Ozempic - For those of us a few months in

[Lndnmummy]

Hi all, thought I would create a designated space outside of the newbie zone for those of us who are in it for the long haul and are a few doses, stone, months down the road.

Completely agree with you both @mumwheresmyribena and @Cozytoesandtoast00. The Andrew Jenkins book made so much sense to me. As did The Obesity Code by Jason Fung. I really need to re-read both books. I have been a bit stuck weight wise for a few months now and I know it’s what I’m eating.

Well my weight loss is slow and hard fought! 6 weeks in and 10 lbs down. Most of that lost in the first 3-4 weeks! I'm on 0.5 now and the scales have finally started shifting again slowly if I'm very careful about what I eat and I keep drinking lots of water.

I started grazing a little bit in the last couple of weeks which probably all added up.

I can eat most things but not in big quantities. Rice and potatoes are fine but I'll often stop eating before the portion is finished. I don't drink so that's not an issue. Steak has been fine.

Just the dreaded constipation to deal with. I've told my GP I'm taking Ozempic and they were cool about it. Referred to weight management but that will take ages. Taking lactulose to help with the constipation.

I must admit that the perception of Ozempic as a 'magic medicine' is certainly not true for me. It takes hard work and constant attention. Albeit a lot easier with the cravings gone.

I can feel changes in my body but I'm still 15st 7 so it's gonna take a lot more time and work to make a big visible difference.

Onwards and downwards though!

That’s so true, it is absolutely not a miracle drug it still takes hard work.

Hi all I hope I can pick your brains. I lost a couple of kilos in the first two weeks and then stayed the same in week 3. I’m now halfway through week 4 and I’ve put half a kilo back on, somehow! I have read that the 0.25 dose wears off quickly, would it be ok if I used the same pen to start my 0.5 dose a few days earlier? There seems to be a lot left in my pen, I’d actually say more than 2x0.25 doses at a guess.

Also it’s quite concerning reading that people felt 0.5 doesn’t work well compared to 0.25, when 0.25 stopped working for me after the first two weeks!

You've lost 1.5 kilos in 4 weeks. You need to look at weight loss in the longer view not week by week.
yes you can use the pen for your first 0.5 dose too.

@Ella6 - remember that 0.25 is a very low introductory dose. It’s designed to get your body used to the medication which takes time to build up in your system. Stick with it. Inject as normal the day you are due to. Make sure you are eating high protein and fibre foods with low carbs and drinking lots of water.

and yes there are more injections available in the pen.

It didn't stop working. The appetite suppression becomes less pronounced as you get accustomed to the drug but it doesn't stop working. It's still working in the way it's designed to. You need to use your willpower to maintain weight loss, not just rely on feeling stuffed at meals. Ozempic will make it much easier to do this but it's not a magic pill.

How often do you weigh yourself @Ella6? Could it just be a blip? I weigh daily and my weight goes up and down like a yo-yo, if I weighed weekly and caught myself on a heavy day I'd go into a terminal decline 😄

The. 25 dose doesn't "wear off", it's just not a dose that everyone responds to as a therapeutic dose, it's meant to get your body used to the drug with the least side-effects. That being said, the patient leaflet says its fine to take a dose a couple of days early if needed.

Checking in - I'm 🤔 six weeks in? I managed a 0.5mg dose out the 0.25mg pen in wk5 and then started new pen. I've noticed my hunger return on the higher foes, which is v weird! Anyone else?
It is a busy time of year for us so much longer days but I was hoping the higher dose would keep that in check.

Oops, I posted before rtwt and I now see others have same issue 🥴

That's because hunger suppression isn't actually one of the ways that Ozempic actually works, it's a side-effect of its main 3 functions and not required for its efficacy. You still need to put the work in to lose the weight, Ozpic just makes it easier. The drug is working as it should, your body is getting used to it so it can do it's job.

If you want to boost the hunger suppression try adding one of the fibre supplements like Psyllium husk, they swell in your tum and make you feel fuller before entering your gut. Also eat higher protein and less simple carbs.

Yes I agree they swell up in your tummy and make you feel full . I only use them on data 5 6 and 7 two tablets 3 times a day.

manual.co/r/U-O6x8se14VL

Having taken Ozempic for more than a year and lost a lot of weight, I can confirm that appetite suppression isn't the goal. I still get hungry and enjoy my food but I can only eat much smaller meals and i don't have any compulsion to eat.
I'd argue that you NEED to feel hungry because if you don't learn how hunger feels and learn to only eat when you are actually hungry then you haven't got a hope of keeping the weight off.

Great point about the hunger cues @Athena51

Thanks, that's a helpful reminder (and @Athena51)

I should have clarified that I feel more 'snackish' as in looking for something between meals, as well as a bit more food chatter again. I'm definitely more readily satiated with meals and I'm usually following a 16:8, lower carb/higher protein diet (but it's hard to stick to 16:8 when you're working full daylight hours days and feeding everyone meals and snacks constantly! (farm at lambing time!)

I'll try and keep more consistent and see if it helps.

Hi all,
Can I just ask about farting? I'm on 2mg and I honestly cannot begin to explain my fart problem. Epic, house shaking farts. Anyone else?!!!
Also, I am uncomfortably bloated even if I eat something really small...and then the farts start!!

Not an issue I’ve had @nellyelloe - at least no more than normal! Are you drinking enough water? Maybe try some peppermint tea? Are you constipated? Are you eating more fibre than before?

Not a routine problem @nellyelloe but we once had cannellini bean mash with dinner and had the symptoms you describe. So do you eat a lot of pulses?

Has anyone suffered with bad circulation on the drug?

I have noticed my fingers and toes getting white much more frequently since starting over 2 months ago.

Also my acne is worse.

Anyone else?

Is there a risk of cancer by taking Ozempic? I thought I’d read it somewhere and, if true, it makes me so worried about taking this medication.
I am truly amazed though by the success stories I’ve been reading here. Well done.

@Mydoghealsmyheart - in some studies there was a very small increase of thyroid cancer in mice. If it was a major risk the drug would never have been approved for treatment of diabetes.

@alwayssocomplicated - neither of those are things I’ve noticed people saying have been an issue.

I had a few side effects but just the common ones (nausea, constipation), nothing relating to circulation or skin.

@Mydoghealsmyheart The Zoe podcast about Ozempic goes into this in some detail. It's one or two quite specific cancers that if you have a family history may be affected rather than "cancer" in general.
Zoe Ozempic Podcast
There's also a large and prominant footer on the Ozempic website about the contraindications.

Another interesting article about Ozempic Vs the traditional weight loss industry The $76 Billion Diet Industry Asks: What to Do About Ozempic?

It's behind a paywall, try reader mode in your browser or https://archive.org/web