Wegovy for obese teen who to see in DMV

[Anonymous]

Our 15 year old has gained a lot of weight since COVID and is now over 30 BMI. They have tried dieting and psyc eating disorder treatment for over 6 months including residential and nothing has worked. We are interested in seeking wegovy as it is approved but can't find a doctor who will prescribe to teen. Help appreciated

[Anonymous]

Absolutely not. Hasn't been tested on teens and it, by definition, impacts hormones.

[Anonymous]

Last I checked Wegovy was only approved for 18+. There’s also a nationwide shortage and a lot of doctors aren’t writing scripts for it because it is so hard to get.

Saxenda is approved for teens 12-17. I would see a pediatric endocrinologist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last I checked Wegovy was only approved for 18+. There’s also a nationwide shortage and a lot of doctors aren’t writing scripts for it because it is so hard to get.

Saxenda is approved for teens 12-17. I would see a pediatric endocrinologist

I stand corrected. I just looked it up. Wegovy is now approved for 12+. My other point still stands…it’s really hard to get. And have you checked if your insurance covers it? W/O coverage it’s around $1200. Obesity is still considered a lifestyle choice by many plans and they opt out of coverage.

[Anonymous]

Don’t be a drug seeker. Work to find the best medical professional then work within their treatment plan instead of deciding on a treatment plan then finding a medical professional that will be a dumb script writer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t be a drug seeker. Work to find the best medical professional then work within their treatment plan instead of deciding on a treatment plan then finding a medical professional that will be a dumb script writer.

We've tried everything this is a last resort

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t be a drug seeker. Work to find the best medical professional then work within their treatment plan instead of deciding on a treatment plan then finding a medical professional that will be a dumb script writer.

We've tried everything this is a last resort

What are the medical professionals you already hired saying? Clearly they don’t agree that this is the correct path.

[Anonymous]

OP I don't know who to send you to see, but I absolutely don't blame you for trying to find someone who will try it.

One way to look at this is that if your daughter is going to struggle with obesity, she's probably going to struggle with it forever. Drugs or no drugs. And the side effects of semaglutide may mean she can't stay on it anyway. So I understand your frustration and feeling like it's a "last resort," but you're on a long road. You have an urgent problem but not an emergency, if that makes any sense.

I agree with the others that you should look for pediatric endocrinologists and/or obesity specialists. I don't think you're going to find a lot of regular pediatricians with enough experience with this to prescribe it to a teen.

If you do want insurance coverage, and you find a doctor who's supportive, you'll probably have to spend some time re-doing other treatments to satisfy the insurance company anyway. Another reason to take the long view.

You need to make sure your teen knows this is a (exciting!) thing that's out there and could help, but not a "last resort" or a desperate play. Because then if it doesn't work out, where have you left her?

[Anonymous]

OP, I’m a middle aged woman who is now on Mounjaro and finally losing weight. I’ve struggled with being the chubby/fat one since I was 13.

I wish I had an option like Wegovy back then - it’s amazing medication and it helps regulate hormones and bodily functions that don’t currently function normally. Just like some people need meds to control high BP or cholesterol.

Definitely seek out providers who are knowledgeable and understand the titration regimen and how to manage potential side effects.

Many of us on these medicines are also implementing lifestyle changes that felt impossible 30, 40, 50, 80 pounds ago due to joint pain and poor muscle strength.

Wishing you and your child all the best!

[Anonymous]

PP here - some additional info to consider

Make sure your kid gets labs done - including blood and metabolic. Your provider should insist on it and require periodic labs during treatment to monitor changes and improvements

Check your insurance plan’s formulary to understand what is covered and how much it may cost. Wegovy is currently almost $1500 a month but there is a savings card that can reduce cost - savings range depending on your insurance coverage

Wegovy is also in shortage right now with Novo Nordisk limiting supply for the starting doses - this may make it difficult to get started before September when they expect supply to increase

[Anonymous]

One more thing - Saxenda is a similar medicine to Wegovy. It’s a GLP-1 agonist called liraglutide whereas Wegovy (and Ozempic) is a semaglutide.

Saxenda is a daily injection but the needles are small and don’t hurt - it may take longer to see significant weight loss and the daily regimen may feel cumbersome.

A poor analogy is Saxenda is a 2015 Camry, dependable and gets the job done, and Wegovy is the fast, flashy 2024 BMW.

[Anonymous]

Anyone have any names or doctors who work with teens for wegovy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I’m a middle aged woman who is now on Mounjaro and finally losing weight. I’ve struggled with being the chubby/fat one since I was 13.

I wish I had an option like Wegovy back then - it’s amazing medication and it helps regulate hormones and bodily functions that don’t currently function normally. Just like some people need meds to control high BP or cholesterol.

Definitely seek out providers who are knowledgeable and understand the titration regimen and how to manage potential side effects.

Many of us on these medicines are also implementing lifestyle changes that felt impossible 30, 40, 50, 80 pounds ago due to joint pain and poor muscle strength.

Wishing you and your child all the best!

Who do you see for the mounjaro?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t be a drug seeker. Work to find the best medical professional then work within their treatment plan instead of deciding on a treatment plan then finding a medical professional that will be a dumb script writer.

We've tried everything this is a last resort

Do you have $1200 a month to spend on this? It also might not work. I have type 2 diabetes and lost zero pounds on ozempic and I was at the highest dose. Zero appetite suppression. What worked for me, was vyvanse. Now my blood sugar is controlled and I’ve lost 50 pounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t be a drug seeker. Work to find the best medical professional then work within their treatment plan instead of deciding on a treatment plan then finding a medical professional that will be a dumb script writer.

We've tried everything this is a last resort

Do you have $1200 a month to spend on this? It also might not work. I have type 2 diabetes and lost zero pounds on ozempic and I was at the highest dose. Zero appetite suppression. What worked for me, was vyvanse. Now my blood sugar is controlled and I’ve lost 50 pounds.

I verified with our insurance it's covered because the BMI is 30+