HAPPY New Year (almost)! In my last column of 2025, I want to thank Sun readers for starting some important conversations around health by bravely sending me their questions.
It’s been my pleasure to answer two hundred of you, reassuring you at a time when our health service feels more strained than ever, and getting you on the right path for diagnosis or treatment.
And if the Health Kick survey results are anything to go by, the desire to self-improve is stronger than ever, but many of you are still finding the ‘how’ difficult.
Two-thirds of you told us you want to improve your health, yet a quarter are struggling with daily stress and almost a third are being held back by existing health problems.
My advice remains firm that there is no shortcut to replace the basics that I am sure you already know.
Let 2026 be the year you make sustainable, not extreme, changes – the Health Kick series during January will guide you.
Please continue to send your health queries in the New Year, for which I wish you HEALTH, wealth, and happiness.
Here’s a selection of what you have asked me this week . . .
Q) I HAVE really bad sciatica that is not helped by me being overweight. I’m 6ft tall and weigh 19st 2lb.
I want to go on Mounjaro but my GP says my BMI is only 35 and needs to be 40. Trying privately, they tell me I am too old. The cut-off is 74 and I am 76!
I know people who are on it, so would it be safe to ask one of them to get it for me?
A) I’m really sorry you’re dealing with this. Sciatica can be miserable and it’s understandably frustrating when weight is clearly making things worse, but access to treatment feels blocked.
Regarding your direct question about taking Mounjaro (tirzepatide) that has been prescribed to someone else, my answer is a very clear no.
It would not be appropriate or safe to do this, so I strongly advise against it.
Factoring in your age, it means that additional considerations such as kidney function, dehydration risk, low blood pressure, frailty and muscle loss may need consideration.
Your existing medical history and the tablets you’re taking are also important.
If the prescription is for someone else, then their risk would be assessed instead of yours, putting you at risk of significant harm.
And if you were to become unwell or develop severe side-effects, such as vomiting or symptoms of pancreatitis, you’d have no prescriber monitoring you.
Using someone else’s prescription is also illegal in the UK and could jeopardise future care.
I do understand why you’re thinking about it, but it’s prescription-only for a reason and the dose needs to be individualised and titrated slowly.
The good news is that you are likely eligible to get a prescription legitimately in the private sector.
There is no official upper age limit in the MHRA licence itself. Instead, treatment in older adults should be based on individual clinical assessment and medical judgment.
Some online pharmacies have an upper age cut-off because they want to manage safety risk and ensure suitable follow-up.
You may be best seen in a private clinic, as many will consider older patients on a case-by-case basis.
Ask your GP to check your kidney and liver function and HBA1C in advance and take the results to your appointment.
EMBARRASSING ITCH IS PAIN IN THE ASS
FOR a while now, I’ve had a terrible itch by the crack of my bum which usually gets more severe at night.
I wash regularly with plain soap and use Sudocrem but I recently noticed a bleed at my tail end when washing. I’m embarrassed to go and see a doctor as there are no male doctors. What could it be?
I’m really glad you asked about this, as so many people allow embarrassment to get in the way of their health.
Examination really is the best thing, even briefly, as there are several potential causes.
Doctors and nurses deal with these problems every day and an exam is usually quick and respectful.
Female doctors will be very used to seeing male patients for health issues relating to all parts of the body, but maybe you would feel more comfortable seeing a nurse?
They are excellent with these problems and remember that everything is confidential, and they truly do not judge.
Based on what you’ve described (intense itching around the anus/tailbone, worse at night, soreness and some bleeding), there are several possible causes, and more than one can exist together.
Haemorrhoids (piles) can cause itching, soreness and bright red blood when you wipe. They may or may not be painful.
An anal fissure (small tear in the skin) can cause bleeding when washing or wiping, and is usually painful and itchy.
Irritant or contact dermatitis can be caused by soap, overwashing, moisture, sweating or creams that irritate the skin.
The itching is often worse at night – and that is also the case with fungal or yeast infections, too.
Less common causes include threadworms (mainly if itching is very intense at night, more common with children in the house), an anal fistula or skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema.
With so many possible causes, I hope you really will get yourself assessed and examined properly.
COULD THE PILL BE RUINING MY HAIR?
SINCE I went on the progestogen-only pill, my hair has got very thin. Could it be responsible? I’ve been taking the pill for a few months now.
The short answer is yes, it could be the reason, or it could be contributing, but suddenly stopping the pill can worsen shedding (not to mention pregnancy risk).
Some progestogen-only pills (POP) use progestins with androgen-like activity as they behave a bit like testosterone.
In genetically susceptible people, this can cause increased shedding, which usually appears two to four months after starting the pill – which fits your timeline.
If this is the cause, then the pattern tends to be ‘female-pattern hair loss’ with thinning mainly at the crown or parting and overall reduced hair density.
It’s more likely if you already have a family history of hair thinning, PCOS-type traits or previous postpartum or stress-related hair shedding.
The other likely cause is telogen effluvium – a temporary hair-shedding response triggered by hormones.
It’s more likely if the hair is shedding evenly over the scalp and you see lots of short regrowth hairs at the hairline.
It usually starts two to three months after the trigger and reverses itself within six to nine months. Many women experience both types of hair loss at once.
Firstly, review which type of POP you’re on – some women do better on desogestrel rather than levonorgestrel.
Or, a combined pill with low-androgenic progestin could be a better contraception choice, if safe for you.
You could ask your GP to do blood tests to check other causes of thinning, such as ferritin (iron stores), thyroid function and vitamin D, and consider recent stress, illness or weight change.
Topical minoxidil 5% (foam once daily) is the gold standard treatment for hair loss, but research it first – especially how the hair follicles respond if you stop using it.
TIP OF THE WEEK
WILL you be having a boozy night tomorrow to see in the new year with family and friends?
If it’s shaping up to be a big one, plan ahead now.
Hydrate today with three litres of water and get a good night’s sleep.
It will all help avoid, or at least ease, a New Year’s Day hangover.
