's strict prescribing rules of over 30bmi or 28 with a health condition related to being that weight.

So unless you meet the criteria, you won't be prescribed it. There may be some that might let you have as I've read on here of some it but I don't know who.

You need to search for a pharmacy or doctor who will prescribe it off license.

Voy prescribed me Wegovy with BMI 25.6

The MHRA approved criteria are BMI 30, or 27 with a weight related health condition. Or BMI 27 for certain ethnicities where obese is classified as starting from BMI 27.

A small number of providers will prescribe "off licence" to people with a BMI of 25 or higher, without needing any other qualifying criteria. Voy and MedExpress are two that I know of. I don't think Bolt do prescribe off licence, and that advert sounds dreadful. The sort I would report to the ASA and the MHRA.

Health conditions and lies is what you are missing. BMI 27 and certain health condition will get you a prescription. A lot of people just under the threshold are a bit easy with the truth and add some pounds to their weight to get that first prescription, after which they will be fine for further meds.

It could also be that not everyone has a target of a 25bmi. I know I start looking gaunt and haggard below a bmi of 27/28ish so if I was doing a "testimonial" like that (I wouldn't) I'd be saying I "only want to lose 10lb" with a starting bmi of 30

Try Voy

I use Juniper and was prescribed WeGovy off-licence with a similar BMI to you. I’m still using it and it’s been great.

The more expensive providers (MedExpress) will get you in the door, then switch after a few months to a cheaper provider. They don’t ask many questions once you already have a prescription but don’t take the risk of being the ones to issue it.
It’s pretty hardcore medication though, not sure I’d have gone near it without being clinically obese. Please research and risk assess those few pounds against the potential side effects

I got it with BMI of 27, I have history of PCOS plus I had high cholesterol. Need to have a health condition to get with a BMI of 27.

I had a bmi of 27 and have gone with medexpress with no issues

How is it hardcore ? Seems like every other person around me is on it without being obese..

Hardcore medication 🤣🤣🤣

If you go on Monj.co.uk and look at the Compare prices page. Open the filter, click on Medical conditions and then expand the BMI option. You can pick a BMI under Lowest BMI prescribed to, to see providers that might help.

Hair loss, muscle wastage, gastric issues, gallbladder issues, constipation, malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, problems with injection sites - read the leaflet. Not saying it hasn’t been a miracle for me but there are so many people (who you know, apparently) who go on to it without knowing the risks.
I know 2 people who have had to have their gallbladder out, 1 who is now receiving treatment for her eating disorder and 1 who ended up in hospital because she bought dodgy shit from a salon and poisoned herself. We all need to be careful out there

voy worked for me. BMI was 27. Stone and a half to shift.

I mean, maybe you don’t think injecting yourself is a big deal but what you do with your weekends is up to you…

A lot of those side effects are from rapid weight loss, not from the medication. I don't really think you can say someone buying random drugs from a salon is a credible example of the dangers of a prescribed medication.

@DrLeoSpaceman
I've sent you a pm.

So it’s the fact that it is injected that’s the ‘hardcore’ part, not the actual medication? I’m interested to know why you think this. My flu jab was injected; is it hardcore? Really?

Don’t get me wrong, I am literally the MJ poster girl and you are completely correct but these threads often descend from off label use into accounts pushing dodgy peptides from China because for some reason people can’t differentiate between legit pharmacies and some random online/the woman that does my botox.
The “send me a dm” messages have already started…

Eh? These are things that happen with rapid weight loss and very low calorie intake over a medium to long time period. They are absolutely not caused by the medication.

@princecharlie not sure what fight you are looking for but I’m not your girl. As per my above post I am literally the poster girl for MJ so am not anti in the slightest but IMO it needs a bit more thought and research that paracetamol (or the flu jab!) Then again, I’ve always been super cautious around medication and never taken an illegal substance in my life so perhaps I overthought it.

Have PM’d you @DrLeoSpacemanif you’re using the app you’ll need to log in to Mumsnet website to access your messages