# Ask the person taking Ozempic **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 14, 2023, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193 "2023-03-14T23:10:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/321 "2025-12-05T21:38:58Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Also, these drugs are relatively new, and in addition to the upfront cost, there are probably some medical risks. They are not large enough to have been seen, yet, so they are probably worth it if you have diabetes or are extremely obese, as those are both conditions that are pretty risky. But the unknown risks may well be worse than the rather small risk of being a little overweight. I would say that for someone moderately overweight (in the 30-33 BMI range for example) they may not be worth it - between the cost, the side effects, and the potential long-term effects. In the short term, I can definitely say it’s had benefits. My blood sugar (A1C) was 5.2 last month. My blood pressure is improved - it’s a little on the high side, as I’m off all meds; the doctors have actually instructed me to keep it there due to severe orthostatic hypotension. My cholesterol levels are all in the normal range. My last colonoscopy was CLEAN. I’m 66 - and 20-year long-term effects are not that likely to be an issue. I think the weight and all its sequelae would have killed me sooner than anything Ozempic might do. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/322 "2025-12-05T21:53:22Z")
I think a high A1c is a much stronger reason to use the drugs than being mildly obese, (bmi 30-33) honestly. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/323 "2025-12-05T22:02:29Z")
Well, yeah - that’s what they were designed for, after all: reducing blood sugar. The weight loss was an unexpected side effect, I gather. You do hear a lot about people saying “I need to lose 20 pounds and I just CAN’T and I think I want to try Ozempic” and so on. Which, coming from the standpoint of someone who was obese, and has T2DM, strikes me as utterly whiny. Yes, I started it because I needed to lose weight - but it made SENSE for me, because I am diabetic (A1C before Oz was 6.8 even on Metformin). For someone who’s not all that overweight, I think a GLP1 might be overkill - but they keep finding new benefits to using them, so I dunno. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/324 "2025-12-05T22:05:32Z")
Yeah, I was somewhere around a 31 or 32 BMI. What finally scared me was a pre-diabetic A1C test. Since taking Zepbound, my A1C is great, I no longer take medication for GERD, I no longer take pills for hypertension, I no longer need my CPAP. Add to that that my knees don’t hurt (as much, at least) and I feel much better about how I look, it’s hard not to see the win. Even though the meds are expensive, given that I eat smaller amounts and don’t really drink any more, I think it all offsets. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/325 "2025-12-05T22:07:01Z")
Did you have any trouble getting it approved given that you were not (yet) diabetic? Medicare doesn’t like to pay for GLP1s unless you’re diabetic. I joke that I had the foresight to develop that, so when we go on Medicare in a year or so, I’ll be all set. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/326 "2025-12-05T22:08:27Z")
It’s not covered by my insurance for any purpose period. So I’m just out of pocket. I’ll add this - I hold some Eli Lilly stock, given that just about everyone on my dad’s side of the family, me included, worked there at one point or another. In the last couple of years, the increase in stock value has paid for my Zepbound, or at least that’s what I tell myself. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/327 "2025-12-07T21:49:54Z")
Ouch!! Supposedly, there will be a generic Ozempic next year. I’m not holding my breath. Dunno when there might be a generic Zepbound - likely a bit longer, since I think it’s newer. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/328 "2025-12-07T21:54:29Z")
There are also supposed to be new 3-medication combos reasionably soon. I’m doing pretty well on Mounjaro 12.5, though every injection gives me a nice blotch of dermatitis. Down about 20# total, A1c holding at 6.0. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/329 "2025-12-07T23:10:04Z")
> [@saje](#): > > On that low a dose are you experiencing the nausea? I’d love some help losing 40 lbs or so, but I _hate_ that always-queasy feeling. Also, eating good food (not noshing snack-crap, I mean like a great restaurant meal) is a pleasure I’d be sad to not want anymore. I think … ? I needed to lose 40 pounds and had high A1c. I have lost 30 so far, but I still enjoy good food at home or at a restaurant. My binge eating has been reduced considerably. I’m also exercising more, probably because the improvements have motivated me. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/330 "2025-12-07T23:12:28Z")
It’s not the end of the world. I’m fortunate, and with the Lilly discount card, it’s only 500 bucks a month, soon to be $400 for a reason I can’t remember. Anyway, I almost certainly save that much on groceries, not going out to eat and especially not going out for cocktails. I don’t believe Zepbound’s patent expires until sometime in the mid 2030s\*. I’m likely to change to Orforglipron when it gets approved early next year. It’s Lilly’s take on an oral version of the medication. Not as effective for weight loss, but appears to be very effective and much more convenient for maintenance. Lilly also has several other weight loss drugs in the pipeline besides the oral glp-1 with the most publicized and soonest one besides the being retatrutide. My doctor is interested in exploring that one potentially because it apparently makes it much easier to retain and gain muscle mass. > - “with various follow-on patents and regulatory exclusivities, the generic version isn’t expected until around July 2039, though some estimates suggest potential generic entry as early as 2036, depending on legal outcomes and licensing deals.” ---
**Author:** ![MacDoc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/macdoc/32/18696_2.png) [@MacDoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacDoc)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2025, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/331 "2025-12-08T02:19:51Z")
I still enjoy a good meal tho on the 1 mg Ozempic that became iffy. Much better this week with the lower dose. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2025, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/332 "2025-12-08T04:21:47Z")
I went to a 3 star Michelin restaurant with a friend on ozempic. (For his diabetes, he’s not heavy enough to be worth it for that.) He seemed to enjoy his meal just fine. And it was more than i could eat. It was a lot of courses, and they weren’t tiny. ---
**Author:** ![MacDoc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/macdoc/32/18696_2.png) [@MacDoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacDoc)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/333 "2025-12-23T06:54:03Z")
sooner than anticipated > **[With FDA approval of Wegovy pill, new era of oral GLP-1 weight loss drugs...](https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/22/health/wegovy-pill-glp1-weight-loss-drugs?iid=cnn_buildContentRecirc_end_recirc&recs_exp=most-popular-article-end&tenant_id=popular.en)** > > With FDA approval of Wegovy pill, new era of oral GLP-1 weight loss drugs begins ---
**Author:** ![MacDoc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/macdoc/32/18696_2.png) [@MacDoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacDoc)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/334 "2025-12-23T11:09:26Z")
I’ve switched into clic counting on Ozempic. 1mg dose is 72 clicks…slightly tedious but easy enough to get. 0.5 mg Feels better. Not to rub it in but my cost out of pocket for a month is $7.70 Aus …about $5. = no brainer. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/335 "2025-12-23T11:21:16Z")
Since it’s covered, can’t you get the .5mg dose pen? Thats what I get here in Canada. ---
**Author:** ![MacDoc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/macdoc/32/18696_2.png) [@MacDoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacDoc)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/336 "2025-12-23T11:44:59Z")
Supply issues. Only 1 mg are available in a reliable supply. Click counting is easy for me to find the best balance. 1 mg was not comfortable ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/337 "2025-12-23T19:20:42Z")
I’ll give an update on me… still on Zepbound, and have been on the highest dose for a while now. I lost a little more weight- maybe 5 lbs, and then have leveled out. But the good thing is that despite not really trying or paying attention, I’m maintaining that weight just fine. I have a sort of feeling that if I was to actually pay attention, I’d start losing weight again without any problem, and that’s my post-holidays goal. Still no major side effects, just some differences from pre-GLP1 drugs. For example, I’ve noticed that apparently the body’s dehydration signaling is all wound up with the hunger signaling, because I have a tendency to get a little dehydrated if I’m not deliberately drinking stuff that’s hydrating. I still mostly notice hunger by way of things like low blood sugar headaches and being shaky, feeling weird, etc… Not hungry at all, but I eventually notice those sorts of side effects. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/338 "2025-12-23T22:02:10Z")
Joining the throng, since July. Nearly 3 years ago I had an episode of atrial flutter, fixed (at least temporarily but so far so good) with a procedure called cardioversion. I was “morbidly obese” with a BMI of 44. My cardiologist appts after that were one long nag about losing weight. So I took it on myself to lose on my own, which I did over the course of about a year when I lost 70 pounds, getting down to plain obese with a BMW of 34. Then I plateaued and started gaining back, about 20 pounds where I landed for over a year. Cardiologist was not satisfied. Endocrinologist was not satisfied. So in July I started taking Mounjaro. Since then I have lost back that 20 pounds that I gained back, and am now at BMI of 35. I think I will soon be lighter than I have been since I retired 11 years ago, and I suspect that weight loss will slow down greatly from there. My goal is to lose another 40 pounds, which would put my BMI below 30. I haven’t had any serious symptoms so far. Occasional feeling of acid stomach, which a couple of antacid tablets resolves. Some constipation, which increasing my daily fiber supplement seems to be handling okay. It’s thrilling not to be driven by appetite, even though I regret that I have to get there through biochemical means. I also feel a little guilty because it is paid for entirely by Medicare (at least. I’m not paying anything extra for it) because of my other conditions (age, asthma, potential heart issues, pre-diabetes). I haven’t read the whole thread, I would like to ask those who get the pre-packaged one-shot doses, do you use a sharps container for the used pens? I bought a fairly large one when I started that is getting full soon, and I wondered if I really need to continue doing that. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2025, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/339 "2025-12-24T00:20:50Z")
I don’t dispose of the pens in a sharps container. The needle is not exposed when it’s done because it retracts back into where it started. I do put the cap back on the pen and just throw it in the garbage. And congratulations on your weight lose, hope you meet your goal ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2025, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193/340 "2025-12-24T06:36:09Z")
Where I live, they can go in the garbage if they’re in a rigid container, so I use plastic orange juice bottles or distilled water jugs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-taking-ozempic/981193.md?page=18)