Any updates from people wanting to share their story with the injectables?
My insurance doesn’t cover any of them since I’m not type 2 diabetic but I was able to get a prescription from a weight loss clinic and they’re going to go through a compounding pharmacy.
I asked my PCP about the compounding pharmacy this morning and she felt comfortable with it but I was wondering if anyone had any personal experience.
There are side effects. Know that you will probably have them on the higher doses. They usually get better after a week or two on a dose. Keep upping the dose SLOWLY and follow the doctor's advice.
Don't join the Facebook groups for X drug. Just don't.
Stop eating when you are full. Don't keep eating. Just stop. If you feel like you are eating too few calories (you should NOT be eating only 1000 calories/day) but can't eat anymore, let your doctor know.
Post by Patsy Baloney on Jul 10, 2023 21:51:35 GMT -5
I’ve been on and off and on and off since March. When on, I definitely had “hot belly” often and had a few trigger/sulphur burps/vomit moments, but they were rare.
I’ve gone off a few times trying to see if it’s affecting my energy/mood. I think it is, unfortunately. I had few pretty hopeless feeling weeks. It got better when I switched my injection day to a weekday instead of the weekend. I’m usually less busy and more in a routine during the week, and I think that helped me get enough rest and not focus on how tired I am. I just saw an article that the EU is investigating Ozempic and Saxenda for the possible depression/emotional impact link. I think it was just the exhaustion getting to me.
Anyway, my rec is to titrate up your doses over several weeks or months to avoid the nausea side effects and pick a good day for injection that works for you!
My insurance stopped covering my meds in January. At that point, I'd been on it for 10 months. I was very careful about stopping eating before I felt overly full. I didn't have crazy side effects overall; dramamine helped me. I did feel exhausted while taking it. I didn't notice any changes in mood, however, I'm fairly medicated for anxiety/depression. I suspect I would have had issues if I wasn't already on mood meds.
Go slow, take it easy, listen to your body. I wish I'd had a few months more of my prescription. I made great progress (-60lbs) and was motivated to keep going another 20-40lbs. I'll maybe revisit in the future of my insurance coverage parameters loosen up.
I have been on Wegovy for 3 months. Just took my 12th injection. I have lost 14lbs so far. Due to the shortage I had to skip from .5 to 1.7 but that went ok. Main issue is fatigue the day after. I sleep most of the day. Zofran helps with nausea and I take colace daily.
There is a Wegovy shortage so don’t start it til the fall if you are considering it. The 3 lowest doses are very hard to find.
I have been on Wegovy for 3 months. Just took my 12th injection. I have lost 14lbs so far. Due to the shortage I had to skip from .5 to 1.7 but that went ok. Main issue is fatigue the day after. I sleep most of the day. Zofran helps with nausea and I take colace daily.
There is a Wegovy shortage so don’t start it til the fall if you are considering it. The 3 lowest doses are very hard to find.
I’m getting it off brand through a compounding pharmacy so I don’t think I’d have the same problems. I’d have very different problems- like not knowing what’s really in that vial lol
I am starting Mounjaro tonight. I’m nervous but hopeful. I am just a hair away from type 2 numbers, so my doctor wanted to give me a medicine that would also help my blood sugars.
I have been on Wegovy for 3 months. Just took my 12th injection. I have lost 14lbs so far. Due to the shortage I had to skip from .5 to 1.7 but that went ok. Main issue is fatigue the day after. I sleep most of the day. Zofran helps with nausea and I take colace daily.
There is a Wegovy shortage so don’t start it til the fall if you are considering it. The 3 lowest doses are very hard to find.
I’m getting it off brand through a compounding pharmacy so I don’t think I’d have the same problems. I’d have very different problems- like not knowing what’s really in that vial lol
I’m curious why you are so concerned about a compounding pharmacy. Both my kids have had serious medical issues that involved getting meds from compounding pharmacies. I’m not aware of any reason to be nervous about them.
I’m getting it off brand through a compounding pharmacy so I don’t think I’d have the same problems. I’d have very different problems- like not knowing what’s really in that vial lol
I’m curious why you are so concerned about a compounding pharmacy. Both my kids have had serious medical issues that involved getting meds from compounding pharmacies. I’m not aware of any reason to be nervous about them.
I’ve just never done this before. And getting a $1,300 drug for $125 a month sounds too good to be true. But mainly bc there are countless articles saying not to do this exact thing for this drug. That the medication is changed to avoid lawsuits but that these changes aren’t FDA approved and their efficacy is in question.
I am on Mounjaro as I was pre diabetic. Next month will be one year since I have been on it and I am down 67 lbs. I am SO happy with it; I love not thinking about food and having it control my life. I had issues with over eating to the point that I would binge or get sick and this has curbed it entirely. I rarely have cravings and if I do, one bite satiates it.
I am curious to see what will happen as my coupon for the mounjaro expired, but I was able to get a wegovy script covered by insurance and I do not need to start on a low dose, as I am on the highest Mounjaro dose available currently.
Post by maddiepaddy on Jul 11, 2023 9:08:44 GMT -5
I started Mounjaro last September and switched to Wegovy in February. This class of drugs is amazing and a total game changer. I had struggled with my weight for over a decade and had tried every diet/food plan possible. Had a trainer, a cardio plan, etc etc. The only way I could lose any weight was with extreme carb restriction and staying under 1000 cals a day. Not sustainable and not healthy. These drugs have proved to me that no amount of diet and exercise would have ever outran my insulin resistance.
I’ve lost 70 lbs and am just about 5-10 lbs from figuring out what maintenance will look like. I’m SO thankful that I’ve been able to access these drugs, it’s truly been life changing.
I have had some pretty significant nausea and exhaustion on Wegovy. Particularly when moving up doses. It gets better with each shot of the same dose and eases as the week goes on. I felt better overall on Mounjaro, but my insurance only covers Wegovy for now, so it is what it is. The benefits 100% outweigh the side effects for me.
As for the compounding, I know people who have used compounded with good results. I’d make sure you trust your prescriber and that the pharmacy has a good reputation.
mcmel I think it just depends on your comfort level. I see people post about it and having good results on reddit.
I am planning on staying on wegovy long term so long as I'm not having side effects that are effecting my quality of life. Research shows coming off of any of these drugs typically leads to re-gaining the weight, which can mess up your metabolism.
You could also ask your employer if they'd consider adding weight loss drugs to their insurance coverage.
You look awesome shauni27, great work. That's great that you didn't have to start over on Wegovy, I wonder if the same would be true for me. I'm on 10mg of Mounjaro, and my coupon just expired as well.
I've been on it since Sept and have lost 60 lbs. I never really had an overeating problem but have a very sluggish metabolism thanks to hypothyroidism. Losing weight without medication has been pretty much impossible for me my entire adult life, and I've been on and off various weight loss meds for years. Mounjaro blows them all out of the water in terms of results, and it seems safer to me than the stimulant options.
I want to lose about 15 more lbs and then figure out maintenance, but I need to see if I can switch to Wegovy...otherwise I might have to suck it up and keep paying OOP. I wouldn't mind doing that for a few more months 'til I reach my goal, but if staying on a low dose indefinitely ends up being needed for maintenance, then I obviously can't continue to pay full price forever.
My husband lost over 100 lbs on mounjaro. That being said, he never addressed the mental side to losing all the weight. I feel like a dick mentioning this, but we almost divorced in a spectacular fashion this spring. He lost his tether to our marriage, fell into another form of addiction, and refused to even admit he had a problem. It was so bad at one point that the marriage counselor we were seeing said she was no longer going to see DH as a patient. (He's since admitted he has a problem and is seeing a counselor specifically for his addiction.) So... my advice is to start or continue with counseling when you start the drug. It's not all about losing the weight.
Post by turkletsmom on Jul 11, 2023 9:29:33 GMT -5
I started Wegovy in March. I got really sick on the 1.0 dose in May, so my doc moved me back down to .5 and wants me to do 3 months of that before moving up again. With the shortage, I switched to Ozempic. Luckily my insurance covers both for now. I'm down 29lbs.
Not counting when I was sick on 1.0, my only side effect has been mild constipation. Also in the beginning I'd get what I can only describe as "hot spots" on certain areas of my body. Like for a few days it would feel like I had a brush burn on my shoulder. Then the next week across my stomach, etc. I was worried it was shingles or something like that but it's apparently super common in the FB groups.
If ever my insurance stops covering it, I'll switch to a compounding pharmacy. I've noticed in my area some new ones have popped up and are advertising that they compound semaglutide. Those make me nervous, but I feel ok going to one that has been around a long time.
Anyway- this has been a total miracle for me. The "food noise" in my head is gone.
Will your insurance cover Wegovy with a prior authorization? You should check! Mine does and my endo was able to get it approved for me. Mounjaro and Ozempic you have to have Type 2.
I took Mounjaro before the Type 2 restrictions and lost about 30 lbs. Loved it! Now I've been on Wegvoy for three months and lost less than 10. I'm not impressed but I'm keeping on...I've heard a lot of people didn't start losing until the higher doses. I'm on 1mg now and finally feeling more appetite restriction. I have had some nausea on 1mg though. i'm usually really tired the day after my shot too but its not terrible.
Post by dcrunnergirl52 on Jul 11, 2023 9:43:38 GMT -5
Has anyone used Sequence or any of the online clinics/pharmacies to get the meds? I'd like to go this route.
I have about 60 pounds or more to lose, and asked my endocrinologist about them, and he won't prescribe them for weight loss.
I talked to my PCP, and she said they would be a good choice for me but referred me to a local weight loss clinic b/c she doesn't prescribe them. The clinic required a webinar with the dr to start, and the webinar was literally like, "You may have heard the term calorie. Calories are why you gain weight. You gain weight because you eat too much," as if people going to this clinic are brand new. It was crazy and I hated the practitioners. It was also pretty far away to go for regular appts.
So, now I'm hoping to work with an online provider.
dcrunnergirl52 I had the same experience with three different dieticians at weight loss clinics and they have soured me on ever talking to one again. I felt absolutely infantilized. Yes, I know what a fucking calorie is. I have done Weight Watchers and ten billion other programs 6,000 times. I’m not fat because I’m an idiot. I’m fat because I have PCOS with extreme insulin resistance.
Will your insurance cover Wegovy with a prior authorization? You should check! Mine does and my endo was able to get it approved for me. Mounjaro and Ozempic you have to have Type 2.
I took Mounjaro before the Type 2 restrictions and lost about 30 lbs. Loved it! Now I've been on Wegvoy for three months and lost less than 10. I'm not impressed but I'm keeping on...I've heard a lot of people didn't start losing until the higher doses. I'm on 1mg now and finally feeling more appetite restriction. I have had some nausea on 1mg though. i'm usually really tired the day after my shot too but its not terrible.
My insurance said that they just don’t cover weight loss medicine. Would that change with a prior authorization?
...The only way I could lose any weight was with extreme carb restriction and staying under 1000 cals a day. Not sustainable and not healthy. These drugs have proved to me that no amount of diet and exercise would have ever outran my insulin resistance...
I have had some pretty significant nausea and exhaustion on Wegovy. Particularly when moving up doses. It gets better with each shot of the same dose and eases as the week goes on. I felt better overall on Mounjaro, but my insurance only covers Wegovy for now, so it is what it is. The benefits 100% outweigh the side effects for me.
yes, this. It is so refreshing to be able to lose weight without spending all my waking moments thinking about measuring food, or what I am "allowed" to eat, etc. It felt so disordered, where as now, I eat what I want and when I want, it is just much smaller portions.
Like you I also had some issues with nausea and diarrhea and constipation. When I first moved up to the higher dose the first month in was the worst. I have never been so sick in my life, but fortunately never had issues again after that. I have mild queasiness now usually 24 hours after my injection and I feel "backed up" a lot, but again, the benefits are worth it for me. Other than the one week that I felt so sick, I can live my life 100% normally, so it is not like I need to alter how I am living because of it. I still workout daily, live my life, cook, work, etc., just with mild queasiness.
You look awesome shauni27 , great work. That's great that you didn't have to start over on Wegovy, I wonder if the same would be true for me. I'm on 10mg of Mounjaro, and my coupon just expired as well.
GREAT job on your loss as well! I would see if your pcp has any thoughts on this; mine has been extremely supportive and was like "let's not start you all over, that seems foolish!" And the cost is $30/month--much more affordable than OOP for Mounjaro ($1200!)
mcmel, I would call them and ask for specific drug name. It seems like most of the big insurance companies/employers have some type of coverage. Like with wegovy mine would cover it but I had to get the PA done for it to be covered. My Dr just submitted the info like my weight, history etc. Worth looking into more and could save you some money over the compounded version.
Post by expectantsteelerfan on Jul 11, 2023 11:24:00 GMT -5
I feel like a bit of an outlier, because I've been on the highest dose of Wegovy for almost 1.5 years now, and while I do love it in terms of not obsessing about food and actually feeling full and not having crazy cravings, I've only lost about 18 lbs in all that time, so I've been averaging just over 1 lb a month, so it's been SUPER slow. I am no longer in the 'obese' range, and my AIC is no longer in the prediabetic range, so I am happy with the progress I've made and I'm happy to keep on keeping on, and I've luckily not had crazy side effects and honestly don't feel like I have any side affects at all anymore, but I do have to see both a weight loss doctor and a nutritionist every 2ish months to keep getting it, and they lecture me each appt and talk about how I SHOULD be losing more, and it's disheartening. I definitely think it's worth it though and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone who is thinking of trying it.
Post by followyourarrow on Jul 11, 2023 11:35:26 GMT -5
Thank you guys for mentioning the depression connection. I moved up my ozempic dosage 2 weeks ago and my depression has been horrible and with suicidal thoughts. I’ve wondered wtf is going with me. I’m going to reach out to my dr.
Non-PDQ, it's been life changing for me not only with weight loss but with making pain due to cancer treatment manageable. I truly feel that oncologists in the breast cancer community need to discuss this option with all of their patients who may be struggling with pain and weight gain due to treatment, specifically individuals taking aromatase inhibitors.
I didn't have any addiction issues or an unhealthy relationship with food, I have anxiety which is well treated and not affected by the mounjaro.
followyourarrow, please do call your PCP right away. Are you already on an antidepressant? I am sorry you are feeling that way; I have been there and it is soul crushing. I hope that you know you are taking a great first step in knowing you need to reach out to your PCP.