“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.

It’s on their website.

Thank you. That a lot of money for a drug that isn't guaranteed to work. I'm still amazed they are allowed to sell it off license anyway but to change the dosing schedule is going to potentially affect how well it works. I wonder if other companies will do the same.

If I go on myjuniper to look at the treatments there is a 40 day pen where they say dose every 10 days.
If I sign in to my account my plan still says 195 for the weekly pen.

I wonder if it part of the rationing of the new treatments that I saw referred to in the press.

I got a 1mg pen delivered from juniper today. I thought they were going to try and sell me a 0.5. I'm hoping supplies will be a bit better when I need my next pen. I'm going to continue on 0.5 so should get 8 weeks from this pen. Didn't see anything about an increased price for a 40 day pen. That just seems like price gouging.

Looks like Juniper are only offering the 40 day option now to new customers. They’re off my list then in my hunt for a 1.0 pen!

As an aside I think it’s a crazy thing for them to do. Apart from there being absolutely no research on a ten-day dose, my appetite comes back on days six and seven. I’d spend five days losing weight and then five days putting it back on!

I don’t agree with Juniper doing that at all, clearly it is an attempt to make their limited supplies last longer rather than being honest that they are low on stock or have no stock for new customers.
So much for offering their customers something extra compared to other companies who just offer pens without “support”.

Surely it's a sign that something is 'off' with these online dispensers.

I don't understand why so many of you are doing it this way.

Why not see an endocrinologist who will write a prescription that can be used at a normal pharmacy at far less cost. My local pharmacy charges £122 for a pen and tells me they don't have a problem with supplies. I had 3 months' supply (0.25, 0.5 and 1ml) within an hour of seeing the consultant last Sunday. I was in the pharmacy again yesterday and checked supplies they said are fine.

Yes it's an initial £250 outlay for the consultant appointment but it will be cheaper and safer in the long run.

@HolidayHappy123 I think it's partly that many people in the UK think the options are NHS, private medicine plan (Bupa etc) or nothing and don't realise there can sometimes be a (relatively) easy private path. And sometimes there isn't an accessible option locally either and telehealth services except for pharmacies and weightlosss clinics aren't exactly well known or publicised in the UK

But also I think that some of the supply issues we've seen here have arisen because of the subscription "club" method of supply that a couple of the larger prescribers are using, where they send your next pen when you need it. I've never used one of those subscribers and similarly to you, I have the pen I'm using and 2 further months in my fridge. I've also never paid more than £135. If I need further pens, I will certainly be looking to re-order a month or more before my last own runs out.

The third reason is (sadly), that some look on Ozempic as a magic bullet fire weightloss and know full well that they simply wouldn't be prescribed it if they consulted a "real" doctor.

Why not see an endocrinologist

Private endocrinologists around here have a 12 month waiting list, and that’s even if they bother to reply to you.

@HolidayHappy123 are you based in the UK and has your endocrinologist prescribed Ozempic for weight loss (off label)? I have access to Bupa private healthcare and could get a referral to an endocrinologist but my understanding was they would not prescribe Ozempic for weighloss.

Just got my first package!!

I have put the medicine in the fridge

my fridge is very cold (I think it’s a bit dodgy) and things accidentally freeze in there - should I move it?

also didn’t realise you get a scale and everything!

I haven’t told DH about this and don’t want to. It’s so non-discreet!

You can keep it out of the fridge once you have used it for the first time as it lasts 6 weeks out of the fridge.

Most suppliers don't provide scales, just Juniper I believe or maybe one other.

I am in London. I waited 3 weeks for an appointment with an endocrinologist who would prescribe for weight loss.

There is a long list of endocrinologists here: https://www.spirehealthcare.com/consultants/profiles/?filterConsultantType=consultant&filterTreatmentSpeciality=Endocrinology%20and%20diabetes&filterLocation=&filterName=&filterByBookable=undefined

Just taken my first dose! Apprehensive and excited.

I really hope this works for me!

Thanks @HolidayHappy123. I’ll see if I can get an appointment!

That’s so interesting @HolidayHappy123 and not a route I had thought of at all. I might do that too. I think that going forward it will be quite useful as I get to goal weight and am trying to manage going forward.

@Scaredtobegin The instruction leaflet in the box tells you not to use the pen if it's been frozen so I'd move it from that faulty 'fridge. While you're using it you can keep it out of the fridge as long as it's below 30ºC

Eeek thank you. Fridge is set to 4 degrees but weirdly ends up freezing vegetables or loose water. Liquids never freeze or meat etc, just very cold. I best move it!!

Hello, I’m on week 2 and just had a few questions. My pen is for the 0.25 dose, I know others have said you can get 4 0.25 doses and another 2 0.5 doses out of it.

My question is, if I bought the pen that’s supposed to give you 4 1mg doses, could technically get 8 doses of 0.25?

also, has anyone just stayed on 0.25 and found that carries on working for them? Or do you have to go up?

Thanks in advance

Would anyone be willing to share where they've managed to get their latest pens from? I'm due to take my next dose next week and nowhere has any stock 😭

@Springclean8 I got a 0.25 pen (for my OH) from Juniper on Thursday.

@Sooty3 I had 8 weeks of 0.25 from my first pen, which was a 0.25 pen.
I now have a 0.5 pen but I'm planning on doing the same and using it for another 8 weeks. The 0.5 pen will also give 8, 0.25 doses.
I think a 1mg pen would give you 16 weeks of 0.25 doses but the ozempic website does say only use the pens for 8 weeks. (Although I have read on reddit people using them for longer).
So if you want 8 weeks on 0.25, you might be better off buying a 0.25 or 0.5 pen as they are sometimes cheaper than the 1mg pens. Also people are struggling to find the 1mg pen in stock.
A big thing for me is cost, as obviously it's much cheaper making a pen last 8 weeks!
I've found my appetite is not as suppressed as the first 2-3 weeks but it still is helping and I manage to stick to 1,200 calories a day, something I really don't think would be possible for me without ozempic! I wouldn't want to eat less than this anyway as I would be worried about effects of very rapid weight loss, like gallstones or hair loss!
I don't like to weigh myself but in 8 weeks I have gone down a dress size and my stomach has definitely shrunk 🙂

Thanks very much ☺️

Started my first dose on Monday. Only side effect so far seems to be that I feel a bit dehydrated despite drinking 3 litres of water a day. I’ve added in some electrolyte drinks but so far not seeing much of a difference.

Has anyone else had this? Any suggestions on anything else I could try would be very welcome, thanks!

Yes me too, I'm struggling to find stock, need to move up to the 0.5 pen, does anyone know where has them in stock? Or any dosage pens. Thanks