Latest / This Is My Journey | The GLP-1 Podcast / S2 E10: 8 Stone Down on GLP-1 – The Highs, The Health Scares & What’s Next (with Anna Cadman)

Transcript

S2 E10: 8 Stone Down on GLP-1 – The Highs, The Health Scares & What’s Next (with Anna Cadman) · This Is My Journey | The GLP-1 Podcast

• 0:00
  Right now, more people than ever are turning to GLP-1 medications as part of their weight loss journeys. And what was once something rarely talked about has now become this global conversation with millions of people using these treatments to take control of their health, build confidence and completely change their lives. But behind the headlines, the before and afters and the numbers on the scale, there are real stories, stories like mine and stories of struggle, resilience, stories of navigating both the highs and the challenges that come with the health.
• 0:29
  transformation. Today's episode is all about one of those journeys, a journey of significant weight loss, real life challenges, and what it actually looks like to live through this experience day to day. So let's roll the intro and I will introduce you to today's amazing guest.
• 0:46
  Welcome to This Is My Journey, the podcast where real people share real stories of transformation, resilience, and growth. I'm Mark, and after navigating my own path through major lifestyle change, I created this space to open up honest conversations around identity,
• 1:04
  mindset and what it really takes to evolve. So along the way, we'll also hear from professionals, you know, from pharmacists to psychologists and fitness experts who help us make sense of the science and support behind these journeys. So whether you're just starting out deep in the process or you're finding your footing after big change, you are not alone. This is your place. This is my journey. Let's walk it together.
• 1:31
  Welcome back, everyone. And today we are joined by a lady that has had an incredible GLP-1 journey. Anna Kadman has lost over eight stone with the support of a GLP-1. Her journey has connected with so many people online, not just because of the weight loss, but because of how honest and relatable she's been over the whole process. And more recently, she's also been navigating some unexpected health challenges, which I...
• 1:56
  I'm looking forward to getting into a little bit more, which adds a whole other layer to her story and, you know, perspective of this journey that she's been on. So today's conversation is all about the food picture and Anna's picture, the highs, the challenges and just what comes next for her, because I know there's going to be many things. So thank you so much, Anna, for joining me today.
• 2:19
  Hello, you're welcome. Yes, so I'm absolutely delighted to have you on because we both do TikTok. I've seen lots and lots of your videos. You're so, so honest, and I just love that about you. And you've just had such an incredible journey, especially more recently as well. So maybe to start, just give us a little bit of a rundown of your journey, how things have been, you know, and just where you are now. Yeah, so I'm Anna. I'm 45 from Birmingham.
• 2:49
  I have been on Monjaro for 12 months. I'm coming up to three weeks now. Best thing I've ever done.
• 2:58
  best thing I have ever done. It's just absolutely incredible. I am a completely different person. Don't get me wrong. It's been the most rewarding but hardest thing I think I've ever done in my life. Like I was saying to you earlier, Mark, I think I've hit every single emotion. Unfortunately, I've had some of the worst side effects ever.
• 3:19
  of the rapid weight loss, not my JRO, in the fact that I have gallstones and I've had a bout of pancreatitis and I will be having my gallbladder out on the 27th of this month, which I cannot wait. The cuntine is on. Yes.
• 3:37
  So I suppose for me, you know, it was that moment of a doctor telling me I wasn't going to live till I was 40. That was the moment for me that, you know, sort of cemented that I need to do something about my weight. For you, was there like a big kind of life event or anything that really... This is going to make you giggle. So I said that...
• 3:56
  The minute I get any health-related, you know, obesity-related health conditions, so I had a fatty liver, I was pre-diabetic, I had severe sleep apnea, I'm going to go on a diet. I'm going to stop. I've been there. Yeah. Know what my epiphany was. And, you know, honestly, I went into a shop and there was some clothes in my size, a size 26, a fiver. Thought, oh, bargain. You know, tried them on and I couldn't even get them over my shoulders. That day.
• 4:21
  I went home, I ordered my Manjaro and I have not looked back. And it was literally, it's not anything exciting like with a lot of people, but that's what it was for me. That is a major moment, especially in somebody's, because I get it. I've been there, like going into shops that, you know, you're trying something on that you can't actually get into. Like that is, I just know how you, how you, you just vent emotionally. And to be able to now.
• 4:47
  Go in any shop. And I mean any shop, whether it be a designer. Not that I can afford that, but yeah, a designer. One of the big things for me was going into Primark. Yeah. Being able to fit in the stuff in there. Yeah. And stuff. And I can just shop anywhere now because, I mean, I went from a size, just to give people perspective, I was 21 stone three when I started my journey. And I am now 13 stone three. I've lost eight stone, bang on. Absolutely incredible. In just over a year.
• 5:14
  But I was also a size 26 to 28 in clothing and now 14 to 16. My waist was a 59-inch waist. It's now 36. Wow. It's just...
• 5:25
  Like I say, with the pancreatitis and the gallstones and all that, that don't even compare to all that positivity and all that mood. It just really doesn't. Yeah. No, just the vibe I'm getting from you is just that it's been life-changing for you. And no matter some of them negative things that have happened, it's not taken any shine away from the fact of all the work that you've done. And it is, it's work. I know there's a lot of people say being on this medication is cheating and things like that. But actually, there's serious work goes in behind being on these medications and eating right and doing the right thing.
• 5:53
  Yeah. Hardest thing I've ever done. I did not realize how difficult staying in a deficit was because I have never had suppression on my journey. I've never wanted suppression. I've never chased suppression. I don't think it's healthy. You should. It's normal for your body to have hunger cues. Yes. Yes. I agree. A lot of people go wrong and this is where people go up their doses way too quickly. Yeah.
• 6:15
  I've had satiety to a certain extent, but the main thing for me is not having the food noise. Yeah. Also, I've actually helped my ADHD as well because it helps on that impulsivity side of your brain. Yeah. It's made my ADHD more relaxed and calm. It's just had, honestly, the benefits have just been never ending for me in all aspects, not just the weight loss. Yeah. Yeah.
• 6:35
  I've had friends before, very few friends. I have got such an amazing group of friends that I have met on TikTok who are in person, real life friends who I will grow old with. And then I've got my TikTok friends as well that I've met on TikTok. And it's just the confidence in me. You know, there's a fine line between confidence and cocky. And I think I'm really riding it at the moment. Yeah.
• 7:03
  Yeah, I could go on forever, honestly. You just get the, there's so much positivity that's coming from you because of it. And you can just see the confidence come from you. Just talking about it, you can just, I think, you know, I get it because I've been there. And I think just, I feel every emotion that you're giving out right now. I don't know anybody that's listening. I'll be able to pick that up too, because it's, it is life changing. It really, really is. Be able to.
• 7:29
  Simple things like, you know, when you go to an all-you-can-eat buffet or a Toby Carvery or something like that. I would, like before, you could get thinner people, pile the platform, nobody would look. If I did it, everybody would stare at you. Since I've lost my weight, I've done that. And I still probably play it up because you know what? Get as much money as you can, right? Yeah, 100%. Even if I couldn't finish it all, get as much money.
• 7:53
  But it's just little things like that, being able to eat in public and not worry that people are looking. I'd walk down the street and I'd get jeered at. Honestly, fat this, fat that. I've had that happen. It's fantastic. You know.
• 8:08
  And things like that. And yeah, I'm still no skinny mid-knee by any means. And I never want to be skinny. I just want to be comfortable in my own skin. For me, it's not about BMI. BMI is so outdated, people. They don't raise BMI. Yeah. Lose your weight until you are comfortable in your own skin, until you are healthier, until you're happy. Yeah.
• 8:26
  And that's, that's literally hit the nail on the head. It's about being healthy. It's about being happy. It's, it's not about being. And I think there is a lot of negativity in the media and stuff about that. Like, you know, people want to be skinny. That's, that's not how I feel. Like if I wanted to be skinny, I would have lost a lot more weight. You're exactly the same. Like, I think getting to a certain goal that you're happy in and yourself and feel confident in, I think is.
• 8:50
  It's a positive message because I think the media does have a lot to answer for, you know, in terms of the negativity around body image and stuff. Definitely. And I think we suffer from body dysmorphia, Mark. We're always going to. It doesn't matter if we've been nipped, we're tucked, we're at the perfect weight. We are still going to look in that mirror and we are still going to have the demon looking back at us sometimes. I was talking to my friend Nat the other day and I was saying that when I'm dressed, I'm happy where I am. Yeah.
• 9:18
  I'm happy in my skin. As soon as them clothes come off,
• 9:21
  I need to lose more. Yeah. I think I've got to be very careful. I could be one of them that goes too far. Yeah. And I need to know when to start. So many people are saying, you don't need to lose anymore. You don't need to do this and that. And I get it. I see from where I was to where I'm at, but I am still not happy. Yeah. And this is about me. It's not about anybody else. Exactly. 100%. And when you're comfortable in how you are, then that is when, you know, and just hearing what you're saying, it's not like you're under any illusions that you're,
• 9:51
  wanting to get to size that's unrealistic for you. Because, you know, you could go so far that you actually don't look like yourself and that you're not, you know, the person that...
• 10:02
  People may be recognised, but as long as you're comfortable and you're healthy and you are healthy, then I think that's the main thing and that's what people need to focus on. But I think that's just... I mean, lots of truth is based on, I can now go to sleep tonight without having a breathing machine keeping me breathing. That's... I mean, that in itself is just incredible. Yeah. You know, with teethering on type 2 diabetes, blood pressure. Another massive non-scalviction for me. When I was in hospital, they used a small blood pressure cuff, guys. LAUGHTER
• 10:30
  Yeah, exactly. And the nurse was looking at me like I was nuts. I was like, you have no idea how much of a massive thing that is. My whole life I've been using this big cough and now I get a little cough. I got it. I got it.
• 10:45
  No, that's, that's amazing. Honestly, you should be so proud of yourself of where you've, you know, you've come from to, to even just starting the journey. It's such a big step, but like to get into where you are now is just absolutely incredible. And, you know, absolutely, you know, hats off to you. You've done amazing. And, you know, not that you need any praise from anybody because you're doing it for you, but I just think it's something to really be admired because to take your health by the reins and
• 11:09
  Point of no return. Point of no return I was at. I was at a point where I was going to die 15, 20 years earlier than I should have done. Yeah. You know, my children are 22 and 15. I want to be a grandparent. I want to be a great grandparent. I, you know, I want to live as long as I can. Yeah. Death terrifies me. So then why was I doing stuff to...
• 11:31
  End my life prematurely. You know, I still smoke, which is very, very naughty, guys. But I'm looking, as soon as I hit target, that's another thing I'm going to knock on the head and try and get that. I can't do it now while dieting. It's impossible to do both at the same time. Yeah.
• 11:44
  Well, you know what, you're doing one thing for your health and then, you know, moving on to other things once, you know. Hopefully. You know, do you know what I mean? At the end of the day, I think you've done, it's a massive achievement what you've done so far. So, you know, smoking aside, I think it's incredible. Nine at the moment. Yes.
• 12:03
  So yeah, from like day to day, what has, you know, because losing eight stone, like we said, that's, that's mind blowing. That's incredible. Like how has your Manjaro journey been like day to day? Like have you, has it been like smooth sailing or have you suffered with side effects? Like kind of, how's that journey been?
• 12:22
  Other than, obviously we'll touch base on the gallstones, pancreas, but constipation for me, Mark, oh my goodness. I'm terrible at getting my fiber in. So I take fiber gummies, which definitely helps me. Water, I struggle with water. I probably have a liter, a liter and a half a day. Most days I know that's something I need to get on top of and cold. My God, I have never...
• 12:46
  In my life, if you had the coldness, it's to your bones. I am freezing all the time. But other than that, and obviously what we'll talk about in a little bit, I've been very lucky. I think definitely the cold I get, my heated blanket is actually my best friend. Because that's just, I couldn't do without it. It's to your bones. It's to your bones. And I think a lot of that is because we have lost a hell of a lot of weight, but it's also a side effect of the drug. Yeah.
• 13:11
  But one thing I will, a negative thing I'll touch base on from my journey that I did to myself. Yeah. Don't weigh daily, guys. Honestly, I've got into a horrible routine of weighing daily. Now, at first, it was all good because it held me accountable. Yeah. If I had a fluctuation, I'd then get back on track if I was off track or whatever. But then it became an obsession. Yeah.
• 13:33
  And when I, not now because I'm so close target, when I had a gain, I would cry. I would be depressed. I would stay off social media. I would do, it would just really, really derail me. My advice from someone who has been on this journey for over 12 months is,
• 13:50
  minimum way once a week because it can easily become an obsession. And when it does become an obsession, when them scales don't say what you want them to say, it can be earth shattering and soul destroying. And also that's why it's so important to measure and photos. And I shout that from the rooftops with people because when I've had mountains and gains and whatever, I can measure and I'll be like, oh my God, I've lost an inch all over. It's the inches you see, not the number on the scales. Yeah, yeah. And so what you said there, like the...
• 14:18
  something that I was conscious of at the very start that I didn't want to do it daily because I was afraid because I have done that before in previous diets and this time I was like you know what I'm going to do it once a week that's that and then once I got to maintenance it was like once a month for a while and then I kind of stopped because I just wanted to kind of come out of that mindset because we're all the way down. Live a normal life how many people by themselves every week alone every day?
• 14:40
  And I say this, I have said this so much about, like, once you get to maintenance, try and come off that daily weigh-in. And you almost get attacked for saying it. It's like, you know, everybody, you should be checking in your weight every day. But that's not life. That's not real life. People don't do that in real life. Do you know what real life is? Weight fluctuations. Yeah, exactly. Ground weight can...
• 14:59
  can go half a stone either way throughout the week. Yeah. That much of a difference depending on what you're eating, if you're exercising, et cetera. So especially us being women, not putting men down, hormones and stuff. Like for me, you can write off when it's the time of the month. Yes. Yes. I won't even try in. Yeah. Um, so we obviously have, I'm perimenopausal as well, so I have that to contend with. So I think considering I've got all that to still have hit my eight stone just over 12 months, I'm kind of doing okay. Yeah.
• 15:28
  Yeah, I think you're doing a little more than kind of okay. I think you're smashing it. But I think for me, just hearing you talk and stuff, it's been such a positive, positive journey. Thank you. But what has, I suppose just in terms of like the challenges for you, have there been any like physical challenges, mental challenges, emotional challenges that you've kind of found being on this? I can't get upset. The hardest part, sorry, about the learning to love myself.
• 15:58
  Because I still don't. I am nowhere near and I don't think I ever will. I don't think I will ever look in that mirror and like what I see. And this is why I took place on the body dysmorphia side of it earlier. And that is a hard pill to swallow. When we have worked as hard as we have worked, I'm sure you are hearing everything I'm saying, to think at the end, I'm happier, don't get me wrong. But to know that I am probably never going to,
• 16:27
  fully love what I see is a hard pill to swallow for me. So I'm getting a bit jittery now. Well, sorry to cut over you, but you should honestly...
• 16:40
  you should love yourself for where you are because you've done amazing and to get where you are, you know, you're looking amazing, you sound amazing, your confidence is booming. My confidence is next level. Like I said, I am borderline cocky. My confidence is crazy out there now. I think that is the biggest thing. As for negatives, I,
• 17:04
  I would say the learning to love yourself, although I'm getting there slowly, the comments of people, although they think they're helping you, they don't need to lose anymore. You're going too far. You can go too far. You're perfect the way you are. And although I know it's coming from, from a good place.
• 17:23
  I'm sorry, but piss off. This is not about, this is not your journey. I will wait until I am happy. Yeah. And like I say, it's not from negativity or anything. I've got to be honest, the online presence, I can probably say I've had five negative comments on my hundreds and hundreds of videos. I don't get any trolls. I just, I mean, I wouldn't anyway, because I can handle trolls, believe me. That's maybe why they leave you alone. Yeah.
• 17:48
  But there hasn't been, the scales, the obsessing on the scales has probably been the biggest negative part for me because it really affected moods. Yeah. I would withdraw from everybody. I would, my husband, I would. Yeah. But now I'm so close to target and stuff. I'm like, oh, two pound gain. That's only water weight. There's no way I've got 3,000 calories. It'll come off. Yeah. And that's something you have to learn. Learn. Yeah. Yeah.
• 18:14
  It's been really, I would say, 80% positive and 20% negative. It's been amazing. Yeah. Thank you so much, firstly, for being so honest there, because it's hard talking about that kind of stuff. And, you know, it did resonate a lot with me because that's, I think, for most people, anybody that has been obese and clinically obese their whole life, like I was, like, I think that it's a daily mental struggle.
• 18:39
  You know, thinking about your weight and how you feel and that food addiction as well. Like just that. I actually did a video on that, Mark. One of my pin videos, if you would like to go and have a look after this. And I did a video and the headline on it was, this is my addiction or something. Because I thought that's going to draw people in. And I think, oh, is it alcohol? Is it drugs? And I start speaking and I say, hi, I have a food addiction. Mm-hmm.
• 19:04
  And it makes people... And that video has done really well because it is no different to anybody with a drug addiction or an alcohol addiction. It is an addiction. Like when somebody who's an alcoholic is stressed, upset, whatever, they turn to drink. It's exactly the same with us and food. Except we have to eat. We can't avoid food. We have to eat to survive. Somebody who takes drugs doesn't have to take drugs to survive. An alcoholic doesn't have to drink to survive. But we have to eat. And I think, not that I'm comparing...
• 19:34
  I think that puts us slightly above, if I'm completely honest, because we cannot avoid food. Yeah, no, completely get what you're saying. And definitely I've noticed a change in sort of more of a cultural shift now towards obesity in terms of like being more...
• 19:53
  recognised I think just more as that kind of addiction and the treatment for it and stuff. I think before it was just like, you know, it's just a other fact they're going to, you know, it's just... Eat, let's move more. Some have heard that. 100%.
• 20:09
  just jab and lose weight. And it's like, you know, I've had so many trolls come into my lives. And once they've listened to me and spoke to me, they've left with a completely different mindset. Because when they've listened, they've read the newspaper clippings, they've listened to the news, they haven't actually spoke to somebody who's had a positive experience on this journey because the newspapers aren't interested in that side of it because that isn't going to get readers of youth. It's ignorance, really. And like just, you know, of course...
• 20:38
  Negativity sells. So, like, of course, that's always going to be the case. I think me and you, it's about educating people. Yes. Because, yes, some of it is just pure ignorance and it's just nasty people. But a lot of it is because they're uneducated. Yeah. And they don't know what we have to do alongside our journey. Yeah. Like, at the moment, I'm in a $1,300 deficit. That's hard. Yeah. Yeah.
• 21:01
  You know, I'm going to go up to 7.5 for the last leg of my journey. I've done 10 months on five, but I think I now need this extra push. I'm going to wait till I have my surgery and stuff. And then I'm going up to 7.5 to give me that push to the end goal. Yeah. Because I need to. I'm making silly choices with food and things. It's about, before I wouldn't have recognized that. Yeah. How I do. And that's a big thing as well. Yeah, it's a huge thing. It's a huge thing. Yeah.
• 21:27
  I'll be able to do it ever without. Are you going to be a lifer? I think so. I think I would like to try coming off it. I did come off it for a little while and then went back on it just as part of like a reset alongside my... I did. I did seven weeks off. Yeah. So the four weeks and I went back on and it definitely was better for me. But I do think it would... I actually talked about this and it was just... It was one of the hardest times coming off because just having all that noise coming back and just...
• 21:55
  You don't realize how loud food noise is until it's gone. Yeah, exactly. So I'm quite nervous because obviously I've got my operation coming up. I've got my gallbladder to move. And I've got to be off the job 10 days before because of the risk of reflux and stuff. Yes, yes. And then two weeks afterwards. So that's, you know, what, three and a half weeks off?
• 22:13
  But I've got to do that. Hopefully, well, not hopefully, I'll be so poorly, but I'll be recovering afterwards. So I won't want to eat my way through it anyway for a bulk of it. But yeah, I'm nervous. I'm nervous about doing that. When I'd had, because I've just had been hospitalized with gallstones and pancreatitis, I was in for five days. I was like, right, so I'm not going to jab now until I've had my surgery. But then as soon as I came out of hospital, the first thing I did on a Saturday, straight in that fridge. Yeah.
• 22:41
  And why? Why did I do that? It's like, did I need to? Did I not? Why did I do it? And I can't tell you now why I did it, but I did. It is what it is. And I'll be changing jab sites next week. See, I don't... What are your thoughts on changing jab sites? Well, I do. So I change... I alternate between the thighs. I've done them all. I've done my stomach. I've done them under my arm. But I think for me, it's just a case of...
• 23:05
  The top of the thigh works best for me, so I just alternate from thigh to thigh. But I know it's different for everybody, and I think you do need to figure out what works best for you. I think that's good practice to do that. Yeah, so I want to go up to 7.5, but...
• 23:21
  What I think I'm going to do is I'm going to try jabbing my arm next week with five and see how I go. Yeah. And see if that makes any difference. I would like to complete my journey and say I've never been able to five. I would, you know. Yeah. Do that. I mean, if I have to go up, I will. I'm not going to put my nose off to spot my face. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm going to be changing jabs. I have tried my thigh, but it was ever so sore and it was bled quite a little bit as well. Yeah.
• 23:44
  No, thank you. I've always gone like up and around my belly button. But yeah, so next week definitely going to be trying back of my arm with some assistance from someone because it's awkward, isn't it? Oh, it's so awkward. I think that's why I've never, I literally think I've done it two or three times. I actually did it last week for like the third time because I'm feeling little, like I'm not getting much effect because I'm on the higher dose and I feel like I need to, something's got to change for me. I think my body's just regulating to it. So yeah,
• 24:14
  You've recently come out and said that you've been dealing with a few health issues or whatever. You've touched on it briefly there at the start, but kind of just maybe just a bit more detail, if you're happy enough to put it across, just where has your health kind of taken a turn recently and sort of what's the outcome and things and where is that going to go for you?
• 24:34
  I started experiencing around September time, a tense pain in my stomach. I was taking to hospital with it. And then they started to do investigations and I had an ultrasound and I was diagnosed with gallstones. I was then told that I would be put down to have my gallbladder out. And since then, I've been...
• 24:52
  I haven't really found a trigger food or anything for it. So I'll either, I can have an attack when I'm not eating, when I am eating, I can't pinpoint anything to be honest. So I can go weeks and weeks without having an attack or I can have five days of consecutive, you know, attacks. So recently I had, not last weekend, the weekend before, I had what I thought was a gallstone attack, but it was a lot worse than it usually is.
• 25:15
  with the pain more in my chest rather than on the right side. And I was projectile vomiting everywhere. It was like something out of a horror film. So called an ambulance, got them out. I usually refuse to go to hospital because I just don't want to be going and sitting in A&E for hours every time. Yeah, I got it.
• 25:30
  But this time I went to hospital and I was taken straight to the surgical assessment unit. And I was in for five days and I was quite poorly. I had quite bad pancreatitis, which was caused by the flow of the bowel being blocked from the gallbladder to the pancreas, which then kicked off the liver. So I had jaundice as well. So I was quite, quite poorly. I had an infected gallbladder as well. So I had to go on antibiotics, fluids. I was on morphine, everything.
• 26:00
  the stones from my duct and I then started to improve the jaundice went etc. I was then down for emergency gallbladder removal but they couldn't fit me in. I was told I could stay in and wait and play the waiting game but I decided I wanted to go home because I was no longer in any pain just very just discomfort. Yeah. And I'm now having my gallbladder out on the 27th of this month all being well fingers crossed. And then
• 26:24
  Well, I'm glad you're not on the other side of it, but you are on the other side of the hospital side of it. So I'm glad that you're feeling better in yourself and you're smiling and you're laughing and all that, because that sounds like a horrible experience. And I think it's so important for you to tell that story because it's the reality of...
• 26:40
  well, not the reality of Manjaro, but the reality of losing weight in general. And I think these are all complications that can happen when you're losing weight and things. And, you know, I know you touched on that at the very, very start. And you said, you know, it wasn't as a result of Manjaro, it was a result of your weight loss and things. And I think that's such an important message to get out there because so many people think that it's the actual medication that causes it. When it's not, it's just the weight loss. But no, I'm so glad to hear that you're on the road to recovery and hopefully to be fully recovered very, very soon.
• 27:08
  And a gallbladder whey is about three to four pound without the stones. Well. It could get me to target this. Well, okay, good. That's a positive way to look at it.
• 27:18
  if anybody takes anything away from this episode of this podcast it is if you get your gallbladder right you could actually get to go quicker yeah so uh so yeah no i love that and that says so much about you and your humor and your just positive light and energy that you give off on it so thank you so much for sharing that and you know i think looking ahead for you
• 27:40
  Do you feel, obviously you're not just at goal yet, but do you feel, you know, there's more you want to achieve, you know, or are you, you know, are you starting to think about maintenance now? I've already got a plan for maintenance. Love that. So what's your plan?
• 27:57
  So obviously I've got another stone to target. Whether I'll be happy at that target or I'll lose a bit more, I don't know. But we'll see. I wanted to lose nine stones. So my goal, so if I'm still on five milligram, my plan is that when I get to goal, I will go down to 2.5.
• 28:12
  And then I will do a few weeks on 2.5, see how I go. And then I was going to go down to 1.25 for another few weeks and see how I go. And if I'm still all right, then come off and see how I go. And if I can't cope, I will get straight back on it. I am not going back to that life again. Not in a million years. And I think it's the reality of knowing that it is a possibility that you can stay on this for the rest of your life. Oh, no. And I think...
• 28:38
  It's great that the medication is being recognized for long-term use because there's so many people, my opinion anyway, is obesity is a chronic condition. We need something to treat it. You would treat blood pressure with high blood pressure medication, so why can you not treat obesity with medication for obesity?
• 28:54
  At the end of the day, a lot of people are also unaware that the first use of this drug was for type 2 diabetes because it regulates blood sugars, it improves insulin production. It's been used in the NHS for years and years and years of that before orthophaties jumped on the bandwagon. The weight loss, you know. So, and like I say, I've experienced the worst side effects and I would still do it a million, million times over.
• 29:25
  Love that. So on that note, if anybody's listening for the first time and they're listening, hearing your story and they're unsure about going on this journey, what would your advice to them be? Can I swear? Swear if you want. Fucking go for it. Don't waste time like I did. Yeah. Go for it. Life's too short. Yeah.
• 29:48
  No, 100%. I completely agree with you. And yeah, well, thank you so much, Anna, for sharing your story. And I know so many people listening will find so much comfort listening to what you've been through and your experiences. And yeah, it's just for you, you've lived...
• 30:08
  the last year has been full of ups and downs by the sounds of things. And it's, it's. It's more ups and downs, a lot more ups and downs. Yeah. But it sounds like you wouldn't change any of it for anything. And I think that says a lot about your journey and, you know, people should take a lot away from that as well in terms of, you know, their own journeys and stuff too. So thank you so much for sharing your story. It's such a personal one, emotional one. And I think, like I said, so many people, I really appreciate.
• 30:36
  people like you coming on and sharing your story like I have, because I think it's the more positivity about how life changing this can be, you know, the more positivity that we can get out there into the world and share. I think it's just such... You won't get anybody more honest than me, as you know, from watching me on social media. Yeah, yeah.
• 30:54
  I ups the downs I document everything because I'm not going to be a creator who just documents all the oh this is rainbows and butterflies and amazing and then somebody starts the journey like oh this is so hard why has nobody told me this because it is bloody hard oh 100% that is but it's also the best thing I've ever done so yeah well on that note thank you so much for joining me and sharing your story again and yeah thanks everybody for listening and thank you we will catch you on the next one