Ozempic

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Hi
I have realised that I am no longer cuddly or curvy or voluptuous - I am hideously overweight. I have really tried to be positive and ignore the haters and live life without limits and all that insta jazz but I'm starting to hate going out and feel like I've crossed that line from the chubby one to the enormous one. I am short as well so the 16 stone I'm lugging about really shows.

I have tried every diet possible, I lose a bit then stop and it piles back on. I've tried weight watchers, slimming world, Cambridge, shakes, an nhs one that includes group meetings, everything. I am considering trying ozempic or similar but wondered if anyone has any experience with it or any other recommendations for someone desperate. Would not consider gastric band/sleeve as someone I know had one and the side effects/after effects put me off for life.

Honestly, if you can afford it, give ozempic a try. It can be remarkably effective, and in my case I can now do more exercise just because I've lost quite a bit of weight. A hypno gastric band sounds unlikely to do much.

The only reason not to take forever is cost. There is decades of clinical evidence for diabetics taking these drugs for decades with no problem

All the hypno stuff has never worked for me beyond a two week fad.. and this was my problem for 15 years. I could diet but couldn't sustain it. So would lose and then put it all back on and more.

My BMI was 37. Yours is 38.
I went to my GP. I asked to be referred to the NHS week management program. Which consisted of a psychological assessment, a educational input regarding nutrition and individual medical assessments. I was deemed suitable for NHS weight loss surgery and in December 2018 I had a gastric sleeve.

Five years later I am seven stone lighter it has been without doubt a single best thing I have done for myself. Have had no side-effects at all except weight loss. Rather than listen to scare stories, I would get a referral to the tier, 3 weight loss pathway where you will qualify for both surgery and/or weight loss, medication such Saxanda or Wegovy .

Weight training will save you!! And walking more. It'll drop off.

@J3llycat That’s just not true. Walking and weight training can help you be stronger and more healthy but for the chronically overweight like me, who have hormonal imbalances and peri menopause thrown in the mix, it’s just not that simple. I walk 3-5 miles a day, routinely. It doesn’t ’just fall off.’

@MrsHughesPinny that's fair enough, that's a massive struggle. I was responding to OPs original post. It does fall off and stay off for a lot of people where food intake is the primary focus rather than exercise habits as well, not saying that hasn't been considered already. Weight training for women should be more spoken about it has amazing benefits.

@J3llycat It’s definitely made me stronger, I think there’s still an outdated fear that weight training makes women ‘undesirably bulky’ which is both wrong and silly.

I’ve been on a diet for about 20 years due to PCOS. Ozempic is the only thing that’s ever worked for me. Wish it didn’t cost hundreds a month!

Ozempic is no different to most 'diets' once you stop the weight piles back on. Maybe try working with a nutritiontist or health coach as they can help you get to the route cause of being overweight ie relationship with food, meal planning etc! It helped me a lot. I'm now overweight again after having my son this year, it's a battle!

It’s amazing but you do need to commit to being on it long term.

I’m currently on holiday and order / eat what I like but can only manage a small amount. So I’m not depriving myself and don’t feel like I’m dieting but I’m over 2 stone down with minimal effort.

A friend of mine struggled for years with her weight, she also has PCOS, and ozempic has changed her life.

She is down 50 lbs which is a ton especially at 5'4. She is feeling amazing and even started dating for the first time in 15 years. It's pretty remarkable.

Surely it depends WHY you eat too much? In my case, sheer bloody tiredness and stress and I am addressing this with changes at work and exercise. Are you actually hungry when eating?

But presumably they take it because they need it for diabetes not just for the side effect of no appetite?

I'm sorry but weight training and walking more won't even touch the sides. Please do some educational research before spouting complete nonsense that runs close to the narrative that people with morbid obesity are just lazy and don't WANT to exercise.

Having been in OPs position I can assure you that exercise is often extremely painful at that weight. It also requires a phenomenal amount of it to burn even a pound.

The obese need to eat less . It is this that makes weight loss surgery (currently) the ONLY long term effective, sustainable, researched method of weight loss available at the moment.

Walking and weight training definitely have their place. They are super effective at helping to MAINTAIN my weight-loss. However I have to go to the gym at least 4x a week to achieve this and I also calorie count. All of which is motivated by having been morbidly obese and never wanting to be there again - where walking let alone weightlifting hurt like hell.

I don't think Ozempic is available for weight loss now unless you've already been in it. I think you have to get Wegovy which still works in a similar way. I'm considering this in the NY, but it isn't cheap.

So true.
The number of times I get eat x it will fill you more, Eat y and you won't get as hungry. Aaaarggggh
If I just ate when i was hungry I wouldn't be obese.

Doesn’t make a difference clinically why you take them. When I say no contra-indications of taking long term I mean people taking them for years and years it won’t say, build up in the body, or cause cancer or turn you green. There is a wealth of evidence to show that clinically they are ‘safe’. Whether an individual wants to commit to a lifetime of spending money on these drugs is another matter.

Also after a long period on drugs which make you eat smaller portions, many people find they have adjusted to these new portion sizes and find maintaining their new habits sustainable without the drugs.

(I took for most of last year and have had a break for a few months and weight definitely hasn’t piled on)

I don’t know what evidence you have for saying this, do you know anyone who’s been on it? I have and a few of my mates and that’s very much not our experience and not the findings of the clinical trials.

if i sound like an evangelist for the drug it’s because i am. It’s life-changing. Every day of my life I can remember since I was a small child I was constantly hungry. Some people just are hungry all the time, and it’s occured to me maybe i’m not greedy. I was genuinely hungry. For the first time in my life i understand how for many people it’s easy to maintain a healthy weight as when offered seconds i’m genuinely like ‘nah i’m good thanks’.

All the morality around this that people should just have more willpower complely rejects that idea that maybe some people (because of god knows what hormonal underlying reason) are just hungrier than others

I don’t know what evidence you have for saying this, do you know anyone who’s been on it?

@Goingtothinkofone Just my personal experience from using Ozempic & also trying multiple diets through the years

That's really interesting, hope it continues to work for you.

This is an old post. I came across it as I’ve just started Mounjaro and was looking for advice.
There is considerable research that debunks ‘you’ll just put it back on’ if you lose it fast. A lot of things change, including gut.
It also gives me the rage when exercise and eating less is mentioned as if all fat people are stupid. I’ve got an active dog, active dc, big garden and huge allotment. I also do online exercises regularly. We eat home made meals, high fibre. But I am very obese. It just seems to me that many people don’t believe fat people deserve life saving drugs. And it is lifesaving. I hope family members are supporting and enabling continuing success and not subconsciously sabotaging.
Good luck ladies!

It's another thing for life - as you will have to microdose after you reach your goal weight - as with any diet they now know that once you stop taking either of the weight loss jabs - weight starts to pile on - particularly at Xmas and party or BBQ events where alcohol and mass food and treats are available. I was going to start taking it but I have acid reflux and gastritis and didn't like the idea of gall bladder issues or gall stones. I have the money but I don't want to take it on a forever basis. I can't say I am going to be fat and happy and I like it to help with my wine consumption - but for me it's a no - at 62 who cares now what I look like - so talk to your GP or healthcare provider if you have any health issues before taking it 💐