Where are people getting Ozempic and what does it cost?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My doctor has a weight loss specialist. I get my shots there. $550/month. Insurance doesn't cover it as I am only prediabetic.

Can you share where you go? My insurance won't cover it anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been on it since last august and have lost 50 lbs so far (25 more to go). My insurance covered it (UHC) but I just switched jobs and I hope Cigna covers it too. I feel like I can eat a lot less and not be completely miserable and think about food all the time. I am doing weight watchers at the same time to give me parameters and allow me to switch my thinking about food. So far it's been life-changing. I was able to get off BP mds and cholesterol meds.

I just wish people would have more compassion for people with obesity and realize that a lot of the times it's so much more than "just eating less."

Cigna does not cover it. My doctor prescribed it to me (not diabetic) and Cigna would not cover it. I am in the same boat you are. My old insurance (BCBS) covered it - I lost about 70 lbs and still have a bit more to go. We are now on my husband's insurance (Cigna) and they won't cover it.

This is incorrect. It’s not about your insurance but about what your employer negotiated with the insurer. I just switched over to Cigna in January (from Aetna) because my employer dropped Aetna and picked up Cigna beginning in January. I’m still paying exactly the same: $25 per month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a diabetic. I want to lose 20 lbs and am not looking to debate the ethics of this. There are a bunch of websites that claim to offer prescriptions. Which are the most effective at getting it, and how much does it cost? I have Blue Cross but assume that I won't get coverage for this.

Get some exercise and stop cramming food in your yap.

Did you really click on yet another Ozempic./weight loss thread just to share that genius tidbit? It's astounding!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been on it since last august and have lost 50 lbs so far (25 more to go). My insurance covered it (UHC) but I just switched jobs and I hope Cigna covers it too. I feel like I can eat a lot less and not be completely miserable and think about food all the time. I am doing weight watchers at the same time to give me parameters and allow me to switch my thinking about food. So far it's been life-changing. I was able to get off BP mds and cholesterol meds.

I just wish people would have more compassion for people with obesity and realize that a lot of the times it's so much more than "just eating less."

Cigna does not cover it. My doctor prescribed it to me (not diabetic) and Cigna would not cover it. I am in the same boat you are. My old insurance (BCBS) covered it - I lost about 70 lbs and still have a bit more to go. We are now on my husband's insurance (Cigna) and they won't cover it.

It depends on the Cinga plan.

My Cigna covers Ozempic with $20 copay

Same with Mounjaro

Both with prior authorization

Wegovy is not covered in my plan.

[Anonymous]

Mine is not covered (pre-diabetic) and it costs $800/month. Getting it from CVS is a pain in the butt. Basically you have to go to the CVS and they will transfer it to the closest store that has it, and then you have to drive there.

The side effects are SIGNIFICANT. I am hopeful that in the next few years they get better versions and better at dosing. The once a week is tough because if you do get side effects, there’s really nothing you can do except wait it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I need to lose 20 lbs and am considering this. Most of the excess weight is due to an SSRI so I sort of feel like if I jacked up my metabolism with medication one way, might as well take medication to fix that.

As a side note - I HOPE they start doing research on prescribing weight loss meds to prevent SSRI weight gain.

Same

Yeah, I quit Zoloft due to weight gain. I’d love to go back on—but I feel like I can’t. Im just too hungry on it. I was googling today to see if it’s ever used for people on SSRIs and couldn’t find anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been on it since last august and have lost 50 lbs so far (25 more to go). My insurance covered it (UHC) but I just switched jobs and I hope Cigna covers it too. I feel like I can eat a lot less and not be completely miserable and think about food all the time. I am doing weight watchers at the same time to give me parameters and allow me to switch my thinking about food. So far it's been life-changing. I was able to get off BP mds and cholesterol meds.

I just wish people would have more compassion for people with obesity and realize that a lot of the times it's so much more than "just eating less."

Cigna does not cover it. My doctor prescribed it to me (not diabetic) and Cigna would not cover it. I am in the same boat you are. My old insurance (BCBS) covered it - I lost about 70 lbs and still have a bit more to go. We are now on my husband's insurance (Cigna) and they won't cover it.

Cigna covers it for me and I'm not pre-diabetic or diabetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been on it since last august and have lost 50 lbs so far (25 more to go). My insurance covered it (UHC) but I just switched jobs and I hope Cigna covers it too. I feel like I can eat a lot less and not be completely miserable and think about food all the time. I am doing weight watchers at the same time to give me parameters and allow me to switch my thinking about food. So far it's been life-changing. I was able to get off BP mds and cholesterol meds.

I just wish people would have more compassion for people with obesity and realize that a lot of the times it's so much more than "just eating less."

Cigna does not cover it. My doctor prescribed it to me (not diabetic) and Cigna would not cover it. I am in the same boat you are. My old insurance (BCBS) covered it - I lost about 70 lbs and still have a bit more to go. We are now on my husband's insurance (Cigna) and they won't cover it.

Cigna covers it for me and I'm not pre-diabetic or diabetic.

Yeah and I have BCBS and it’s not covered. It depends on the plan, not the company.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been on it since last august and have lost 50 lbs so far (25 more to go). My insurance covered it (UHC) but I just switched jobs and I hope Cigna covers it too. I feel like I can eat a lot less and not be completely miserable and think about food all the time. I am doing weight watchers at the same time to give me parameters and allow me to switch my thinking about food. So far it's been life-changing. I was able to get off BP mds and cholesterol meds.

I just wish people would have more compassion for people with obesity and realize that a lot of the times it's so much more than "just eating less."

I just commented about Zoloft weight gain. Off Zoloft, I barely have a desire to eat. I mean, food tastes good, but I can very easily not eat it—and I find it very easy to make healthy choices. On Zoloft, while so much less anxious and more present in life, I am just so hungry. And I cannot pass up a carb. Even though I tried to eat like the old me, the weight just slowly piled on because I never felt full.

There is so much about the human body we don’t understand. I have all the compassion for anyone who has trouble regulating their appetite. It’s all tied up in brain chemistry I think. But people who haven’t struggled with weight just think they’re disciplined.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been on it since last august and have lost 50 lbs so far (25 more to go). My insurance covered it (UHC) but I just switched jobs and I hope Cigna covers it too. I feel like I can eat a lot less and not be completely miserable and think about food all the time. I am doing weight watchers at the same time to give me parameters and allow me to switch my thinking about food. So far it's been life-changing. I was able to get off BP mds and cholesterol meds.

I just wish people would have more compassion for people with obesity and realize that a lot of the times it's so much more than "just eating less."

I just commented about Zoloft weight gain. Off Zoloft, I barely have a desire to eat. I mean, food tastes good, but I can very easily not eat it—and I find it very easy to make healthy choices. On Zoloft, while so much less anxious and more present in life, I am just so hungry. And I cannot pass up a carb. Even though I tried to eat like the old me, the weight just slowly piled on because I never felt full.

There is so much about the human body we don’t understand. I have all the compassion for anyone who has trouble regulating their appetite. It’s all tied up in brain chemistry I think. But people who haven’t struggled with weight just think they’re disciplined.

What’s weird is that I think Lexapro made me gain weight even without any increase in appetite or calories. I think there’s something SSRIs do to digestion and metabolism beyond just appetite.

[Anonymous]

I’m on Mounjaro and had to get a priory authorization approved. My plan covers Ozempic for $45/month.

I’m down 50 lbs.

[Anonymous]

I hope this is ok to share here, but I am basically tearful with jealousy at all the posters whose insurances are covering it even though they don’t have “medical conditions”. I am overweight- I should be under 150 for a BMI of 25, and I’m 170. I have no other health problems. I CANNOT lose the weight and I’ve actually gained 10lb this past year when I stopped being hyper vigilant about calories and weighing myself daily. I am struggling so much and have so much self loathing for my lack of “willpower” or whatever it is that’s causing this. But I cannot afford a thousand dollars a month. I can’t even afford 550 a month like one of the posters.

I just want to take this drug and reduce my insane appetite and lose this weight and be healthy and feel good. I am so angry and sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Or you can get Saxenda, which is specifically approved for weight loss. I did and am having great success -- a pants size down in 2 months.

It's covered by my insurance (BCBS federal), too.

Sweetheart, Wegovy is the weight loss equivalent of Ozempic. Same drug. Saxenda is an older version. Not as effective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was prescribed Metformin and it has taken off 15 lbs. in two months, along with exercise. I have less of an appetite. It is much cheaper than Ozempic with fewer side effects. 3x/day pill.

+1

Ozempic is expensive, has lots of side effects, have to worry about pancreatic cancer and good luck finding it. It didn't do much for me and I worked out and definitely ate less. I felt very tired and sick most of the time with unending diarrhea. I stayed on a low dose for a long time because of the side effects. Eventually got up to 1 mg and couldn't deal with the side effects. I hear more success with metformin.

Metformin is useless for most. Well except it will have you with some serious digestive issues. But it in no way works like Ozempic/Wegovy.

NP. It's working great for me. I take it with food, and it curbs my appetite tremendously. No digestive issues. Ten pounds down in two months.

BTW, there are also digestive issues with Ozempic/Wegovy/Mounjaro, etc. I follow the FB group and they comment daily about crapping their pants.

I did not have this issue. I did have severe abdominal cramps (I now know what "doubled over in pain" means). I had to stop. I'm sad, I lost 15lbs in the first month, but when I increased the dose, the pain started. Insurance would not let me stay on the lower dose. It was ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope this is ok to share here, but I am basically tearful with jealousy at all the posters whose insurances are covering it even though they don’t have “medical conditions”. I am overweight- I should be under 150 for a BMI of 25, and I’m 170. I have no other health problems. I CANNOT lose the weight and I’ve actually gained 10lb this past year when I stopped being hyper vigilant about calories and weighing myself daily. I am struggling so much and have so much self loathing for my lack of “willpower” or whatever it is that’s causing this. But I cannot afford a thousand dollars a month. I can’t even afford 550 a month like one of the posters.

I just want to take this drug and reduce my insane appetite and lose this weight and be healthy and feel good. I am so angry and sad.

There are other drugs you can try. Ask your doctor about:
- Phentermine
- Wellbutrin
- Contrave
- Metformin
- Saxenda