Ozempic new starters thread

[MedievalMadness]

Wondering if anyone would like to join me starting Ozempic. I’m doing my first injection tonight and am very nervous about reactions/side effects. I’m 5’ and 10.5 stones with very high blood pressure which medication is struggling yo bring down, high cholesterol and arthritis.

I would like to get to 9 stones realistically and ideally 8.5. I do seem to have unusual reactions to some medication so am really hoping I can take this without too many problems as I’m sure I’d be far healthier minus a couple stones.

I’m on day 3 and feeling so good! I’m feeling more active and energised, and it’s so weird going into shops and cafes and not binge eating everything. I hope this keeps up as its life changing so far.

What are people planning to do if they are going to be on holiday for more than a week?

Do you think it's ok to skip a week? I don't want to take it with me.

One week done! It has been so much better than I expected. Weighed this morning and I’ve lost 2.5lb which is fine. I probably hoped for a bit more but it’s ok. I’m not going to let it derail me. Usually on a diet I lose 4lb this first week. I wonder if it’s because I’m not bothering with My Fitness Pal or calorie counting. I just assumed I was eating a lot less than normal and it’s more intuitive this way. I suppose not having the nausea that so many seem to get means I’m eating more than I expected. Let’s see. Good start anyway. Hope those who started same time as me have good weigh-ins!

@hotelmotelpremierinn hi, I asked same question yesterday as I've been having such bad side-effects, I didn't want it to ruin my upcoming weekend away. I got a couple of replies, one suggesting they had skipped a week before. Others suggested maybe doing half a dose by counting clicks - although I haven't researched how to do this yet, it might be a good idea, so you're still getting some build up but hopefully not full dose side-effects. 3rd injection due tomorrow and still not decided what to do. I think if I was going away for a week or more I'd skip but that's only if I was suffering same tiredness and nausea. If I felt fine, maybe I would.
If anyone knows how I'd click count half a .25 dose, I'd be grateful for some advice

Thanks.

The issue for me isn't really the side effects, I just don't want to take off label medication (especially with a needle) through an airport. I don't even know if it would be allowed.

I think I'll just skip. Thanks for replying though.

@hotelmotelpremierinn True, it does seem a lot of hassle. I take a lot of medication anyway, for which I always take my prescription abroad and mention them on holiday insurance etc. I'd try to take your final dose as close to your leaving day as possible and then again when you get home and just go enjoy your holiday.
Anyone who is getting it off label - did you take it abroad with you and/or inform your insurance company about taking it?

Oh I am such an idiot!!!!!!!! Just took my second dose - was in the bathroom rushing to do it before DH came home from work and I didn’t take the second cap off before I hit the clicker and counted to 10! 🤦‍♀️ 🤦‍♀️

When I removed the pen the liquid was just sitting on my leg and I had to wipe it off.

I redid the injection and then was all of a tizz about the silly waste and couldn’t remember how to remove the needle. You have to put the inner cal back on to do that, right? So I did that and disposed of it safely. The instructions are not very clear. Should the outer cap be disposed of too? So inner cap containing needle and outer cap? Then you just put the lid back on the pen?

I know I haven’t double dosed myself because 0.25mg isn’t much liquid and there was a little pool of it on my leg and definitely no pin prick.

What an idiot!! 🤦‍♀️

So disappointed I only lost 1lb my second week. I understand I've not been able to exercise so much because I was unwell but I also didn't hardly eat as I was unwell. I was considering not taking 3rd injection today so the side effects don't ruin my weekend away but not sure what to do now

@Fortheloveofus weight loss is cumulative so you might get a bigger loss next week? Are your side effects really bad?

@Twilightstarbright yeah, I woke up last Wednesday and felt so bad I had to phone office to ask if I could work from home, not been gym since, only managed two 5k+ walks, had to leave a long.ago arranged, much looked forward to engagement on Sunday. I'm permanently freezing, feel permanently nauseous and completely exhausted. I have certain health conditions that cause fatigue anyway but I was having a really good run of great health since January.- back to gym, back to office rather than WFH, long walks, social engagements but now I feel like I could just curl up and sleep for a month. I want to say it's coincidence and nothing to do with Oz and I'm just having a blip of normal health problems, but I've never had the nausea..and I still feel permanently hungry believe it or not and eating is only thing that will alleviate nausea for hour or so.
I made decision to take half a dose today rather than not take anything at all as I don't want to lose build up and potentially start from scratch next week. I read on one of these threads that 18 clicks was a 0.25 dose so I only did 9 clicks. Better than nothing, do you think?

@hotelmotelpremierinn No-one but you and the prescriber knows it's for off-label use. Off-label doesn't mean it's dodgy or illegal, it's been approved for use quite legitimately, tons of people take it and it's been properly prescribed for you. It's really no biggy, take it with you if necessary. Take the box with the prescription sticker. Thousands if not millions of people travel with pen meds like epi-pens, insulin, Ozempic etc every day, the airports know about them and don't give then a second glance. Why self-sabotage by not following the correct dosage and frequency directions?

@Fortheloveofus I have an autoimmune disease so I feel you on the fatigue and nausea. I want to move my dose so it falls on my wfh days so I can rest a bit more.

I was going to do my first injection tonight but I have a big day out on Saturday so don't want to spoil that..... thinking I will start Sunday 😬

Weigh in and injection number 3 day for me today. I lost 1.5lb this week. A vast difference from 8lb for my first complete week. I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, I've eaten very healthily, no snacking, no sweets/chocolate/crisps, had 5x 3 mile hilly (fast) walks etc. But on my period so maybe thats made a difference. I have to keep reminding myself its still an overall loss of 9.5lb in 2 complete weeks, which I know is really good.

Still no adverse side effects really apart from im thirstier more than normal and I've been waking in the night.

It been great to read everyone's updates.

@PinkCosYouAreSoVery 9.5lb is amazing and as you say, maybe if it wasn't that time of month, it might be more. It'll all probably even out next week. Brilliant start though, well done

@PinkCosYouAreSoVery A 1.5lb loss is still great. Have you noticed any difference in the jabs effectiveness during your period?

Last week I had no appetite at all, had to make myself eat, lost 7lb. This week no loss so far (weigh in tomorrow) appetite back to normal, also on my period so hoping it's linked somehow & that next week is more like my week 1.
I'm beginning to question if I messed up the injection!! I left it to ridiculously late at night, was half asleep doing it, probably injected without doing any clicks 🤣

@kkr168 No, not noticed any bad difference in its effectiveness during period. Usually I crave sweet stuff for a few days but I seem to have completely lost the craving for any junk food.I hope your appetite goes down again once period over and done with. Sounds like you're experiencing a similar pattern to weight loss as me - it'll be really interesting next week to see what happens won't it!

Just taken my second dose. 4lb down in week 1. Appetite has definitely been more normal the last couple of days so I’m hoping for similar effects to last week to kick in by the morning.

Does anyone have a code for Juniper please and just out of interest is a juniper only for women? Thanks

Weigh in two for me after doing my third injection and down another kilo, so 2kg in 2 weeks. I’m pleased with that and haven’t had any bad side effects so far.

First weigh in this morning, 6lb off! I’m pleased although it’s no different to what I’d normally get in the first week of slimming world. However, with sw I always hit a wall so if this gives me continued results then I’ll be happy. No further side effects I can account to the jab, apart from for the last 48 hours I’ve been absolutely freezing! Can’t warm up at all. Curious to hear if anyone else has experienced that one or if it’s just me!

@Franklin2000

thats a great loss ! Well done.

Im just starting my second week of Saxenda - and I have freezing feet.

So I'm done my first week and am down...a pound. I was hoping for more. That said, I'm still really optimistic about Ozempic and think it will work for me. I'm definitely feeling the appetite suppression and the lessened food chatter. I feel much more in control. I've had no side effects. I may just have to wait until the 0.5 or 1.0 doses.

Thank you, this is good to know, possibly not just me then!

Everyone sounds to be doing well . I'm getting to end of second week but have been far hungrier than I was last which is annoying. Second weigh in tomorrow.

BigLin I have a code. I don't think juniper is just for women. I think Manual looks like it's for men but it isn't, so hopefully juniper will be fine. Let me go see what I need to do with this code