WEIGHING 30 stone at his heaviest, Mark Spurr pleaded with his GP \u201con his hands and knees\u201d for a weight loss jab prescription \u2013 only to be told he didn\u2019t fit NHS criteria. <\/p>\n
The security officer, from Morley, West Yorkshire, struggled to walk from his car to work and was in constant pain because of his weight, with bosses warning him he was at risk of losing his job. <\/p>\n
Mark Spurr, 54, weighed 30 stone at his heaviestCredit: PA Real Life<\/p>\n
He was in constant pain and feared losing his jobCredit: PA Real Life<\/p>\n
Mark dropped 13 stone on Mounjaro and is now unrecognisable \u2013 to the point he needs a new passportCredit: PA Real Life<\/p>\n
But he\u2019s now unrecognisable after paying for Mounjaro injections, dropping a whopping 13 stone and trimming 18 inches from his waist. <\/p>\n
The dad says he even needs a new passport \u2013 as airline staff almost didn\u2019t let him on a recent flight to Spain. <\/p>\n
But Mark, 54, says: \u201cMounjaro has given me my life back in so many ways.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have reversed my Type 2 diabetes, saved my job and am spending more time with the family \u2013 doing normal things like going for a walk rather than hiding in a gym where I was too unfit for outdoor exercise.<\/p>\n
\u201cI even need a new passport. Flying to Spain in June, airline staff said my picture doesn\u2019t look like me and nearly didn\u2019t let me board the flight.\u201d<\/p>\n
But he stresses \u201cMounjaro isn\u2019t a magic bullet\u201d. <\/p>\n
Mark tells the Sun: \u201cIt is only a tool to help you stay on track on your journey.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mark says it\u2019s still important to watch what you eat and exercise. <\/p>\n
And he urged anyone on fat jabs whose weight loss is stalling to check their TDEE. <\/p>\n
What\u2019s that, you may ask?<\/p>\n
TDEE stands for total daily energy expenditure, the total amount of calories your body burns in a day. <\/p>\n
It combines your basal metabolic rate \u2013 the calories your body burns while at rest \u2013 with how much physical activity you do each day, and can help determine how many calories you need on a daily basis to lose pounds or maintain weight loss. <\/p>\n
Mark advises: \u201cAlways be checking your TDEE as you go along your journey and, yes, count calories.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do you know you\u2019re in a calorie deficit if you don\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n
You can calculate yours online<\/a>. <\/p>\n Immediate results <\/p>\n Mark, who was slim during childhood, began to gain weight when he left school at 15 and took a job as a joiner for Leeds City Council.<\/p>\n The past 10 years in particular have been a struggle, as his weight spiralled out of control when his mum, Susan Spurr, died in her 60s in 2014.<\/p>\n Mark says: \u201cFood was a coping mechanism. <\/p>\n \u201cI joined Slimming World but was yoyo dieting. At one point, I lost six stone but then gained it back and more.\u201d<\/p>\n Mark\u2019s tipping point came when his employer warned him that his job at a Leeds immigration centre was at risk if he could no longer fit into his stab-proof vest.<\/p>\n I was basically on my hands and knees, crying my eyes out and pleading with my GP to prescribe me something. \t\t\t\t\t\tMark Spurr \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Weighing around 30 stone with a body-mass index (BMI) of 57, he struggled to walk from the car park to work.<\/p>\n According to the NHS, a healthy BMI score is between 18.5 and 24.9, with a score of 40 or above indicating severe obesity.<\/p>\n An occupational health report suggested he needed to lose six stone to perform his job safely and he took some time off.<\/p>\n Despite these challenges, Mark was informed he did not meet the NHS criteria for weight loss injections \u2013 which includes having a BMI over 35 and at least one weight-related illness.<\/p>\n He claims he was told his overall condition, including his diabetes, was not severe enough to qualify.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tWHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR WEIGHT LOSS JABS ON THE NHS?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\tNHS eligibility for weight loss injections has expanded but still lags behind the number who could potentially benefit from taking them.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Wegovy, medical name semaglutide, is only available for weight loss through specialist weight management clinics.<\/p>\n Patients are typically expected to have tried other weight loss methods before getting a prescription.<\/p>\n They may be eligible if their body mass index (BMI) is higher than 30, or higher than 27 if they have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure.<\/p>\n Mounjaro, known as tirzepatide, is also available from GP practices but currently only to patients with a BMI of 40 or higher (or 37.5 if from a minority ethnic background) plus four weight-related health conditions.<\/p>\n The medicines are currently being rationed to the patients most in need.<\/p>\n NHS watchdog NICE estimates that more than three million Brits will ultimately be eligible.<\/p>\n The GLP-1 injections are prescribed separately by GPs for people with type 2 diabetes, and patients should discuss this with their doctor.<\/p>\n Mark says: \u201cI was basically on my hands and knees, crying my eyes out and pleading with my GP to prescribe me something. I was in so much pain. <\/p>\n \u201cI might as well have been smashing my head against a brick wall as I was told I didn\u2019t fit the criteria, but they recommended that I take it privately.\u201d<\/p>\n Mark researched private options for taking Mounjaro and began weekly injections on a dose of 2.5mg last summer. <\/p>\n At the time, they cost \u00a3100 per month \u2013 but they now cost \u00a3179.99, after Mounjaro\u2019s manufacturer Eli Lilly increased the drug\u2019s UK list price significantly. <\/p>\n Mark was told he didn\u2019t meet NHS criteria for MounjaroCredit: PA Real Life<\/p>\n He decided to start paying for the jabs privatelyCredit: PA Real Life<\/p>\n Mark started losing weight immediately \u2013 and was able to spend more quality time with his son Joshua and granddaughter HaileyCredit: PA Real Life<\/p>\n After one week on the injections, Mark had lost nine pounds and was leading a healthier lifestyle, eating high-protein meals like chicken with rice and egg salad.<\/p>\n Soon, Mark was losing two-to-three pounds a week, allowing him to return to mountain biking with his son Joshua, 29, and family outings with his granddaughter Hailey, six.<\/p>\n He was also able to hold onto his job and even reverse his type 2 diabetes. <\/p>\n Mark says: \u201cI went for a medical review at my GP and the blood test results came back showing that my blood pressure was much lower \u2013 with no Type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I was put into remission with no need for medicine besides the Mounjaro, which helps to control it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Not a magic jab\u2019 <\/p>\n Mark now supports thousands of others in their own weight loss journeys on his Tiktok and Youtube channels @markonmounjaro.<\/p>\n But he says while many people want to attribute his success entirely to Mounjaro, \u201cit\u2019s not a magic jab\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIt gets more difficult to remain focused as time goes on and if you\u2019re not prepared to change, you will be throwing money down the drain,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve still got to be prepared to quit the junk food and get help with the emotional side of what\u2019s causing you to eat.\u201d<\/p>\n Mark shares tips for others on weight loss jabs. <\/p>\n He advises: \u201cFocus your meals around protein and fibre but don\u2019t be afraid of carbs \u2013 just have small amounts.<\/p>\n \u201cDrink plenty of water because the feeling of hunger is much the same as thirst.<\/p>\n Mark has been able to hold onto his job and reverse his type 2 diabetesCredit: PA Real Life<\/p>\n He\u2019s also been spending more quality time with his familyCredit: PA Real Life<\/p>\n Mark has shared his tips for others struggling to lose weightCredit: PA Real Life<\/p>\n \u201cStart moving, it doesn\u2019t matter how much. Just start moving because in a week you\u2019ll move more and more but start something.<\/p>\n \u201cGet into a routine and try to stick with it. <\/p>\n \u201cIgnore the haters and trolls because you will get them, especially if you document it on social media.<\/p>\n \u201cBe able to talk to someone because this is a hard journey and not magic.<\/p>\n \u201cBe willing to change and follow the plan. <\/p>\n \u201cAnd finally don\u2019t compare your journey with anyone else. We all lose weight at different rates.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Real personal achievement\u2019 <\/p>\n Mounjaro\u2019s UK list price significantly increased in September, when Eli Lilly aligned it with prices in other countries.<\/p>\n The weekly weight loss injection, containing tirzepatide, suppresses appetite and enhances fullness to help weight loss alongside a diet and exercise plan.<\/p>\n Doses escalate every four weeks unless a lower maintenance level is chosen, with prices now ranging from \u00a3179.99 to \u00a3309.99 per month, reflecting an increase of up to 170 per cent.<\/p>\n Mark estimates he has so far spent \u00a33,500 on Mounjaro, averaging \u00a3219 per month. <\/p>\n But he says this pales in comparison to the \u00a312,000 he would have spent on junk food and takeaways over the same time period, since he began using Mounjaro 17 months ago.<\/p>\n This is based on his previous \u00a325 daily spend \u2013 a Greggs sausage sandwich for breakfast; a pasty, bun, sandwich and cake for lunch; an \u00a38 takeaway dinner; followed by \u00a35 on snacks from the garage \u2013 which he has swapped for home-cooked meals.<\/p>\n \u201cMy total spend so far sounds like a lot of money but when you do the maths, I\u2019ve saved thousands, even with the higher prices.\u201d<\/p>\n Mark\u2019s weight loss has now hit 13 stone, and his waist has reduced from 60 inches to 40 \u2013 and it would be lower still without his excess skin.<\/p>\n The next \u2013 and final \u2013 step in his journey is to address the two stone of excess skin from his dramatic weight loss, which will put him at his goal weight of 15 stone.<\/p>\n He is fundraising for the surgery, which is considered cosmetic and therefore not available through the NHS.<\/p>\n Mark plans to reduce his Mounjaro dose and maintain his weight for the next 12 months and is determined to have skin removal surgery next year to improve his mobility and reduce soreness.<\/p>\n However, he has a long way to go in funding the private procedure, so far having raised just \u00a3135 of his \u00a320,000 target on GoFundMe<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cTo get this far is a real personal achievement,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the last thing now holding me back.\u201d<\/p>\n
I might as well have been smashing my head against a brick wall<\/p>\n