Would not trade Ozempic For Anything

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lglnurse1
lglnurse1 Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started in March and am down 20#, but am doing Factor meals and little snacking. I have never felt as good as I do now, and to see a number on the scale below 275 made me cry. If I have to go to Canada to get it I will, but Medicare covers most of it 9 months out of the year. My blood sugars have never been better and I am taking 2/3 less of the insulin that I used to take. I take it when I eat to prevent a spike in sugar vs using it to treat a spike throughout the day. I eat regular meals and normal portion sizes. Life changing. I was widowed at age 47 in 2016 and had just had a kidney transplant 2 months earlier from my brother. In August it will be 7 years and my brother and I are doing amazing. It would have been my 25th wedding anniversary on 6/20. My son just graduated from college and is going to grad school in the fall. There was a contestant on AGT (Nightbird) who was dying of cancer. She said “ you cannot wait for life to stop being hard to be happy”. I am finally getting back to a place of happiness, and it feels so good!
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Replies

  • lglnurse1
    lglnurse1 Posts: 3 Member
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    #kidneytransplant #widow #widowlife #youngwidow #emptynest #ozempic #ozampic #weightlloss
  • Melwillbehealthy
    Melwillbehealthy Posts: 882 Member
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    Good for you. Ozempic is providing hope for many people.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,925 Member
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    Yeah, it's a game changer for some people, but the bottom line is it's pretty much a last resort lifeline for those that can't seem to lose weight by other means which has it's own set of circumstances that will be challenging going forward into old age. Cheers.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,998 Member
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    Reads to me that OP is taking it for diabetic control as much as weight loss.

    If your blood sugar control has improved that is really good. :)
  • SunnyDays930
    SunnyDays930 Posts: 1,491 Member
    edited June 2023
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    I started on Wegovy on April 1 and have lost 16 lbs. This stuff is miraculous. ALSO, and I believe it will eventually be prescribed to people for this; it causes me to drink way less alcohol. I have also heard it helps people stop smoking. I will wean off it once I hit my desired weight.

    Starting weight 170
    current weight 154
  • dja060
    dja060 Posts: 13 Member
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    @SunnyDays930 Did you also change your diet, lifestyle, exercise habits etc when you started it?
  • onhaltn
    onhaltn Posts: 28 Member
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    I’ve been on Mounjaro since November. Down 83 pounds, about 60 to go. It has helped me change everything … low fat, low starch, high fruits, veggies, dairy and fish diet, with daily workouts (stationary bike, lap swimming, weight machines). The drug has eliminated the repetitive thinking and intense binge urges, leaving ordinary challenges of deciding to eat right or head to gym, like normal people with normal challenges. I know my new habits must be lifetime habits, and sine it will take a year or more to reach or near my goal weight, I have every hope the new habits will be ingrained. Getting the drug is a challenge every month, due to shortages, so at some point I’m likely to see what happens when I’m trying to eat and live this way without access to it.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,998 Member
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    re diabetes - Ozempic is not for type 1 diabetics.

    Type 2.

    some people with type 2 diabetes can lose weight to the point they no longer need medication - but this certainly doesn't work for everyone.

    weight loss will certainly be good for type 2 diabetics - but many will still need medication even at healthy weight range.
  • SunnyDays930
    SunnyDays930 Posts: 1,491 Member
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    Update: I have been on Wegovy since March 31 and have lost 20 lbs but when she raised the dosage last month it did a number on my stomach. Intestinal distress and tummy aches sometimes. I lowered the dosage this week and we will see how it goes. No problems so far but it's only day 2 on the lower dose.
  • chris_in_cal
    chris_in_cal Posts: 2,188 Member
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    Third, just like any medical intervention, there still needs to be a robust strategy for long term sustainability....

    ....look into Dr. Spencer Nadolsky. He is an obesity specialist and lipid specialist

    Thanks for the Nadolsky referral, he has a very nice piece in "Women's Health" that's free to read on the net.

    As for your #3, that's where you could be losing the plot. It is not always a "need." Triage for instance. If it lead to a weak long term strategy it could still be a best option.

    Thanks again for the Nadolsky referral.
  • thesawyerbunch
    thesawyerbunch Posts: 22 Member
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    I'm glad that Ozempic is working for many people, but I cannot help but worry about some things. What's going to happen when people stop taking the drug or when a shortage hits? Since they've become so reliant on the drug and may not have learned to eat in moderation, the pounds could pack right back on. Also, there have been recent studies that have shown that there are some terrible side effects that are showing up. We still don't know everything, so hopefully people are prepared for what may come later on down the road. Is it really worth the risks?
  • chris_in_cal
    chris_in_cal Posts: 2,188 Member
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    thesawyerbunch wrote: »
    ... may not have learned to eat in moderation, the pounds could pack right back on.

    Before the meds appeared this happen to the VAST majority of people who lost weight anyway. Why deny a person the significant benefits from reducing their excess weight because there is some lesson that hasn't been learned?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,393 MFP Moderator
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    chris_in_cal wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Third, just like any medical intervention, there still needs to be a robust strategy for long term sustainability....

    ....look into Dr. Spencer Nadolsky. He is an obesity specialist and lipid specialist

    Thanks for the Nadolsky referral, he has a very nice piece in "Women's Health" that's free to read on the net.

    As for your #3, that's where you could be losing the plot. It is not always a "need." Triage for instance. If it lead to a weak long term strategy it could still be a best option.

    Thanks again for the Nadolsky referral.


    This is where you are wrong. There is always a need for a strategy to sustain long term. Otherwise, you will relapse. There is still question of long term efficacy of these drugs. Triage is short term and it's to stop the current symptom. After triage, there is always follow up with medical professionals to address the underlying causes. And trust me man, my wife was in and out of hospitals for 10 years. She had 10 surgeries and an automatic disorder which almost killed her multiple times. I fully understand the medical system and the specific adjustments needed to support the individual person. I know because I have done all the research for my wife, set up her specialized lifting program (to include training her) and even cook/meal prep for her.


    Glad you like Nadolsky, but he data is the one that points to muscle loss. Dr. Peter Attia is always a good resource, especially for longevity.


  • chris_in_cal
    chris_in_cal Posts: 2,188 Member
    edited June 2023
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    Glad you like Nadolsky, but he data is the one that points to muscle loss. Dr. Peter Attia is always a good resource, especially for longevity.

    Try reading Nadolsky's Women's Health article. I think it points to nothing but support for the OP's current path. Just last week I listen to Attia talk for an hour on the 10% Happier Podcast. Again, I gather he too would not object to her success. He mentioned going through a big transformation in the last year or two from being a very unhappy zealot juiced up on ketosis to a wiser and happier practitioner.

    Search MFP, I posted about it in the "Peter Attia" thread last week.

    Glad things are working out for your family.

  • Melwillbehealthy
    Melwillbehealthy Posts: 882 Member
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    I have been on ozempic for 4 months . My AIC sugar level has lowered nicely, and I’ve lost weight. I count calories and watch my macros. I’m feeling better, are able to exercise a lot more and am thrilled with my new found healthy feeling.
    I declined from increasing my ozempic dosage as it seems to be working on my diabetes as is.
    I don’t know if the weight loss is due to ozempic or due to my new, healthier eating habits. It would be nice to know, but I’m happy and healthier. Even my cholesterol has
    lowered. Also, there’s no shortage of the drug here. It doesn’t cost me anything. The government pays for it.
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,619 Member
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    Melwillbehealthy wrote: »
    I have been on ozempic for 4 months . My AIC sugar level has lowered nicely, and I’ve lost weight. I count calories and watch my macros. I’m feeling better, are able to exercise a lot more and am thrilled with my new found healthy feeling.
    I declined from increasing my ozempic dosage as it seems to be working on my diabetes as is.
    I don’t know if the weight loss is due to ozempic or due to my new, healthier eating habits. It would be nice to know, but I’m happy and healthier. Even my cholesterol has
    lowered. Also, there’s no shortage of the drug here. It doesn’t cost me anything. The government pays for it.

    *it doesn't cost me anything*
    You're prescribed it to lower AIC levels. It's covered everywhere for that purpose, assuming the individual has insurance. Consider yourself blessed and lucky that you have easy access to it.

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