Mounjaro is a weight loss drug that was developed to treat type 2 diabetes. It works by suppressing your appetite by mimicking a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1).
We spoke to some health care professionals, who are also active users of the weight-loss injectables, to see how hard it is to be prescribed, and what you need to prove to get your hands on it.
Talitha Lunnon, 26, a Personal Health Care Assistant from Essex said: “I get my Mounjaro through an online pharmacy, it's really not hard to get. Although they asked for my ID, I used the same photo I had taken pre-lipo suction, and you can easily doctor your BMI.
“I pay about £130 a month, and I've lost 1.5 stone in a few months. I definitely could have lost more, but when I eat, I eat what I want, and that's with no exercise.I get times where it makes me sick, usually if I eat or drink too much, or I feel sick after I eat, but apart from a little nausea and manageable headaches, it's fine.”
Kateya Bell, 28, a Registered Nurse said that she instead used Wegovey, which is the brand name for Semaglutide, the same drug as branded Ozempic.
Kateya said: “I got it through Superdrug pharmacy, they are more rigorous with appointments compared to Mounjaro, requiring a face to face before prescribing. It cost £290 a month, and I lost 3 stone over a few months. I stopped taking after bad side effects, and put half a stone back on.”
Kateya said the drug caused her to have an episode of pancreatitis, and increased her anxiety.
Wagovey is a much harder drug to get, and you have to go through proper channels, with referrals and pharmacies such as Boots and Superdrug, compared to Mounjaro, which you can get from an online pharmacy without seeing anyone.
Talitha shared that she is on the lowest dose of Mounjaro, at just 5mg, but if she wanted to, she knows she could easily obtain the higher dosage.
Kateya summed up her opinion on the drugs saying: “Ultimately, it's a dream drug for weight loss, but the side effects are rough. Sometimes I miss it, but I didn’t need to take it. I'm not bariatric, and I could have done it the healthy way instead.”
Edited by Marianne Hamilton.
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