Ozempic for weight loss

zutshihora
zutshihora Posts: 30 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Started Ozempic 0.25 as suggested by my Dr for weight loss,three weeks ago.
I have been eating carefully,I exercise daily, very regular with food logging but have some 30-35 lbs to lose.
Week1,my appetite dropped,I was carefully eating between 1000-1200 calories.
Week 2,my appetite began to return. Was'nt not hungry any more !! So began to eat.
Week 3 on .25 and feel NO appetite suppression.
Had knocked off close to 2 KGS,but have gained back 1 KG already !
Hoping that the .5 will do the trick. And then the proper dose ,4 weeks after that should definitely do the trick
Have random periods of nausea every day. My IBS seems better. Some gastric issues like mild cramps, some diarrhea ( though with the IBS, it's hard to pin point),some bloating.
Anyone else has a similar experience?

Replies

  • crb426
    crb426 Posts: 661 Member
    Did you try to lose weight before taking the drug? Or was this the first step?

    To me, it seems extreme to take a drug for losing a reasonable amount of weight. And I agree with the other poster that a huge part of successful weight loss comes with learning how to eat the right way, not just relying on appetite suppressants.

    I would focus on your food intake (weigh everything, and find foods that keep you full and feeling healthy). Unless your doc told you to keep it that low, I'd eat more calories as well.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,206 Member
    edited September 2022
    paperpudding wrote: »
    Yes I can second that. I work in general practice in Australia myself.

    It is legal to prescribe as a private script ( ie the patient pays full price, it isn't PBS subsidised) and it is on the PBS ( ie capped subsidised price) for diabetics for whom oral meds are not sufficient or are not tolerated.

    There has been a shortage leading to supply issues for those who really need it for medical reasons.

    Yup, and private clinics like Juniper are charging $13 a day to prescribe it for weight loss!
  • bethhl
    bethhl Posts: 6 Member
    I've never taken Ozempic, but if I remember the ads for it, weight loss is fairly minor.... 8-12 lb per year.

    Tracking your food intake will probably help you more than any drug. Start off by just tracking every thing you eat.... don't worry about changing what and how you eat. Just get an honest picture of what you are currently doing. I thought I was doing a good job of watching my carb intake but until I started tracking my food ...again... my blood sugar levels and my weight were a constant issue.
  • zutshihora
    zutshihora Posts: 30 Member
    So,I am pre diabetic. Have tracked my calories and exercised daily for 6+ years and managed to knock off 12 + KGS My family doctor has suggested this ,seeing all the efforts that I have put in. The last blood work shows an uptick on my A1C,my lipids as well. He thinks ,this could act as a boost,to reset?
    I didn't even know that something like this existed..
    I was Ok with my weight having plateaued but then it just began to pile back on with nothing having changed as far as my diet and exercise go. I went back to the "obese" category from the "overweight"🤫.
  • Cbionic
    Cbionic Posts: 3 Member
    paperpudding wrote: »
    However just one correction - Ozempic is not an appetite suppressant - it works by filtering more glucose through the kidneys rather than it all being left in the bloodstream to then enter the cells,
    so weight loss is acheived by the body absorbing less calories.

    Strictly that isn’t correct. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 agonist which works by increasing insulin release, lowering the amount of glucagon released (diabetes) delaying gastric emptying and reducing appetite (weight loss).
    It’s a bit like saying Sildenafil (viagra) is not for erectile dysfunction! It is a medication for angina but like the Semaglutide they found it had other applications too.

  • zutshihora
    zutshihora Posts: 30 Member
    @Cbionic.
    Hang in there Sorry to hear of your struggles. Hope Ozempic works and is enough to do the trick.🤞🤞
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,206 Member
    paperpudding wrote: »
    They do not work “by filtering glucose”- that is a total misunderstanding of their several neurocentric and metabolic modes of action.

    yes they do. In simplified terms, as I stated in my first post

    that is how they lower blood sugar level for diabetics. And it is primarily a diabetic medication

    I wont appeal to authority of myself, because of course anyone can claim expert status on the internet - a simple google will confirm that.

    It's a GLP-1 receptor antagonist.

    https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00048155.PDF

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    neanderthin wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    They do not work “by filtering glucose”- that is a total misunderstanding of their several neurocentric and metabolic modes of action.

    yes they do. In simplified terms, as I stated in my first post

    that is how they lower blood sugar level for diabetics. And it is primarily a diabetic medication

    I wont appeal to authority of myself, because of course anyone can claim expert status on the internet - a simple google will confirm that.

    It's a GLP-1 receptor antagonist.

    https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00048155.PDF

    I cannot easily read PDFs on my phone and I am on pain meds. Would you please summarize?
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,271 Member
    neanderthin wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    They do not work “by filtering glucose”- that is a total misunderstanding of their several neurocentric and metabolic modes of action.

    yes they do. In simplified terms, as I stated in my first post

    that is how they lower blood sugar level for diabetics. And it is primarily a diabetic medication

    I wont appeal to authority of myself, because of course anyone can claim expert status on the internet - a simple google will confirm that.

    It's a GLP-1 receptor antagonist.

    https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00048155.PDF

    Yes it certainly is.

    And from the intro in product PDF linked : OZEMPIC® is indicated for the once-weekly treatment of adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus to improve glycemic control, in combination with......


    59 pages of detailed product info follow.

    But clearly primarily for type 2 diabetes; weight loss is a ' side effect'.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,206 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    neanderthin wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    They do not work “by filtering glucose”- that is a total misunderstanding of their several neurocentric and metabolic modes of action.

    yes they do. In simplified terms, as I stated in my first post

    that is how they lower blood sugar level for diabetics. And it is primarily a diabetic medication

    I wont appeal to authority of myself, because of course anyone can claim expert status on the internet - a simple google will confirm that.

    It's a GLP-1 receptor antagonist.

    https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00048155.PDF

    I cannot easily read PDFs on my phone and I am on pain meds. Would you please summarize?

    Sure. They're a Glucagon Like Peptide hence the GLP. Basically, they mimic the effect of glucagon which is released in the gut that increases insulin production in the beta cells of the pancreas which help lower blood glucose and they also increase satiety and slows gastric emptying which is the active mechanism for potential weight loss. They also have some effect on blood pressure and cholesterol. Cheers.
  • Mardo2044
    Mardo2044 Posts: 4 Member
    Your question has anyone else experienced this on Ozempic. Yes, I have. Almost exactly the same experience. I was not hungry at all the first week. Second week I had some mild symptoms but appetite was back. Third week like I'm not on it at all. I am still being successful in my weight loss, in a large part because I am on the drug for diabetes and I am taking this very seriously. So I am losing slowly, but it mostly has to do with logging and tracking calories and improved commitment to exercise IMO.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,206 Member
    edited November 2022
    paperpudding wrote: »
    They do not work “by filtering glucose”- that is a total misunderstanding of their several neurocentric and metabolic modes of action.

    yes they do. In simplified terms, as I stated in my first post

    that is how they lower blood sugar level for diabetics. And it is primarily a diabetic medication

    I wont appeal to authority of myself, because of course anyone can claim expert status on the internet - a simple google will confirm that.
    paperpudding wrote: »
    I agree about the best approach is not to use medication for weight loss.

    However just one correction - Ozempic is not an appetite suppressant - it works by filtering more glucose through the kidneys rather than it all being left in the bloodstream to then enter the cells (simplified version)
    so weight loss is acheived by the body absorbing less calories.

    Ozempic primarily is not a weight loss medication - its primary aim is blood sugar control in diabetics for whom oral meds are not enough - but who don't quite need insulin
    paperpudding wrote: »
    I agree about the best approach is not to use medication for weight loss.

    However just one correction - Ozempic is not an appetite suppressant - it works by filtering more glucose through the kidneys rather than it all being left in the bloodstream to then enter the cells (simplified version)
    so weight loss is acheived by the body absorbing less calories.

    Ozempic primarily is not a weight loss medication - its primary aim is blood sugar control in diabetics for whom oral meds are not enough - but who don't quite need insulin

    I suspect your talking about SGLT2 inhibitors? I suspect Ozempic could probably be combined with SGLT2's under a Dr's supervision of course.
  • Lori11223344
    Lori11223344 Posts: 14 Member
    These injectable glucagon like peptides are now primary weight loss medications in Canada, as well as many other countries, for non diabetic people suffering from obesity.
    They have an NNT of 2, about as profound as any pharmaceutical for any illness.
    They produce, on average a 10-15% body weight reduction, compared to 2-3% for placebo.
    They improve quality of life for half the people who take them.
    Like anything else, you need to continue healthier eating habits after you stop them, or you will regain weight.
    I mention my expertise, not as an authority, but to stress that I, like many people with obesity, employed every other means over decades, unsuccessfully, before trying this medication.
    Simply put, it worked.
    So for those struggling over many years, talk to your doctor, and do not give up hope.
    Summary and simplified references for Canadian physicians can be found in the link
    https://www.cfp.ca/content/67/11/842
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,271 Member
    Ozempic can be combined with oral diabetic meds or with insulin, that is correct.

    I'm sure somewhere in the PDF would confirm that.

    Obviously (in Australia anyway) under Dr's supervision since it is a prescription only medication
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,206 Member
    ghrmj wrote: »
    Lori11223344 wrote: »
    These injectable glucagon like peptides are now primary weight loss medications in Canada, as well as many other countries, for non diabetic people suffering from obesity.
    They have an NNT of 2, about as profound as any pharmaceutical for any illness.
    They produce, on average a 10-15% body weight reduction, compared to 2-3% for placebo.
    They improve quality of life for half the people who take them.
    Like anything else, you need to continue healthier eating habits after you stop them, or you will regain weight.
    I mention my expertise, not as an authority, but to stress that I, like many people with obesity, employed every other means over decades, unsuccessfully, before trying this medication.
    Simply put, it worked.
    So for those struggling over many years, talk to your doctor, and do not give up hope.
    Summary and simplified references for Canadian physicians can be found in the link
    https://www.cfp.ca/content/67/11/842
    "Bottom line
    Used with lifestyle changes, 2.4 mg of subcutaneous SGT weekly resulted in a mean 10% to 15% weight loss (10 to 15 kg) over 68 weeks versus 2% to 3% (3 to 4 kg) with placebo (PC). Most (70% to 80%) lost 5% or more of their body weight. About 75% had gastrointestinal side effects, but few discontinued treatment. Weight was regained on medication discontinuation."

    So do you have to keep taking it forever? Like this is an ongoing lifetime commitment?

    I wonder for how many people excessive hunger is the basis of their obesity. For me personally I don't think hunger has much to do with my weight issues, I don't over eat because of hunger but because of bad habits and poor food choices. So I would imagine an appetite suppressant wouldn't be of much benefit.

    Most medications generally address symptoms and not the underlying cause and it makes sense that when medication ends that the symptoms return and, in this case, weight gain. Cheers.
  • Lori11223344
    Lori11223344 Posts: 14 Member
    ghrmj wrote: »

    So do you have to keep taking it forever? Like this is an ongoing lifetime commitment?

    I wonder for how many people excessive hunger is the basis of their obesity. For me personally I don't think hunger has much to do with my weight issues, I don't over eat because of hunger but because of bad habits and poor food choices. So I would imagine an appetite suppressant wouldn't be of much benefit.

    I don't think we have enough research to say its a lifetime commitment. Its really only been studied for weight loss for the last 7 years or so. That said, current theories suggest that obesity is a chronic health condition that is partly genetically based, and probably also one of the inflammatory diseases, so taking medication long term would make intuitive sense. Not everything intuitive in medicine is correct however.

    My personal experience is that I am very experienced in nutrition, dietary management, and did not have any eating disorders, nor did I significantly overeat in my lifetime. What I do have is many generations of famine survivors in my ancestry. If I look back at pictures of women in my family for the past 150 years, the women are all overweight and hypothyroid appearing, once they had survived the various famines and wars they went through. So although I may eat what all the BMR calculators think is right for the average woman of my size, I will gain weight on what is a baseline maintenance diet for someone else. In the same way, some of my “naturally thin” friends who have struggled all their lives to gain or maintain weight, generally eat about twice as much as I do when we go out together. Metabolism is highly individual.

    My endocrinologist suggests that once one develops insulin resistance on the basis of excess weight, overpowering hunger is often a symptom. End tissues are resistant to the effect of insulin so that glucose in the bloodstream is not easily absorbed into most cells where it can be used for energy, but fat cells readily take up and store the extra glucose, so even when you eat, you are still starving at the functional cellular level, but are gaining weight through fat storage. My hope is that by reducing weight, my insulin resistance will also be reduced, and that may be why, after losing 15 lbs with the Ozempic, my overpowering hunger did not return even after I quit the med.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,206 Member
    Lori11223344 wrote: »
    ghrmj wrote: »

    So do you have to keep taking it forever? Like this is an ongoing lifetime commitment?

    I wonder for how many people excessive hunger is the basis of their obesity. For me personally I don't think hunger has much to do with my weight issues, I don't over eat because of hunger but because of bad habits and poor food choices. So I would imagine an appetite suppressant wouldn't be of much benefit.

    I don't think we have enough research to say its a lifetime commitment. Its really only been studied for weight loss for the last 7 years or so. That said, current theories suggest that obesity is a chronic health condition that is partly genetically based, and probably also one of the inflammatory diseases, so taking medication long term would make intuitive sense. Not everything intuitive in medicine is correct however.

    My personal experience is that I am very experienced in nutrition, dietary management, and did not have any eating disorders, nor did I significantly overeat in my lifetime. What I do have is many generations of famine survivors in my ancestry. If I look back at pictures of women in my family for the past 150 years, the women are all overweight and hypothyroid appearing, once they had survived the various famines and wars they went through. So although I may eat what all the BMR calculators think is right for the average woman of my size, I will gain weight on what is a baseline maintenance diet for someone else. In the same way, some of my “naturally thin” friends who have struggled all their lives to gain or maintain weight, generally eat about twice as much as I do when we go out together. Metabolism is highly individual.

    My endocrinologist suggests that once one develops insulin resistance on the basis of excess weight, overpowering hunger is often a symptom. End tissues are resistant to the effect of insulin so that glucose in the bloodstream is not easily absorbed into most cells where it can be used for energy, but fat cells readily take up and store the extra glucose, so even when you eat, you are still starving at the functional cellular level, but are gaining weight through fat storage. My hope is that by reducing weight, my insulin resistance will also be reduced, and that may be why, after losing 15 lbs with the Ozempic, my overpowering hunger did not return even after I quit the med.

    You lost weight from ozempic's effect on satiety and you ate less, which is not surprising but it will be up to you going forward whether you continue to eat less, because that is the reality. Hopefully your inspired and you continue to eat less, cheers.
  • zutshihora
    zutshihora Posts: 30 Member
    So here is an update. Several.monyhs later,on the fill dosage and NO weight loss beyond the 6 odd pbs ! The blood sugars a re almost normal. The side effects have settled,the IBS does it's own thing...
    Me thinks maybe an on the other end of the spectrum where the loss is the slowest if at all?
    Will take the blood glucose being near normal.most times !
    I do eat less. Keep logging diligently,eat carefully, workout daily. Don't know what else I can possibly do
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,206 Member
    zutshihora wrote: »
    So here is an update. Several.monyhs later,on the fill dosage and NO weight loss beyond the 6 odd pbs ! The blood sugars a re almost normal. The side effects have settled,the IBS does it's own thing...
    Me thinks maybe an on the other end of the spectrum where the loss is the slowest if at all?
    Will take the blood glucose being near normal.most times !
    I do eat less. Keep logging diligently,eat carefully, workout daily. Don't know what else I can possibly do

    Yeah, when they do these studies the variability among participants will cover the whole spectrum of results and I would imagine there will even be a few that gain weight. If it's helping your A1C and reducing your IR then that does go into the win column. Cheers
  • Melwillbehealthy
    Melwillbehealthy Posts: 894 Member
    I’ve been taking ozempic for 4 months now, and have had similar reactions to it.. My A1C level has dropped and I’ve lost 30 lbs. For me, I don’t think it would work as a weight loss drug by itself. I’ve changed my lifestyle a lot. Maybe it just gave me the mental ‘hope’ to start eating and living healthier. I’m on 1 mg. A week , and since it’s lowered my blood sugar level I don’t want to increase my dosage unless the doctor insists on it. At this point she agrees with me.
    I don’t notice any nausea reactions to it as I did when I first started taking it, but I have severe diverticulitis, and sometimes it comes into play. Since I’m eating healthier and exercising more, a lot has improved, even my gut issues.
    I really think some of us need to believe it’s helping us lose weight in order for us to be successful. Even a little, tiny feeling of appetite suppression goes a long way mentally. It’s something overweight people can grab onto, and work with it, and be successful, maybe for the first time in their lives.
    If it’s prescribed as a weight loss drug, I believe most people know or are told to change some bad habits and work with the drug. Some don’t I guess.
    Ozempic is a drug that is giving hope to people that before felt hopeless. That’s a wonderful thing. It is still a drug though, and you have to decide how long you want to take it. My goal is to get off drugs. I have been taking more control of my own health since I started ozempic, and checking in with my doctor more often. I have a lot more weight to lose, and won’t be expecting ozempic to do it for me, but, it is definitely assisting me at this point or visa versa.
    There shouldn’t be controversy around a drug that helps people. There’s no shortage here.

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