Natalie Lavergne, a UK resident, has reported significant weight loss and a reduction in symptoms associated with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) after using the weight-loss drug Mounjaro for over a year. Lavergne, who previously struggled with intense cravings and conditions linked to PMOS such as irregular periods, high blood sugar, and joint pain, lost approximately five-and-a-half stone (around 75 pounds) on the medication.
Lavergne, 42, described how her cravings could lead to consuming up to 1,400 calories of chocolates in a single sitting. She decided to pursue weight-loss medication in June of the previous year, aiming to set a better health example for her daughter. Like millions of others in the UK, she opted for injectable weight-loss drugs. At her heaviest, she weighed 14 stone 3 pounds. After a year on Mounjaro, she reached 8 stone 12 pounds, reporting a transformation in her confidence and overall well-being.
"I'm in my 40s, but I feel like a teenager again," Lavergne stated. "But I have a little bit more wisdom than I had in my 20s, so I kind of know what's important and what to enjoy now."
Transition to Wegovy
Despite the positive outcomes, Lavergne plans to switch from Mounjaro injections to the newly approved Wegovy pill, citing a desire to avoid weekly injections. Health officials recently authorized the tablet form of Wegovy for private use, though its availability on the NHS remains uncertain. Lavergne views the pill as a more convenient long-term option, especially since she is not aiming to lose further weight and has achieved her goal.
She initially stopped Mounjaro in November after reaching her target weight, but restarted it four months later when some PMOS symptoms and cravings returned. The experience of discontinuing the medication highlighted its impact on her health, with a resurgence of unstable blood sugar and cravings for high-calorie foods. This aligns with findings from University of Cambridge scientists, who noted in March that stopping weight-loss injections can lead to patients regaining more weight than they lost, potentially with a higher proportion of fat mass.
Experts have suggested that medications like Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Ozempic may be most beneficial for patients when used long-term, akin to treatments for chronic conditions such as high blood pressure. Professor Susan Jebb, an advisor on obesity to ministers and the NHS, commented, "Obesity is a chronic relapsing condition, and I think one would expect that these treatments need to be continued for life, just in the same way as blood pressure medication."