My doctor wrote me a script for the same weight loss issue a few years ago. I am considered pre-diabetic.

My insurance is BCBS. I pay $40 for two pens and take 1.2 a day.

I had a Vegas trip this last weekend and really noticed the appetite suppression on that trip. My wife would complain about being hungry and I was not at all hungry all the time and I could not hardly make a dent in some Crawfish Jambalaya at Emeril's. It is weird but should help over time as it is not a struggle to cut portions at all even on the starting dose. I do my 0.25mg dose #3 today.

Weight is still stuck near my 4 year plateau but it has been bouncing around the lower edge of the plateau (232-237 variance for years) for several days. Dropped 1.5lbs on a trip is interesting and odd for me.

Other than not being hungry no side effects noted.

KidDoc said:

---

Hit 229.7 with 25.9% Body fat this morning- progress is exciting after a 4 year plateau! Only on dose #3 of 0.25mg.

My 12 month avg weight is 235.1 with 26.6 body fat per my scale app.

---

Great work Doc!
I hopped on the scale this AM and was clocking in at 239 since my last official weigh in. With the holidays coming up, I am a little worried about some weight gain, but plan to keep everything in moderation (food, drinks) as I want my GW to be 200 or less (hoping). My next labs are in Jan, so I am trying to stay focused.
Hope all is well!

I may be getting off of Ozempic soon. Has started to give me issues with GERD again as well as I have noticed I drink far less water than I used to.

Good news is I tried a new insulin Lyumjev and that stuff has been keeping at 80%+ time in range.

FIDO*98* said:

---

Now that Wegovy is indicated for weight loss in non-diabetic patients it shouldn't be a problem getting it from your PCP.

Word of advice. Change your eating habits while losing the weight. I've seen several friends gain the weight back when they stopped the Ozympic.

---

Yes, change your eating habits...

KidDoc said:

---

hypeiv said:

---

What are your thoughts on using the injection for semaglutide rather than the tablet (Rybelsus)? Do you expect the tablet to eventually be approved for weight loss?

---

Great question and I'm not sure. I would assume that the drug company has tried to prove it works for weight loss and the studies have not supported it. Drug companies do not have to publish failed studies, they can pick the good ones. They would love to move more product and a pill that is proven effective for weight loss would be printing $$$.

---

Full disclosure: I'm diabetes device and my wife is diabetes pharma so feel free to take a critical approach to this response

Drug companies absolutely have to publish failed studies. The notion that they don't is 100% false. I lost a job because my previous company (Novartis) had 2 failed drug studies back to back (Galvus (dpp-4 )and Teiturna (direct renin inhibitor))

Absorption with Rybelsus is much lower than with injectable's. Novo Nordisk isn't trying to hide anything. They just can't get than into a pill with a heigh enough absorption for a weight loss indication. Just take the shot. You won't even feel it.

I don't agree with you on the balance of big pharma. I'm not saying in your experience that they did not publish everything, but on the balance of data over decades they cherry pick studies.

[url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/trial-sans-error-how-pharma-funded-research-cherry-picks-positive-results/]Trial sans Error: How Pharma-Funded Research Cherry-Picks Positive Results [Excerpt] - Scientific American[/url]

Also about the shot, it is damn near painless. Nothing like a vaccine and nothing to be worried about.

What's the latest on this? Still happy Doc?

What about the shots from the compounding pharmacies? Any reason to not go that route? It is considerably cheaper than the wegovy, but there is a flood of quacks pushing it and that makes me concerned. The compounding pharmacies mix the semeg with different vitamins that are also supposed to help with weight loss. Anyone heard of negative effects from either the wegovy or the compounding stuff?

Bump for KD

Yeah I'm still on it, just finished the last dose of the highest dose after ramping up. The last few weeks I've been bouncing between 208-211 so I'm still dropping pretty steady. I have had some really fun trips so I certainly screwed up my calories a few times with day drinking but /shrug.

I have no side effects at all and insurance covers it so I'm still very happy with the progress thus far. I have reset my final goal from 200 down to 175-180 which was my college lacrosse weight back in 91-95. My biggest concern is if/when the insurance requires a re-authorization I may get a denial as my BMI drops to sub 30. The FDA approval is for BMI > 30 or BMI >27 with comorbidities. I technically have dyslipidemia but my last LDL was 85 and HDL was 89 so not so much any longer.

Any knowledge of the compounding versions, or just the real deal wegovy? Concerned insurance won't cover this and the compounding route is much cheaper.

Milwaukees Best Light said:

---

Any knowledge of the compounding versions, or just the real deal wegovy? Concerned insurance won't cover this and the compounding route is much cheaper.

---

I don't have personal experience with the compounding but I would bet they are safe or they would be shut down pretty dang quick.

I've had bad luck with insurance covering my pedi patients with Saxenda. Most of them use the "cosmetic treatment" clause as an excuse to not cover it even in patients with 40+ BMI and pre-diabetes.

Appreciate the info.

Does anyone know a pharmacy that sells the compounding version of either Saxenda or Wegovy. Unfortunately, my insurance won't cover it.

Wegovy continues to be magic for me! Easiest weight loss in my adult life.

Woodlands Compounding Pharmacy will compound it for you

I've lost 55 lbs in 18 months. Started on Saxenda and Phentermine. Went off the phen after about 3-4 months. Switched to Ozempic at some point. At first I focused mostly on quantity of food then quality of food. I'm so happy I've built habits to last and didn't do it too quickly. I don't think I'd make it w/out Ozempic. It keeps me from having blood sugar dives which would cause me to binge. I can be hungry without being hangry.

Just curious did y'all get a prescription from pcp or another doc who is more friendly about prescribing it?

Madmarttigan said:

---

Just curious did y'all get a prescription from pcp or another doc who is more friendly about prescribing it?

---

PCP. But I'm also a doctor and read the data and just asked him if he would mind trying to Rx it.

Same here.

Started in October of 2021 with a weight of 240. Right around 205-207 now. I have taken some small breaks from Ozempic here and there.

Has really helped me tighten my diabetes control as well. Last A1C was the lowest I have had since before puberty. Also helped me identify undiagnosed retinopathy to the point where surgery saved vision in my right eye.

Truly magnificent medication.

After seeing this post, putting on 20lbs during covid and related crap after turning 50 and having A1C continuing to edge toward the diabetic range I asked my doc to prescribe ozempic back in April. Took about a month to convince myself to pay the 675 /month. Eventually figured it wasn't that much more than my wife was paying for her diet plan (which is working for her) and pulled the trigger.

For me the effects were dramatic and immdiate. Lost all appetite. Felt bad for the first week, but that got better. Stlll causes some gastric discomfort. Lost 15 to 20 in the first month, 185-190ish to 165 to 170ish. But pretty much plateau Ed at that point.

Really don't t understand how anyone could take this and NOT majorly change their eating habits. Went recently for updated blood work, but haven't seen the results yet.

Like the weight changes. Probably won't refill it again unless./until we change our insurance next year. Would love to get my weight under 160,but not sure ozempic is helping anymore on that.

Would definitely recommend trying it.

Just a Wegovy update.

I've hit a wall right around 200. I could certainly cut calories and likely push through but I'm honestly fairly happy with my current weight. My insurance sent the prior authorization request since I started it November 2021 and they denied the renewal because my cholesterol is amazing and my BMI is under 30 so I don't meet FDA criteria any longer. I'm pretty confident I can maintain because I like exercise and can maintain fairly well.over the last decade or so.

KidDoc said:

---

Yeah I'm still on it, just finished the last dose of the highest dose after ramping up. The last few weeks I've been bouncing between 208-211 so I'm still dropping pretty steady. I have had some really fun trips so I certainly screwed up my calories a few times with day drinking but /shrug.

I have no side effects at all and insurance covers it so I'm still very happy with the progress thus far. I have reset my final goal from 200 down to 175-180 which was my college lacrosse weight back in 91-95. My biggest concern is if/when the insurance requires a re-authorization I may get a denial as my BMI drops to sub 30. The FDA approval is for BMI > 30 or BMI >27 with comorbidities. I technically have dyslipidemia but my last LDL was 85 and HDL was 89 so not so much any longer.

---

Did you play for TAMU?

I played TAMU lacrosse 1991-5

KidDoc said:

---

I played TAMU lacrosse 1991-5

---

What position? I was midfield at Texas 91-92.

FratboyLegend said:

---

KidDoc said:

---

I played TAMU lacrosse 1991-5

---

What position? I was midfield at Texas 91-92.

---

Defense and long stick middie. Was #90

I got denied on renewal which didn't surprise me. My BMI <30 and perfect cholesterol means I no longer meet FDA criteria. Now to work on maintaining without hormonal assistance!

I'd love a 2023 update if KD or any others would like to chime in?