Awaiting my blood work to get my prescription

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Hello! I had an appointment with my Dr. To discuss my weight issues that progressively have gotten worse over the last 5 years. I went from 145 to 195 in that time. I no longer have a career where I am physically active and I went through some life changing events that caused severe stress in my life.

My Dr suggested Ozempic because of my family history of type 2 diabetes and my inability to get the weight off despite efforts on my part. He said that stress can play a major role in holding onto the weight. He also told me that stress can hinder the efficacy of this drug for weight loss. Has anyone else heard this? I feel so defeated and I’m willing to try anything, but to go through the side effects and have it not work anyways would be crushing.

I will update when I get my prescription and begin taking the medication. I watched some YouTube videos of people saying to combat nausea with Dramamine. Has anyone done this? I may get some before I start. I also am prone to migraines so that is also a concern.

Anyways, I would love to take off this extra 50lbs. I turn 40 this year and it would be amazing to go into my 40s not feeling held back by my health.

Replies

  • buniphuphu
    buniphuphu Posts: 287 Member
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    I haven't heard that stress can hinder the efficacy of the drug, and it certainly hasn't for me. I started Ozempic on December 10, and I have plenty of stress. My mother died in October, and since then I have become the primary care giver for my disabled father. I work full-time, and I carry a full-time load as a doctoral student. Quite a few other things have gone on, but you get the idea.

    As of today, I have lost 27.7 pounds, which I am absolutely thrilled with. Most people don't lose as much in the beginning as I did. In fact, for the majority of people the early doses are to get your body used to the drug and the 1 mg and 2 mg doses are where the weight starts to come off, according to the research.
  • Phoenix_Dawn
    Phoenix_Dawn Posts: 64 Member
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    Yes you definitely have a high stress load and I feel for you. I am glad though to hear that it hasn’t affected your weight loss. 27 lbs is amazing!!

    I just took my very first 0.25 dose and I can only go up to the 1ml I think because my coverage will not cover wegovy here in Canada. Hopefully all goes well
  • buniphuphu
    buniphuphu Posts: 287 Member
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    Ozempic comes in 2 mg, as well. Wegovy goes to 2.4 mg, so you may have some additional room.

    I hope you have minimal side effects, but great successes!
  • akindofmagick
    akindofmagick Posts: 143 Member
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    Ozempic in Canada comes in either 2mg and 4mg pens (I order mine from Canada, cuz my US insurance does not cover weight loss meds - meaning it would cost me $1600 for a four week supply of .25mg).

    The pens give you the option to dial in different amounts, too. You could go from .5 to ~.75mg , for example, instead of .5 to 1.0mg.
  • Melwillbehealthy
    Melwillbehealthy Posts: 882 Member
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    Phoenix Dawn
    I just started ozempic today, a .25 dose. I had blood work done and I’m diabetic. I actually was thinking of getting it for weight loss before I found out about the diabetes. My doctor had suggested it to me. I’d never heard of it. I’m very obese and have some other health issues.
    I don’t know a lot about it, and am surprised you are expecting to get so many side affects. Does everyone experience that?
    I’m in Canada and just have ohip, as it’s always covered anything medical. I’m lucky it’s free.
    I experience nausea anyway due to other drugs I take. Hopefully, this won’t make me feel worse.
  • akindofmagick
    akindofmagick Posts: 143 Member
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    Hi, unfortunately, this group is practically moribund. Suggest you take a look at the Facebook group for Ozempi and Wegovy - it has tens of thousands of members, and is very active. You can search messages for other people with your health conditions.

    As for the side effects - look at the insert that came with your pen. There's a table in there that gives percentages of people who experience side effects. Ozempic has fewer side effects than aspirin - but everything that MIGHT be an issue has to be listed. The media (and tbh, the FB group) tends to blow the negativity out of proportion, in my opinion. Unhappy people are more likely to post than happy people.

    Starting at .25mg means you should have zero to minimal negative side effects as your body grows accustomed to the new med.

    GOOD LUCK!
  • Melwillbehealthy
    Melwillbehealthy Posts: 882 Member
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    Hi. I don’t seem to have any side effects. I try not to watch the American news about it as you’re right, it’s a lot of negativity about the drug. I haven’t noticed that here. The only bad thing I’ve heard here is that my friend’s husband took it for diabetes and lost weight quickly. Maybe he didn’t need to lose weight like I do. I’m expecting wonderful things to happen for me. I’m already feeling a bit better than I did before I got my first shot. Thanks for responding.
  • akindofmagick
    akindofmagick Posts: 143 Member
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    Unhappy people post far more than happy people, so the results are always skewed. Virtually no one goes on BBB to praise a company - only to complain, for example.