Possible side effects from new weight loss drugs to be studied

An article has just cropped up on the BBC website, saying that doctors had noticed a possible correlation between people taking the latest weight loss jabs, and those reporting pancreatic issues. It’s important to stress that there is no proof of any connection between the two at the moment: it could be coincidence, and those people could have had the same issues even if they hadn’t taken the jabs. But it’s sufficient for a study to be undertaken to investigate any connection, and anyone on those jabs probably ought to check in with their healthcare provider to make sure they’re aware of the intended study. Flagging for @Leo 's attention.
Moderators please remove if inappropriate.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4ged0r1n3wo

And now I’ve just seen an announcement on the BBC News website to the effect that US-based readers will have to pay a subscription to access articles. So here (hopefully not committing too great an offence) is the first part of the article, the remainder is simply outlining how genetic testing has the potential to save large amounts of money on hospitalisation costs.

I was thinking these GLP-1 meds would be the harbinger of the Zombie apocalypse, I guess pancreatitis isn’t so bad.

Off topic - was the “jab” a common colloquialism in the UK prior to the pandemic?

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I think it’s been pretty common usage for a long time. I’ve certainly been familiar with it for more than half a century.

'The medical sense of “jab”, meanwhile, has a rather less salubrious origin, as a 1914 dictionary of criminal slang introduces it: “Jab, current amongst morphine and cocaine fiends. A hypodermic injection.” ’

It was called a jab when I was a kid in the 70s.

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You know what’s a real side effect? Losing a foot from unchecked diabetes, dying of a stroke or heart attack, hip replacement, and on and on. I carefully weighed the potential side effects of type II diabetes and obesity vs. the side effects from Ozempic, and I decided it was WELL worth it.

And, by the way, it’s barely a jab. No more of a stick than the daily prick for glucose testing, and in fact, a lot less painful. Your fingertips are sensitive. I don’t even feel the Ozempic jab.

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Yeah you’re right, no point in being alarmist, because every treatment has side effects. Just a new thing to be informed about, I only intended to flag it in case the US media was busy with other stuff.

Leo, I was on Ozempic for about a year. My A1C dropped from alarming to acceptable, and lost about 30 or so pounds. At that point, my doctor switched me to Mounjaro. Been on it for 8 months. A1C staying stable and slightly lower. I’ve lost another 10 pounds or so. To be honest, I was surprised about how quick it started working.

As someone who hates needles, I don’t mind the weekly jabs, especially with the results I’m seeing.

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A side effect that was not mentioned to me is that there is muscle mass loss. I would do some strength training at the same time as taking any of these drugs. The side effect for me was that I play volleyball and I eventually strained my shoulder because as I lost weight things got much looser. Weight training would attempt tighten things back up and you’ll less likely have a sports related injury.

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Yeah I was warned about this. I already work out every day, rowing and walking, but I am adding some weight training, too. Maybe pushups, too!

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This Week in Fitness coming soon :thinking:

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You read my mind! I just wasn’t confident enough to post it