"I Started Ozempic Last Night" THREAD THREE

[Athena51]

Starting a new thread as we are dangerously close to finishing thread two. So great to have this supportive community to share our experiences of taking Ozempic for weightloss.

"Old-timers" and new starters all welcome!

Hi there, I'd also he really grateful for the juniper code. Hoping to join the success stories on here x

Hello everyone, i want to share my experience for what it is worth. I had my 2nd dose of 0.25 yesterday and ive found your messages and encouragemeny very inspiring and helpful. I was teetering over obese on my bmi. Im 5ft 3 and weighed over 12 stone. I take glucomannan from h&B for fibre and it really helps. Psyllium husk also helps. I did find that omeprazole and gaviscon helps with heartburn. I dont likr the weird metallic taste in my throat-very offputting! Ive only had odd burps (not sulphur), upside down tummy feeling and a bit of diarrhoea randomly but that could be the fibre supplements. I ordered from mayfairweightloss which was dearer. I got 3 months supply and it arrived in cold packs and i was so impressed. I didnt know i could dial down the dose on the pen until i read it here. Ive read that resistance can build as i go up a dose so im going to stay on 0.25 until i feel it isnt working anymore then go up to 0.5. Lots of people on reddit say their drs have advised this, prssumably americans. For wat it is worth ive lost 4lb in my first week but hoping for a steady 1-2 going forward.

I agree with the ladies who say they felt ravenous and couldnt exercise self control. I feel my sugar addiction (carb and refined) had gotten out of control and my body just couldnt do without. This has been a complete game changer. I feel like i can control my appetite as if i were in my early 20s.

I am getting headaches a day after dosing. But that is the price to pay.

Also, i feel im perimenopausal. More on than off (sorry tmi!), abdomen has widened significantly, cant lose weight, more frequent and severe migraines and night sweats. My mum said hers started around 35 and im almost 37. Ozempic bypasses all of my struggles to lose weight and if it means i need to turn to it to get my appetite normal then so be it :) im definitely dieting whilst on it. It does take effort but nowhere near the agony of passing up the kids leftovers or getting through a pack of crisps or 3!!

Well done to all you ladies who have also taken control of their health and are pulling through the side effects. <3

Well done @Mumsdaword1 ! I feel similar to you in that, I do still need to put the effort in. In the evenings I could still eat snacks in front of the tv but it definitely takes the edge off and helps me to stop and think first. I felt like before I was completely out of control, like it was pure addiction and I would just unconsciously grab all the sugary snacks and just mindlessly eat all night. Constantly thinking about what to have next.

I can definitely take it or leave it now although I’m still not 100% whether some of it is psychological? Either way, it’s working so I’m not bothered! I think that combined with the money spent (I also went to Mayfair weight loss) gives me the push I need to actually do this and keep it up every day.

I’ve had a few burps too (not sulphur either, just wind!) and although I’m not constipated I’m only going every other day (sorry tmi!) and normally I go every morning like clockwork! So I’ve just got some flaxseed to mix in my yogurt this morning to see if that helps.

I’m 3lbs down since Tuesday and this is my first weekend on it. We’re going to the cinema tomorrow and I love popcorn, so it will be a good test! That’s interesting to hear about the possible resistance too. I’ll see how I feel after a few weeks and may do the same if I’m still feeling in control with this dose.

Thanks for sharing your experiences, I've just applied to Juniper. I'm exactly 30 BMI if I take the higher level of two scales, but it's all around my waist which really worries me. I can't keep up motivation as weight loss is so slow even with a huge effort and then it goes straight back on. I'm also Peri and have gained all the weight in the last 18 months.

I'm hoping the appetite suppression plus psychological factor will tip me back into good habits on a low dose so I'm not too worried about their lack of 1mg pens at the minute.

Assume I won't hear anything until Monday?

Morning all, nice to see some new faces on this thread.

I feel like my weight is plateauing a little right now and I'm desperate to get to my 5 stone loss so I might step away from the scales for a couple of weeks and just concentrate on the gym, getting more activity in and appreciating the non-scale victories that come with significant weight loss.

I suppose I'm fixated on the scales because I had such a lot to lose and I still have another 4 stone - ish to go but it's not very helpful sometimes as it makes me feel like a failure if the scales don't go down every day!

Anyway, I'm off to the gym shortly to do a weights session, have a good day all.

5 stones that is so impressive!
Well done and it sounds like you've really made significant lifestyle changes which is ev en more impressive.

Hi

I’m two weeks in, and am going ok.

what have people been doing with whatever is left in their first pen? I will have an extra .5.

do people increase dose early (I feel like I could)? Buy extra needles and space them out a bit more?

help!

By space then out I meant don’t start the next pack yet.

multitasking and failing!

You can buy extra needles in a chemist or on Amazon. It's about £10 for 100

I just bought these for the extra doses and they work fine.

Set Lance Diabetic Insulin Pen Tips 32G x 4 mm (100 Pcs/Box) amzn.eu/d/18A28Ob

I've just signed up with Juniper, I've thought long and hard about this so hoping that I haven't made an expensive mistake

Went out for dinner last night, after delaying my shot and it worked - enjoyed my meal and didn't throw up, but also didn't overeat either. Just had a really amazing main course and a few drinks, no dessert.

Out for dinner again tonight so think I'll do my shot tomorrow. I don't feel it's worn off yet either!

@Twiglets1 thank you for you response. I am so sorry you are suffering as well.

I’ve been reading this and the previous threads and have some observations. I’ve been on Ozempic for 9 months, prescribed by my GP as I am T2.
I am 5 foot 6 and when I started I weighed in at 12 stone and 6lbs. My H A1C was 57.

as I used this under proper medical guidance I have been given proper advice. This drugs primary function is to support the pancreas and liver with insulin metabolism. For some, although not all it also had the affect of weight loss.

when you initially start in this it slows down the absorption in the gut and so food stays in your stomach longer. It is this that has the side effect of appetite suppression. These symptoms do not last forever and for some only last a few weeks. Also for diabetics the maximum dose is 1mg and I am still on 0.5 9 months later and can’t see this increasing. I stayed on 0.25 for 4.5 months and actually only moved to 0.5 due to shortages of the 0.25 pen.

I have faken this continuously since I started. I have taken it on holiday with me. I have continuing on it when I was unwell. I don’t skip weeks to go to a party and pig out. Stopping and starting medication is Ill advised. The idea is you make permanent changes to what you eat and from what im reading lots of you are desperate for prolonged appetite suppression and still eating what you like just less of it. I have also permanently given up drinking alcohol as it’s full of sugar that gets turned to calories when digested. Again under medical supervision this was and still remains the advice.

if you’re going to take a drug whose intended purpose is to treat a chronic condition then you should at least fully undertake how it works and the effect it is having on your internal organs.

Sorry pressed wrong button. Now 9 months later I weigh 10 stone and my HBA1C is 41. It’s at non diabetic levels. My MBI is 22.3 and I’m feeling good. My appetite is no where near as suppressed as it was and that is normal.

Good for you. I think some of your observations come across as a tad judgemental. For example, what makes you think that the majority of people don’t research Ozempic in depth before starting to use it? I know I did and I’m well aware of the health risks of the drug but also aware of the risks of developing T2 diabetes if I don’t get my weight under control. People can equally be judgemental about overweight people allowing themselves to develop T2 Diabetes.
I was also well aware of the possible side effects before I started taking Ozempic, in common with most people on this thread. I know they will in all likelihood diminish in time, but I’m still not sure they are worth it, for me.

Also I’m not aware that anyone on this thread is skipping weeks to go to a party and “pig out”. People may make the decision to take a break for a few months or be waiting for the optimal time to start taking it but there’s nothing wrong with that. I think we all know that alcohol is full of sugar - so are lots of things like chocolate, cake, biscuits etc but unless you are also giving those up for life I don’t think you’re in any position to judge others for still allowing themselves the occasional unhealthy treat.

The you need to read it back as lots of people are asking.

lots of people are asking what?

I am dishearted by the message from cherry. I am shorter at 5ft 3. and my bmi when i ordered was 30. My middle is also very large, quite out of proportion to my body and im Indian; Putting me at risk of type 2 and other health issues.
I would prefer to take charge of my health and pay, at this point. I am sympathetic to those with health issues and grateful thst we have a health system that provides medical treatment and support for people with type 2. I must add that ive been researching for months how i can get control of my weight/health and acquired a private prescription through legitimate means. I think to demonise a very small group of people for a shortage is unfair. I think most of us have experienced med shortages in one form or another but this isnt a debatw about nhs contracts and funding. I also dont think people are buying it to binge/purge. I think that the financial outlay and the step just shows how desperate one must be (in my case possibly peri-meno mum to 3 in the obese category) to say enough is enough, what ive done over the last 10 years to keep my weight under control isnt working. You have yourself conceded that ozempic had helped u lose weight and feel better in yourself. We are no different except your diagnosis and thr nhs ratifiying you are entitled to the med. For all i know i could be on the road to prediabetes and Im going to do something about it knowing the nhs will most likely turn me down. This is not a rant back, absolutely not. However my view is the thread is a supportive one not a debate. You may wish to start a thread for ozempers who are prescribed through nhs to vent about these issues...i for one am grateful thst i can consume 1400 calories a day and not feel like it is torture because that is how it has felt for the last 18 months since my body changes have occured. I will of course consider exercise later on but im on the 2nd dose and it is a strong med so dont want to mix it up too much at this point. Love to you and your journey, you've done amazing so far and are an inspiration to the rest of us just starting out. <3

Thank you. Sounds like it is working out well for you so far also.

Yes defo- the evenings were my downfall too. I could easily get through 600 cal AFTER dinner! Yikes. Now i have two squares of aldi special dark choc. i enjoy it and dont yearn for more. Nor do i feel the guilt. I think being on this med will hopefully help me reset learnt behaviours in childhood re food and help me have a healthier relationship...time will tell...

I was sick earlier this morning which was unfortunately due to finishing my large wrap last night when i knew i shouldnt have. Big mistake. Wont be doing that again-lesson learnt!

Please don't be disheartened @Mumsdaword1 as you rightly say, this is a support thread and someone coming on to give us their judgemental and negative "observations" really isn't in the spirit of it.

Ozempic has helped me to lose 5 stone (in conjunction with healthy lifestyle changes) and I am grateful for that. It may well have also helped me to avoid type 2 diabetes.

I can't think of anyone on this thread who is dropping in and out of taking Ozempic to have a blow out or who is taking it lightly. Many of us have done our research, we are not stupid.

@Cherryonthetop2019 respectfully, please feel free to start your own thread and observe away to your heart's content. I'm sure plenty will join you. Please leave us to our peaceful and supportive corner of MN. It's a hard world out there, especially if you are obese, we don't need people making it harder.

Well said @Athena51 and please don't feel disheartened by the message from Cherry @Mumsdaword1
As you note, your ethnicity does make you more at risk of developing T2 diabetes so it's good that you are taking positive steps to improve your health. I'm also an evening snacker or at least I was. Trying very hard not to be now, or to stick to healthier alternatives like strawberries & raspberries

Well aren't you the charmer?

@Cherryonthetop2019

ODFOD