Calibrate v. NextMed v Sequence and other Wegovy programs?

[Anonymous]

Hi, I have seen a lot here about Calibrate, which sounds very involved, and wondered if anyone has tried any of the other Wegovy programs and can comment on them?

[Anonymous]

Calibrate is $1800 plus meds and labs. A lot of it is for counseling.

Go see an endocrinologist who will prescribe Ozempic or whatever off label. Save your money.

[Anonymous]

Skip the programs. Just get a prescription for Ozempic from your PCP. Your insurance will either cover it or they won’t. If they won’t, buy it from Canada. The lower starting doses of Wegovy are impossible to find right now anyway.

[Anonymous]

Yes to all this. However, now Ozempic is on backorder as well.

[Anonymous]

Or I forgot to add, just go through Push Medical if your own doctor is apprehensive. They are telehealth providers.

[Anonymous]

I’m prediabetic and my doctor didn’t even suggest Ozampic. Is that typical or is it an outdated take it on weight management?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m prediabetic and my doctor didn’t even suggest Ozampic. Is that typical or is it an outdated take it on weight management?

Wegovy is the new drug of choice. Just go to your doctor and ask for it. If insurance doesn’t cover ask for Ozempic. Be an advocate for yourself and ASK SPECIFICALLY for these medications. They work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes to all this. However, now Ozempic is on backorder as well.

Huh? I’ve had zero issues getting Ozempic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m prediabetic and my doctor didn’t even suggest Ozampic. Is that typical or is it an outdated take it on weight management?

Not outdated. More likely that your doctor isn’t thinking about it in that way. Definitely bring it up with them. Insurance is more likely to cover it with a prediabetic diagnosis. I only pay $25 for my prescription. My doctor noted my prediabetic numbers as well as insulin resistance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m prediabetic and my doctor didn’t even suggest Ozampic. Is that typical or is it an outdated take it on weight management?

Wegovy is the new drug of choice. Just go to your doctor and ask for it. If insurance doesn’t cover ask for Ozempic. Be an advocate for yourself and ASK SPECIFICALLY for these medications. They work.

Wegovy and Ozempic are the exact same GLP-1 medication (semaglutide) except for inactives. Don't give bad advice. Ozempic also now goes up to 2.0, so is a perfectly good choice especially given the shortages of Wegovy that won't be alleviated as per Novo Nordisk until late 2022.

Mounjaro by Eli Lilly is actually next-generation because it combines a GLP-1 and a GIP. Eli Lilly is offering a $25/month for a year coupon to people who have medical insurance but that insurance won't cover Mounjaro, so you might consider that instead of Ozempic. Push and Alpha are both online services that may be able to prescribe it to you, although I don't have experience with either.

I did Calibrate for 6+ months, and got a lot out of the program, but essentially they got me Wegovy with the 6-month coupon that Novo Nordisk was offering. They did not truly go to bat with my insurance company for coverage when the coupon ran out. I'm glad I did it for 6 months but wouldn't do it again. I'm currently on Ozempic 0.5 that I'm getting from Canada for maintenance and possibly a bit more weight loss. I've gotten a prescription for Mounjaro and need to fill it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m prediabetic and my doctor didn’t even suggest Ozampic. Is that typical or is it an outdated take it on weight management?

Wegovy is the new drug of choice. Just go to your doctor and ask for it. If insurance doesn’t cover ask for Ozempic. Be an advocate for yourself and ASK SPECIFICALLY for these medications. They work.

Wegovy and Ozempic are the exact same GLP-1 medication (semaglutide) except for inactives. Don't give bad advice. Ozempic also now goes up to 2.0, so is a perfectly good choice especially given the shortages of Wegovy that won't be alleviated as per Novo Nordisk until late 2022.

Mounjaro by Eli Lilly is actually next-generation because it combines a GLP-1 and a GIP. Eli Lilly is offering a $25/month for a year coupon to people who have medical insurance but that insurance won't cover Mounjaro, so you might consider that instead of Ozempic. Push and Alpha are both online services that may be able to prescribe it to you, although I don't have experience with either.

I did Calibrate for 6+ months, and got a lot out of the program, but essentially they got me Wegovy with the 6-month coupon that Novo Nordisk was offering. They did not truly go to bat with my insurance company for coverage when the coupon ran out. I'm glad I did it for 6 months but wouldn't do it again. I'm currently on Ozempic 0.5 that I'm getting from Canada for maintenance and possibly a bit more weight loss. I've gotten a prescription for Mounjaro and need to fill it.

What bad advice did I give? Wegovy is the new drug of choice. Yes, there is a shortage and in many places Ozempic is on short supply as welll because folks are switching from Wegovy to Ozempic.

P..S. I’m already on Mournjaro, so I’m very familiar with it. I was telling that poster to go straight to her doctor because Calibrate is a money grab when you can get the same script from you doctor for the cost of a co-pay. So where’s the bad advice?

[Anonymous]

Plus meant to add that unless something has changed as of last week, Neighborhood Pharmacy in Alexandria has no trouble supplying 1.7mg and 2.4 mg doses of Wegovy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes to all this. However, now Ozempic is on backorder as well.

Huh? I’ve had zero issues getting Ozempic.

Many Ozempic/Wegovy Facebook groups are reporting delays and extended wait times. It just hasn't made it to you yet. Hopefully it won't.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/31/shortage-of-diabetes-medication-ozempic-after-tiktok-users-promote-drug-for-weight-loss

https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2022/24/accessibility-cost-of-game-changing-obesity-drugs-problematic/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m prediabetic and my doctor didn’t even suggest Ozampic. Is that typical or is it an outdated take it on weight management?

Wegovy is the new drug of choice. Just go to your doctor and ask for it. If insurance doesn’t cover ask for Ozempic. Be an advocate for yourself and ASK SPECIFICALLY for these medications. They work.

Wegovy and Ozempic are the exact same GLP-1 medication (semaglutide) except for inactives. Don't give bad advice. Ozempic also now goes up to 2.0, so is a perfectly good choice especially given the shortages of Wegovy that won't be alleviated as per Novo Nordisk until late 2022.

Mounjaro by Eli Lilly is actually next-generation because it combines a GLP-1 and a GIP. Eli Lilly is offering a $25/month for a year coupon to people who have medical insurance but that insurance won't cover Mounjaro, so you might consider that instead of Ozempic. Push and Alpha are both online services that may be able to prescribe it to you, although I don't have experience with either.

I did Calibrate for 6+ months, and got a lot out of the program, but essentially they got me Wegovy with the 6-month coupon that Novo Nordisk was offering. They did not truly go to bat with my insurance company for coverage when the coupon ran out. I'm glad I did it for 6 months but wouldn't do it again. I'm currently on Ozempic 0.5 that I'm getting from Canada for maintenance and possibly a bit more weight loss. I've gotten a prescription for Mounjaro and need to fill it.

What bad advice did I give? Wegovy is the new drug of choice. Yes, there is a shortage and in many places Ozempic is on short supply as welll because folks are switching from Wegovy to Ozempic.

P..S. I’m already on Mournjaro, so I’m very familiar with it. I was telling that poster to go straight to her doctor because Calibrate is a money grab when you can get the same script from you doctor for the cost of a co-pay. So where’s the bad advice?

The bad advice is your statement that Wegovy is the new drug of choice. You implied that Wegovy > Ozempic. That's simply not true. Ozempic is just as good, and there's also Mounjaro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m prediabetic and my doctor didn’t even suggest Ozampic. Is that typical or is it an outdated take it on weight management?

Wegovy is the new drug of choice. Just go to your doctor and ask for it. If insurance doesn’t cover ask for Ozempic. Be an advocate for yourself and ASK SPECIFICALLY for these medications. They work.

Wegovy and Ozempic are the exact same GLP-1 medication (semaglutide) except for inactives. Don't give bad advice. Ozempic also now goes up to 2.0, so is a perfectly good choice especially given the shortages of Wegovy that won't be alleviated as per Novo Nordisk until late 2022.

Mounjaro by Eli Lilly is actually next-generation because it combines a GLP-1 and a GIP. Eli Lilly is offering a $25/month for a year coupon to people who have medical insurance but that insurance won't cover Mounjaro, so you might consider that instead of Ozempic. Push and Alpha are both online services that may be able to prescribe it to you, although I don't have experience with either.

I did Calibrate for 6+ months, and got a lot out of the program, but essentially they got me Wegovy with the 6-month coupon that Novo Nordisk was offering. They did not truly go to bat with my insurance company for coverage when the coupon ran out. I'm glad I did it for 6 months but wouldn't do it again. I'm currently on Ozempic 0.5 that I'm getting from Canada for maintenance and possibly a bit more weight loss. I've gotten a prescription for Mounjaro and need to fill it.

What bad advice did I give? Wegovy is the new drug of choice. Yes, there is a shortage and in many places Ozempic is on short supply as welll because folks are switching from Wegovy to Ozempic.

P..S. I’m already on Mournjaro, so I’m very familiar with it. I was telling that poster to go straight to her doctor because Calibrate is a money grab when you can get the same script from you doctor for the cost of a co-pay. So where’s the bad advice?

The bad advice is your statement that Wegovy is the new drug of choice. You implied that Wegovy > Ozempic. That's simply not true. Ozempic is just as good, and there's also Mounjaro.

I did not imply that at all. Wegovy is FDA approved for weight loss. Ozempic is approved approved for diabetes. Mournjaro is approved for diabetes NOT weight loss. Wegovy is the new drug of choice for weight loss. Many, many. many doctors will not prescribe Ozempic off label. Why would they when as you stated correctly, you have the exact same drug in Wegovy. Well we know why they do....to get around insurance coverage and the shortage of Wegovy. So not sure why you're arguing with me trying to be a know it all. I was just trying to suggest to that poster to JUST ASK FOR IT, instead of waiting for them to suggest it to them.

And FYI, locally Mournjaro is starting to see delays. My pharmacy can't get the 7.5mg doses until next week. Folks in my Facebook group having trouble as well.