Ozempic for those a few months in - part 3

[DrMadelineMaxwell]

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

Hi @Helene2019 well done! Hopefully the queasiness passes soon. It's a funny one - in my case it seems more related to low blood sugar and low blood pressure than things I've eaten. Injection sites also seem to play a part. I've changed to upper arm lately as stronger effect but also more nausea.

@Capuccinopup I like your thinking re maintenance. Not sure what to do either.

@spottedinthewilds I haven't even shopped around tbh. Stayed with QuickMeds since the start with no issues, relatively little faff, it's about £279 now. Which is a big investment for me but it is what it is.

I have been buying from Boots I'm now on the 1.7mg and it costs 224£
I found the deliveries really stressful as if I missed it it would then be returned to the depot and not be kept cold.
With boots I just collect it from the local store. I also get points which is nice.
I have been taking the drug for exactly one year and have lost 4 stones I would like to lose another stone ideally.
I don't know if anyone else saw the article in today's times?
Was warning about losing muscle and the need for exercise and high protein.
I think lots of people on here have given that advice to others but just thought it worth repeating.
Also it mentions regaining the weight once stopping the drug but in my long experience of dieting this happens anyway😳

I’m reflecting my my weight loss this year too, with so much thanks to Ozempic/Wegovy.

I started mid April 2023, I did a month on 0.25 and then 10 weeks on 0.5. Over the summer I faffed a bit with worries about supply/difficulty sourcing, plus long school hols for DC and a trip for us. I went up to 0.75 before 1, mostly to eke a pen out. And then at the end of summer I started to be able to get the pens easier and went up to 1mg. Weight loss over the summer was slower for that reason, and then from October it’s slowed down but I know from past experience it’s because I’m running 3x a week. That’s only possible from the weight I’ve lost, my joints and back never would have coped before.

I'm 22kg down and I’ve gone from a BMI of 37.7 to 29.4. I’m just in the overweight category now for the first time in ages.

I’ve definitely found Christmas a bit challenging and have overeaten a couple of times. But definitely a massive success for me. Currently I’ve stepped up to 1.35 as I thought 1.7 sounded like a big jump, but I definitely needed a bit extra. I’m hoping to not have to go up to 1.7 straight away. Still got about 13-15kg to go, which feels manageable. I’m plan to keep improving my running alongside continuing to my target weight.

I’d hope to be done losing weight by summer and start winding down doses slowly. I’m accepting that I’ll need to do it really slowly.

@ilovementos do you get it for £224 because you are a repeat purchaser as I have seen it for a lot more ?

@ilovementos i saw that article, it makes sense. I’ve been focussing on strength training this past week and it’s my focus for 2024. Ultimately the drug is a tool and we need to do other things for our health.

I put on a dress today for my first day back in the office and I still can’t get over liking how I look in the mirror, and feeling comfortable- no waistband digging too tightly, clinging to my apple shape tummy etc.

I'm down to my last 5kg to lose, 21.7kg lost since I started. I'm in the normal weight category now (!) but want to reach my target weight. I've been so focused on the journey that I've kind of been taken by surprise a few times when I've seen myself in a mirror or a photo - who is that???

And although I still have a small tummy pouch of post-pregnancy skin I have an actual waist now!!! (And don't care about my slight turkey neck, it's only really visible in certain lighting anyway! 😂)

0.5 seems to still be working for me albeit slowly.
I tried some work trousers on today and the 14s were too big round the waist and the 12s only a tiny bit snug on my bum. Result!

I'm hoping to be able to get back onto it once I've had my gallbladder removed, if they'll allow me. I was down to 12st3 and I'm up to 12st12 but I know I've been greedy, I know I've drunk too much wine so all of that is more down to me I feel than the Ozempic.

Did anybody experience any major side effects moving from 1mg to 1.7mg? I've been on wegovy for about 6-7 months but due to shortages was on 0.5mg for about 3 months been on 1mg for last 2 months and due to move upto 1.7 next week. Worried it seems a big jump up and don't want to feel rubbish for work. I've lost 31lb so far probably another 50-60 to go which seems a million miles away

I did, yes, but they seem to have settled somewhat. Also everyone's different!

Lovely to read all the positivity on this thread, I too am enjoying my slimmer body. I have the dreaded last 10lbs to lose. I've sts on 0.5mg essentially since September and only now am up to 1mg. I eat approx 1300 C as recommended by my health coach. My question is do I have to drop it further to lose this last bit of weight. I really don't want as for me it wouldn't be sustainable or will the increased dose help. I went to 0.75mg at first due to side effects but lost nothing. I'll take my first 1mg today x

I don't want to increase exercise as cardio makes me ravenous. Any words of wisdom from ladies further down the process like me. Thankyou x

@SarahC50 I’m on my final 2.5-3lb. My basal metabolic rate as measured by the BodPod scan is about 1280 calories (I’m small and almost 40) and realistically especially WFH I don’t move much so I know I need to lower my calories to lose. It will be short term and I’m happy with 0.5lb a week despite being on 1mg ozempic a week. I also really focus on nutrition in my calorie intake- lots of veg and protein.

I’m not sure whether to stop when I finish current pen or whether to try 1.7 Wegovy. I’m just not getting the same results as I did when I first started in July.

My body has revolted against me and is ignoring the Ozempic!! 🤬

When it 'stops' working it's time to go up a dose. I went up to 1.7mg which kick started my weight loss again. I exercise every day but don't get ravenous so it's down to the dose.

Thanks @leilani83

I am only on my second dose of 1mg though, having moved up from 0.5.

I will see what my finances look like towards the end of the month and decide then.
Overall I am really happy with my two stone loss, but my BMI is 26 and I would really like to be a normal weight!!

I find Pharmacy2U the best value at the moment and very good service.

I think it's also important to learn to live with the "ravenous" feeling and understand that the sensation is not actually hunger - because it's doubtful than we can stay on this long term.

I've been on it since late April and was on 0.5 for months (currently on 0.625). I do agree that it doesn't silence the food noise in the same way but I find I do still get full a lot quicker.

I haven't felt the need to increase dose as (a) I get horrid side effects and (b) I've dropped 50lbs, 10lbs more than my target and it's still slowly coming off.

I'm sitting here now with a rumbling stomach (I intermittent fast and don't have breakfast) but I'm reminding myself it's not actual hunger. So my plan is to eek out my pens on 0.5 to 0.75 for as long as possible whilst I train myself to ignore these annoying sensations!

@Twilightstarbright thankyou I think you are right I probably do need to cut my calories a bit. I'm 52 so my calories on ozempic have always been low. And I'm realising to maintain I will need to try and stay around 1500.

That's incredibly disciplined! I'm not so good with discipline so have not counted calories or tried to restrict them but have gone with what I feel like and upped the dose when the previous one no longer seemed as effective. Perhaps I've lost weight more slowly as a result but my tummy hasn't rumbled since I started in November 2022 (!) and I find if I do get hungry it goes away after a while even if I don't eat!

@leilani83 I've been "lucky" to be a super responder, I think (suffered a lot moving up to 0.5 but it's been very effective and I've been happy to stay on it, so the 1.0 shortages didn't really affect me).

I don't know if it's disciplined at such, I'm just trying to learn to live with my food noise and recognise that it's not actual hunger; IYSWIM, as I'm petrified of piling it back on again (which has been the pattern for the last 30 years...).

@SarahC50@TheWayOfTheWorld@Twilightstarbright
Another petite 50+ here with about 10-15 lbs to lose.
TDEE around 1200-1300 which is ridiculously low really, but SarahC50, you can go a bit lower and still not suffer, if I could do it anyone can. But I agree it's not sustainable always, not so much for the hunger but because you have to be so bloody organised to get all the nutrients & protein & not get hungry. It's unpleasant when you under-fuel incorrectly, don't make my mistakes and skimp on protein (not that I thought I had, but it's really noticeable when I've been under 50g/day for a few days, so much less energy + hunger + carb cravings).

I've worked out some 'nice enough' protein rich low cal meals and snacks that I can have on rotation, for example today for late breakfast I had a 2 egg omelet, 50 g turkey, grated cheese + a collagen coffee. Masses of water. Under 350 kcal and with 40g protein. I still feel full and energized at 6pm, and will have a takeaway with the family tonight but focus on the protein. Would I still feel full if I wasn't on the jab? Probably not, but who knows.

Going forward I am carefully optimistic that I will be able to plan my weeks so that I am on 1300 or lower Mon-Thurs so room for treats and more relaxed about tracking at weekends. Tracking is BORING yes, but a prize I'm willing to pay.

Someone on this thread (I think!) wrote a quote that really resonated. Something along the lines of: "Being overweight is hard. Losing weight and keeping it off is hard. Choose your hard."

Edit: I could have never done any exercise beyond dog walks - just no fuel. However I have actually been clubbing a few times (!) and it was amazing. Just amazing.

Has anyone finished a 2.4mg pen? Are there any extra clicks at the end of it and if so, how many?

First weigh-in day for 7 weeks. Tiny gain, my first since March, but not surprising since I've been eating close to my maintain number 1200-1300kcal/day all of December and having more carbs so storing a bit more water. Gain is 1.5lbs so nothing at all really, tempted to count it as maintain.
Waist measurement no longer in 'healthy' though (just over - water retention?), BMI 23.6.
However I feel a lot better in myself eating closer to maintain/TDEE (no sh*t!). Extreme deficit is effective but was starting to take a toll on my energy levels.
Might be a sign I need to go up from 1.7 though, and be more organised about deficit days and re-feed days.
Want to lose at least another 10lbs. Any thoughts please?

I've had a hungry day today. On week 3 of having dropped down from 0.75 to 0.5 and I was surprised by how hungry I have felt. It's not something that's been the case for ages.

However, I can't justify being on it forever as it's expensive and I have a few expensive months coming up that mean I can't as easily justify spending £200 on a diet product.

I've got 1 more dose of 0.5 then a 1mg pen to use, which I'm going to use to dose to 0.75 for 4 weeks as I found that level to be working better than 0.5, then 2 of 0.5 or maybe even 1 x 0.5 and 2 x 0.25 to taper myself off the drug.

I'm going to try and be a lot more organised and meal plan to not just rely on the low appetite to limit my cals. It will take me up to having been on it for a year.