You are fortunate your insurance will cover. Many do not or some are dropping coverage.

Full disclosure I am taking it since mid-January. Gotta go get my next dose. Other than DH and my sister and niece (and whoever reads this on the internet) I am not saying anything because there is so much stigma/backlash. My A1c keeps staying around the prediabetes cutpoint and I have prior history of a TIA. I am working with a weight management clinic, multiple RD visits, Pilates personal training, etc.. I started on 2.5 mg and this is my last week of that. I start 5 mg next week. I’ve lost about 6 lbs. From what I’ve seen online people have lost much more, but you have to remember we are in it for the long game. My insurance doesn’t cover but I am using the ”discount” coupon for $550 per month. You still have to do the work. Side effects have been minimal. Just sometimes feeling of fullness, fleeting nausea.

Wegovy has just been approved for cardiovascular disease reduction and I assume Zepbound will follow, which will make a better case for prior authorization or overall coverage. But insurers could still decide not to cover because they are ass***,

I would really steer people away from any compounded versions. Although I am no fan of big pharma, you are at least getting what you think you are getting.

Kitsch,

Maybe see another doctor if you are unsure? Do you know Oprah has or will have a special on this? Given that obesity runs in families, it makes sense to me that at least part of it is a hormonal imbalance, and that medication could be useful along with lifestyle changes.

Good luck Gscience! I hope it works well for you and helps you meet your goals. Wasn't someone else on her talking about it? I forget who.

I don't have diabetes or heart disease but once it has more of a track record, and if it were cheaper and in a pill, I'd consider it if only out of vanity. They say half of Hollywood is on it. Only thing is I am being monitored for thyroid nodules so I think that makes it a no-go.

I'm on my sixth week of Ozempic, not for weight loss, but an emergency to get my A1C down. I wasnt that overweight when I was first diagnosed with T2, and lost 30 lbs on my own. And they come and go. :)

For 6 1/2 years my A1C was high normal, which was fantastic. Six months later, last month, it was in the dangerously high zone, close to stroke/coma. Upping diabetes meds did nothing so he prescribed Ozemic. I also have an auto immune disease which does raise glucose levels.

Insurance will cover these meds if it's for diabetes, but not weight loss. I have Medicare and they definitely cover it. Except they cover about half which still leaves a high price.

I do use a compound pharmacy and the cost is much lower and I think they get a bad rap. The first dose is for 6 weeks, one shot a week. Many don't know that overeating during the first month is normal. One week I was starved to death & ate like a mama pig, & still lost 2 lbs.

My blood sugar has greatly improved, & I've lost 5 pounds in six weeks.

The 2nd dosage which begins next week is really supposed to show the good affects. It takes time because they don't start you on the high dosage because your body has to get used to it.

The needles are about 1/4" long. DH gives my shot and I don't feel anything.

I had to run some errands earlier (I am on spring break this week—yay) but after starting this medication it really reinforces to me at least that this is a correction of abnormal physiology. It is no different than someone needing medication for anxiety, depression, ADHD, hypertension, etc. But again, I’m not saying anything to anyone outside those few close to me. I don’t want to discuss it, how I’m paying for it, etc. At least my weight loss has been slow enough that no one has noticed anything and we’ll be out of school in another six weeks so I won’t be seeing anyone.

The diabetes equivalent drug is Mounjaro so Zepbound is to Mounjaro as Wegovy is to Ozempic. If anyone uses Reddit, lots of good info and success stories on those forums including people who have huge drops in their A1c., worked for women with PCOS, etc. Age is not a limitation to using them, but Medicare does not cover. I know someone, a professional contact, who started Mounjaro last fall and has done well and has lost about 40 lbs. Yes, the side effects can be an issue for some people and that is a huge consideration for the risks vs. benefits. I go back to the weight management physician next week.

There are even more medications in the pipeline, including looking at pill versions of these vs. injectibles. The needles are so fine you don’t even feel them, but the injector pens definitely add to plastic waste, and now I have to use a sharps container.

Oh yeah, Mtn, you gotta believe all the celebrities are on it. All of a sudden they’ve found a routine that works and boom 40 lbs lost. Just like cosmetic surgery/procedures, they are all doing it.

Good luck to all on Zepbound and similiar. It is a shame that most insurance companies will not cover it unless the patient is diabetic or has other major health issues. From what I have read these medicines are not a cure but can help cravings and uncontrollable hunger, allowing patients to eat much less and focus on eating better.

The doctor has offered Wegovy to my best friends daughter, she is morbidly obese. She has diabtetes, high blood pressure and more issues. Her insurance will and the insurance cover the drug, but she has not decided to move forward yet. Both the daughter and my friend are scared that they will find out something bad about the medicine in the future. While I understand their fear, I am scared her daughter will die of a heart attack or something else without intervention, she is a real mess. Hoping they see the light and move forward, this is her best opportunity to be healthier at this time.

My endocrinologist put me on Metformin years ago for off-label use. I lost some weight but had to go off due to severe side effects (of the potty kind). Not sure if the weight loss was just the side effects or actual weight, but gained it back.

I just looked up Metformin and its said this: Approximately 30% of participants randomized to metformin lost more than 5% of their body weight in the first year, and a post hoc analysis demonstrated that their mean weight loss relative to baseline was 6.2% after 15 years of follow-up, compared with 3.7% in the lifestyle intervention. Doesn't seem like missed much 1929!

Jill I think there is something scary about weekly shots for life but I hear you.

G. Thanks for explaining- The diabetes equivalent drug is Mounjaro so Zepbound is to Mounjaro as Wegovy is to Ozempic. I found this so confusing.

Thanks Oakley. Glad to hear they don't hurt. Hope your diabetes gets under control for you.

I might try a second opinions but it is hard to get doctor appointments any more particularly if you are not already a patient.

Yeah, I hear you trying to get an appointment as a new patient. It took over 2 months to be seen by a new GYN (mine retired and I developed a problem) and 3 months for the weight management clinic.

GLP-1 receptor agonists have been around since mid 2000's (. The most recent one that had good success for weight loss was Saxenda, but that was a daily injection vs. weekly. BTW Saxenda/Liraglutide is becoming generic soon, but it is less effective. Ozempic (semaglutide) has been around since 2017 for diabetes but Wegovy was approved for weight loss in 2021. As effective as these were, Mounjaro/Zepbound/Tirzepatide involves GLP-1 receptor agonist and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) which makes it even more effective. It really is an exciting time because we have had nothing that really got beyond 10% weight loss (although good health benefits can happen at 5-10%) and these are getting, 15%, 20%, and higher weight loss. The only other thing that is similar/more effective is surgery.

Honestly, the more they are discovering about these drugs…the more they sound like miracles. They have really changed the game not only for type 2 diabetes and obesity, but I saw that they are also helping people reduce their cravings for alcohol and other addictive substances. I would not think twice about taking them, if I was offered by my physician.

That said, you can totally tell when someone is on them. Two girls on my tennis team have lost a significant amount of weight in a relatively short time. No change in exercise routine…totally Ozempic. If it was some miracle eating plan, they would’ve done it before…plus, they are eating the same stuff at our lunches after matches, just less. I don’t care…but I will say it pisses me off slightly that I work my butt off to stay the size I want to be, and they just get to take a shot. 🤬🤣

I have not taken these types of drugs, but I know 3 people who have/are. The first one, who works in healthcare, had similar side effects as Spanish. She's also suspicious of this trend, and so stopped altogether. She did lose weight and has since gained it back, but I would not categorize her as obese.

The second was obese, had a host of health issues, horrible eating patterns, a stressful job, and overall was miserable. With the drug, she lost enough weight to be able to exercise again, improved her eating habits, and sought therapy for her life stressors. She gradually went off the medication and has been maintaining the weight loss.

The third was overweight, not terribly, but she's very short and has some knee and ankle issues, so her extra weight inhibited her movement. She's still on the medication, consulting with a dietician, and has taken up exercises that she wasn't able to in the past.

I don't know anything about the drugs, but with the 2 mentioned above, the drugs were part of a toolbox toward overall health improvement. In both cases, it allowed them to feel good enough to exercise again and develop more positive lifestyle changes. If this is what these drugs can accomplish, they're hopeful. From a quality of life issue, I love seeing women enjoying better health. From a purely financial perspective, it seems the upfront costs might deter long-term costs associated with chronic disease. As a healthcare consumer, I'm all for that.

I'd like to give Gscience a shout-out. She regularly contributes to our Healthy Lifestyle threads here. Until *this* thread, I had forgotten she was on Z, because her posts focus on the changes and efforts she makes in terms of her exercise, eating habits, and overall positive attitude. She's an inspiration.

About Metformin. I don't know why it's prescribed for weight loss. I've been on it for about 12 years...I think...and the main side effect for a month or so was tummy issues until the body adjusts to it. It needs to be taken with food or you'll get more tummy issues. Then it goes completely away. That's when patients lose weight, not after. I was also following a strict diabetic diet.

Before last month I was taking one pill in the morning and one at night, always with food. He put me on the extended release Metformin and I have to take the full dose in the morning.

The compound pharmacy doesn't sell the name brand Ozempic, they sell semaglutide which is what O is.

I'll also be upfront on what I pay because I believe O is robbing people blind. The Dr. talked to me about taking Ozempic, and he said if I can't afford it he can send in a prescription to a compound pharmacy. I went to our pharmacy and they had my prescription, and when I asked what it cost she said close to $1,000 for a six week supply/6 shots No way. Then she told me Medicare will pay a little over half the price because of being diabetic. Nope. That's a car payment a month!

The doctor hooked me up with the pharmacy and the beginning six week dose was $80.00 + s&h, which came to $130. It comes overnight from another state in a cold container. I have my second batch which has a higher dose, and it costs more, but...s&h is free, so it comes to the same price!

I can tell it's working, at least with my blood sugar, and like I said, I've lost 5 lbs. Tomorrow is the 6th dose, then the stronger dose begins next week.

No one knows I take it except one friend. She took Ozempic and it did nothing. She was put on a higher dose and it still did nothing. This was Ozempic. Some people can't lose the weight, and she moves a lot at work.

Oakley, I don't understand compounding but everyone seems to be against it. The savings are impressive though, I am lucky that my own costs will be low so I can use the branded medications. I agree that for some people the medications don't work, and even when it works it is not magic. You still have to make the effort to eat right and exercise. Good luck with your health and continued weight loss.

Feathers, LOL I am short too so that does make it harder to carry extra weight, even if I am not technically obese.

Nini, Other than Hollywood types, I can't imagine anyone taking this medicine out of vanity! If they don't have a health problem and or a very high BMI, I don't think a Doctor will prescribe it and an insurer surely won't cover it. So your friends are playing 1000 a month for life and injecting medication just to help them look a little bit better (I assuming if they play tennis they didn't need to lose like 100 pounds!)

Gscience, thank you for explaining that these drugs are not exactly new and untested. That helps!

“Nini, Other than Hollywood types, I can't imagine anyone taking this medicine out of vanity! If they don't have a health problem and or a very high BMI, I don't think a Doctor will prescribe it and an insurer surely won't cover it. ”

Jumping in to say that of course people will take these drugs for vanity reasons only. And there will always be a way to get a prescription.

I’m old enough, and was once heavy enough, to have used most every option available for weight loss.

Starting back in high school when my doctor prescribed Preludin (Amphetamine). Years later it was Phen Phen. Add in every single miracle weight loss food and program., I tried most. The thing is, I wasn’t obese, just not thin enough in my mind.

Weight Watchers did work for me.

I hope that years from now bad side effects do not present.

A weekly injection or pill, added to smart eating and body movement, would have been on my must try list.

I know people will go to great lengths to get thin purely out of vanity. I still don't think many people will decide to spend over 1000 a month for the rest of their lives just to look better. Hollywood yes, and very wealthy people. All the others things you listed are pretty cheap.

P.S. I think getting into who should take it can be judgey and isn't really my question. You never know another person's reasons.

“All the others things you listed are pretty cheap.”

Back in the early 1990s, Phen Phen cost me $300.00 monthly. I would not classify us as ’very wealthy’. Somehow I found that extra money.

The price of the drugs will come down, sooner than later.

Kitsch, compounding pharmacies have been around forever. Many meds have to be compounded because of specific needs of a patient that's not in a manufactured med. Compounding has to have more than one med, and the pharmacists are trained in school how to do it & become certified in compounding. The pharmacist who does my meds knew everything, I was so impressed when I talked to her. She answered every question I asked. We talked about people taking it for weight loss because I asked if they need to check their blood sugar, and she said it would be a good idea to do it every now and then so they know if they're heading towards hypoglycemia.

Where I live you'd be surprised at all the people who've lost weight using semaglutide. I can't say it was Ozempic they use but O is semaglutide. Two 40 year olds look like models, and they've been obese for years. It's big business now. There are weight loss places with workout equipment and even they have someone to prescribe semaglutide. I heard my first commercial on the radio the other day. Floored me!

I don’t understand why Compounding Pharmacies are being questioned? State regulations have to be met.

Maddie, But did you expect to spend 330 a month every month for the rest of your life. Probably not.

Oak,

It's good you have someone your Doctor trusts. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/medications-containing-semaglutide-marketed-type-2-diabetes-or-weight-loss

“Maddie, But did you expect to spend 330 a month every month for the rest of your life. Probably not”

For me, probably so.

I liked Phen Phen and looked dang good while on it. When the drug combination was no longer available I was able to keep the weight off, and stable. Weight Watchers again.

I never took Fen-Phen but googling says " the drugs were never approved to be taken in combination for long periods of time" but today everyone says Ozempic and such are for life, like Bp medication or statins etc.

I have always used Weight Watchers too, although they have changed so much over the years. I like My Fitness Pal too because for me tracking is the thing. Good for you to keep your weight off since the 90s! I have been up and down with the same 25 pounds a few times.

I don’t understand why Compounding Pharmacies are being questioned? State regulations have to be met. I personaly have no dog in this fight as I won't be using one. But there is a lot about this on the internet. Some states do little oversight.

HU

My doctor told me to expect to stay on it or a similar medication for life, and not to take it if I wasn't on board with that. Think of blood pressire medication. You take it, it lowers your BP. Do you say YAY and stop taking it? If you do, your BP goes back up. So you take it indefinitely. He says the same is true with weight loss drugs.

That does not mean that losing weight cannot "correct" diabetes and other things. But you have to stay on the medication to keep the weight off and you have to keep the weight off to "correct" the illness. Everything I have read is very clear on that point. People often believe they can stop when they get to a good weight but 70% of them regain when they go off if I remember it right.

I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone who didn’t truly believe that if they lost the weight they would keep it off.

I know it seldoms happens, but most people do think that they will be able to maintain a healthy weight and say that they will never let the weight return.

Since it doesn’t happen and if being an acceptable (to them) weight is important, yes to a med that has to be taken for the long haul.

kitch, if necessary, you’ll be able to do your own injections. I never thought that I would ever be able, then I had to. Not weight related need, life related.

You hope, with all the people taking these drugs, that they don't turn out to have some unknown long term side effects. The risk benefit decision is a personal one but for someone doing it for vanity reasons - yikes. I sometimes wonder if some of these folks are anti-jab and anti-big pharma but not for this. Seems like so many people fall in that camp these days

Back in the day my grandmother and aunt were obese (before it was so common). My aunt died obese in her 80s. My grandmother became thin after she started taking digitalis. She died at age 97.

You hope, with all the people taking these drugs, that they don't turn out to have some unknown long term side effects.

That's the thing- why risk those side effects unless it is to better your health it seems to me

About staying on it, I found a study from just a few months ago in the JAMA. They had 700 or so people on the drug for 9 months and the average person lost 21% of their weight.

The they split the groups in two. One got the drug for another year, the other got a placebo. The ones who got the drug ended up down 25% total. The ones on a placebo backslid and ended up down only 10%. The study ended there but the trend is not your friend if you stop I guess

Anyway, thanks to everyone for your comments.

I was looking more at the study from the Journal of the AMA. This is think is almost funny. They say 60% of participants continuing the medication reported at least 1 "side effect" compared with 56% of participants who switched to placebo! HAHA, so much for side effects!

I do personally think trying to eat right and exercise, etc shoukd be tried first.

I doubt anyone suggest otherwise and I am sure the vast majority have and have had success, too. You need to do that on the medicines too. It is not a magic wand

The people on this thread using these medications have serious health conditions. So the list of side effects has to be compared to the primary effects of the status quo, eg diabetes, heart disease. These side effects should also be weighted by their probability of occurrence vs the actual fact that someone has a disease now that could be ameliorated. A simple laundry list of scary things is not that useful.

I do not have a medical background but one thing I always wonder about side effects is how they compare to the incidence of those issues in the population generally. Like if one in 100 people get a headache on a given day on a given med, how many people not on meds get a headache on a given day. The example above, where the 56% of people on a placebo had a side effect (what?(, kind of makes that point.

One often hears that side effects are underreported but this example seems to suggest they may be over-reported. And certainly the FDA itself admits that they have no idea about the causality.

Years ago for some reason or other I was sitting around with a GF and we got to reading the little pamphlet that comes with BC pills. We were actually laughing at the comically long list of seemingly unrelated effects. It struck us as crazy.

Still, that is the whole issue. If we knew for certain that there were absolutely no side effects even if taken for years and years, I don't think the OP would be hesitating. Hopefully more research or a second opinion can help them weigh their unique risks and benefits.

If the possible side effects of any medication keeps people away from the medication, no medicine would be sold.

Possible side effects of aspirin include:

1. Abdominal or stomach pain, cramping, or burning
2. black, tarry stools
3. bloody or cloudy urine
4. change in consciousness
5. chest pain or discomfort
6. confusion
7. constipation
8. convulsions, severe or continuing
9. dark urine
10. decreased frequency or amount of urine
11. diarrhea
12. difficult breathing
13. drowsiness
14. fainting
15. fast breathing
16. feeling that something terrible will happen
17. fever
18. general tiredness and weakness
19. greatly decreased frequency of urination or amount of urine
20. headache
21. heartburn
22. increased thirst
23. indigestion
24. irregular heartbeat
25. light-colored stools
26. loss of appetite
27. loss of consciousness
28. lower back or side pain
29. muscle cramping and weakness
30. muscle tremors
31. nausea or vomiting
32. nervousness
33. numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or lips
34. panic
35. rapid, deep breathing
36. restlessness
37. seizures
38. skin rash
39. stomach cramps
40. swelling of the face, fingers, or lower legs

LOL, Maddie! Thanks for that. You've summed up what I was trying to say beautifully! I think drug makers and the FDA need to find a new way to communicate about side effects. The warnings become useless as they are.

Luckily, I am not on any medication and don't even take aspirin. I took one Tylenol total for 3 childbirths. Knock wood.

“ I took one Tylenol total for 3 childbirths.”

You are super human, like my daughter-in-law. I wanted heavy drugs at the first labor pain.

Wow, Gscience very impressive. You certainly know what you're doing.

From ABC news — FYI - “Oprah Winfrey’s ABC Special ‘Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution’ Airs Tonight (3/18) at 8 pm ET

Streaming next day on Hulu

Oprah Winfrey hosts a sit-down conversation with the country’s leading medical experts and everyday people around the radical impact of prescription weight loss medications.”

Best of luck @gsciencechick! It sounds like you have thoroughly researched the med. Hypo thryroid makes losing weight so very hard. As if it weren't hard enough already!!

these drugs slow motility of you digestive track. This makes you feel full longer. It also can lead to serious bowl obstructions, ileus. There were a few deaths linked to this so the FDA has put that on the labels now.

After a year of treatment for anorexia with my teen daughter, I find I do not like the idea of these drugs at all. Losing so much weight quickly and restricting caloric intake causes many issues worse than pre diabetes. Anorexia exists in larger bodies at a very high rate. It causes bradycardia, muscle loss, low blood pressure, Gastroparesis, suicidal ideation, hormonal imbalance, and much more. Sounds like a-lot of the side effects listed.

If I had type 2 diabetes then yes I might consider it but if my numbers were normal I would consider that not everyone has the same body type and embrace that.

ETA, Something not often discussed is that after a year or more on these drugs the average weight loss was only 14 lbs with a 2mg dose weekly for ozempic and 25lb in 52 weeks for Mounjaro . That might not be enough benefit to warrant the side effects.

Roar,

I'm so sorry your daughter has suffered with anorexia, and I hope she recovers fully. I am sure that had been very hard to deal with and scary. It's a terrible disease and I don't know a lot about it but it feels like our society created it.

I don't think anyone on this thread is talking about taking these medicine for vanity sakes! I am not. If you read my post my Doctor suggested this for health reasons given my family history.

Your numbers are not correct. In the most recent study in the JAMA which I mention above, participants who stayed on Zepbound, also called Mounjaro, over 88 weeks lost 25% of their starting weight, not 52 weeks/25 pounds. The point its the loss is very signifiacnt to health, and done slowly. Zepbound effect the satiety as well as motility by the way.

Frankly, I would find it useful if anyone has first hand side effect info. I do not really need someone to cut and paste a list of side effects. That is easily available but as discussed above, not helpful for a host of reasons.

It seems very few people here have any first hand knowledge, and again I thank those that have shared!

@kitschykitch There is an Oprah special on right now where real people are talking about their experiences wirh the meds. If you can’t watch it now, I’m sure it will be on Hulu. It’s goid so far.

I liked how the one doctor explained how the medications work, that GLP-1 is naturally made in the gut, but the medications mimic it and make a person's physiology more effective.

Wow, the story of the teen girl was incredibly moving.

Oh yeah, and I'm having trouble finding my 5 mg dose. CVS said call again tomorrow but I will also call the supermarket pharmacy and Costco and maybe even Walmart.

Thought Oprah would offer to pay for the teen girls meds. Her mother, too. And you get Ozempic, and you get Ozempic and you get Ozempic!

Sorry, not a fan of Oprah. There were some good points made in this show, but I get so tired of her.

They could have used more time to address accessibility/shortages and cost.

They could have had fewer commercials. Wish Id counted.

Yes, the commercials were probably half the program! This partly why we almost never watch live network TV other than sports.

I felt like the whole special itself was an informercial. I know she will donate her profits as a WW shareholder( WW now sells weight loss meds and caters meal plans for users) but it still seemed very biased. Long term studies are hard to achieve because only 32 percent of all these drugs‘ users continue using it after 12 months. Why they quit is likely a combo of four possibilities, shortages, cost even when insured, weight stabilization before desired goal or side effects. No matter the reasons 32 percent drop out rate is a very high percent for a drug which is meant to be a life long medication.

Years ago— so I don’t know if the numbers are still current / valid— I read in a medical journal that 50% of prescriptions written are not filled and 50% of those filled are not taken in compliance, eg according to directions as to amount, timing, with or without food, taking entire rx, etc.

People are notoriously unreliable about filling and taking prescriptions, regardless of the benefits they confer and the risks of discontinuing them. A universal health plan with a low or no copayment would eliminate at least one barrier to compliance.

It’s really insane what people pay. Some people pay $0 with insurance, some pay $25 with insurance and coupon, others like me pay $550 with coupon,, all sorts in between, and others can’t use the coupons and have to pay full price which is $1,100. It makes no sense!

I had a hard time getting my 5 mg dose. It was ordered March 11, reordered March 18, and I picked it up today. I was due for my dose last Sunday. I tried getting it at the supermarket vs. CVS but the supermarket doesn’t participate in Express Scripts, so they can’t bill the insurance and run the coupon, so I would’ve had to have paid the full $1,100 price. They were able to get it in right away, though. Again, none of this makes any sense! There are even more shortages of 7.5 and 10. It is like the Hunger Games trying to get each person’s dose. I saw the doctor today and he will keep me on the lowest dose as long as I am losing.

I watched most of the special on Hulu. I think it was too much on personal stories and not enough on science. Two things I learned that made me more favorable. One, the drug has been used for 20 years, and two - our bodies already make GLP1.

GS chick, That's terribly frustrating. I am not sure it was a good idea to do a big special on this when we have such bad shortages.

Yes, it doesn't help! There have also been a huge amount of prescriptions written since January.