Could someone just give me the basics-can I go to an online doctor? Do they take insurance? How much does everything cost? I am fat, but don't want to deal with my primary care doctor. |
Following - I know other people are getting even if not technically obese and I am really confused as to how people are getting it. |
Many people are going online and getting compounds through Henry or Eden or similar sites. |
go to HenryMeds. Fill out the intake form. Tweak your height and weight a bit (I added 10 lbs and reduced my height). Then, you schedule a quick nurse video call, and the drugs are mailed to you in about a week. |
This makes me so angry. I know docs are conservative and risk-averse but the fact that people don't even want to approach their PC docs means that these docs are unreasonable. Not to make this about me but I'm having statin pressure and I'm sick of it. I would love for your doc OP to be inviting you to look at some different options! They should be working with you and helping you. Because guess what, nobody wants to go in, get shamed, get same old lecture on diet and exercise and then meds from 20 years ago. (and a bonus print out on the Mediterranean diet - and I weigh 125. Can you imagine.) |
It's funny, I always thought diet and exercise was what they said when they couldn't say 'it's genetic and unless you quit your job and devote yourself to wellness you'll be over weight' Now there is a medical solution and they still stick with diet and exercise despite the literature not supporting it |
Join Fridays is an excellent option - they are a telemedicine option that can prescribe name brand and compound versions of these meds |
Henry's meds or Found or any other company similar. |
What about a full inventory and checkup from the primary to ensure you understand everything and have bloodwork done to make sure this new med will work well with your body type? Will you be getting bloodwork done? Are you already on medications? |
These are not new meds. GLP-1 antagonists were approved by the FDA almost 20 years ago. |
I don't know if that's a fair assumption. I know several people who've resorted to compound pharmacies to get their hands on semaglutide and they all are just slightly overweight (less than 25 lbs), not in any medical danger from excess weight. I genuinely think it's a miracle drug, but the side effects are serious and I don't think it should be the first stop for someone looking to lose weight. I started it when I was morbidly obese, working out 4-5x a week, and eating 90% home-cooked, low carb meals. I still had some hard weeks where I wondered if it was worth it, and I know from being in Facebook groups about the meds that I had it easier than some of the patients in terms of side effects. |
Orderly Meds. It's $249, any dose of Sema with no membership fee. I had my medication in less than a week. I went from Obese BMI to Healthy/Normal in four months, I didn't even get past 0.5 mg dose.
https://orderlymeds.com/treatments/compounded_tirzepatide#compare-treatments |
I meant “new med” for the person. Anytime you add a new medication you should be checked by a doctor to make sure things are okay. I know GLP-1 are proven and have a track record. This is more about a doctor’s supervision who knows someone’s whole history/the whole picture. |
I am not going to judge how overweight anyone feels they must be to access medicine. The hassle/cost/stress will keep people from messing around for a few pounds.
Easiest one is Emerge - but do not expect customer service because you are paying through the nose for a peptide pharma has know about for decades and only recently marketed. Insurance: 1. You call YOUR insurance. QUESTIONS: Is it on their formulary FOR WEIGHT LOSS (Wegovy/Monjaro) [NOT for type 2 diabetes (Ozempic/Zepbound, you need to evidence A1C to a certain level; Pre-diabetic? No meds for you! You want Oz/Zep? Gotta get diabetic.]. 2. Will YOUR insurance PLAN cover it (might have had to pay for an extra Rider-type add-on when your employer negotiated your coverage) even if it is in their formulary. 2. Does YOUR insurance demand a prior authorization? 3. Does the prior authorization HAVE to show clinical notes that you have tried other medicines and made you sick/had no effect. Once you sort out your insurance demands you can play the doctor lottery to see if you can get a doc who believes in weight loss meds. At the George Washington University Medical Faculty Docs - I had a doc that would NOT engage in a conversation about meds. Instead, you get sent to “weight loss hell” - I mean clinic and told “six-month wait to get onto a list to someday get an appointment.” Then - a week or so later, I got a call “we here at weight loss hell have a wait list to get on the list to someday get an appointment - looks like its about a nine month wait - call back every week and see if we are taking names for the list.” So THAT is why we hop online and talk to a rando doc and get medicine. Anyone who says “move more, eat less” can go F off. I have lost 30-60#s on and off time after time over my life - I know more about moving more and eating less than you ever will, I promise you. 40% of adults are obese and the number will continue to rise — so you just keep judging away. |
Go to Reddit. Google Tirzepatide. Do as instructed. Easy. |