"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!

No PM here but there's a journo asking to talk to someone from the UK on Oz on Reddit.

This is such a good post. Thank you for sharing. ❤️

Thank you ♥️

I've just done my first injection. Hardly felt anything. Found setting the pen up a bit fiddly but it'll be easier next time.

Did anyone else get a slight stinging at the injection site shortly after the injection?

Thank you for sharing @MaireadMcSweeney it's that retraining my brain that I'm also hoping to do.

I was saying earlier that I was feeling hungrier this week (D2 W2) than last week but I went out for dinner tonight and managed about 1/3 a portion of spag Bol which is very very rare for me, everyone else on starters then big mains and I just couldn't do it. Am amazed by this!

www.nice.org.uk/news/article/nice-recommended-weight-loss-drug-to-be-made-available-in-specialist-nhs-services?fbclid=PAAaa-nFSSMRUqRFJHHJMqqGcDEB7HKfSwAs-jB3BT7egm_Iodid4dDgVpdKY

So I am two weeks in now, have lost 9lbs. I took my second injection last night at about 7pm and had to go to bed at 9 feeling really sick. That's the first real bout of nausea since I started. I woke up fine this morning. I find am not hungry till about 1pm. I then just eat chicken or eggs and some salad. I am trying to eat really healthy on this, as I want it to be a way of life. I am so impressed with the way this works. We'll done everyone who has started this journey. I really think this could be it.x

Interesting. The media is making it sound like it's going to be doled out willy-nilly but to qualify you have to have a BMI of 35+ plus one weight-related health issue, or the next tier is a BMI of 30-34.9 with two issues. That's quite tough criteria.

And it's only being prescribed for a maximum of two years.

I'm in ROI so this article doesn't apply to me but ozempic is meant to be eligible for drugs payment scheme which would halve the cost for me, it was mentioned for spring 23 so hopefully will happen so

Hi, does anyone have a juniper code?

@Jenpe just pm'd you 😀

Hmmm so I did first 4 weeks on 0.25 and lost 9lbs then did 3 weeks on 0.38 lost nothing then went up to 0.5 (did second dose of 0.5 Tues) and have lost 1, gained 2lbs, lost1, gained 1 ….I have a really bad tummy but appetite suppressant mostly gone….I’m still eating around 1200/1300 cals and good choices but haven’t lost a thing since week 4 despite moving up doses…

oh that's very disappointing.
i must say mine hasn't been linear either and it is frustrating when things are not moving. Or seem to be increasing!!
The Juniper advisor told me that they do not really expect to see weight loss until you start in the 1mg dose.

Don't despair you are still less than when you began so stick with it . Even when i've done diets in the past it's always unpredictable with the weight.
With this i'm finding exercise really seems to help a lot as well. I'm only walking trying for the 10,000 steps per day even in this horrible weather .

Yes I did. I did my first jab on Wednesday and haven't felt any change yet bar a niggly headache.

If you read the guidance I posted earlier this week it states that if after 6 months someone has only lost 5% of their body weight then this is reason to stop. So anything above 5% after 6 months is good and the drug classed as effective. The guidance has lots of interesting information on how the criteria were decided and the rationale for length of treatment. Its also clearly states that semaglutude is the to be used as a adjunct in non-diabetic patients alongside diet and lifestyle interventions via a dedicated healthcare service. It's important to understand these things along with how the drug works. Private companies don't share any of this information and that's the main reason I have concerns about buying this off the internet. Other posters have raised concerns that some don't know how the drug works and the expectations are often unrealistic. I'd advise everyone on the drug or thinking of taking it to read the NICE guidance.

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta875/resources/semaglutide-for-managing-overweight-and-obesity-pdf-82613674831813

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror getting dressed this morning and almost couldn't believe the change already! My body is starting to look like a 'normal' body 😂My waist has reappeared!

It's exciting isn't it!
I learnt the word 'panniculus' yesterday. I knew about overhanging bellies but I didn't realise it was caused by the tissue basically atrophying because it gets insufficient fluid because of the excess fat. It's a bit dispiriting. I don't have a big overhang but I do have a big belly. I am hoping so hard that when I lose weight I won't end up with a big skin flap. I know there is nothing to be done about it if I do.

The NICE guidelines seem to be mostly about money and cost effectiveness. It strikes me that this should be a long term treatment and two years at tier 3 (with any intervention) is not enough but the NHS can’t afford any more.

I've got a caesarean overhang but it's got smaller! I didn't really have one after the births until I gained a lot of weight though so hoping it may significantly reduce or even disappear, although I've made peace with the fact that I may always have one...

@SerenadeOfTheSchoolRun

There is no evidence for longer-term use of semaglutide available, including evidence for maintenance treatment. However, longer-term evidence may be available in the future.

The NHS has to provide services and drugs based on the best available clinical evidence. This is what the NICE guidance is based on.

And as a general point to all:

It is appropriate to use semaglutide alongside lifestyle interventions that are provided in specialist weight management services (offered in the NHS for a limited time). This is because it is in keeping with the clinical trial, and there is no evidence of effectiveness if semaglutide is used as a single stand-alone treatment. Also, the marketing authorisation specifies use as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

Hi all. Haven’t kept up with this thread as there’s so many new joiners and it’s so active and fast paced 😂 but good luck to everyone starting!

I have been on ozempic for ten weeks today, and my weigh in today was 179.8lbs, so down 23lbs/1 stone 9lbs in ten weeks. I couldn’t be happier and I’m so glad I started. I am now over 50% to my goal weight in just 10 weeks 😁

I’m on 0.75mg now, I decided to go from 0.5mg to 0.75mg instead of jumping up to 1mg - I’m glad I did this, because the jump from 0.5mg to 0.75mg has been quite challenging at times! I’ve had quite unpleasant gastro issues since going up to 0.75mg but I’ve noticed it’s only when I eat certain foods - anything too fatty or too large of a portion size and my body will not respond well, so I’ve reduced portion sizes further and focusing on nutrient dense whole foods.

I plan to stay on 0.75mg for a month then dose up to 1mg in April, fingers crossed that goes smoothly.

Well done on your loss and the visible effects of hard work.

I sadly already have an overhang from csection and ummm, all the weight!

But I'm planning on just tucking it into my pants! Nothing else to be done. As long as the pants get smaller I'm groovy.

Disappointed today at second week of no loss, this is usually the point in any diet that I say, sod it, I might as well eat what I like. But I'm going to carry on for at least another couple of months. I'm no-carbing, no sugar, no alcohol and mainly 16:8 fasting every day. I'm on 0.5 and week 7 of Oz.

@leilani83 and @Cappuccinopup well done on your progress!

I’ve had periods of time with no loss at all - a couple of occasions my weight stayed exactly the same for 12-14 days, then I’d drop 3lbs overnight. It’s quite frustrating but weight loss isn’t linear and jumps around/stalls, as long as the general trend is downwards you’re on the right path 💐