By Patrick Totty
My pharmacist lately beneficial that I begin taking Ozempic, the sort 2 medicine that has turn into a white-hot sensation amongst medical doctors whose sufferers have to drop a few pounds.
As you recognize, Ozempic (semaglutide) initially was launched as a medicine for enhancing blood sugar management. However its surprising unwanted effects of dramatic weight reduction and nice urge for food management shortly turned apparent to medical doctors and pharmacists. It didn’t take lengthy for medical folks to start prescribing Ozempic off-label, which means that it was now being utilized to sufferers who weren’t kind 2s however have been overweight or obese.
As of late Ozempic’s use as a weight discount medicine has eclipsed its authentic objective of decreasing A1c’s in kind 2 diabetes sufferers. Like earlier “miracle” weight-loss drugs, similar to Xenical and Saxenda, Ozempic is the speak of the city and toast of food plan trendies in every single place.
However in my case, that wasn’t the case. I’m the oddball who’s right here to report that Ozempic doesn’t all the time work. I’m not saying it doesn’t assist with weight reduction and urge for food management in lots of extra situations than not, however for me it was a bust.
My weight over the previous two years has fluctuated between 185 and 190 lbs. on a 5-foot-8 body. If I have been 30 years youthful, I is perhaps thought-about barely obese, however at my age (75) I fortunately carry round an additional 10 lbs. It’s my power reserve, a retailer of fats that my physique can name upon in case I fall severely ailing.
I anticipated that I might drop a few pounds as I started injecting Ozempic as soon as every week. I additionally anticipated to really feel much less starvation. Neither occurred. My weight continued hovering between 185 and 190 lbs., and my urge for food remained robust—so robust that I needed to very consciously resort to calorie counting and portion management to verify I saved to my present weight.
I took Ozempic for 3 months, lengthy sufficient to check and see its results on me. Trying again, it’s as if I had by no means taken it. Stopping Ozempic not solely introduced my experimental use of it to an finish, it additionally lightened the load on my pocketbook. Despite the fact that my medical health insurance supplier paid a lot of the price for my injections—a hefty sum—the quantity left for me to cowl was no small matter. I may afford it, however am pleased to not must pay it anymore.
Is there an ethical right here? Solely a small one: Regardless of how marvelous a medicine could appear, particularly one enveloped in such optimistic buzz as Ozempic, it’s not going to work its wonders on everyone who takes it. It’s finest to have a look at any new diabetes medicine with modest expectations and to not be put out if it doesn’t dwell as much as the hype surrounding it.
Whereas I used to be a bit stunned at Ozempic’s whole lack of an impact on me, I haven’t walked round within the aftermath upset and even desirous about all that a lot. I used to be pleased to provide it a strive, and pleased realizing that I don’t must marvel about it anymore.
As for the various individuals who’ve loved nice advantages from Ozempic, extra energy to them. An exception right here or there doesn’t topic a rule to all that extreme a check.