Ozempic for those a few months in - part 3

[DrMadelineMaxwell]

Thread was full so I've started a new one. 😀

I took mine abroad recently. I asked juniper for a copy of the prescription which they emailed with an accompanying letter. Then did as @peridot did and put it in a clear bag into the box at security. No one questioned it at all. I put the needles in my suitcase but probably could have taken them through in hand luggage too.

I was really worried about going on holiday as we did a 2 week AI but I'm so glad I kept up with the ozempic over that time. I thoroughly enjoyed myself on holiday and did a grand total of 0.5lbs damage which disappeared and some within a week of being home.

That's brilliant. Thank you so much. I have been using Rightangled, so i will email them and ask for a copy of my prescription.
Yes, i am doing 2 weeks AI too and although i plan to be careful eating wise, it's much much easier with Ozempic.
I've gone from thinking, what can i eat next constantly, to hardly thinking about food at all really.

I've upped my dose to 0.75 again now I've managed to get a new 1mg pen. Let's see if I get the horrid sulphur burps again! Ive stalled at approx the same weight for a few weeks with bad planning etc. so I need to do some meal planning too!

When I was ordering from quickmeds and they asked for a copy of my email prescription/photo of pen box with prescription on it, I noticed it had someone else’s name on it! Not sure how that managed to get switched up or if what happened there, seems a bit of a personal breach.

For those getting close to or at 25 BMI, how are you thinking about the next bit ie maintaining?

FWW I am just above 26 BMI and in my early 50s. I'm the lightest I've been in 6 years. I have 3-4kg to lose to hit 25 BMI. Between 35-45 I hovered between 23-25 BMI though did a lot of weights and cardio. I was last below this before I had my first child and just don't think its the zone my 50 something body wants to be in.

My DM suffers from major body image issues stemming from her upbringing, broadly the thinner you are the better you are and if you aren't 'thin' then you're failing.

I've tried not to let this affect me but it has - the consistent weight loss that O has allowed me has made me see this. I'm also very conscious that to maintain i will need to stay super focused. But then a pernicious inner voice whispers I'm setting the bar too low, because hey a lower BMI has to be better, yeah? This voice sounds uncannily like the one that was shouting Ugly!Fat!Old! at me and telling me how disgusting I was six months ago.

OTOH a friend who started about 5 months before me and is a lot younger is targeting a weight which has to be at the bottom end of healthy BMI, which I don't feel is healthy either from a physical or mental health perspective.

Absolutely recognise that these are v personal questions would just really welcome thoughts from this informed and super supportive group.

@liz4change

hi, I might be able to help but not in the way that I wish I could!
I stopped Oz when my BMI got to 30 due to supply issues and cost from a BMI of 36. I ideally want to be around 27, so I have 13kg still to lose. This will still leave me for want of any better word, overweight.

For the past month I have swung around all over the place, all the hunger feelings are back and I felt like I had lost all control. It’s so hard to feel hungry all the time, it’s mentally draining. I am trying to monitor what I eat now to keep on track and learning to just be hungry sometimes. I have lost and gained and lost the same 3lbs for a whole month now. I’ve set myself a goal to at least get closer to 12st than I am now and then if I have to give up and maintain to stay sane, I will.

BMI 25 is not a magic number if your quality of life is terrible and you are always hungry and miserable. Personally I would settle for what I can get to without sacrificing my mental health over it. At least we are healthier now than before and that’s a win

@Menora thanks so much for sharing your experience and your honesty.

And a huge well done on the progress that you have made.

I've done a lot of reflecting on how I've approached weight, well being, self care, the whole lot especially given family life and work.

@liz4change I'm very close to BMI 25, early 50s too. BMI in March was 36. My Oz journey has been hugely successful and I feel like I have given myself a second lease at life after a decade of depression/early mid life crisis and emotional eating and drinking as self medication.
The Oz experience has not been without effort, I decided to give it my all and have been in extreme calorie deficit (tracking 90% of my days) and focusing on protein and volume eating. I am committed to a calorie controlled diet/portion controlled diet for life because I never want to go back to the way things were, it was a negative spiral and no life, really. The experience has also made me reflect on why I have been over eating/drinking, and taught me so much about nutrition. Also how I must get better at prioritizing my own wellbeing and all sorts of needs going forward; in relationships and at work. It's also made think about what an utterly shallow society we live in. How slimmer often equals "attractive" in the eyes of others (and myself), how fat phobic people are, and that slim/attractive privilege is very, very real. I get checked out by men again. My bosses are viewing me more positively. It. Is. Weird. And parts of it I'm really enjoying. I was being so very judged (silently) by others when I was bigger. It's almost as if obese equals some sort of retardation (sorry, horrible word but it's how I felt I was seen) in the eyes of many people, a personal flaw that makes you a person to avoid (when meeting strangers for example). The idea that I have now become a better me; the me I am supposed to be; the me I was in my 30s before children (and before sh*tloads of stress and disappointment) is one that I am wary of. But there is a grain of truth to it.

@VanellopeVonSchweetz99

I actually got fat at one point on purpose to deter gross men. I have a voluptuous figure and after a series of creepy lecherous events I got depressed at being objectified and decided to become more invisible. Well it worked and in actual fact a nasty ex date happened to see me one day in passing and made sure to tell me I had got fat. Another guy I dated whilst fatter told our mutual friends he met me and they said ‘isn’t she quite fat?’ I also notice now my current partner who says he loves me no matter what size i am, and is lovely to me is much more complimentary than ever before and will make a point of telling me I look nice in clothes when he has never done that before. I now wore a long but fitted dress recently and aware my big boobs are bobbing around and men are staring at them once again. I am no longer invisible. This is a slightly unnerving thing. It’s not always a good thing..

I've been on Ozempic 1mg for two months. I would like to go unto Wegovy 1.7 but cant access it. Can I do one injection of 1mg and another injection of 0.7?

I think you would need to ask your supplier @annamossy but I don’t see why not. I’m currently doing that with Ozempic but at the 1.5 dose. So I do an injection of 1mg and another of .5.

Im hoping to be able to access the 1.7 Wegovy but the price is really putting me off at the moment.

I’ve hit my goal weight!! After being on a plateau for a month and a bit it honestly felt like it was never going to come with dramatically cutting calories to 1000 or some other drastic measure.

im still a size 12/size 10 in more vanity sized shops and my waist is still 80cm which is still in the higher risk category, so I don’t think I’m done, but I am going to focus on more strength training and body recomp than just weight loss now, and maybe try to up calories a bit and start weaning off the ozempic. My bmi is now 22.7 so in an ideal world I’d get it to 21-22 but not sure how sustainable that is.

im lucky enough that I can absorb the cost without issue so worst case if I start having massive hunger issues or weight gain again I can just get back on it.

@VanellopeVonSchweetz99 and @Menora thanks both for your very honest and thoughtful responses which I really appreciate. Lots to reflect on.

Amazing, well done!!!

Congratulations @Andrasa that is fantastic.

My BMI is currently 27 and I’m pleased as punch with my progress. I absolutely couldn’t have got this far without Ozempic. I’m currently 11:11 and goal weight is 10:7 so I have some way to go but I feel confident.

I have enough product to get me through two months and am hoping availability and price will improve in that timeframe.

Has anyone seen 2.4mg available anywhere?

I have done 6 weeks at 0.25mg and then 0.5mg for the next 8. Lost 14kgs so far but still a long way to go. It's not been a linear drop, and definitely had some iffy moments.

Contemplating upping to 1.0mg, but all the supply issues has put me off.

@AndSoFinally - I haven’t really looked but I think possibly not purely due to the fact that 1.7 is the next dose up from the maximum Ozempic 1mg and I’d say 2.4 may not be available just yet.

@Roughyed - that’s a great result at those doses. If you are still seeing results at 0.5 then I’d stay there. The prices are ridiculous right now so you may as well make the most of being able to get more bang for your buck.

@Peridot1 yes the prices are much higher in only a few months. I’ve been buying 0.25 pens and double dosing, so being as cheap as I can 😂.

Hello, I have been on Rybelsus (oral version) since February and initially lost weight, but then was somehow able to carry on with my evening binges. Due to the shortage, I was prescribed Ozempic and I really want to do better as my Dr has been very supportive of me. Has anyone found they still have evening munchies and if so, how did you stop them?

@Andrasa a huge well done!

@liz4change I’m at a 22 BMI currently but I’m aiming for 21 after a long chat with my doctor. I’m an ethnicity which has 23 BMI as the top healthy one but I also have a tiny bike and severe joint problems so the less strain on my knees and ankles the better. We are all different and it needs to work for you. I’m 37 if that helps.

@asSASSin8 - Rybelsus is the same medication as Ozempic - both semaglutide- but goes up to higher doses so may be more effective for you. However the appetite suppression dose wear off. Wegovy is also semaglutide but goes up to higher doses again. And is prescribed for weight loss. Even with all of these there needs to be an element of working at it. Eat higher protein, higher fibre and drink lots of water. If you are doing all of that you shouldn’t be hungry in the evenings. If you still binge you may need to address the underlying reason behind your binges.

@asSASSin8 I was the queen of evening binges and used to think it was emotional eating but these days honestly I think it was mostly insulin resistance/bad nutrition. I would almost get shakes!

Nowadays if I haven't had enough protein in the day I still get the urge to binge (I try to have at least 40 grams per day in tot and protein with every meal, could probably go higher but protein powders are not appealing to me). I've pretty much quit bread but if I don't have at least some carbs with my evening meal I feel rough after a few days. My new best friends are turkey slices, prawns and salmon. Pair with massive salad with lowest kcal mayo or dressing for lunch and/or dinner. Meal planning is key; making sure you have good choices at home that benefit YOU.

I also like Lindahls kvarg pots (the fruitier flavors) and tend to have half a pot as pudding after lunch and dinner - low kcal, high protein, very filling. Yes the dressings and kvarg are processed and have artificial sweetener but it's a compromise I can live with.

I'm in extreme calorie deficit (600-900 kcal/day) and it's not for everyone but since I'm 50+ and short it's the only thing that works for me. I could not have done it without O (would have been ravenous) or if the kids were younger/more demanding, or if my job was more physical. Also, it's not really enough to do any intense exercise, but working out as a method of weight loss has never worked for me anyway. I do dog walks, that's it.

I have also taken a high quality multivitamin, Omega 3, Magnesium citrate and biotin since March. I have lost loads and I feel great in myself, 10+ years younger. So grateful.
Sorry about the essay!

Great advice @VanellopeVonSchweetz99!