Rachel Bevan, 40, from Bridgend, started using Mounjaro in June 2024 after years of various diets, and can see herself using it for the foreseeable future.
Despite having a BMI over 45, Rachel said she wouldn’t have qualified for treatment on the NHS, and now buys the medication from an online pharmacy.
“I was really unhappy, quite depressed with my weight,” said Rachel, who was 16st 8lb (106kg) at the start of her weight loss journey.
The mum-of-two initially looked into the allurion gastric balloon, external, otherwise known as the gastric ‘pill’ balloon, but said was worried it may be a step too far and cost too much.
After researching her options, she opted for Mounjaro and lost five stone in about a year before losing more weight after skin removal surgery.
“I just wish it was available 10 years ago,” she said.
“I feel like I’ve missed so much time and so much of my life being overweight and miserable and now I’m sort of getting my life back.
“I’ve just hit 40 and I just feel like I’m coming back to Rach.
Rachel started on the lowest dose of 2.5mg and then went up to 7.5mg for six months before dropping back down to 2.5mg for maintenance.
“You’re not thinking about food all the time, and I’ve just been feeling so much happier on it as well,” said Rachel, who is eating a protein-rich diet alongside the jabs.
However, Rachel said the monthly cost had gone up from £80 to £130 and with several of her friends, who are all mothers, also on Mounjaro but with mouths to feed and bills to pay, treatment was not always the priority.
“We’re all working full time, you know, prioritising our career and then all saying the same things, you just don’t get time.”