Compounded med Semaglutide for weight loss-ads on facebook

I’m sorry. I understand that the delivery is crucial. That was why I asked upthread about how doctors should address talking to their patients about their weight. No one should imply, “shiftless and laziness.”

My dh and ds think I focus too heavily on tone of voice. However, the soundness of an argument doesn’t depend on tone. Logic is logic. But, I agree wholeheartedly that delivery and tone are very important related to how one hears and perceives a message.

I can ask, “Do you like anchovies on your pizza?” in such a way that you will know immediately whether or not I am a fan of anchovies.

Not trying to get this thread off-track. There is no doubt that doctors should handle the topic of weight with their patients in a respectful manner. I imagine that doesn’t always happen.

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The physicians I see are osteopaths and have more of a “whole body” focus than MDs I have seen and that has made a huge difference for me. It feels as if we are partners in health. If you are uncomfortable with how your doctor approaches weight discussions, you might want to consider seeing a DO.

11 years ago I weighed around 250 pounds at 5’5. I was determined not to embarrass my daughter at her graduation so I embarked on a ridiculous starvation diet and exercise plan which I had been previously successful with during my college years. It worked, but the weight started creeping back. I was going through a very difficult time and my doctor actually helped me work on a healthy diet plan and establishing a healthy and realistic weight goal. I also saw a therapist and switched my antidepressant which was contributing to weight gain.

Weight is so complicated. Could I weigh less? Probably. It’s really tough. When I read about Ozempic I think, why am I not taking this? I’m diabetic, have high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. I take medication four times a day. I watch what I eat and exercise daily. I have to trust that my doctor is doing what’s best for me. There’s a shortage of Ozempic/Wegovy - I think that’s why compounding is permitted. That would make me a bit nervous.

Sorry for the digression. I just hope we can all be a bit more understanding of the struggles people go through with weight.

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Just from your post, you would seem to be a prime candidate for Ozempic or Mounjaro. Has your doctor brought it up at all? If not, maybe there are other reasons, so I am not at all saying it’s right for you. But maybe time for a talk…
As for shortages, I read about them. I have never had a problem. It’s very regional, I think. Also, I get my prescription from a supermarket pharmacy, and I think I’m the only one, lol, so maybe the hordes descending on CVS or Walmart are experiencing different issues.

Re: compounding - it’s not permitted, in the sense that anyone has “approved” it. It is not regulated. The brand manufacturers have nothing to do with it, and they have sued to stop it. You are trusting that the compounding pharmacy is doing it right. Some of the fly-by-night mail companies might not be. I wouldn’t be worried with a local well-regarded pharmacy with a good track record, but the mail order companies - hmm.

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I would never “recommend” a weight loss drug to anyone. I decided that use of a weight loss drug was the right decision for me however. I don’t discuss my use of the medication. If someone asked if I was on the medication I would not lie but I don’t want others to assume that just because its been successful for me that it will be good for them too.

I developed a post covid neuropathy in my leg which affects my physical activity. Oddly, I have developed anxiety mostly fear of enclosed spaces since Covid as well. They started me on zoloft which makes you gain weight too. I can avoid underground parking garages and car washes but I have to ride elevators at work and drive through tunnels thus a prn med isnt the best for me right now. Post covid I am now on 2 meds for blood pressure, a cholesterol med, aspirin for history of blood clots, and an inhaler. I was 5’3" and ballooned up to 220 lbs.

Im down to the 180s now. Off my cholesterol med. Likely to get off one of my bp meds soon. And my resting heart rate went from high 90’s to the 80s. I am making progress. This shot is not the cure for everything but it has helped me a lot to get on a much healthier track.

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I thought this was a good post on the wider implications of semaglutide:

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Interesting stuff - thanks for sharing!

Maintenance Phase podcast discussed Ozempic in detail in their last episode. I enjoy their discussions and learned a lot from this one. They touch in the compounding pharmacy issues as well as more generally about the medication.

Link?

Article on side-effects:

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03183-3

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The nausea and GI effects are no joke. Plus the lethargy.

The side effects are not the same for everyone.

Some people stop taking it because the side effects are too severe. Others experience no side effects.

I’ve had fatigue, but it’s ranged from bad enough that I had to take a sick day (once) to the usual feeling tired, like I didn’t get enough sleep, which lasts about 24 hours and then disappears.

Unfortunately there is no way to predict how it will affect you. It’s not like if you are diabetic and 100 pounds overweight, you will experience x, y and z, but if you’re not diabetic and 200 pounds overweight, you will experience a and b but not x, y and z.

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Ive been on my current dose for about 2 months. Not tons of weight loss recently. But the nausea for 2-3 days post shot makes me unable to increase. Still making slow progress but again, this is not a miracle drug.

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I recognize that many people who exercise and eat right still can’t lose wait. That’s not me. When I was about 20lb overweight (twice), I was able to diet and exercise to lose it slowly over time (1+ year). Since I’m interested in nutrition breakdown and am a data geek, I’ve continued to use MyNetDiary for logging food and exercise past 6 years. I can clearly see the correlation with my weight and have stayed at or near target (except for vacation effect).

THE HARD THING: Being 15% lighter means that to maintain it I need to eat 15% fewer calories or compensate for it with extra exercise. So perhaps the folks who regain weight when going off meds could keep it off it they adjusted food/exercise to match new weight. In other words, it might not need to be a forever med (?)

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I have been on Wegovy since about February, and am very grateful my insurance covers most of it with a modest co-pay ($25 a month). I have lost more than 20 lbs. I want to lose 20 more, but I have no real goal. Could I have done it on my own? I am honestly not sure. This more or less kills my appetite, and I find myself seeking out better food choices. The shots are very easy to do, and I am on the maintenance dose after several weeks of ramping up the dosage to this level.

I had an issue with constipation in the beginning. The nurse said to drink, drink, drink water. That helped tremendously, but it was definitely an adjustment to figure out what my body wanted and needed to maintain itself in terms of in versus out. I feel like I’m pretty stable right now in that department.

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Saw my friend who is taking ozempic. Her weight loss has stopped at 30 pounds (which she needed to lose) and her numbers on all of her medical tests are looking very very good now. So…she is happy. No plan to stop this…but I’m not sure if she will reduce the shots over time.

I did ask if her appetite was suppressed…and she said…no. And she also never experienced not wanting to go out to lunch etc.

I understand people get very defensive about weight, but I agree with you. Most people who are overweight and obese are not so because of a medical issue. Diet and exercise are difficult and take time, but they work. These drugs are being advertised on social media as a fast way to drop weight.

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Being lighter also means that the same type, amount, and intensity of some kinds of exercise is less exercise now than it was before, because of less “weight lifting” of your own (now lesser) body weight.

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Eric Topol interviewed Peter Attia on various subjects. One thing that came up (starting at around 38:08) was that drugs like semaglutide and similar were associated with higher resting heart rate. Attia also mentions that some people end up with a higher body fat percentage after weight loss due to too much loss of muscle and bone weight.

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CNBC just reported that one fitness chain is looking into adding medical professionals to assess and prescribe these weight loss meds
after extensive exam and bloodwork. The CEO (I think that was the guy) mentioned that it doesn’t go against their main mission because the FDA’s recommendation is allegedly to add exercise to the meds.

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