Wegovy/Saxenda for weight loss?

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have any feedback on using Saxenda or Wegovy for weight loss? I have seen some interesting articles about it and heard some personal stories of success with Saxenda. And then I started seeing ads for a service called Calibrate on IG (algorithm, I know) that combines dr supervised weight loss program with one of these medications (if you can get it covered by insurance). Calibrate is claiming that the meds will re-set your metabolism to a lower weight point so that your body isn't fighting to stay a certain weight. They aim for 10% reduction in your weight, but it seems like these may work better than that. Just curious if anyone has any thoughts or has tried these before. TIA.

[Anonymous]

I'm on wegovy op. You should check with your doctor and see if you can get wegovy or ozempic before you go through a weight loss center.

[Anonymous]

I’m 6 weeks in on ozempic (same as wegovy) and have lost 10lbs. My doctor prescribed it and insurance covered it. I’m not familiar with the program you mentioned.

[Anonymous]

Anyone else? Pharmacies can't keep it in stock.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else? Pharmacies can't keep it in stock.

The manufacturer says they should be updated on production by 2022. You can get Ozempic in the meanwhile as it’s the exact same medicine but only goes to 1mg versus 2.4 with Wegovy.

[Anonymous]

How much does Ozempic cost? What about Wegovy? How do you get insurance coverage if they deny it at first?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How much does Ozempic cost? What about Wegovy? How do you get insurance coverage if they deny it at first?

Depends on your Rx coverage. I pay $25/month for Ozempic. Wegovy was denied by insurance as they don’t cover weight loss drugs so it’s like $1300-$1500/month.

[Anonymous]

What is the long term on these drugs? Is it something you'll take for the rest of your life or can you keep the weight off if you stop taking it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have any feedback on using Saxenda or Wegovy for weight loss? I have seen some interesting articles about it and heard some personal stories of success with Saxenda. And then I started seeing ads for a service called Calibrate on IG (algorithm, I know) that combines dr supervised weight loss program with one of these medications (if you can get it covered by insurance). Calibrate is claiming that the meds will re-set your metabolism to a lower weight point so that your body isn't fighting to stay a certain weight. They aim for 10% reduction in your weight, but it seems like these may work better than that. Just curious if anyone has any thoughts or has tried these before. TIA.

I’ve been in Calibrate since 7/2 and just got started on Saxenda. (Could have started earlier, but was traveling and didn’t want temperature controlled meds coming to me when I wasn’t home.) The drug patients are prescribed during the program depends on program doctor’s recommendation and also patient’s insurance. It does take awhile for insurance to approve.

I’ve been doing quite well with Calibrate’s coaching program — went from 175 to 155 since starting in July. Hoping to continue that rate with the GLP-1 medication since this is where I feel I could plateau.

Would love to hear how others have done on similar medications!

[Anonymous]

NP here, can someone explain how this medication works? Is it a long-term or short-term medicine and what are the side effects? I’m about 30 lbs overweight despite very healthy diet and struggling. Thanks

[Anonymous]

I’ve posted before so I don’t want to repeat because someone will think I’m a drug rep but here goes. I was included in a study conducted by NIH for semaglutide for almost 2 years. Started Nov. 2018. Starting weight was either just over 300lbs or just below, can’t remember and I don’t want someone to dig up one of my old threads and call me a liar. But it was somewhere around 300lbs. Ended the study Nov. 2020 @ 182lbs. Lowest weight was June 2020 167lbs. I wanted to be 170 by my 50th Birthday. I purposely gained weight back because I thought I looked gaunt at 167. Just looked too thin in the face. I thought I looked like someone who had lost weight due to illness.

By February 2021, I was back up to about 225lbs. But honestly, I wasn’t trying to maintain, COVID isolation was getting me down, my mom was severely ill with Covid-19, I had started a second job, stopped going to the gym and just generally DGAF. But by March, I was ready to get back at it.

My doc from the study then prescribed Rybelsus 14mg (the diabetic flavor of the medication). Current weight is 192lbs. Goal weight is between 177-180lbs.

While I was in the study, they basically told me that this would be a lifelong drug. Or until I stopped caring about my weight.

Side affects: Some nausea, feeling cold all the time, some diarrhea in the beginning, and when you are full, you are full, your belly won’t take another bite or you will be miserable until you poop it out.

The dosing was gradual. Started with .25mg to top dose of 2.4mg.

This medication is not at like phen-fen or any type of stimulant.

It is expensive, but the manufacturer has a coupon to cover the first 6 scripts or at least they did on the Rybelsus. My doc has written me a script for the Wegovy, but it is very hard to find. I’ve been trying to get it for 6 weeks.

If anyone wants to know more from my experience from being in the study I’m more than happy to share. Also search Semaglutide in the diet forum and you will find a couple of the threads that I’ve talked about my experience.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that summary! I will look at your posts.

I'm on Ozempic for weight loss and .... you guys, I think this is it. We might go all the way with this medication. I have never been this disciplined nor have I ever been able to lost weight like this. I pay full price for it because I don't have any pre-existing conditions but it is absolutely worth it for me, especially when you figure in my new food budget. I eat on a single meal for days at a time, I simply can't do it.

[Anonymous]

My friend who is on it (with great success) says that it is really messing with her mind, because she has always beaten herself up for "lack of willpower" with food but on Wegovy, she doesn't even think about food much and has to remind herself to eat. She started going to therapy because she has realized that the years she spent beating herself up for essentially moral failings were based on a false premise, and she was faulting herself for something that was actually physiological. She is processing that realization. As she says, no amount of "willpower" replaces simply not wanting food.

I do wonder if these drugs are going to change how we think about weight. (I hope so; I think the "willpower" framework is wildly out of date.)

[Anonymous]

This sounds too good to be true. What are the cons, other than cost?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sounds too good to be true. What are the cons, other than cost?

The insert says that the lab rats seemed to have slightly more propensity to thyroid cancer, but that hasn't been shown in humans.

Also no long term data.