“I started Ozempic last night” - THREAD SIX

[Peridot1]

Hi all. Just spotted the previous thread filled up so thought I’d start a new one quickly.

Very odd, but manual just offered me 10% off the original cost not to leave. They were upping my dose to .5 as expected.

Right can I ask your opinions?
I am on week 3 of 0.25mg. I now have no symptoms no sickness, no nausea nothing. I’m also starving again and am losing very little weight.

Ive only seen online about 4 week increase and nothing about moving up a week earlier. Has anyone jumped up to 0.5mg a week earlier? Officially I have one dose of 0.25 left but loads in my pen so I think I can get at least 1 if not 2 x 0.5mg out of it
I don’t know whether to just wait it out another whole week of 0.25 when I’m tolerating it so well now.

@Menora - the 0.25 dose is a therapeutic dose to get your system used to the medication and doesn’t make a big difference for a lot of people. Some people respond really quickly and it does take effect on them. You wouldn’t really expect to lose weight on 0.25. Are you eating lots of protein and fibre? Bear in mind Ozempic isn’t all about appetite suppression. It’s recommend you eat a higher protein and fibre and lower carb diet. Eating lots of protein should stop you feeling hungry. But if you are hungry eat! But sensibly.

There probably isn’t anything to stop you increasing to 0.5 a week early if you want to. But it’s not in line with the manufacturer’s guidelines. And the drug has a half life which means that basically only half of it wears off over the week. So after week 1 you still have half of the 0.25 dose in your system. Then you inject again and by the end of that week you have half the accumulated dose etc. and that is how the drug was tested. Having said that I was actually started on 0.5 when I started.

Also with the shortages at the moment I think you might be better sticking to the recommend dosage rather than using the medication up quicker. There is definitely more in the pen than 4 x 0.25 so I think you will get your first 0.5 dose out of that first pen.

Thanks very useful.
I think I accidentally lost a 0.25mg dose through messing up the pen initially when I started so I am pretty sure I was meant to have 1 x 0.25 and 1 x 0.5 left, but now I only have 2 x 0.25 left. So if I do 0.25 this week I then have 0.25 left and will end up not using that last bit when I switch up in week 5 and end up having to throw it. I have a 1.5mg pen so I should really have 4 x 0.25 and 1 x 0.5 but I sprayed some out of it 😭

As I am at the end of week 3 I can order a new pen on My BMI but Health Express are being funny with me about my order, probably as I went though My BMI first. They already asked me more questions still no idea if I will get this pen from them might have to go back to My BMI but it’s £229 there! I’m glad I ordered it now after all because it’s taking ages to get it approved and I might have to source it elsewhere.

I have lost weight but I wasn’t expecting lots in this period anyway it’s more that I am tolerating it so well on this low dose I wasn’t sure if you can move up slightly earlier.

My warning @Menora is that just because you are tolerating it well now doesn’t mean you will always tolerate it so easily. I tolerated it well too for the first 3 weeks but then suddenly the nausea struck.
I would follow the manufacturer’s guidance and stick to 4 injections of 0.25mg then your body has had the recommended amount of time to adjust to the drug. Obviously it’s up to you at the end of the day.

And by the way I have seen several people on here say that from the first 0.25mg pen they can get 4 doses of 0.25 followed by 2 doses of O.5

Yes I accidentally lost some from my pen when I pressed the button by accident so I don’t think I have that left. I will do one more 0.25 then I will likely just have to throw the pen away as I don’t think it has any 0.5 left but I will check with clicks after this last dose is done. I am absolutely so starving hungry all day long again which is frustrating

That does sound awful, being starving all day. Have you tried eating protein for snacks in the form of slices of chicken or Turkey or a piece of cheese?
I just had a slice of chicken at 11am which is a slightly weird time to eat chicken but I was feeling peckish & thought it’s that or a bag of crisps! And I know the crisps will only make me feel satisfied for a tiny amount of time.

I’m trying to do all the right things! This is what I was like before ozempic hungry all day and food noise is back

Ordered my first pen. 0.25
habe had gastric bypass surgery some 12 years ago. My lovely GP poo pooed me feeling like a failure.
im still 5 stone lighter than when I had the bypass but put 4.5 back on and am a short fat lump

ive also decided to source some CBT to try and help my greedy mind.

looking to start mid next week. Got a hugely expensive concert beginning of f next week with 5 hrs travel each way. Doesn’t seem to be a good idea to take my first dose right before 😂

As per the title 😁 I did my first dose last night. Not sure if I have side effects, except I was/am tired, maybe very very slight nausea. I'm feeling bit more full than I'd expect (after exercise as well). Could be all in my head though 🙈

A full 0.25mg pen contains 1.5ml of liquid. Each dose uses 0.19ml of liquid. This means there are 7.9 doses of 0.25 in a pen.

So I took 4 of my 0.25 doses. Then dosed 0.5 by buying new needles from Amazon and dosing twice on the original pen.

@QOD - have you read the book “Why We Eat (Too Much)” by Andrew Jenkinson? It’s definitely worth a read. He is a bariatric surgeon and goes into why it is not just a matter of our greedy minds. There is so much more to it all.

I'm having my first period sibce starting I'm in my 4th week of 0.25. I'll move up to 0.5 on Tuesday. I'm feeling hungrier this week not sure if it's my period or the effects wearing off. Anyone else had similar?

I know op and pp's said its not really a therapeutic dose, but it was working so I'm stressed it's wearing off. I'm having a bit of a hard time at the moment plus on my period so I'm probably just catastrophising, but it would be good to have some reassurance!

I’ve returned from the holiday - it definitely stopped me binging and wanting to eat everything like normal but I enjoyed the drinks and had many cocktails. I gained 1kg (probably not all fat either).

My needle order arrived whilst away and I am meant to move to 0.5 now as I had my 0.25 4th week whilst away. My current pen has some left, I think enough for one 0.5 dose (2 times) but unsure (I’ve done 5x0.25 so far as I messed up the first dose by not understanding the needle cap). Juniper have taken £225 so I think my order should come next week hopefully.

So would you continue with 0.25 for one more week or go to 0.5 as per the instructions?

Has anyone else found that it has stopped you wanting to drink alcohol and smoke.

I quite like a wine with a cigarette but the thought of it now knocks me sick.

I'd see what I could get out of the remaining pen as they are so expensive. One more week on .25 should be ok if it is working for you at that level anyway.

@Beenalongwinter its prob a combination of your period and the low dose.

Oops sorry that was meant for @Bargellobitch!

Yes, totally took nicotine cravings away for me.

Thank you - no I haven’t! Will try it x

manual are trying to keep me on 0.5 for a third month due to the shortages of the 1.0 pen. Has anyone found a supplier with 1.0 pen in stock in the last few days ?

I need a new 1.00 pen now, I'll shout if I find some in stock. Everyone seems to be out at the moment

Hello,

Has anyone had diarrhoea (and then as a result hemorrhoids), from ozempic?

I'm on week 1 of 0.5, due second injection today.

Thanks

Juniper filled my 1mg pen but I'm not sure they are taking on new customers.