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.

This is very true. I very nearly ordered it a few nights ago but relented as medically I don't 'need' it, although I have put on two stone and scared I am pre diabetic now. I was just in a panic as in a difficult time poor period for exercise and comfort eating due to stress and really have become worried about diabetes and also vanity! After pausing to research I stepped back and resolved to do more to balance out my lifestyle and be more conscious and make that work before I take this step. It worries me that you can just log onto big branded shops and order.

I'm on the Juniper Slack group and good god it's driving me mad - people talking about changing their doses unilaterally, it's not working after 5 mins etc

Reckon there's another Mumsnetter on there as they sounded quite impatient and posted the Zoe podcast link the other day

@Expo23 - good decision. It is too easy to get hold of it. If I had only had a relatively small amount of weight to lose I wouldn’t have tried it. But I was obese and had been for years. And I had tried everything. I can lose two stone. I’ve done it often. But it was the other three that needed to go that was hard. It always felt like I was climbing up a mountain and slipping back down.

There are lots of healthy ways for you to address your ‘diet’. And I mean diet as way if eating rather than going in a diet. Take it meal by meal. The way of eating recommended while taking Ozempic is a healthy way of eating and if you are upping your protein and fibre and cutting out the crap carbs you will do really well. Have a look at The Glucose Goddess on Instagram. For me breakfast is key - if I have a breakfast that is too carby I’m hungrier all day. Even porridge can make me hungry. So knowing how sensitive you are to carbs will help.

As you say balancing your lifestyle will really help.

Thanks @Peridot1 I will take a look and get back to moving more too. I did think two stone should be manageable with some tweaks, I was being too knee jerk about it all! X

@TheWayOfTheWorld don't read the new I started ozempic last night thread as it's worse than ever.

If anything happens to those taking dosing into their own hands there will be no recourse for them. A doctor prescribing off license is one thing but some posters are going off off license and putting themselves at risk. The clinical research hasn't been done for the things they are doing.

I’m moving onto this thread now - fifth dose coming this week. New starting thread is making my teeth itch a little bit. “Didn’t work so titrating up anyway.” The fact our bodies need to get used to it so we don’t set off pancreatic issues etc seems to be lost.

@AutisticLegoLover I did read it and then stepped away.

Why do people think they can just unilaterally change the dosing?! They wouldn't do that with any other medication, it's scary.

@Peridot1 Yes I saw that. You've been nothing but supportive and I was shocked at her attitude. All information given in a measured and respectful manner, even info that doesn't align with your own viewpoint is generally worth seeing and digesting to get an informed view of the subject.

@TheWayOfTheWorld I could understand it better if these people had been in it for 6 months and had followed the dietary recommendations without success. But it seems to mainly be people who just want instant weight loss without any work.

The other thing I don't get is outsourcing your braincells and asking the same thing over and over and over and over again! There's a freaking search bar right at the top of where you're posting, there's web search engines, there's podcasts, websites, even, heaven forbid, pages of info on the manufacturer's site, and still some people have no idea how it's dosed or how it works and then outsource their braincells to random internet people. This is why I don't think democracy is necessarily a great idea!

@Expo23 I'm not sure if you know of it but "Why we eat (too much)" is a good read. I don't think much of it is new or even controversial but he puts it all together in a way that was eye-opening and thought-process changing for me. Even if you don't implement everything he says some of the things he suggests are really worth noting. There's 6 (I think) good and supportive threads here too. Apologies if it's not your thing or if you already know about it 🙂

@AutisticLegoLover - I think it is only one person on the new I started last night thread that has changed her dosage. So I don’t see that it’s “worse than ever” as you put it.

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/uk-news/diabetes-weight-loss-facebook-warning-26805735.amp

Note the part at the end from NovoNordisk.

I think if you posted that link on certain threads for new users, the only question some would ask is - how can I get it from one of those places undercutting the mainstream suppliers?
Maybe the drug company should be in talks with Mumsnet as well as Facebook etc to make sure that Ozempic is promoted on the site in a responsible way.

I'm horrified how easily you can access this med in the UK. Here in Australia it's your GP or endo to get a script and for most people good luck with getting the script filled if you are not diabetic (this should resolve soon when the shortage ends).

I seem to have hit another plateau with losing pounds but I still seem to be losing inches. I had to go and buy new jeans this week. Fishing out all my winter clothes and so many of them actually fit nicely now or are too big, it's quite a thrill.

It must be… well done. It’s how clothes fit that is the biggest win in any diet, affecting how you look & how you feel.

I’m trying to decide whether to stick with the 0.5 or go up to 1 (due to go up next weekend). Has anyone successfully stayed 0.5 and lost weight? I know it’s not the tested therapeutic dose but I’m quite happy with my weight loss progress and appetite suppression currently so can’t see it magically all disappearing in a week. Also nice financial bonus to make one pen do two months, especially with shortages.

Prescribing off label is not an issue in England. It’s allowed and lots of meds are prescribed this way. I can’t get cross with people who are desperately trying to lose weight legally buying off label. People who are making it up ad they go along are a different story. They won’t be ‘clamping down.’

I've stuck with 0.5 and am still losing. I posted about it here earlier today @Sameiam

Hi I'm up to 1 mg now and have found I have a horrible metallic taste in my mouth. Is there anything I can do to stop this. It seems to get worse in the evening. I do eat my most calorie dense meal in the evening but the taste starts well before then . Help!!

I stayed on .25 and then on .5 until I saw my blood glucose start to rise. My weightloss slowed and stopped for a few weeks.

Can you guys get fruit tingles? I've found they help with the taste in my mouth and the sulphur burps.

I’ve been following all these threads with interest and wondering whether to take the plunge, but I wouldn’t want to be on it for a long time yet it sounds as though weight regain is all but guaranteed if you stop. The reason I am fat in the first place is because I have unhealthy habits - does taking Ozempic really change those? Has anyone tried to stop but their appetite came back with a vengeance? I don’t doubt it works, it seems miraculous, but I am scared of what happens when you stop.

@JRHartley72 - like any diet if you go back to eating the way you ate to gain weight in the first place then yes you will regain the weight. None of us have really been on it long enough to come off and and see what happens as it’s so new. So yes you have to be prepared to change your eating habits long term.

But it sounds like you wouldn’t have a choice - you could be the healthiest eater ever but if your appetite returns with a vengeance you’ll end up overeating. It’s impossible to fight against hormones/body chemistry etc, which is why Ozempic is so good in the first place for suppressing them. This is what worries me the most! I cannot afford to pay out so much money to then regain. I guess it’s sensible to wait until others have tried it for longer and then tried to stop, to see what happens, and I’ll just try to not gain any more weight in meantime!

@JRHartley72 No Ozempic doesn't change your habits; only you can do that. What it does do is give you the space and time to help you develop better a healthier lifestyle and eating habits. That's why it isn't a quick fix, just taking it for say, a couple of months isn't enough time to develop new habits or eating regime. Obesity isn't something like a cold that you can take medicine and get better from, you have to learn to manage it yourself, that maybe worth Ozempic but it maybe maybe with a variety of other "tools" too.

My bad eating habits are 50% physiological (huge appetite due to snacking/overeating/insulin resistance due to obesity) and half emotional (binge eating for comfort).
I'm hoping that the weight loss and stabilised insulin response brought by ozempic will help with part a) and the breathing space and habit changes will help with part b).
I've never gone so long without bingeing before (since becoming obese I mean, in my 20s I was only ever overweight) and whilst I know this is partly due to ozempic I believe it's also partly due to my own motivation. I have no idea how I'll respond when I come off ozempic and whether I can maintain healthy habits but I hope that the appetite will remain reduced to an extent just because of having less body fat and a more functional system.
whatever the outcome it's a big financial commitment. I originally budgeted for 6 months but I've entered month 5 and have no plans to stop as yet. I'll probably plan for another 6 after and see how I get on...

I tried it for a few weeks and yes, my appetite came back with a vengeance when I stopped. Having said that, if I had taken it for much longer, I would hope to have settled into a better routine with healthier eating.
For anyone who struggles to pay for Ozempic, it may not be the best option as it is currently expensive and no guarantees the weight won’t go back on when you stop taking it. Some people will be considering taking it for life to maintain the weight loss, as they would with certain other medications. Like I take an inhaler every day to prevent asthma attacks.