Weight loss clinic says I have to go off Wegovy?

[Anonymous]

I have been going to NOVA Physician Wellness Center, and am nearing my goal weight after many months on Wegovy. They say that once I reach my goal weight I need to wean off the Wegovy. But I keep reading that it's a lifelong thing once you have been obese, and that you will regain all the weight and then some if you stop. I don't have any side effects from the drug. So why do they say I need to stop using it?

[Anonymous]

Because of the risks of bowel obstruction, I suppose?

[Anonymous]

Perhaps you could "wean off" gradually?

[Anonymous]

You don't have to go off. People have been on Ozempic, which like Wegovy is semaglutide, for nearly 20 years safely.

[Anonymous]

Looking at their website, it says patients can remain on it indefinitely. You should ask them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: You don't have to go off. People have been on Ozempic, which like Wegovy is semaglutide, for nearly 20 years safely.

For diabetes. We don’t know what the impact is on otherwise healthy people. One should always be cautious of “miracle drugs”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: You don't have to go off. People have been on Ozempic, which like Wegovy is semaglutide, for nearly 20 years safely.

For diabetes. We don’t know what the impact is on otherwise healthy people. One should always be cautious of “miracle drugs”.

There hasn't been any safety issues in long term use of this drug. It's the exact same drug.

However, there IS the side effect of a 20% reduction in stroke and heart attack risk, according to studies published in Aug. So there's that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because of the risks of bowel obstruction, I suppose?

That isn’t actually a thing

[Anonymous]

My insurance stopped paying for it in March so I had to quit cold turkey. I was within 10 lbs of my goal weight and have to say that it's been fine. I haven't gained any weight back. It did get a bit harder with being more hungry but I've gotten used to it.

All of this to say, not that I think you should get off, but it's not the end of the world if you do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because of the risks of bowel obstruction, I suppose?

That isn’t actually a thing

It’s not a side effect?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: You don't have to go off. People have been on Ozempic, which like Wegovy is semaglutide, for nearly 20 years safely.

For diabetes. We don’t know what the impact is on otherwise healthy people. One should always be cautious of “miracle drugs”.

No need to put quotation marks around miracle drugs. They are. Thank god we finally have them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been going to NOVA Physician Wellness Center, and am nearing my goal weight after many months on Wegovy. They say that once I reach my goal weight I need to wean off the Wegovy. But I keep reading that it's a lifelong thing once you have been obese, and that you will regain all the weight and then some if you stop. I don't have any side effects from the drug. So why do they say I need to stop using it?

I mean...what did they say when you asked them this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because of the risks of bowel obstruction, I suppose?

That isn’t actually a thing

It's been measured in clinical studies: gastroparesis, biliary disease, bowel obstruction, etc. All the forms of gastric and intestinal issues these drugs can trigger.

They are known risks. You've got to consult your doctor and decide what your individual profile can sustain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: You don't have to go off. People have been on Ozempic, which like Wegovy is semaglutide, for nearly 20 years safely.

For diabetes. We don’t know what the impact is on otherwise healthy people. One should always be cautious of “miracle drugs”.

No need to put quotation marks around miracle drugs. They are. Thank god we finally have them.

My blood pressure meds are miracle drugs. So are antibiotics. I mean, we should always be cautious, but the fact that a drug works really really well is not an extra reason to be cautious, except many people have this idea that people should have to work hard to decrease weight (but it's ok not to work hard to decrease blood pressure for some reason; pills are ok for that). I'm not overweight and am not on any of these drugs, so I'm not speaking as a user, just as an observer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: You don't have to go off. People have been on Ozempic, which like Wegovy is semaglutide, for nearly 20 years safely.

For diabetes. We don’t know what the impact is on otherwise healthy people. One should always be cautious of “miracle drugs”.

The class of people for whom this drug is successful are typically insulin resistant and likely to become diabetic. They aren’t “otherwise healthy.” It’s the same population.

Do you also exercise this level of skepticism about ibuprofen, statins, and other miracle drugs? Or just the ones that help fat people?