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Diabetes drug significantly cuts body weight in adults with obesity

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Replies

  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,113 Member
    nooshi713 wrote: »
    tsazani wrote: »
    Obesity and T2D are protective mechanisms the body uses to protect itself from excessive consumption of sugar and carbs.

    A medication is NOT the answer. Cutting out / down the poison is the answer.


    Absolutely untrue. Obesity is not a protective mechanism. It is a result of excess calorie intake. Stop with your horrible advice all over these boards.

    THANK YOU!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,843 Member
    Bumping because I heard about semaglutide elsewhere. I love the idea of an appetite suppressant without cardiovascular concerns, but the side effects sound dreadful, and weekly shots inconvenient.

    https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-drug-treatment-chronic-weight-management-first-2014

    For Immediate Release:
    June 04, 2021

    Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Wegovy (semaglutide) injection (2.4 mg once weekly) for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related condition (such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol), for use in addition to a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity. This under-the-skin injection is the first approved drug for chronic weight management in adults with general obesity or overweight since 2014. The drug is indicated for chronic weight management in patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 kg/m2 or greater who have at least one weight-related ailment or in patients with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater.

    ...The most common side effects of Wegovy include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal (stomach) pain, headache, fatigue, dyspepsia (indigestion), dizziness, abdominal distension, eructation (belching), hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in patients with type 2 diabetes, flatulence (gas buildup), gastroenteritis (an intestinal infection) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (a type of digestive disorder).

    The prescribing information for Wegovy contains a boxed warning to inform healthcare professionals and patients about the potential risk of thyroid C-cell tumors. Wegovy should not be used in patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or in patients with a rare condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).

    Wegovy should not be used in patients with a history of severe allergic reactions to semaglutide or any of the other components of Wegovy. Patients should stop Wegovy immediately and seek medical help if a severe allergic reaction is suspected. Wegovy also contains warnings for inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), gallbladder problems (including gallstones), low blood sugar, acute kidney injury, diabetic retinopathy (damage to the eye's retina), increased heart rate and suicidal behavior or thinking. Patients should discuss with their healthcare professional if they have symptoms of pancreatitis or gallstones. If Wegovy is used with insulin or a substance that causes insulin secretion, patients should speak to their health care provider about potentially lowering the dose of insulin or the insulin-inducing drug to reduce the risk of low blood sugar. Healthcare providers should monitor patients with kidney disease, diabetic retinopathy and depression or suicidal behaviors or thoughts.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,926 Member
    You would probably find contraindications for most meds.

    As far as I know, it is not prescribed ( not on the PBS anyway) for weight loss here in Australia.

    But used sometimes for type 2 diabetes not responding sufficiently to oral meds.

    Sure, giving oneself an injection weekly is inconvenient- but by that stage, usually it is that or insulin, which of course is injected more often than weekly.
  • Derpes
    Derpes Posts: 2,033 Member
    Following this thread. One aspect of it that I'd like to learn more about is the impact of this drug on appetite, and if that is a part of why it seems to work.

    Thank you for posting!
  • Beautyofdreams
    Beautyofdreams Posts: 1,009 Member
    A thought about the side effects: if the test subjects were diabetics then retinopathy, kidney disease and low blood sugars are common issues in diabetes. Doubt if the drug worsens them. As for nausea and dizziness they are not uncommon symptoms of low blood sugar. Nausea is also caused by gastroparesis which can be caused by diabetic nerve damage so that the stomach empties slowly. Flatulence is also common when diabetics over consume carbohydrates. I had diagnosed diabetes for over 21 years before receiving a kidney/pancreas transplant. I still suffer from gastroparesis, lost one eye to retinopathy and have experienced all the issues that I mentioned. Please keep in mind that if any person in the test groups experiences a medical issue, the issue is recorded as a side effect whether it is related to the drug or not. Personally, I would have taken this medication if it was available to me.
  • lissette187
    lissette187 Posts: 1 Member
    Hi all,

    I have been taking Wegovy for about 3 months now, I have not experienced any positive side effects. Instead, I often find myself nauseous, experiencing regular heartburn, and feeling more tired than normal. My current dose is 1.0 MG' and I have spoken to my doctor yesterday to express my concerns. She has now prescribed Phentermine to kick start my weight loss journey. I am interested to hear how others have responded to this new medication.
  • Bridgie3
    Bridgie3 Posts: 139 Member
    Theo166 wrote: »
    Below is the mechanism
    Semaglutide acts like human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) so that it increases insulin secretion, thereby increasing sugar metabolism.

    This is an important comment, because insulin resistance isn't cured by adding more insulin.

    I'm using a freestyle libre lately, to measure my blood sugars, and it has led me to get lower and lower carb in my diet, because that way my blood sugars don't go crazy. For instance, 1/2 tsp sugar will send me upwards of 11, 12... bad stuff.

    Been watching a few youtubes and I think the consensus for type 2 diabetes is to lose weight to reduce resistance - but also to reduce carbs. That way I won't make as much insulin, and can resensitise to it.

    Either way I have to say it's making me feel a lot better, and I don't get anything like as hungry.
  • Bridgie3
    Bridgie3 Posts: 139 Member
    edited February 2022
    Dante_80 wrote: »
    tsazani wrote: »
    Obesity and T2D are protective mechanisms the body uses to protect itself from excessive consumption of sugar and carbs.

    A medication is NOT the answer. Cutting out / down the poison is the answer.

    Sugar and carbs are not a poison. Excessive consumption in any possible macronutrient mix can result in obesity and T2D.

    I can't find the original post by Tsazani. Which is a shame, because sucrose and hfcs, in the quantities the western world consumes it in, IS toxic. It is very toxic.

    Fructose is a 5 sided molecule, that your body cannot metabolise properly and that your brain can't see. It has to be dealt with in the liver, and creates a fatty droplet and triglycerides. Glucose is fine, but sucrose is 1 fructose and 1 glucose molecule. So that's fatty droplets, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol all being made right there, to deal with this stuff. You get to use some of it, but mostly it gets stored.

    Overconsumption of fructose can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, high cholesterol, definitely obesity. This is because when your body sees it, it tries to store it.

    As to glucose, being what all carbohydrates end up as, the safe six sided molecule, this will intially have some storage in the liver as glycogen, which is fine. But what happens to the glucose that goes into the blood?

    Answer? Insulin.

    You eat the carbs, the insulin shows up and hurtles round, bringing the glucose into cells, and storing it as fat. You're in store mode. And you'll mop it all up and tidy it away in a couple of hours and then find yourself hungry again. This is how high carb eaters can eat a pile of food and still be starving. Their bodies are storing the carbs as fat, so those carbs aren't available to be used.

    So if you are eating carbs, and they're going into your blood, and your body is storing them, that is the antithesis of what you are attempting to achieve.

    :smile:
  • ReenieHJ
    ReenieHJ Posts: 9,724 Member
    TBH I'd never heard of this approach before and know nothing about it. But I was talking with my dd last night and they'd prescribed the injection for her. Luckily her insurance wouldn't pay for it so she canceled her appointment to go forward with it. She said it'd cost her about 1K a month.

    I am so skeptical of using drugs to make this happen. It's scary to think about as far as long-term consequences. I remember using Dexatrim way back in my late teens. I became so fidgety, irritable and nervous I had to quit. I'm not anti-drug per se but feel that everything causes a reaction of some kind. :/

    Simply put, there is no easy way to achieve desired weight loss. But it can be done.
  • BeYourBestSelfDeb
    BeYourBestSelfDeb Posts: 64 Member
    I personally in the past was prescribed victoza but experienced side effects. He switched me to Trulicity and I am doing much better. My new endocrinologist is supportive of me taking it. As he explained it is not an insulin. It is an enhancer for insulin. I feel it helps curb my appetite and I am not having food cravings or feeling the need to eat between meals.

    I think it is always best to talk to your dr and figure out what is best and may work for you because we are all different. What works for one person may not work for another. I wish you well.
  • chris_in_cal
    chris_in_cal Posts: 2,127 Member
    Is it up to MFP standards to discuss Semaglutides? Are there some MFP rules regarding this? I believe things are censored according to MFP standards, but I've not read any published standards for MFP posting. Do they exist?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,907 Member
    edited July 2023
    Is it up to MFP standards to discuss Semaglutides? Are there some MFP rules regarding this? I believe things are censored according to MFP standards, but I've not read any published standards for MFP posting. Do they exist?

    What? What do you mean?

    If it's legal, we can talk about it. Here are the general Community Guidelines:
    https://www.myfitnesspal.com/community-guidelines

    This is posted in the Debate Club section, too. There will be lots of opinions here. You can read the Debate Club "rules" here:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10331444/welcome-to-the-debate-health-and-fitness-category-please-read

  • chris_in_cal
    chris_in_cal Posts: 2,127 Member
    It seems a thread was removed from Debate Club today.

    I'm new in this "Debate Club" category and have never observed a thread being removed. I was surprised (though I could just be mistaken on this)