Anonymous wrote:The muscle loss on these drugs is brutal. That’s why the Ozempic face is so striking—weight loss plus muscle wasting.

It’s isn’t the drugs per se. Muscle loss is an issue any time you lose a significant amount of weight. I’m a late 40s woman and my body scan says my 60 pound loss has been 57 pounds of fat and about 3 pounds of muscle. I eat 100gs of protein a day about workout with a trainer targeting muscle gain 2x 60 minute sessions a week.

These drugs are designed to be part of a weight loss plan. Reduced calories and nutrient dense food, plenty of protein and water, and strength training and cardio. My bariatrician and dietician see me monthly and track muscle mass closely because of my age and gender. I start losing large amounts of muscle, they stop prescribing the medication.

But if I was doing my current 1200 calorie diet without the meds, I’d be at the same risk for muscle loss.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Over $1,000.00 a month?? Yeah, my HMO is NOT covering that!

Okay but look at from another perspective. At $1K a month for Zepbound you're essentially exchanging out expensive, bad for you food habits like fast food, Door Dash, eating out, Starbucks lattes, and booze which easily add up to $1K a month if not more. Adding to that most people using it for weight loss will be on it for a relatively short period of time as compared to a life saving drug that someone may need to be on for their entire lives. So all in all you may spend $6K-$8K on the meds while saving a ton on foods you would ordinarily be buying - and if you take the time to learn good food habits while you're on the drug then you can successfully get off the drug and stay off, or cycle off and on. That part is up to you since you're in control of what you choose to eat.

Who the hell spends 1k/month on food and beverages for one person??!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The muscle loss on these drugs is brutal. That’s why the Ozempic face is so striking—weight loss plus muscle wasting.

Weight loss shows in your face. It has nothing to do with the drug.

Are you contesting the muscle wasting side effect or just the widely noted Ozempic face?

GLP1 patients look especially haggard compared to other weight loss patients. This look is so distinct that it’s been widely noted. That’s what you’d expect when the drug causes muscle wasting.

I can understand why pharma allies are pushing the “it’s just weight loss” stuff though. I would be too if my company had a cash cow like this!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that you need to be in these drugs for the rest of your lives or the weight will come right back.

That is the case for a number of drugs including e.g. cholesterol and diabetes medications.

The issue is the cost. The maintenance drugs you mentioned costs pennies. How many can pay $1000 per month when insurance says they are no longer obese and won't cover it?

Anonymous wrote:The muscle loss on these drugs is brutal. That’s why the Ozempic face is so striking—weight loss plus muscle wasting.

Weight loss shows in your face. It has nothing to do with the drug.

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that you need to be in these drugs for the rest of your lives or the weight will come right back.

That is the case for a number of drugs including e.g. cholesterol and diabetes medications.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Eli Lilly will have a savings card that will bring the price for Zepbound down to $550. It’s still expensive but more palatable than $1000+

I’ve been on Mounjaro for a year and lost nearly 70 pounds. It’s been amazing and has helped me change my eating habits. I can now exercise more - less pain and issues due to being at a lower weight.

Did you or do you have bad side effects like some people report having on Wegovy? I saw some reported side effects with this drug of mild gastric upset.

NP. I had pretty bad reflux at night so couldn't eat much after 5pm. I had reflux before the medicine, like I normally couldn't eat after about 7pm, but this ramped it up. That was my only side effect. I stopped it for a colonoscopy at the end of the summer and haven't gotten back on. I haven't gained any weight back either, so pretty happy about that. I was on it 6 months and lost 25 lbs.

I had an almost identical experience. I lost 35 pounds before getting off Wegovy last June. I would have stayed on, but I lost enough weight that my insurance company would no longer pay for it. Haven't lost more weight but haven't gained any back either.

Your experience is not the norm. Even the pharma companies say that 2/3 of GLP1 patients out the weight back on when they discontinue the drug. From what I’m seeing in the wild, it’s much higher than that.

Do you have a source?

Straight from NovoNordisk. As many doctors have found, people who go off these drugs often regain more.
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/29/people-taking-obesity-drugs-ozempic-and-wegovy-gain-weight-once-they-stop-medication.html

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Eli Lilly will have a savings card that will bring the price for Zepbound down to $550. It’s still expensive but more palatable than $1000+

I’ve been on Mounjaro for a year and lost nearly 70 pounds. It’s been amazing and has helped me change my eating habits. I can now exercise more - less pain and issues due to being at a lower weight.

Did you or do you have bad side effects like some people report having on Wegovy? I saw some reported side effects with this drug of mild gastric upset.

NP. I had pretty bad reflux at night so couldn't eat much after 5pm. I had reflux before the medicine, like I normally couldn't eat after about 7pm, but this ramped it up. That was my only side effect. I stopped it for a colonoscopy at the end of the summer and haven't gotten back on. I haven't gained any weight back either, so pretty happy about that. I was on it 6 months and lost 25 lbs.

I had an almost identical experience. I lost 35 pounds before getting off Wegovy last June. I would have stayed on, but I lost enough weight that my insurance company would no longer pay for it. Haven't lost more weight but haven't gained any back either.

Your experience is not the norm. Even the pharma companies say that 2/3 of GLP1 patients out the weight back on when they discontinue the drug. From what I’m seeing in the wild, it’s much higher than that.

Do you have a source?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Eli Lilly will have a savings card that will bring the price for Zepbound down to $550. It’s still expensive but more palatable than $1000+

I’ve been on Mounjaro for a year and lost nearly 70 pounds. It’s been amazing and has helped me change my eating habits. I can now exercise more - less pain and issues due to being at a lower weight.

Did you or do you have bad side effects like some people report having on Wegovy? I saw some reported side effects with this drug of mild gastric upset.

NP. I had pretty bad reflux at night so couldn't eat much after 5pm. I had reflux before the medicine, like I normally couldn't eat after about 7pm, but this ramped it up. That was my only side effect. I stopped it for a colonoscopy at the end of the summer and haven't gotten back on. I haven't gained any weight back either, so pretty happy about that. I was on it 6 months and lost 25 lbs.

I had an almost identical experience. I lost 35 pounds before getting off Wegovy last June. I would have stayed on, but I lost enough weight that my insurance company would no longer pay for it. Haven't lost more weight but haven't gained any back either.

Your experience is not the norm. Even the pharma companies say that 2/3 of GLP1 patients out the weight back on when they discontinue the drug. From what I’m seeing in the wild, it’s much higher than that.

The muscle loss on these drugs is brutal. That’s why the Ozempic face is so striking—weight loss plus muscle wasting.

Anonymous wrote:No thanks.

That’s fine. More for the rest of us.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Eli Lilly will have a savings card that will bring the price for Zepbound down to $550. It’s still expensive but more palatable than $1000+

I’ve been on Mounjaro for a year and lost nearly 70 pounds. It’s been amazing and has helped me change my eating habits. I can now exercise more - less pain and issues due to being at a lower weight.

Did you or do you have bad side effects like some people report having on Wegovy? I saw some reported side effects with this drug of mild gastric upset.

NP. I had pretty bad reflux at night so couldn't eat much after 5pm. I had reflux before the medicine, like I normally couldn't eat after about 7pm, but this ramped it up. That was my only side effect. I stopped it for a colonoscopy at the end of the summer and haven't gotten back on. I haven't gained any weight back either, so pretty happy about that. I was on it 6 months and lost 25 lbs.

I had an almost identical experience. I lost 35 pounds before getting off Wegovy last June. I would have stayed on, but I lost enough weight that my insurance company would no longer pay for it. Haven't lost more weight but haven't gained any back either.

No thanks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Eli Lilly will have a savings card that will bring the price for Zepbound down to $550. It’s still expensive but more palatable than $1000+

I’ve been on Mounjaro for a year and lost nearly 70 pounds. It’s been amazing and has helped me change my eating habits. I can now exercise more - less pain and issues due to being at a lower weight.

Did you or do you have bad side effects like some people report having on Wegovy? I saw some reported side effects with this drug of mild gastric upset.

NP. I had pretty bad reflux at night so couldn't eat much after 5pm. I had reflux before the medicine, like I normally couldn't eat after about 7pm, but this ramped it up. That was my only side effect. I stopped it for a colonoscopy at the end of the summer and haven't gotten back on. I haven't gained any weight back either, so pretty happy about that. I was on it 6 months and lost 25 lbs.

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that you need to be in these drugs for the rest of your lives or the weight will come right back.

Yes. Nearly everyone that cycles off of these drugs gains the weight right back.