Ask the person taking Ozempic

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
61

I found a new problem injecting the Ozempic–probably I’m doing something wrong. The online tutorials I looked at said to “prime” the process by depressing the plunger to get a small droplet of the medicine onto the tip of the needle, but when I did it, I got the whole shooting match arcing through the air. In other words, I think I wasted the entire injection.

Is this “priming” stage necessary? If so, how (when?) do you do it so only a little bit comes out of the syringe onto the tip of the needle?

62

On the barrel, click from 0 to the …_ icon (one click). That’s where to set it to click and prime. You’ll still see a bit of fluid, but not a lot.

63

If you look at dial the prime is a single click past 0. I’ve sometimes had to repeat it, but usually the first push does it.

64

And you do it once, when you start a new pen. Priming removes air from the needle.

65

and this year my phamacy cannot get it again.

66

Not sure I get this: every needle is a fresh one, so how does “starting a new pen” i.e., every fourth needle, take care of the air in needles #2, 3, and 4?

67

I should have said “from the barrel of the pen.” Sorry to be unclear–I still think of the whole apparatus using the shorthand “needle.”

68

Thanks for the clarification.

69

I just read that they are anticpating the Ozempic shortage to last well into 2024. I have requested that mydoctor prescribe somthing else but it is unlikely that he will until my Appointment in mid January. (that is the next available)

70

At an appointment with my doctor yesterday she warned me that it’s possible that my insurance will stop covering - while obese, with hbp and high cholesterol, I’ve only hit pre-diabetic in the past (though I am back in normal ranges on ozempic). This is also in part because I’ve not lost significant weight - I took my first injection March 31, so just over 7 months. I lost 20 lbs quickly, but have been stalled since, but I have serious reduction in food noise and binge eating. We did decide to up to 2mg and see how that goes. But I also have a list of GLP-1 clinical trials going on that I’m eligible for and may look into if they do cut me off.

71

I hope you’ll have access to something useful.

I switched insurers and the new one is deciding whether to cover anything for me. I’ve talked with some people who had a good response to these medications, dropped into a medically stable range, and therefore were cut off because the insurer decided that “they didn’t need it anymore since they were now healthy.”

72

Just now found this thread - I was thinking of starting one, but realized someone might have done so already.

I had been considering bariatric surgery, as I’ve got all the comorbidities of being obese -Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, sleep apnea (though that predates the blubber by decades). I went through an initial consult, back in 2022, and did the various mandatory online training that fall, and had a phone consult with a dietitian - then never heard from the clinic. I’m not sure whether I was supposed to contact them, or vice versa, but in any case 2023 happened came roaring in like a drunken bulldozer on amphetamines, and it just wasn’t a priority.

I was never all that far into the eligibility range - at that time, it was BMI of 40+ for anyone, or 35+ for people with comorbidities, and I was never much above 37 or so. My husband was not supportive of the idea, either - though I could certainly have given him all the information so his opinion would have been based on more than “I heard…”. I was nervous about the life-changing, irreversible nature of the process also. And to add to the worry, the malabsorptive aspect of the surgery was a concern - I already have borderline iron levels and osteopenia.

All of that led to my not calling the clinic and restarting the process (also, the facility my primary care doc sent me to was a huge pain to get to, so I might have switched anyway). But when I was at a regular visit at my primary care doctor this September, she said “you know, I think you’d be a good candidate for Ozempic”.

I was gobsmacked. I had literally never considered it.

I started the lowest dose a week after that visit (“luckily”, I have T2DM so insurance has not been a problem). The first 2 weeks, I was all set to give it up - I felt wretched most of those 2 week. Could barely eat anything, several days I was so lightheaded I could not stand up long enough to do minor household chores, etc. Fortunately that part got a bit better. It’s still enough of a problem that I would be very, very hesitant to go on any long hikes.

The weight has been coming off. 30 pounds, at the moment. I’ve had to lower one BP medication by half; I’ll see what the doc says later this week. Light-headedness is still a problem sometimes. Things like grocery shopping or food prep are issues - so we’ll see if I can lower the other BP medication. I’m hoping that some repeat bloodwork this week will show improvements in my A1C and cholesterol.

Dodgy stomach issues persist. Not every day, but sometimes I can’t really even look at what others are eating. I’ll burp, and taste what I had for dinner the night before. I’ll usually eat about a third of what I would have eaten before Ozempic. And my reflux is much more of a problem.

I’m told I look thinner - though I honestly don’t see it. I do notice that my pants are a lot looser - my belt now fastens on the 4th hole instead of the last. I’ll have to discuss with the doctor at what point we ‘freeze’ my dosage. I don’t need to be the perfect weight for my height - hell, another 18 pounds would get me into the “overweight” category. Another 30 would put me into “normal” territory.

The shortage has, luckily, not yet been a problem for me.

73

Oh yeah: I’m still on 0.5 mg. Hopefully doc won’t want to bump me up for another month or so.

The “southbound” digestive effects (constipation) have not been a problem for me; I have chronic diarrhea anyway, so it’s allowed me to cut my dosage of the med I take for that. As I told the doctor, that effect is not a problem, it’s a feature.

I did find an article which suggests these drugs MAY reduce the risk of colorectal cancer - though the article was very preliminary. Being high risk for that, I’ll be paying close attention.

74

Congratulations!

75

Good for you MamaZappa! Despite the terrible side effects, seems like it’s working as intended. Fingers crossed that you stop feeling like shit soon and can enjoy feeling better with less weight.

I am always astonished by the people who sort of non-chalantly take these injectables for the “easy” weight loss. The side effects are no joke. I felt like death for the first few months taking them. My only recourse was knowing the symptoms would eventually end.

I just switched from Trulicity to Mounjaro about a month ago. Weight loss had stalled on Trulicity and I was feeling hungry more often, which really pissed me off because tbh I was just not used to eating anymore. And no food is actually appealing to me so I didn’t really have food to eat at home.

Feeling some side effects from Mounjaro but nothing too bad. Just some bathroom issues at the beginning and now just waves of nausea. But my hunger is going away again. And I tested my glucose today and was cruising at 93.

76

I’m on the full dose (1mg/wk, IIRC) of Ozempic and my A1C has dropped a point and half since starting it. I’m eating less and my appetite is definitely not as vigorous as it was prior. I’ve been on it for 5 months now.

The only side effect has been occasional nausea. It comes on suddenly, usually triggered by brushing or flossing my teeth. It then disappears juat as quickly.

I’ve not lost a single pound. I can’t imagine why not.

I don’t think I’ve ever had a fasting glucose that low. 125 is the lowest I remember, and that was after rowing 11 miles the day before. My usual is 150 - 200. My doc wants me below 130 each morning. That’s happend less than half a dozen times in 8 years of having DMT2.

77

Hey, thanks for the updates! @MamaZappa, keep up the good work if you can.

There’s a new video on You Tube featuring Sharon Osbourne, who has used Ozempic and said she lost 3 stone (about 45 pounds or 20kg) but said she didn’t feel well on it, and she doesn’t LOOK healthy either. Her cheeks are hollow and she appears to be seriously UNDERweight.

78

Some people have a paradoxical SPIKE in their first-morning glucose test,even when fasting. I’m one of them. The term “dawn phenomenon” is sometimes used. I don’t know the significance of that, in the context of an otherwise-OK A1C.

Mine does tend to be 130 or so when testing at the doctor’s office (fasting).It was 115 at home the other day - though of course home meters are not super-accurate.

79

Just got my bloodwork - and my A1C was 5.8 which is lower than it’s been in a few years - it had tended to be between 6.2 and 6.5.

A couple other levels were low as well (magnesium, iron satuation) which I attribute to a combination of pre-existing digestive issues (bile acid diarrhea), longterm use of proton pump inhibitors, and possibly lower intake due to the Ozempic.

80

Congratulations on that terrific A1c!