“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.

Just thinking about weekend struggles... And wondering if anyone else feels like this. I'm really busy with work and working freelance. I have some other things going on too and my work is quite stressful. My actual time off is quite precious so then sticking to eating really well is hard. I think the ozempic has created a tiny bit of support with this so far in I can eat a bit less.

I feel like I'm really busy and quite overwhelmed so then I do want a treat or to not just constantly monitor my food. Maybe this is why I'm fat? But I also want to live my life and I don't want to not enjoy time off because I'm avoiding certain foods.

I am on my first week with 0.5, injected last night. I think this is my 6th week on Oz. I’ve lost 4kg and I have about 9kg to go until healthy. I have absolutely not appetite today and I feel a bit funny which I got on my first dose of 0.25, just like groggy and slow. Hoping the weight continues to go.

i think for the price I will buy 1 more month’s pen and then give it a rest. I think it has shown it helps and I am unsure what you’re meant to do once you reach a healthy weight? But I doubt I’d need much more until I’m healthy and I don’t want to keep taking it from people who need it more than I do.

I am in week 2 of 0.5 and today I am really struggling to eat. This sounds like a good thing I know lol but it’s annoying, food is actually hard to enjoy and I am really having to force things in without gagging! I need to eat as it’s not going to be healthy to eat nothing. I don’t feel sick just feel like it’s the texture of food is really unappealing. No I am not pregnant I can’t get pregnant but it’s like that feeling of all food being gross

I’ve had a call from Manual today. They advised the price is going up to £250 (temporarily apparently) but they can only get 0.5mg pens. They said they are going to start offering Trulicity off label and asked if I’d like to swap but I’d need to start on the lowest dose as it’s a different medication.

I have 5 weeks 0.5mg left so I have some time to source the next pen but my weight loss as plateaued at 14lbs loss in 9 weeks.

it looks like trulicity has less than half the average weight loss of ozempic according to various studies done so can’t imagine it’ll be as effective - probably better than nothing but I wouldn’t want to pay the same price!

I had an email from juniper reminding me of their increase to £225 for my next pen. They did mention that when they start taking on new customers again they would be charging them even more to keep the price competitive for current customers and would look to reduce the price when the medication price reduces which suggests Novo Nordisk may have increased their price.

I've been getting a 1ml pen but taking a 0.5 dose and while I've plateaued a bit I've been having side effects so going to stick at this dose and just double my efforts to eat well to keep the losses coming. I'll look to increase when the supply issues lessen and hopefully the cost readjusts.

I've been doing really well and feel so so much better in myself and healthier, I wouldn't have been surprised if I was prediabetic as well as overweight!

Absolutely gutted I can't seem to get hold of it now.

Google says its being discontinued?

Hi everyone, looking for some advice please! I'm on week 14, 0.25mg a week (never upped from the starting dose). I have lost a lot of weight (not sure exactly how much as I don't like to weigh myself) but have gone down a dress size. Probably lost around 2 stones.
Yesterday after dinner I had horrendous pain in my upper stomach and back and went to hospital, it was something to do with my gallbladder, not exactly sure if it was a gallbladder stone, or inflammation. Anyway it was incredibly painful, but I had some medication and it subsided after about 5 hours.
Now I'm not sure whether to keep taking my weekly 0.25mg or stop. I've been reading up and it seems rapid weight loss causes gallbladder problems. I don't know if it will be made worse by taking ozempic, although I am on the lowest dose. Any advice/ experience would be appreciated!

@Amandasummers - I don’t think it’s being discontinued. According to one supplier the manufacturer stopped manufacturing it for a while to start producing Wegovy but then realised they weren’t going to be able to keep up with demand so switched back to Ozempic but it will take time for supplies to build up again. I had read ages ago that there can be issues with supply of the actual pens themselves as well as the medication. I’m sure ultimately it will settle down when they get production of Wegovy up and running properly- too much money to be made by them if not. Also suppliers are rightly having to prioritise diabetics who have been prescribed it for their diabetes.

@Rosie219 - it’s very hard to say really but if the only thing that has changed is the Ozempic it could well be that obviously. But I also knew of someone who developed gallstones from doing slimming world.

It’s known to increase the risk of gallbladder issues but I think more due to it resulting in rapid weight loss - realistically any rapid weight loss is high risk for gall bladder issues, normally considered to me more than about 3-4lbs a week. I’ve got a bit of niggle so have carried on (saxenda rather than ozempic but very similar) but deliberately trying not to go over a 3lb loss a week

@Peridot1 @Sotiredmjmmy
Thanks for your responses. I am thinking I could have got gallbladder problems with any diet that resulted in rapid weight loss. I am in the high risk category which includes being female, aged around 40, have children and overweight!

New to this thread. I'm currently on saxenda, have been since January, and I'm down 3 stones 3lb. I'm thinking about moving to ozempic. Although I'm still losing weight on saxenda, that is down to my counting calories. I feel like the medication isn't that effective any more - I'm getting hungry between meals, I don't get full like I used.

So I'm thinking of moving over to ozempic until I get to a healthy weight.

One contribution I have to make on the constipation front: I've been using this stuff and I'm having THE BEST POOS OF MY LIFE, including my pre-saxenda life. I take it every 2-3 days and it's sorted me right out.

@BlackFlyChardonnay Metamucil is psyllium husk I think. Psyllium husk is a lot cheaper than the branded ones (fibogel is the same stuff). I take a dessert spoon with a drop of sugar-free squash in a whiskey glass every morning. If you find you've started to eat more, you can take another 10ml later in the day before eating, the fibre fills your tum so you don't feel like eating as much. You do need to make sure you drink at least a good-sized glass of some kind of liquid with it each time you take it

Hi 👋

Ive have my first day on ozempic but I started on 0.5.

Day 1 woke up on and off from 4am, didn't feel hungry at all today could've not eaten but made sure I had 2 small meals even though that was effort to force myself to eat

No side effects so far is that normal or is this calm b4 the storm?

I started 0.5 this week after a couple of extra weeks on 0.25. I jabbed on Sunday night and the last 24 hours I’ve had such bad diarrhoea. I know it’s a common side effect but can anyone else who’s had this tell me how long it’s lasted?

I start a new job Monday and have a 1.5 hour commute via public transport to panicking a bit and don’t know whether I should skip my next dose.

I take mine on a Friday - the Sunday/Monday after I took my first and second doses of 0.5 were awful. Diarrhoea, vomiting etc. Took my 3rd dose last Friday and was thankfully fine (and I'd had no side effects before going up to 0.5).

@TheWayOfTheWorld thanks for sharing. Like you I had no effects on 0.25 other than slight constipation ironically! That’s good that the side effects settled. I really want to carry on but at the same time it’s a role in a clinical setting so I’m so unsure!

Why are you starting on O.5?

It takes a few days/weeks for most people to experience side effects which is why it is recommended people start on the smaller dose to gradually build up to the dose so you experience fewer nasty side effects.

I've just taken my 8th dose 4 weeks on 0.25mg and 4 weeks on 0.50mg and for the last 3 weeks I have lost 0lb. I did lose 12lb in the first 4 weeks but nothing since has anybody had similar? My clothes definitely feel loser but not showing on the scales. Im calories counting too having 1200-1500 per day I have around 5 1/2 stone to lose so still lots to lose yet. I know I shouldn't be but I'm feeling abit demoralised with it

@whereareyousleep I'm sorry you've plateaued. I'm on my 3rd week of 0.5mg after, on week 9, and have lost 6lb but last three weeks have lost and put on same 1lb. It's so frustrating. I have one dose in my pen left and not sure I can face the pure exhaustion I feel every day for so little return, or if I can't justify the cost, even if there are any pens to be had. The only upside is that I've spent over 2 years trying to lose any weight and it was impossible, no matter what I tried, low carb, calorie counting, exercising etc. So I'm wavering between 'it's not working for me and not worth the symptoms and cost' and 'wow, 6lb, never done that before, it's obviously working'! But it has cost me £400 so far and then the money I'm paying for two PT sessions a week.

Be skint but (slightly) slimmer or be content that I'm a 52yo peri menopausal, overweight woman with money spare to book a holiday this year - it's a dilemma

Are people getting pens at moment and if so, at what cost?

I have a similar issue with the side effect of diarrhea which can come on very suddenly. Personally I'd pause it to concentrate on the new job and then try again.
I stopped ozempic for a few weeks as couldn't handle the not knowing when I'd need to dash to the toilet. Since I restarted I'm keeping a journal to see if I can establish a pattern eg whether it's a certain number of days after the jab or something specific I'm eating/drinking.
Good luck with the new job x

Does anybody have any ideas where might have 1mg pens at all? I'm really starting to panic....

@Diedre44 I’m still seeing people mention quick meds at about 6pm for pens. I did it a few weeks ago and I had to keep trying each day to get through but did manage to buy one. Website crashes a lot or doesn’t progress just with the volume of people trying to access it but if you keep persevering you might be lucky.

@ohangel I read this this morning that may give some clues. It's s about Berberine but does mention ozempic's side effects lower down. If it's right, it will be simple carbs and maybe the sugar in fruit that's the culprit??? It's not a side effect that I've had so can't say if that's the case for me - but although I eat fruit, rice etc I do try to keep to 100-120gm carbs/day
https://time.com/6285790/berberine-natures-ozempic-does-it-work/

@Diedre44 I saw the Virtual Slimming Clinic Online had stock this week.