Milton Keynes mum who’s lost 6.5st on NHS Wegovy says she won’t be able to afford it when prescription ends

A single mum from Milton Keynes who lost 6.5st on NHS Wegovy said she won't be able to afford the "wild" cost of buying it privately when her prescription comes to an end.

Jess Martin, 33, struggled to keep weight off through her adulthood, and especially after having her daughter, now two, in May 2023.

Just a year later. she found herself going through a divorce - leaving her reaching for convenience food and comfort eating takeaways to cope.

Jess, from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, was 19st and a size 22-24 and struggled to leave the house due to poor mental health and low confidence.

She was referred to NHS weight management services and qualified for Wegovy weight loss injections on the NHS for two years, from January 2025.

In late 2023, the NHS first announced patients would be eligible for a prescription of Wegovy if they have at least one weight-related comorbidity - in Jess' case, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), high blood pressure and acid reflux.

The maximum prescription time would be two years under the guidelines - meaning those who were prescribed this early are now facing a 'ticking time bomb' as their prescriptions will soon come to an end.

The dose of Wegovy that Jess is on would cost around £239 per month if purchased privately.

Having now slimmed down to 12st 5lbs and a size 14, Jess described the jabs as "life changing" and feels grateful to have got them through an NHS prescription.

After her course ends in January 2027, she said as a single mum she won't be able to afford to buy the jabs privately.

Jess, who works in healthcare administration, said: "I just couldn't afford to go on the jabs privately. To pay for jabs, something else would have to go - like trips out with my daughter. And she is my priority.

"I'd be really annoyed at myself if I lost all this weight when I was lucky to access the jabs for free. Privately, the prices for Wegovy are wild now."

"I do worry about putting weight back on once I come off the medication, especially as I don’t know how my body will respond after being on it for two years.

"I’m hoping that during this time I’ll have built healthier habits and a better understanding of balance and nutrition to help maintain things long term. I’ll definitely be monitoring my weight more closely when I stop, and if I notice it starting to creep up, I’ll need to be more mindful with food choices and increase my exercise.

"Paying for the jab privately long term just isn’t financially realistic for me either, after paying for childcare for my daughter, and renting privately.

"I really am determined, I don't want to look or feel the way I did before. Jabs were completely life-changing for me, but I'm happy that I can keep doing what I'm doing now without them, when the time comes."

Jess felt "isolated" after the birth and divorce and poured her energy into looking after her daughter, letting her own health slip - munching on crisps, chocolate, bread and frequent takeaways for convenience.

Jess said: "I comfort ate a lot because I was constantly upset, stressed and tired. I was eating half a loaf of bread a day - toast for breakfast and big sandwiches at lunch because it was easy to make quickly. I struggled, so I hardly left the house - no gym, no exercise."

Prior to her pregnancy, she had looked into getting help from NHS's weight management services, so in late 2024, when she finished breastfeeding, she went for an appointment. They offered her options, including a meal replacement diet, a Slimming World membership and bariatric surgery. But her interest was piqued at the mention of Wegovy and she was put on a two-year NHS subscription.

Her starting weight was 18st 11lbs and the minimum weight she needed to lose within the first six months in order to continue on the jabs was 13lbs - 5% of her starting weight. But Jess found the jabs so helpful that at her six month check in, she had already dropped 2st 7lbs.

She stuck to a low calorie diet, healthier options and smaller portions. She began to get more active as the weight came off - taking up running and swimming.

This month, her weigh-in showed she is now 12st 5lbs - for the first time since she was just 17.

She has replaced her entire wardrobe with new slim, flattering clothes, and said her confidence has skyrocketed after years of insecurity.

She said: "When I was bigger, it was hard to find things that fit me at all in shops. Now it's nice going into a shop and knowing things will fit me."

When her jabs stop, she plans to maintain her weight thanks to her new healthier lifestyle.

She said: "I just feel really determined. Before, I didn't really care about looking after myself. But I've equipped myself so I don't go back.”