Disgusted with what I look like.

[Keepingtimer]

I've just seen a video of myself and just honestly can't believe how awful I look.
Im four stones overweight with high cholesterol, high blood sugar , pre diabetes . I've had years and years of stress and it shows in my face and body.
I've had a underactive thyroid for over thirty years.

Im about to go on a low calorie shake diet through the NHS at the end of the month.

im just so upset and horrified by what I look like. I look like I'm dying.

if this shake diet doesn't work I don't know where there is to go. I can't seem to stick to a diet for more than about three weeks myself . I'm scared to take weight loss drugs.

I walk three or four miles several times a week and eat a healthy diet. It's just crept up on me over years.

Has anyone felt this desperate and turned it around?

Yep. You're at an increased risk of various cancers due to your weight. The thyroid cancer / WLI link has not been found in humans, and likely doesn't exist at all. Your risks from cancer due to obesity are very real and you're gambling each day.

Good luck on the UPF shakes, but in reality you're just wasting more time.

There is no good evidence that they directly cause short-sightedness (myopia) or make myopia worse. Any changes in vision are usually because of changes in blood sugar levels which are temporary.

Swimming always makes me absolutely ravenous. You might not have known you were overeating to compensate but I would bet you were.

Please do not do this. The Keto diet is not recommended by dietitians because it is linked to some increasing risks of cardiovascular issues and OP already has high cholesterol…

I didn't know about that. Thanks for telling me, I will look into it. I asked the nurse at the GP if she could administer it but she said it wasn't prescribed by them so they couldn't.

Check out the keto diet. I lost 2.5 stone and I’ve kept it off for over a year and I eat loads (as long as it’s not carbs) I’m never hungry. Once you get into it, it’s actually really easy to stick to. I’ve never felt better!

@OPyou can do it on the shakes or on the drugs. Try to have some positivity… you’re addressing your health concerns in a way that makes you feel safe. That is to be commended. You’re on the first steps towards a healthier and happier life.

None of your health concerns or weight are an issue of morality. They’re a medical concern just like your thyroid. There’s no need to be ashamed or upset. Try to see the bright side which is you are making positive change.

Actually I really wasn't . I find swimming just doesn't seem to be as beneficial to me as walking and I was doing less walking as a result. Also my back went as it has done three times before because breast stroke aggravates my back. So months of swimming followed by months of chiropractor treatment. It is only just getting back to normal and I haven't been walking as much because of my back. It feels like catch 22. I know I sound like I'm making lots of pathetic excuses.
I started going to the gym a couple of years ago and after one workout my back went again for months on end. I know the back issue is aggravated by being overweight, but it is also a structural issue.

I used to play croquet all year several times a week, the back issue is aggravated by that too so I have stopped. I also think reducing the thyroxine is playing a big part in the weight gain but the GP is adamant I need to cut it down.

Quite surprised at the responses here suggesting the OP is stupid for not just going on weight loss medication. There are a number of questions around its safety and long term efficacy. Also a number of contradictions. For example, I can’t take it as I have a liver condition and my liver is very sensitive to medications. Obviously there’s no indication that the OP has a medical condition that means she shouldn’t take them, but I think the point is that it’s not universally safe, and that no one should start taking them assuming it’s no more risky than taking vitamin tablets.

Were you weighing and measuring all your food and calculating your calories?

All medications carry a risk, even paracetamol. You have to weigh the risks of taking them versus not, and
make a judgement as to whether the benefits outweigh the risks. You need to talk this over with your GP who will be better informed than your son. It’s worrying that you are also assuming something as fact from something you “read somewhere” - where did you read this, is it a reputable source?

Thanks, that really helps. I am just so ashamed and disgusted with myself. I feel it's the first thing people see about me and they assume I am greedy and lazy. I am far from being either. I've always eaten healthily all my life and know a lot about nutrition. I know that's hard to believe. My brother has all the same issues and we look very alike now, both bloated and fat with diabetes and high blood pressure. He cycles and is very careful about his diet, but we are both probably too sedentary.

We were brought up eating a lot of bread and carbs and I wonder if that has contributed to insulin resistance. My sister is very slim but she is very active and eats very little. However she also has blood sugar issues.

A number of questions by who?

If she thinks that the shakes are a better idea she can do that.

And find herself back at square one a few months after the programme ends.

Don’t do the shakes. Absolutely pointless.
I have found Mounjaro to be the business. The injection is nothing. You barely feel it.

Why would I be back at square one? If I lose this weight I will never ever put it back on. It's gone on over 15 years gradually. I am not someone who eats rubbish at all.

The GP has nothing to say about it. All they want to do is put me on statins. One of the GPs mentioned these shakes and said they have had a very good success rate with diabetes remission. If I mention MJ they say they have no comment to make about it.

Its not the feeling of it, its the fear of not administering it properly. Also the fear of side effects and long term implications for health that as yet we know nothing about it.

This was me three years ago OP having been fat all my life. At 60 I saw a picture of myself with my colleagues and was horrified. I looked ghastly and I was going bald on top.I had pre diabetes and my hips collapsed. I had to have a year off for hip replacements. I'd never been so low.
During that year I knew I had to change. I qualified for PIP because I was such a mess and decided to change my lide.
I went on mounjaro for 2 years and lost 6 stone. I had my hip replacements and started my physical reconstruction at the local gym and go swimming three times a week. I now look and feel fantastic. My hair has fully grown back and I have no pre diabetes. Im going for a facelift in Lithuania soon. Im a brand new person.
If only I hadnt wasted my whole life in this state. My consultant said my weight problem is metabolic not lazy and I need to stay on a low dose of mounjaro for three years to stabilise my system.
If I can do it you can do it. With your thyroid issues Id say you need mounjaro. Please dont rule it out.

Thanks, that's really encouraging. What I feel I need is someone to hold my hand. I wish I knew someone who would coach me or do the first injection. I need to get over this mental block I have about administering it wrongly.

Im a podiatrist and work in diabetes. We know everything about mounjaro. We've been giving it to diabetics for over 20 years. Its not a new drug. Id say about 50% of my patients are on it with very good effect. Its like ANY drug on the market. Some can take it. Some can't.

i do not wish to sound harsh but this is a classic case of having to ‘choose your hard’

Its hard being where you are now

The alternatives are hard - dieting or overcoming your fear of MJ but nothing will change if you go on the same.

Compromise maybe? Try soups for 6 weeks and if you haven’t stuck to it or lost the best part of a stone, start MJ then? (4 stone over weight you should be able to shift 2lbs a week)

Plenty of MN folk have done well with MJ and the health risks of your weight loss are significant.

There are loads of YouTube videos on how to do it, please don’t worry. The type of needle is the same as blood thinners so people use them everyday. Is there anyone who can do it with you? Or with a mutter over video?

Pay for a consult with a private doc (£150ish + pen cost). They will not only prescribe but can also administer your first injection. Then you can take it home and crack on. I don't think they will administer the one you already have in your fridge, so you'll likely have to get a new one.

It seems extremely irresponsible of all these posters ordering you to go on weight loss injections/medication. All medication has risks and the effects are dependent on the individual. There are other ways to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle without injecting yourself every day, but you may decide you want to try that anyway.

Sorry you hate the way you look - I relate to being disgusted with myself sometimes, but the people around you won't think that at all. Try to treat yourself well.

BodySlims really works, if all else fails do a course of that in the new year it will change your life. It means walking an hour every single day for 70 days and watching a short video every day and one long video every week. It’s excellent and it really works.