Ozempic for those a few months in - part 3

[DrMadelineMaxwell]

New thread
Old thread - https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/4872030-ozempic-for-those-a-few-months-in-part-3?page=40&reply=132316913

Thank you for the new thread @DrMadelineMaxwell .

I'm losing again after Christmas, about 2lbs/week, no massive changes just tracking a bit more on weekdays and saving treats for the weekend + drinking masses of water. 9 stone something now (!) and BMI 23+.

@SarahC50 I think I'll be hitting my goal in 1-2 months, hopefully by staying on 1.7, so exactly a year in. Then I will have lost around 35% of my body weight.
Was just wondering if tapering off is better, or cold turkey. Please remind me of your plan? I'm concerned about cravings returning, not least alcohol cravings. Trying to think back to around 10 years ago when I was in calorie deficit without any appetite suppression, it wasn't awful all the time but I'd get shakes and pangs and had to stay away from certain trigger foods or I'd be bingeing. But my diet wasn't nutritionally sound then and so not sustainable over time. Way too carb heavy and not enough protein. Some sad stuff happened in my life and I turned straight to comfort eating which is such a crap strategy; more like self harm than a comfort. Hoping I can take these insights with me.

Hello All, just checking into the new thread.

I gained a little over the Xmas holidays which I've been working on getting off. I've increased dose slightly to help me get to goal, which will hopefully be around March time when I will also have been on it a year.

Anyone else had any sudden food aversions come on this far in?

Thanks for the new thread @DrMadelineMaxwell
After restarting last week, I've lost 3kg, I'm back on 0.25 and feeling fine. Now I have a functioning kitchen and some semblance of normality and routine I'm determined to see this through. Although I'm restating, I'm restarting weighing13kg less than I did this time last year, still a win in my books!
It's lovely to see you all nearing or reaching your goals.

I put on 5 lbs between December and Jan despite being consistently at same weight for 9 months. I have upped my dose to see if I can shake it off again.

I took my first 2.4mg dose about 1/2 hour ago and feeling a bit scared...

I tried to take 1.7mg doses from a 2.4mg pen but I think I took lower doses as when counting the clicks now for a 2.4mg dose there were more than I thought. I had wondered if the effect was wearing off as I hadn't really lost much very recently and not many side effects.

Trying to lose the last 5-6kg to hit my target weight. Current BMI 24.7.

Someone asked about food aversions...I do suddenly feel really put off by meat and eggs!

Hello all. I have continued to lose though slower than before, I lost 2kg/month pretty consistently up to November, since then it's been more like 1kg. BMI is now 24.9. I am going back and forth on whether I continue another month on 1 mg, planning thereafter to taper off on 0.5 and really work on maintaining. I have reflected a lot on how I ended up where I was (BMI of 31, felt awful, self esteem and body image rock bottom).

Thank you for the new thread. Been very static for about 3 months so bit the bullet and am now koing up to 1.7 next week. I really do think this is going to be a medicine for life for me .

Just popping on to say thanks for new thread (and to try to get it in my watched list as ticking the watch box doesn't seem to have worked)

I've finished my 0.5 pen and starting again on a 1mg pen tomorrow. I'm going to count clicks to get 5 weeks of 0.75 out of it and then come off it and see how I go doing it myself.

Bookmarking, thanks for the new thread @DrMadelineMaxwell I’ve been a lurker more than poster, but enjoy seeing other’s journeys. I’ve had my first 1.7mg this week. I feel my losses have stagnated over the past couple of months and I gained 1kg over Christmas. I still have loads to lose even though I’m over 21kg down from last January. So I hope this works for me.

Hi, thanks for the new thread! This thread is brilliant.

I'm just coming up to my 1 year of starting and it's been the best decision. 4 stone down, bmi still at 34 so still a while to go but my health and wellness is vastly improved.

I've just ordered my first 2.4mg from Boots, it's expensive but have decided that's the recommended therapeutic dose so I'm going for it. Is there anyone else on 2.4? Has it been ok if so?

Did anyone watch the BBC Panorama episode about wygovy, there wasn't really anything I didn't know. These things always come across negative but it's more about the unregulated supply and people with low bmi being supplied.

I did find the bit interesting about making sure not to lose muscle mass. I run quite a bit but just hate strength training but I think from listening to that I really need to try and do some resistance exercise. If anyone's got any pointers for a beginner who hates it they'd be gladly received!

I started strength training with a DVD still available on YouTube - Cindy Whitmarsh Ten Minute solutions Target Toning for beginners. She does ten minutes on each of arms, thighs, abs and glutes and covers lots of the exercises that everyone says are good to do.

Currently I do a daily routine of bicep curls, arm raises, rows, triceps, squats, lunges, modified press ups, bridges and the plank - not for long and as an early morning habit. The habit is the most important part. There are exercise classes including weights - eg body pump - not as scary as they sound if having a group and an appointment works better for you.

I started on 2.4mg yesterday and feel fine on it so far. No major side effects.

I've been doing aqua aerobics for resistance work . I'm definitely starting to do weights as well as my toning is as good as I would like. The aqua classes are challenging when it's cold but make me feel so much better for doing them

Has anyone had an problems with boots. I had my prescription repeat approved on the 9th Jan and its still not in store. The pharmacist said she was going to send an email to chase it up but did say that there have been supply issues. This is for the 1mg pen. Anyone else had issues getting stock from them?

I'm due to take my dose again today so hoping it comes in soon in case they make me start at 0.25 again.

@VanellopeVonSchweetz99 that is fantastic rate of weight loss, you are very good at being disciplined. I only lose 1lbs a week, have done all along. Need to get back on it when return from holiday. Amazing you will have lost 35 per cent of body weight.

I'm hoping too that the lessons I have learnt in this year will help. I eat for about forty reasons, hunger being the least common reason.

I'm planning two months at 1mg or three to lose my final 10lbs. Then I'm thinking of a month at 0.5mg then eight weeks at 0.25mg. I know that dose won't do much but psychologically I hope it helps.

I really want to focus on weights and toning. I've been fatigued and nauseous on ozempic so not done much except walk the dog. Although delighted to be a normal weight I am flabby and intoned, I'm 52.

I wonder how easy it will be to restart meds after a gap if maintenance fails but BMI not over 30. I've stayed with juniper throughout so I'm hoping it would be straightforward.

I didn't watch the panorama programme I've already read too many annoying articles basically slating people for using this drug

Checking into the new thread. I’m now 131lbs, which is the lightest I’ve been since I was 16 (24 years ago!). I’m ecstatic.

Am continuing to take Wegovy (via P2U) and have just started 2.4mg. Had a stressful few weeks and know I have gained a little weight.

I managed to lose 4 stone from February 2023 until November 2023. Then I went on a 12 day cruise and put on almost 2kg. Then we had Xmas and I've put on another 1.3kg. So now I have 3.3kg to re-lose. I'm finding it really disheartening. I've been quite strict with myself in January but only managed to go down 0.7kg. I've got a weigh in with the nurse at GP surgery next week and I know she will be disappointed in me. I'm on a 1.25 dose but considering upping my dose to 1.50. The issue I think is it's so cold I'm no longer wanting to walk much. In the summer I was put walking 4 times a week. Now I'm staying in far more.

How do you cope with Ozempic diarrhoea?

I've been on Oz since April and this is the fourth bout. It starts with sulphur burps, then my stomach starts making insane noises and then the diarrhoea starts.

It stops if I take Imodium but then I can't go to the loo for ages, Should I just ride it out and, if so, how long does it tend to last?

No sickness, nausea or other side effects.

@HolidayHappy123 sounds grim. Can you relate it to diet in any way or does it just happen randomly?
I've been lurking on some reddit chats abut side effects, and a lot of people are saying dairy and/or high fat can result in diarrhea for them, whereas too much carbs can lead to nausea.

People are talking about how the smallest changes towards more fat can trigger the runs, ie salmon instead of tuna one day, or some peanut butter, or some avocado.
The times I've had it has been after a takeaway.

@SarahC50 I'm really not that disciplined, I've lost way too fast really, but I have been super motivated by some big work events (v shallow industry and I'm certainly taken much more seriously now - it's sad really).
I also wonder how hard it will be to restart if maintenance fails.
I've done pretty much no exercise in december, I just don't have the extra fuel for it. We're a similar age and I swear I'm 'toning up' a bit anyway (or maybe just being delusional : ).

@DrRichardWebber that's incredible, congratulations. I'm getting to that number too, and it's the oddest, but best feeling. Zero regrets.

@caringcarer Don't beat yourself up or stress about it! Could you view the festive period as a lovely re-feed period that you have enjoyed, and that will help fuel you going into a bit of a deficit now? A lot of it will be water and not body fat anyway, ie one gram of carbohydrate holds 3-4 grams of water.
Going forward, there are ways of cutting a lot of calories in a week without feeling too deprived. For me protein intake has proven key, as well as drinking masses of water and making space for treats within my daily allowance.

@HolidayHappy123 I have had bouts of diarrhoea due to IBS and I found the only thing which really helped was Immodium (or a cheaper non-branded version). But I would only take one tablet when an incident occurred and no more. This allowed me to continue with life. I would also recommended Metanium Everyday Barrier Ointment for a sore botty - it's a white version of the yellow nappy rash cream and doesn't leave yellow marks on your underwear!

Bizarrely, as Vanellope says above, I found that food with lots of "healthy" fats could trigger a whoosh moment. Smoked salmon was a complete no-no. The interwebs tell you that caffeine, alcohol and fibre can be triggering for diarrhoea on semaglutide. I'm not sure I believe that, but worth looking at those things if you still struggle.

How is this drug supplied is it through the GP, or do you pay for it on a private prescription? I have BMI of 38, hypertension & pre-diabetes, does this qualify me for ozempic? I don’t eat rubbish but my stomach doesn’t to ever seem full, had bulimia from 17 to 30 odd & probably buggered up my metabolism, also dad is diabetic & can’t get his pens, district nurse said its because people are taking the drug for slimming, so that is a concern for me.

Mt61 - I don't think you'll be given a prescription as a pre-diabetic. My GP wouldn't prescribe for me, although I am diabetic - they said they'd had instructions not to put any new patients on the drug due to the shortages. However, I paid for a couple of months supply myself, and it brought my HbA1c level down from 68 to 50, and on that basis, the GP reluctantly agreed to prescribe it for me. Incidentally, I am still only on .5 (my choice) and I haven't lost any notable weight (3/4 kg) over six months.

@HolidayHappy123 I've had identical experiences with sulphur burps followed by grumbly Timmy followed by diarrhoea. I've narrowed mine down to when I'm trying to eat a lot of fibre, so prob green leafy veg, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. Does that sound possible for you?

Clearly grumbly tummy, not Timmy, though he does complain a lot too 😂