DMC707

Just started Monday (4 days ago)curious of anyone else’s experiences

exercion

Following, as I have been wondering if it would help me as well.

DMC707

Well, i'll give my one week report. Was hoping it would be more widespread so we could pow wow on different foods are okay to eat because i'll get to that in a second


i took my first shot on 2/6 and went back today for a follow up ( 2/13) - i was down 8 pounds. But i knew this going in, my bathroom scale called it 7.5 though.

The folks at the clinic were a bit surprised and admitted that was very good as the medicine takes 2-3 weeks to kick in for a lot of people.

I looked at the tech's reaction when she weighed me. She wrote the number down , looked at last weeks number, did the math, then a double take, then asked me to step on the scale again to "re-verify"

Which to me was a much more genuine reaction than "Ohhh, youre doing sooooo good ! We're proud of you !" But i didnt tell them i was disappointed as i was looking for 10 (im crowding 300 and i have thrown 5 or 6 lbs on the scale in a day before and the first week or two is always water -- but then again, if youre carrying subcutaneous water and are a bit bloated, so much the better

My experiences are as follow:

• They warned me about alcohol, but didnt know about energy drinks- i confirmed that if you drink a whols 300mg caffeing energy drink, it wil hit like a sledgehammer later and result in a caffeine headache.
• I was warned about fatty foods and i was formerly used to a keto approach so this was a bummer- but they were talking about more things the general public looks at as "fatty foods" - like french fries, anything fried, processed or greasy to include the keto staple, bacon
• Thursday - Turns out strict keto food stuffs havent treated me too bad. Bacon is another story. And i have a supply of "dirty keto" bread, Sola brand that i've been munching on occasionally. By thursday i was afraid the first shot had worn off. I consumed a cup of homegrown chili at noon (no beans, lean ground beef, mild on the spice) and it was hard to finish. But 2 hours later i was hungry again so i made a cheese sandwich with the Sola bread and that hit me like a ton of bricks. The bread seemed to weigh me down for the rest of the day and was not a pleasant sensation. I put a teaspoon of baking soda with about 1/2 a cup of water and that helped. Later that night, still having the "Keto" mindset, i threw some bacon in the air fryer - Wright brand, which for bacon, is a pretty clean thick cut type bacon -- shoulda' known better since i was already recovering from heartburn earlier in the day -- couldnt sleep well due to heartburn. baking soda works well if its mild, but this was not. As i said, i really shouldv known
• Friday- only 3 days ago, but ive kinda' forgot friday -i should be writing this stuff down
• Saturday - i didnt learn my lesson on the keto bread so i made a "Pork on Pork crime sandwich at noon consisting of 2 slices of deli cheese, 2 slices of bacon, and pulled pork . I have to admit , that was tasty at the time. Im playing with hand grenades here with the bacon again, admittedly, but this time it had no ill effects. I know this sounds like a Gut-Bomb sandwich, and it is, but the small size of the sola bread, no condiments, no side dishes, kinda' keeps it from getting out of hand and this sandwich which im taking an educated guess was around 700 calories, held me over the whole day
• Sunday -- i had been looking forward to a ride for a few days and was waiting for it to warm up outside, noon came and went and still wasnt that hungry so im over 24 hours with no food (but not a true fast as i had 2 Michelob Ultras Saturday night) but i knew i could use a few calories for a ride, so i put 2 scoops of protein powder in with some almond milk and headed out the door. I was finidng that even with the protein drink, my concentration on the ride was not great and i had to back the pace off a bit on a downhilly mountain bike ride as i was misjudging distance between trees and other things i do when i am calorie retricted. Midway through the ride, my mouth was getting really dry and i drained a small water bottle in one setting. As i sat around in the truck afterwards goofing around with Strava , i started to feel heartburn again. cleaned up and turned the radio on to the Super Bowl while i did some things in the garage . Then i had to do something. Went to a local store and got some Gaviscon heartburn tablets for short term and a Prilosec . Knowing how few calries i had put down all day, i forced myself to eat an avocado with a bit of sea salt --- any heartburn symptoms were completely gone by midnight
• Today -- today was the aforementioned weigh-in i went in dry and fasted at 9:45 AM wearing the exact same clothes i wore last week and i felt ravenous, -- so upon my arrival from getting some positivity , i had a theory. A fatty food that is a "real" food , like the pulled pork, or the chili- didnt have much effect, but i got the biggest reactions after eating the highly worked-over foods (but not always) - keto bread weighed me down and gave me heartburn once, bacon amplified it, and the protein powder did something, -- so today, i decided to stick with the keto approach, - but no processed food. Broiled a ribeye , approx. 10-1 oz and ate 2/3's of it with a bit of Kerry Gold butter on top -- no other seasonings. Results -- its now 7 hours later and i still dont feel like eating again. Felt reasonably good all day

My takeaways?

Staff at the clinic told me it might take a while to work, but my dose seemed to start working pretty fast, and it was the minimum dose supposedly. It suppresses my apetite, because the food stays in your belly longer. and thats why they say to stay away from too much alcohol, you'll get double the pleasure and could wake up with a hangover.

You have to experiment to see what foods your body will tolerate when you're on this stuff . I was told the dry mouth on my ride could be one of two things - Keto flu, or blood sugar running low (arent those both the same thing? ) - i'm stil in the experimental stage but i'm going to toss whats left of the Sola bread to my mini-pigs , avoid highly seasoned foods and foods with smoke flavoring (although the chili seemed fine ) and avoid protein powders and the like.

So to recap, i ate a lot of foods i was warned not to eat, plus drank beer, which i was also warned not to - and energy drinks (but only 1/2 of one a day now) and still lost 8 pounds. Sounds sensational!

But the kicker is i have only been averaging 1.5 meals per day and have gone 24 hour stretches without eating on a couple of occasions. And even my foods that might look like i'm not taking this seriously from the outside , like my Pork-on-Pork crime sandwich ( with apologies to my mini-pigs) - because i control the ingredients, its pretty clean compared to anything i could get on the outside, unless it might be a hippie deli or something. I think i would be losing weight if i were following a diet this sparse anyway. I've heard from others they get similar sensations from bread too, so i will keep on with my keto-ish approach until it bucks me off i guess, and after careful consideration now. If my stomach is growling a bit later, i will likely have another avocado. But the appetite suppression effects of having the food sit in your stomach longer helps me stretch out the time between meals considerably, -- plus , now i can drink 2 watery Michelob Ultra's and say "enough" , and i just go to bed.

exercion

Thanks for the info. I hope you'll update occasionally so we can see how you're doing. Meanwhile, I reckon my doc and I need to have a chat.

Eric

Grudey1

DMC, How are you making out as of late? I am considering trying this as well.

zandoval 

Do know that Semaglutide/ ozempic is the cleanest version of its class...

mccornwall

What does that mean?

zandoval 

OK... This could be a very long answer but hang on... Semaglutide is a GLP-1 agonist and works by increasing insulin release, lowering the amount of glucagon released, delaying gastric emptying and reducing appetite. There are different brands (Wegovy, Ozempic, Rybelus) and they are all expensive because its not that easy to make it. They also have different methods of absorption and application via their injectors and of course the oral Rybelus.

I have had the best results prescribing Ozempic injectable. Its a brand name with no generic, made in the USA by the Belgian Company Novo Nordisk, a well know insulin manufacturer. Their quality control of manufacture is proven.

But what I mean by "clean" is consistently good numbers, minimal to zero side effects, and excellent patient compliance. As a matter of fact the only problems I have had in prescribing Ozempic is trying to get the ####### insurance companies to pay for it!

So as far as I am concerned as a Provider, you are taking the best...

mccornwall

Ah, I knew a lot of that as a pharmacist but I was wondering what you meant by your statement. I'm in the process of switching from Ozempic to Mounjaro. I hope that one doesn't get too hard to get as well since it seems to be the latest darling of the Hollywierd weight loss set. We'll see.

DMC707

it’s been a month and I’m down about 20 lbs. I have experienced almost all the side effects that are talked about like low blood sugar (then I have to eat a banana) , dizziness, dry mouth and nausea, but it’s tolerable if I keep getting results.
It’s different for me feeling full with smaller portion sizes. I love an occasional breakfast burrito and I make them myself with eggs cheese and bacon or sausage. Usually I’m good for two of these at breakfast but now I can only stomach one, and it is with me all day.
I am still taking the smallest dose which is .25 mg and the nurse of the clinic has advised me to start eating more. I’m tired of being so heavy though

sande005

On the other side - I was on it (.5 mg) for about 9 mos. Supposedly to control A1C, but being normally a 5.6, it was really for the weight loss. After 9 mos....no change at ALL. Appetite did drop off a lot, actually painful to eat too much. Some manageable constipation. Being older and on Medicare, I did not anticipate the cost - fell into the "Donut Hole" where the insurer charged 70% of the price! Yikes. Novo-Nordisk had a program to provide up to 4 months free, which helped (but not for my other meds!). But as of Jan I quit, since there was no loss. And then...despite being careful about consumption, a quick 15 lbs got added on as a rebound! So now biking and doing weights even more, as well as diet, and am beginning to move back to what apparently will be my forever weight....at least my A1C is still 5.6!

DMC707

cut out all sugar and grains for a couple of weeks and see if you start to lose. For most people there will be those 3 or 4 foods they are not aware is sabotaging their best efforts. Whether it’s a banana a day or those miniature oranges (sugars) , or their favorite non dairy creamer, or the occasional bagel.

if cutting things down to the essentials helps, then slowly start adding food back in until the losses stop, then you may have found the culprit. Dairy is tough to quit too if the culprit is dairy (lactose is carby)

This plan works for people who have the discipline to do it. I don’t or I wouldn’t be resorting to semaglutide

sande005

That was pretty much what I did to loose before the Ozempic, but then I hit a wall, so the Doc's suggested I try it out. Stayed on that diet throughout, but stayed stuck. Now following it even more strictly and slowly seem do again be coming down.....we'll see what happens when I get to my previous low.

superdex

That's where you lost the weight.

DMC707

yes. The stuff doesn’t turn your body into a fat incinerating furnace. It makes you feel full all day on less food

week 7 weigh in was Monday and I’m at 32 lbs down. The equivalent of a mid sized dog to give that some perspective

Grudey1

Wow! Congrats. I'm starting my 3rd week myself. I haven't really felt significantly different yet. I get fuller faster but I'm still hungry as often as I used to be. I'm hoping my appetite will wane further upon starting the .50 mg dose.

DMC707

good luck with the quest and keep us posted!

The girls at my clinic told me that some people don’t start moving the scale for a month So don’t despair
I’m at the nine week mark and starting to Thank maybe I need to up my dose again. I have not been to a restaurant in three months but had some time to kill yesterday and thought I would drop in for a margarita and an appetizer at a local spot. anticipating I would feel full before it was done I got a box in advance and boxed up half of it. But after downing the other half and the margarita, I was still hungry, But instead of dipping into the Styrofoam I ordered a light beer to top it off instead.

By the time I got home I still felt hungry. Since it was close to bedtime, I fought off the hunger and did the next most logical thing (not) And grabbed another light beer

I slept great but the repercussions of two beers and a margarita on this medicine hit me like a ton of bricks this morning.

zandoval 

Marketing puts these drugs as having a benefit in loosing weight and that is truly the popular draw. Just remember that these type drugs are for lowing your overall blood sugar HgA1C.

I have noticed in my rural practice that soft, fluffy, fat, patients have dramatic weight loss with the GLP-1 medications. Not so with those old ranchers that are working 14 hours a day out side. Often I have been asked how much weight to expected with the use of GLP-1's. And often I have sized my patient up and thought...

Is this an OUTSIDE or an INSIDE person?
Is this a soft and fluffy or a hard and dense person?

Of course the hard and dense is going to loose weight more slowly and sometimes VERY SLOWLY. Do be reassured that if you are in that category of Outside and Hard what weight you do loose will stay off.

Also remember that you are taking the GLP-1 to control your blood sugar, not your fat...

Grudey1

Thank you for posting. That's really good information. I lift weights, rode over 3,000 miles last year on the bike, and am also active doing yard work and chasing the kids around. I guess that qualifies me as an outside person. I still gained 15 pounds last year.

I am living proof that you cannot out-exercise a bad diet.

DMC707

My Strava would suggest that I’m an outside person

I really don’t care what the original purpose of this drug is. The original purpose of Viagra was to regulate blood pressure or something like that. The alternate purpose seemed to work out all right also

Grudey1

I'm on week 5 now and just bumped up to 0.5 ML. The increased dosage is starting to make a noticeable difference in my appetite. I have lost ~ 2 lbs. so far but my clothes fit much, much better. I started weight training heavy in late February so I think (I hope) I am offsetting some fat with muscle.

Leisesturm

Good comparison. Viagra makes many men really ill. And more and more insurers are refusing to cover it. And it's pretty pricey. Still, the GLP-1's make Viagra look downright cheap. Where the comparison really breaks down is: There isn't any other fix for ED except some kind of medical intervention. Diet and exercise do not require a doctors prescription or cost thousands a year. Pharma companies being allowed to advertise on cable TV means people like you argue with doctors about how to use seriously powerful and expensive medications. If these drugs didn't cost what my brother paid for his first house each year, it might be worth it but factor75.com is far cheaper and much more fun.

DMC707

Good deal ! Everybody will respond a little different. I'm just shy of three months on the stuff and am on the .75mg dose, but i'm over 40 lbs down. The weight loss is coming slower than the initial few weeks, but the scale is still moving --- 2 weeks ago i fluctuated up about 4 pounds and have had odd sugar cravings i have never had before which i can only guess is because the medicine lowers your blood sugar quite a bit -- and if i never had a problem in that regard, might be lowering it too much. I'm a pizza and beer guy when it comes to the cravings historically -- but there was a day when i was just fascinated with donuts, so i had to get one

Today was my weigh in - i'm satisfied but im not going to be happy until i hit 50 lbs. But since i started at 320, - 50 down will still be 270, so i still have a ways to go. per a DEXA scan my LBM (lean body mass) is 197 lbs (im built like a caveman) , so 220 - which would be 100 pounds - would be the ultimate goal, however i am sure i will lose some muscle mass in the process so i need to work in another DEXA scan soon to monitor that

monogodo

My wife has been on Ozempic since September 2022 for Diabetes. Her A1C levels are in control, and she's lost 60+ lbs over that time.

Back in June of 2022 I was at my heaviest point (330+ lbs). Due to my wife's appetite being severely curtailed, my food intake reduced also (it's hard to eat a lot of food when the person dining with you is eating small amounts). By January of this year I was down to 310. At my checkup at that time, my doctor suggested Ozempic, as I was considered prediabetic. My insurance wouldn't cover it without jumping through hoops, and after some research I found a discount card for Mounjaro. It's still not cheap, but it's better than full price. So I took the first dose in mid-March, on a Friday evening. My wife warned me that I might end up vomiting now and then, and have other unpleasant side effects. Saturday all I had was a baked potato from Wendy’s, which I threw up Sunday morning. All I had all day Sunday was a Yoplait peach yogurt. When i went to work on Monday, I couldn’t concentrate, and left after two hours. By that point my wife and I figured out what the issue was. Eli Lily (the manufacturer) recommends that the starting dose be 2.5mg per week for four weeks, then 5.0mg per week for four weeks, then 7.5mg per week from then on. My doctor had started me at the 7.5mg dosage. I ended up staying home from work on Tuesday, went in for a half-day on Wednesday, and then took Thursday and Friday off. All week the most I had per day was a cup of yogurt, or maybe a half bottle of Soylent, so approximately 200 calories per day. I lost 15 pounds that week. I also went to the ER that Friday due to dehydration (I vomited multiple times & had near-constant diarrhea), where I received two IV bags of fluids.

After talking with my Dr, I found out that he prescribed that dosage because, “90% of patients have no issues with starting with that dosage.” Apparently I’m one of the 10%. He then prescribed the 2.5mg dosage, and I'm now on the first week of the 5.0mg dosage. I did gain back about 7 of the 15 pounds I lost that first week before I started up again on the 2.5mg dosage, but I’ve now lost over 18 pounds since starting up on the 2.5mg dosage.

I have my annual physical with him on June 6, which is during the 4th week of the 5.0mg dosage.I haven't been riding at all for a few years. I figure I'll start off by going on walks first, to rebuild fitness and stamina, then eventually get back on the bike.

As for what foods I can/can't eat, I haven't had any issues with anything. I already take Protonix for acid reflux/GERD, and based on my wife's experience with Ozempic, I've avoided greasy foods. I rarely ate breakfast anyway, so not being hungry in the morning doesn't bother me. I might have a half-bottle of Soylent at work in the morning, or for lunch if I didn't have any for breakfast, or not at all. Then I'll have a small meal for dinner, probably around 500 or so calories. If I try to eat more than that, my stomach will hurt, and I'll want to vomit. The odd thing I've noticed is that I'll go all day without eating, and then I'll realize that my stomach hurts, and it's because I need to eat, but my brain says I'm not hungry. So I'll force myself to eat something, and will feel better. I figure as long as I lose 1-1.5 lbs per day, I'm happy.

BradH

I've been on .5ml for about 6 months. Ozempic was prescribed to me by the VA to lower my A1C. In the past couple years I had dropped from 220ish to an even 200 before Ozempic. I am down to 190 and other than mild constipation, I notice no difference in how I feel. I'm surprised to see such a variability in weight loss and side effects. Not just here, everywhere i read about it. Ozempic has done exactly what it was prescribed for, lower my A1C.