Spoiler alert… Mounjaro has already “won”, at least for now, but mostly because I was put on the spot today and didn’t want to have to wait another two weeks to see my GP again. It’s like this. Wegovy (semaflutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) are both GLP-1 drugs that slow digestions and suppresses appetite, but Moujaro has another hormone called GIP that has a stronger impact on blood sugar regulation and hunger reduction.

I had been leaning towards Wegovy as I had read that it is also approved not just for weight loss but cardiovascular health, helping to lower blood pressure and inflammation, as well as reducing the risk of “cardiac events” by as much as 20%. Sounded good to me. And I was hoping that today’s blood test results, combined with my heart issues, would mean that it could be prescribed for medical reasons (not just weight loss) so I wouldn’t have to pay.

Mounjaro is mostly prescribed for Type 2 diabetes and weight loss, with no obvious cardiac benefits. The Endo had made it sound like the only way I could get either of these covered by social security was to be diabetic, hence the new blood test. But it turns out that not only am I not diabetic, my GP informed me today that neither of these drugs are covered under SS so I would have to pay in any case.

So then I asked… how much? Wegovy is 180€ for the first month, Moujaro is 210€. Apparently the price will either remain the same or increase depending on whether I need stronger doses going forward. But GP insisted that Mounjaro is the preferred option these days but if I wanted to think it over… no no, no more delays. I went for it.

Effectiveness… Wegovy shows an average weight loss of 15-21% over 72 week, Moujaro 21-22.5% over the same time period.

Meanwhile, I dunno. Yes, I’m going to give it a go. Picking up the prescription this evening (they had to order it in) so will start tomorrow. But everything I read is about it suppressing appetite, even about losing “obsessive thoughts about food” (probably from feeling nauseous from the drug) and this just isn’t my problem. I mean, yes I do obsess about food, but more in the sense of photographing it and, yes, making it too, but not about wanting to eat all the time. Because you may recall, after four major abdominal ops, my belly is full of adhesions (look at your own risk) so if I do ever happen to over eat, which rarely happens anymore… PAIN PAIN OMG VOMIT VOMIT MORE PAIN. I mean, it’s like I have my own built-in Wegovy/Moujaro. Anyhow, we shall see I guess. Wish me luck.

Apparently I should be down to acceptable knee op weight by Oct/Nov and then I’ll have to get my GP to request another Traumatology appt (average waiting time: 6 months) and THEN they’ll put me on the waiting list for an operation (as long as I’ve kept the weight off). Honestly, if I despair at times, can you really blame me? Every day the pain gets worse, walking (hobbling) is becoming almost impossible and now I have a whole year ahead of me before I will even be able to see the slightest bit of light at the end of this awful awful pain-filled tunnel. Anyhoodle… out of words.