I’ve used it twice and so far so good. When I initially watched a video on how to use it, it seemed a bit intimidating but when I actually did it myself, it was much easier than the vial/syringe and was painless for me (I’ve injected in my belly and thigh).
1 Like
As after all the hassle of switching to the Vida app, deciding I liked my provider, and finding it to be relatively easy to fill my prescriptions, today I find out that GIC is no longer going to cover weight loss meds after June unless there is a pre-existing comorbidity. No one really knows how to determine this, except to call the insurance company which has a vested interest in kicking you off. If you are pre-approved, you can no longer go through Vida and now have to go back to your primary care physicians.
Not only is insurance deplorable in this country, it’s no wonder so many physicians are leaving their practices. After going through all the steps to get me enrolled in Vida, now my doctor’s office has to re-do all the insurance information that they originally did to get me approved all over again.
1 Like
My husband started wegovy pills this weekend. He is self paying. We will see how it goes for him
Besides the losing weight part, he’s also hoping for less inflammation since he has an autoimmune disease. Also we hear it might have cardiovascular benefits, he did have a heart attack almost 20 years ago which was suspected part of his condition.
There’s something called a BRIDGE program in July which will be interesting to see if it works for him. He’s over 65 so on Medicare.
I hope they work well for him! I would love to hear how it goes.
Wow, looking forward to hearing about how it might help inflammation. I am on RA meds and feel I am constantly battling inflammation. None of my docs have ever mention GLP to me.
His rheumatologist mentioned it to him.
The rheumatologist did not prescribe, my husband went to his primary.
We will see, it’s very early
2 Likes
Ozempic has essentially eliminated my lifelong asthma, presumably because of the anti-inflammatory properties. I assume the asthma will come back if I stop taking it.
1 Like
I’m down 45 pounds and really proud of that. Still more to go but my body feels better in every way.
And then today I carried the bag of dog food into the house and it’s 22 lbs. I cried a little as I realized I was living before with the equivalent of two of those strapped my body day and night.
No wonder I breathe easier.
7 Likes
I have lost just over 90 pounds. Even with them, I was an avid biker, kayaker, and walker. But every time I race up multiple flights of stairs, walk more miles without the inflammation pains in my legs, jump up and down from the floor with my grands, I know I never want to go back to that version of me again. So much freer now!
3 Likes
I’ve stopped snoring. And I know it’s not the weight because I have been 30 lbs lighter than this and still snored. I’ve snored since I was a child.
1 Like
I am so so hoping to get going again now that I’m back on Zepbound! I had lost 50 pounds, then gained back maybe 15-16 during the nearly three months that I was off meds after the insurance switch. I’m on lowest dose now as I need to ramp back up, but those 15-16 pounds were sort of the sweet spot where I started feeling the difference. The other 35 were where I was able to change clothing, but that extra 15 was where I felt the energy starting to spike.
I still have so much to go. I really need to lose about another 75 pounds to get where my doctor is happy. I’d be thrilled to drop another 50 (which would put me at my pre-babies weight, but still a higher than good BMI).
2 Likes
I’ve been on Ozempic for almost 2 years and I’ve been stuck at a 30 lb loss for months. I still need to lose more but not sure if this means that’s it’s all I can do with this drug without drastic diet changes which would be hard with the family and I just don’t care for most exercises except our walks.
Are you self pay? If insured, do you have diabetes? The full weight loss dose of Semaglutide (Wegovy when prescribed for weight loss, Ozempic when prescribed for diabetes) is 2.4 mg. If you are not at that dose, you could try increasing to the full dose. A new, high-dose form of Wegovy (7.2 mg) was just approved, but that would also increase side effects. If you haven’t tried Tirzepatide (Zepbound when prescribed for weight, Mounjaro when prescribed for diabetes), you might want to ask your doctor about switching. It has been shown to lead to more weight loss, on average, than Semaglutide in head-to-head trials. I you are self pay it can be ordered from Lilly Direct as vials or pens with prices ranging from 299-449 monthly, depending on dose.
1 Like
I should have said I’ve been on first Ozempic then Wegovy and have been at the maximum 2.4 for about a year. I’m not really affected by side effects so that doesn’t seem to be an issue. I do have to fight the insurance company but am currently covered. Still it costs $380. I’ll check with doc re the increase or change.
My husband has been on zepbound since the beginning of March, and is down about 18 lbs. Very few side effects so far, what he’s had are easily resolved. He told me last night that he’s really happy he started. All self-pay as his Medicare plan doesn’t cover it.
I’m still worried about the lack of veggies in his diet, but that’s something he’s got to work out.
After posting about split dosing, I decided to stick with the recommendation of full dose. Well that brought the GI symptoms back fully at the 1 mg dose.
So the next week I did the split - 1/2 dose on Saturday morning, 1/2 dose on Tuesday evening. The symptoms were minimized, but so was the weight loss. Doing it again this week with the same dose.
Due a doctors office mess I may be suddenly without the max dose Wegovy I’ve been taking. Has anyone quit cold turkey? Strategies for not gaining it all back?
I’ve gone cold turkey, not by choice, but due to insurance issues - longest was a month. I gained weight, unfortunately, about 1 lb a week. I tried to eat the way I had been eating on Wegovy, but the lack of the medication made it more difficult to keep my calories as low. It did come back off fairly rapidly when my prescription was finally refilled.
Sorry I can’t be helpful.
I quit cold turkey from the highest dose Zepbound and it was three months before I could start back (insurance mess). It was… not great. I had lost 50+ pounds over about 18 months. I gained back 12 in three months. The first few weeks were ok, but after that I just snacked all the time, and on things I had gotten so good at ignoring. And I ate much larger portion sizes. Then, to add insult to injury, because I had been off for so long, I had to start back at the lowest dose. I just finished the first month at the lowest dose and, while I stoppped gaining weight back, I haven’t lost any. Yesterday was my second shot at the second dose. I’m noticeably less hungry today, so I’m hoping that I’m back on the road to success.
2 Likes