Why I won't swap weight-loss jab for the pill

Users of the weight-loss injection Wegovy have said they will not be swapping to the pill form of the drug, which is now available privately in the UK.

Lisa Halls, from Southampton, uses the once-weekly jab and said the daily routine of taking a tablet "would add extra stress" to her day as someone who starts work early in the morning.

There are a number of strict guidelines to help ensure the pill is absorbed properly by the body, including fasting for eight hours beforehand.

"For me, injecting myself is not an issue," said Halls, who uses the medication alongside a healthy lifestyle to combat menopausal weight gain.

She told BBC Radio Solent she had been "big all of her life" and at her heaviest weighed 27 stone.

Halls said she managed to lose 16 stone through healthy eating and exercise, but began putting weight back on when she entered menopause.

"I could not get rid of it, no matter what I did," she said.

She said she began using Wegovy injections alongside her healthy lifestyle and lost a further two stone.

"It suppressed the food noise," Halls said.

The Wegovy weight-loss pill is now available to buy privately from high street and online pharmacies in the UK, but unlike the injection it is not yet available on the NHS.

Prices vary depending on the pharmacy and dosage, but some are currently charging £99 for a month's supply of the lowest dose (1.5mg) and £199 for a 30-day supply of the highest dose (25mg).

Both the pill and injections contain the same ingredient, semaglutide, which mimics the hormone GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) released by the intestine after eating.

It acts on receptors in the brain that control appetite, helping people feel fuller, less hungry and experience fewer food cravings.

Common side effects of both the tablets and injections include digestive symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhoea.

If you are using the injection, you may also notice mild redness, itching or swelling at the injection site.

Some people taking either the tablets or injections may experience stomach pain, headaches or tiredness.

Less commonly, more serious side effects can occur, including low blood sugar, pancreatitis and severe allergic reactions.

This medication should not be used by anyone under 18 years of age, or by those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Be sure to discuss any existing medical conditions and any medicines you are taking with your doctor before starting treatment.

While Halls said the daily routine of taking the pill did not appeal to her, Kristabelle Jones has reached a similar conclusion.

The Alverstoke resident said she would not swap from the injections unless there was "a real financial benefit".

Jones has been using the jab for about a year and has lost more than three stone.

"I am really pleased," she said, although she admitted she still had a little more weight to lose.

She said it was "a big leap of faith" to spend family finances on something for herself, but added she had "no regrets".

"It was like a miracle to begin with because I just didn't think about food," Jones said.

She said her appetite changed and, as a result, her portion sizes became smaller.

"I would eat because I'm happy or I'm sad or I'm stressed. It didn't have that impact, so you just weren't that bothered," she said.

Jones said she expects to take the medication for the "long term", but would not switch to the "more complicated" tablets unless the price was right.

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