Post by discobiscuit on Jul 19, 2022 13:56:02 GMT -5
I am. I am taking it solely for weight loss. I just took my second injection on Sunday evening so I'm really just 8 or so days in. Since I'm so new to it I don't know that I can give you a ton of information but I will tell you that I am seeing weight loss already. I'm sure that it's water weight at this point but it's definitely motivating and encouraging. I haven't experienced any side effects. I honestly feel great. My appetite is suppressed and it's been very freeing to not feel like I'm thinking about food all of the time, if that makes sense.
@ My body has been through a lot over the last few years. I suffered from IF and went through a couple IUIs and then 4 IVF cycles before I had my twins. And ever since then, I just haven't been able to lose weight. I'm active, I ride my Peloton consistently. I've tried eating in a calorie deficit, intermittent fasting, low carb, etc. and just didn't make any progress. That's really what prompted me to give this a try. Especially when they made the manufacturers coupon available and this became affordable. These medications for weight loss can be SO expensive. Even with my insurance, Saxenda was going to be $1400 a month. Same with Wegovy.
This got longer than I wanted but definitely let me know if you have specific questions and I'm more than happy to answer what I can!
Post by sproctopus on Jul 19, 2022 14:33:41 GMT -5
discobiscuit If you don't mind, how did you get a prescription for off-label use? I have PCOS and all my tests have come back good for T2 diabetes, but my insulin resistance is causing rapid weight gain and hormonal issues and so my endocrinologist wouldn't give me Mounjaro as an option. Wegovy and Ozempic are so expensive and difficult to find right now. Losing weight is the only thing to help the hormone issues, but I have tried SO hard and nothing is working.
Post by followyourarrow on Jul 19, 2022 14:44:49 GMT -5
sproctopus, Tiktok tells me a lot of people are doing online appointments with weightloss doctors to get it prescribed as a weightloss drug. Even if your insurance won't cover it, there is a coupon that makes it $25/mo as long as you have private insurance.
sproctopus, Tiktok tells me a lot of people are doing online appointments with weightloss doctors to get it prescribed as a weightloss drug. Even if your insurance won't cover it, there is a coupon that makes it $25/mo as long as you have private insurance.
Ah, I see. I feel bad doing that because I know T2 diabetics are facing challenges with these shortages and these are promising drugs for them, so I don't want to add to that.
Post by sproctopus on Jul 19, 2022 14:49:13 GMT -5
Oh, also, they have restricted the Wegovy manufacturer savings cards to be limited to higher doses of the drug. This is in an effort to deter doctor's from prescribing it to new patients and to discourage new patients from needing the drugs. They want to preserve the supply for those using them currently. For Wegovy, the savings only can be used on the 2.4 dosage.
sproctopus , Tiktok tells me a lot of people are doing online appointments with weightloss doctors to get it prescribed as a weightloss drug. Even if your insurance won't cover it, there is a coupon that makes it $25/mo as long as you have private insurance.
Ah, I see. I feel bad doing that because I know T2 diabetics are facing challenges with these shortages and these are promising drugs for them, so I don't want to add to that.
As a T2 I appreciate that, but I have PCOS and know the struggle.
sproctopus - I am using a program called found and they just rolled it out today so I'm hoping to start. I've used other medications through them and had success. Feel free to PM me if you have other questions!
sproctopus, Tiktok tells me a lot of people are doing online appointments with weightloss doctors to get it prescribed as a weightloss drug. Even if your insurance won't cover it, there is a coupon that makes it $25/mo as long as you have private insurance.
Ah, I see. I feel bad doing that because I know T2 diabetics are facing challenges with these shortages and these are promising drugs for them, so I don't want to add to that.
I did not know this! I'll look at this before starting thank you
Post by discobiscuit on Jul 19, 2022 15:02:47 GMT -5
sproctopus, followyourarrow, yep, telemedicine. I used Alpha but I've seen a lot of people use Push, as well. Alpha was more affordable, that's why I used them. I chatted with the provider and sent my most recent labs and some measurements like my BP and they sent the prescription right to my pharmacy. I got the savings card right from the manufacturer's website. Like mentioned above, if you have commercial insurance that doesn't cover the medication, it's $25 a month for 12 months. If you happen to have insurance that magically covers it, it's $25 a month for 24 months with the savings card. I've seen some people say that they had issues getting their pharmacy to understand how to apply the coupon but I went to CVS and the tech had it applied for me in under 5 minutes. I also don't think many pharmacies have it in house. CVS ordered mine and I had it within just a couple days. Hopefully that helps! Definitely let me know if you have other questions! I'm happy to help. It's so new that we're all kind of navigating this together.
Post by discobiscuit on Jul 19, 2022 15:34:47 GMT -5
And I've also heard about the shortage. I didn't know about the changes to the Wegovy coupon, I've mainly heard about issues with Ozempic. I don't know if it's because people have better luck getting Ozempic covered by insurance even though it's the exact same drug as Wegovy, just different dosages or something else. I do know that was the case for my insurance. Ozempic would have been around $30 a month and Wegovy was $1400, just because Wegovy is marketed for weight loss. I don't know. I definitely have complicated feelings about taking it off label and I struggled with it for a bit before I decided to try it so I absolutely understand that too.
Post by followyourarrow on Jul 29, 2022 8:09:11 GMT -5
Just thought I'd update with my week one. No real side effects. The first few days I wasn't hungry at all, but that improved by day 3. I get full very fast and I'm eating significantly less. I'm down 9 lbs, which is fantastic, but I know that will slow down. My fasting blood sugars have dropped 40 points, which is a huge improvement.
I have been on this for 5 weeks now, for weight loss. After exercising and eating at a calorie deficit for months with no results I decided to try it. I joined a Facebook group specifically for people using it off label for weight loss and got tons of information before I started. I used a Push online doctor first, but then switched to Alpha because it was cheaper. From what I understand this med manufacturer planned better than Wegovy to make sure there would not be shortages. The coupon works for 12 months, $25 a month if your insurance denies it. I have lost 13 pounds, a lot of it right away and then it slowed down to 1-2 lbs a week, which I am so happy with. I moved up to the 5 mg dosage last week, and am still having no side effects besides reduced appetite. I am so excited for this medication. I am a binge eater, and this is the first time in my memory that I have been able to control my eating without strict restrictive diets. I am able to reach for healthy things when it is time to eat instead of falling for my overwhelming cravings.
Post by expectantsteelerfan on Jul 29, 2022 10:03:07 GMT -5
For those of you doing online doctors to get this or other weight loss medications, I'm curious, are they having you do bloodwork to check liver/kidney/pancreas function regularly while on it?
I am seeing a weight loss doctor in person (I'm pre-diabetic as well), and I started on Ozempic but then switched to Wegovy because my pharmacy couldn't fill the higher dose of Ozempic, and I've been on it for like 9 months now. I've only lost about 15 lbs, and I've only been losing about 2 lbs a month, so it's been a slow go, and my recent labs showed that my A1C actually went UP on it. But my doctor has been harder and harder to schedule with, and she's also been telling me different things at each appointment, and also, my lipase levels (for pancreatic function) were off the charts with my last bloodwork as well so I had to stop the Wegovy for a few weeks and retest. So I'm trying to consider other options, but it's my understanding that all of these meds can affect liver/kidney/pancreas function, so I'd be wary to see an online doc if they also weren't monitoring those levels regularly.
Oh, also, they have restricted the Wegovy manufacturer savings cards to be limited to higher doses of the drug. This is in an effort to deter doctor's from prescribing it to new patients and to discourage new patients from needing the drugs. They want to preserve the supply for those using them currently. For Wegovy, the savings only can be used on the 2.4 dosage.
My friend is using Wevovy for weight loss and I believe due to the shortage, her Dr is prescribing the 2.4 and then splitting it up for her in office. I believe she was also able to use the coupons to help with the price but I think she said they are no longer offering them. It has helped her significantly though with weight loss and I hope everyone on this thread has success as well.
I have taken Ozempic for weight loss since April 2021 and lost almost 140 lbs. I just moved from the 1 mg to 2 mg dose this week (well 1.5 for a month then 2 mg). If I stall out on Ozempic I will consider Mounjaro! It has excellent data. I have PCOS but not T2DM. My insurance covered after I filled an Rx for metformin first — I highly recommend doing this to help with coverage even if you don’t have diabetes (pharmacist tip). I have had great success with it and minimal side effects. Occasionally heart burn and nausea. Some fatigue on Day 2. It’s super important to keep active with strength training to maintain muscle mass and bone density while using. I did not make any activity changes — I was already doing Peloton strength and cycling and I walk 10-15k steps daily. I also did not make any dietary changes, but the medicine obviously makes me eat less and consume fewer calories. Most importantly, it’s clear in my case this really addresses the hormonal causes of obesity because weight literally falls off since I started. I also have the benefit of not having diabetes yet (weight loss is greater in patients without diabetes). I just had my 1 year blood work and super impressed at the changes. None of my parameters were too worrisome but creeping up before but I definitely shifted to optimal in everything: Fasting glucose 89 to 74 A1c 5.0 to 4.5 LDL-C 109 to 87 TG 109 to 72 HDL-C stayed at 70 Liver enzymes high 20s to low teens I’m happy to answer any specific questions as a pharmacist and patient!
Post by sproctopus on Jul 29, 2022 13:45:46 GMT -5
My doctor had a sample of Ozempic in the office. I'm 1 week in, no changes to my diet (I have a healthy/balanced diet) and I'm down 6 lbs.
I have tried Actos and Metformin for years on and off, but the cardiovascular risks with Actos are bad and the GI symptoms with Metformin are miserable for me (even with extended release and slowly increasing). I am hoping an appeal to my insurance company will help me with coverage.
It's very clear to me that my hormones and insulin are causing the weight gain and this working so quickly at even the lowest dose kind of confirms that for me.
What happens after you stop the medication? Do you gain your weight right back? How long are people usually on it?
sofamonkey I'm not sure about everyone, but for me:
My PCOS is severe. If I lose weight, my hormones balance themselves out and I have regular periods again and am able to maintain it for sometime without medicine. I'm not sure how long every one is on it because its still fairly new, but I did see some data that suggested people were maintaining the weight loss after stopping the drug.
My hope is to get back to a weight where I was maintaining and stop and see how things go.
What happens after you stop the medication? Do you gain your weight right back? How long are people usually on it?
I asked my dr this. Because I'm diabetic I will need to be on this or something else long term more than likely. I'll re-evaluate things with her every 3 months.
My doctor has started me on a med called Qsymia. I haven’t been able to lose even with adding exercise and reducing calories. I’m excited to start when it comes in and see what happens.
What happens after you stop the medication? Do you gain your weight right back? How long are people usually on it?
Most people need to stay on medication to maintain weight loss. Some people are able to titrate off the mediation, others can reduce their dose, but most will need to stay on the medication. If you have diabetes, I would consider it to likely be a life-long medication because of the cardiovascular benefits. I think it’s important to reframe obesity as a hormonal chronic disease and not a matter of simple willpower. Just like someone would likely need life-long medication to address a genetic cause of high cholesterol, many people will need life-long medication to change the hormonal signaling that leads to obesity. I am on team “I will cross that bridge when I come to it.” I imagine once a maintain a goal weight on medication for an extended period of time I will consider titrating down, but I also have no problems staying on it.
What happens after you stop the medication? Do you gain your weight right back? How long are people usually on it?
Most people need to stay on medication to maintain weight loss. Some people are able to titrate off the mediation, others can reduce their dose, but most will need to stay on the medication. If you have diabetes, I would consider it to likely be a life-long medication because of the cardiovascular benefits. I think it’s important to reframe obesity as a hormonal chronic disease and not a matter of simple willpower. Just like someone would likely need life-long medication to address a genetic cause of high cholesterol, many people will need life-long medication to change the hormonal signaling that leads to obesity. I am on team “I will cross that bridge when I come to it.” I imagine once a maintain a goal weight on medication for an extended period of time I will consider titrating down, but I also have no problems staying on it.
This is my understanding as well from reading about it. I am interested in taking it but concerned about long term insurance coverage and cost once the first year of a coupon card is done. As well as supply. I'm not opposed to taking it forever but I think it would be very upsetting to take it for a year, lose weight, and then go off it and gain it all back. And with a HDHP, I assume I'd be paying 5-10k a year to take it. Just not sure I want to commit to that.
Most people need to stay on medication to maintain weight loss. Some people are able to titrate off the mediation, others can reduce their dose, but most will need to stay on the medication. If you have diabetes, I would consider it to likely be a life-long medication because of the cardiovascular benefits. I think it’s important to reframe obesity as a hormonal chronic disease and not a matter of simple willpower. Just like someone would likely need life-long medication to address a genetic cause of high cholesterol, many people will need life-long medication to change the hormonal signaling that leads to obesity. I am on team “I will cross that bridge when I come to it.” I imagine once a maintain a goal weight on medication for an extended period of time I will consider titrating down, but I also have no problems staying on it.
This is my understanding as well from reading about it. I am interested in taking it but concerned about long term insurance coverage and cost once the first year of a coupon card is done. As well as supply. I'm not opposed to taking it forever but I think it would be very upsetting to take it for a year, lose weight, and then go off it and gain it all back. And with a HDHP, I assume I'd be paying 5-10k a year to take it. Just not sure I want to commit to that.
The good thing is now that we have 2 really awesome options there will be price competition. The Mounjaro copay card is a little tricky, but hopefully will be renewed after the 12 months. I work in another disease state but our copay card is for 12 months but we don’t kick people off after 12 — most patients have used the copay card for 10 years. We really need federally-mandated coverage for obesity treatment. A lot of insurers don’t want to pay because people only stay on one health plan for a few years at a time. What’s the incentive to pay thousands to reduce long-term complications when most people leave your plan in 3 years? Smoking cessation therapy was the same way until mandated by the ACA.
I took my first shot last night, I was a little freaked out about side effects but luckily none so far.
How's everyone doing?
I'm hoping that this helps with my insulin resistance and hormonal issues. I've gained 45 lbs in 12 months being on anti-cancer meds despite eating and exercising the same as before.
Did you have any trouble given the cancer meds? I’ve found that I have a hard time any everyone just wants to defer to oncology for everything. And weight, in particular, is such a issue in oncology (the only speciality that doesn’t want you to lose weight). At least oncology understands that their treatment is the root of the problem. *sigh* This post is just making me feel so much frustration, because the only time I’ve lost weight as an adult was from cancer, and then, post treatment, gained it all back and then some. And cardiology wouldn’t even run an ekg until I lost weight. 2 months later, I’ve lost nothing and I have 2 months to go to meet his goal.
Post by followyourarrow on Aug 11, 2022 9:29:52 GMT -5
Bad Dingo, I'm on week 3 and this week I've had zero side effects. I'm not full like I was the last two weeks either, and I'm not losing any weight this week, but I haven't gained any either. My blood sugar numbers still look really good.