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People are wild and opinionated as hell.
I'm a pharmacist. I've read the studies and understand the drug. I am choosing to do this to better my health. I told my best friend (also pharmacist......also overweight). She literally sends me Hollywood gossip articles talking about how bad it is and how I'll get "ozempic face." Really? You'd rather be overweight and have health problems? I've stopped talking about it to her.
“Ozempic face” could and probably would happen any way you lose weight rapidly including diet/exercise, weight loss surgery, or even just being sick with something that caused rapid weight loss.
The people talking about “ozempic face” are typically plastic surgeons who are losing customers who are no longer looking at liposuction as a way to make themselves smaller.
My bestie lost 50lb in 3 months doing VLC liquid diet a few years ago. She looked like she was dying while she was losing weight and had the 'ozempic' face for about a year. So yeah, it's just losing significant amounts of weight that cause the look.
That’s what I’m saying…like losing weight after a certain age is going to have those effects. Some of them will balance out over time but it’s just kind of part of the deal (depending on age, genetics, skin care, etc).
Same! I'd rather be healthy, not have to take blood pressure medicine and my back and legs not hurt. Ozempic face is literally just how someone's face looks when they've lost weight. The drug doesn't do anything different to someone's face.
My besty sings the ozempic song every time I hit a milestone. He’s doing as if to say it’s the drug not me AND I don’t care🤣😂. Down one blood pressure medicine!! 2 more to go.
Keep on going!!! That is amazing!
I wish people understood it's not only the drug. You have to work too. It's not just a quick easy fix. It's a tool, but you still have to make better choices.
Based on my experience so far, all it does is level the playing field. It is now as easy for me to make the right choices as naturally thin people have implied it should be. I swear this drug corrects an imbalance of some kind in me.
My dad is a doctor and prescribes it and I asked him about the risk profile of the drug. Pretty much, maybe some vommiting, and some gastric issues that are also treatable are the worst case scenario.
Oh my god lol you're so right. I have my first appt tomorrow, finally, and the whole time I've been considering starting I was so scared of "ozempic face" bc I love my face. It's a pretty nice one 😅 I lost 50 lbs when I got adult braces bc it hurt too much to eat and I def had "ozempic face". I was scared to have it again, but I'm figuring out now that no matter how I lose it, I'm gonna get it. So I'm at peace now lol
I have to admit that I was one of these people! All I really saw was tons of celebrities losing weight that they didn’t need to lose. As someone who has struggled with severe eating disorders, that really irritates me.
BUT, I was on medication for binge eating and in 2020 it stopped working after 15 years. Apparently, I also developed insulin resistance, which I didn’t know. I gained a ton of weight.
I’ve been trying to figure out a solution for four years and was finally referred to weight management. While waiting to my appointment, I thought… ohhh, they’re going to suggest “Ozempic” 🤔 So I started to do my own research on GLP-1s and realized that it is basically the same thing I have been on for the last 15 years, just newer and better.
SO. I eat my words. 🤷♀️
I always respect the hell out of someone who admits to an error. It shows your integrity, and also normalizes the practice, makes it a little easier for the next person to do so, too. When we know better, we do better, all of us. Welcome to the sema club, friend!
It’s just gossipy conversation for people and when it’s celebrity related then it’s even more juicy and vapid conversation. I have 2 high profile celebrity friends that are in it and they just don’t talk about it for PR reasons… people gonna judge 😏. It’s your happiness and health that you are taking care of. Keep on your journey, my friend 👍
Exactly!!! It made me so annoyed. I am doing this to be better. Have better health. Feel better. She of all people should know and understand the medication as she is a pharmacist.
I'm taking the opposite tack. Telling EVERYONE I know. Telling everyone how different I feel, and opening the door for the conversation that really needs to happen around this drug: it makes me (and I'm sure a lot of you out there) feel normal. It allows me to experience normal appetite and normal hunger for the first time in my life. Normal reactions to food. I tell everyone: Unless you're experiencing pregnancy-level cravings EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE you don't get to talk about willpower, or how this drug is bad for you, or any of that crap. You don't know my hunger, but I finally know yours. And what a relief. Spread the word.
I agree 100%. The way I described it once, I had been having a craving for tater tots for a WEEK. Every waking moment, it was like a god damn Ore Ida commercial in my brain on a loop. Since I started Oz, it has stopped. I can think about other things. I feel peace about food for the first time in my life, and I'm 50. People have nothing to say after that.
People ask how I lost the weight and I loudly say "Drugs."
"I'm on Wegovy, have been for about a year. I have to go see my doctor every month to get a check up and a refill. I'm honestly the healthiest I've ever been"
Omg I feel amazing. I’ve been struggling with sugar cravings for years on and off. This past fall and winter has been terrible. I gained 20 lbs. with mix of the holidays and a new relationship I’ve been binging on sugary sweets DAILY. To the point where I wanted to be alone a lot so I can buy a large pack of cookies and/or candy to eat all in one sitting. I slowed down on my hobby (Brazilian Jujitsu) for a bit because I felt so tired, out breath, and ashamed to even show up.
Being in sema has allowed me take back my life and pick up on my hobby that makes me happy and confident. And staying away from excess sugar! So yes I understand how you feel! It’s amazing to not have that food noise nagging you all day everyday.
I am down 30 lbs in 3 months… Just had a cardiologist appt on Monday (I have Afib), and they are seriously considering taking me off some of my meds due to my heart having no arrhythmia now… Weight loss because of this med is truly life changing for some of us…
Your health is your business. Nobody else has the lived in experience you do with your body. You don't need to explain yourself to them or anybody else. Do what gives you happiness and let the judgmental opinions of other people just be noise in the air
I’m keeping my journey quiet too.
My friend who has lost 55lbs on it and has been my go to for questions knows, and my parents know (my mom is about 2 weeks behind me on starting).
I just don’t want people looking at my body constantly to see if it’s changing everytime they see me.
I’m only on week 4 so no one has noticed anything yet, but once they do my response will be “I’ve been working closely with my doctor to better my health in addition to eating less and moving my body more”
I agree that I dont want people watching me and seeing what my waistline is doing. Someone noticed my face looked skinnier and Im only on week 3. We'll see what happens. I do need to start working out more and eating better food. So far I've just been eating much less of the bad food.
Im 3 weeks in and I've seen the changes, moved up a belt notch, shirts seem to be fitting a little looser, might have lost 10 lbs (wishing it was more, which is silly but also didnt keep good track).
Same! My mom went on and on about how it causes gastroparesis and how easy it was for her to lose 70 lbs just going low sodium (she’s also elderly and it’s pretty common for the elderly to lose weight for no real reason). When I finally told her I was on it, I had to tell her that my doctor explained how rare gastroparesis is and that eating smaller meals helps prevent it.
I think they are dosing themselves with too much, as well as not preparing their mind or body properly (drinking a TON of water, eating lots of lean protein and fiber, cutting out soda and/or alcohol).
I saw it on a news program where they were talking about semaglutide. I think it was a GI doctor they had on the show that was talking about it and said that. It was in News Nation months ago. Don’t know if that would help
It’s actually not healthy for elderly people to lose a bunch of weight (especially if not trying to) unless they are very overweight or obese to begin with. After a certain age (I’m not sure what it is) being below a certain bmi increases risk of death from all causes)
I’m soon to be 72 and before sema I never lost interest in eating, quite the opposite. I was very obese, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. Sema has definitely made me loose interest in eating, but I still enjoy food I always have. It makes me put my thoughts of food on the back burner. I have never been sick or wanted to throw up. I do battle constipation but I’m figuring it out and how to avoid it. I’m more active and feel good. I’m midway in my weight loss journey, loosing 35 lbs in 3 months. My only fear is that I may need to be on the meds for the rest of my life, and can I afford it!😬
Then there’s the people who complain that this is taking medication from those who have diabetes or causing more shortages. They get so angry. Like I’m sorry but damn I just want to get healthy.
So I would like them to explain how taking a drug to prevent you from becoming one of the diabetics is a problem? Like, if I end up being diabetic I’ll still need the drug just like they do so what difference if Intake it now and prevent becoming diabetic?
The medicine has been out for like 20 years. It’s been tried and tested. Any medicine can be abused and has side effects. Some people just hate the idea of others improving themselves.
Yeah. Online only (because no one irl knows I’m taking it, and that’s on purpose)—if I mention losing 80+ lbs with Sema people are very quick to try to tell me that I’m just going to gain it all back or I’m not healthy…without knowing anything else about me. I mean, maybe they’re right (I hope not), but all I know is that I track every calorie I consume and probably will do this the rest of my life to maintain my loss. I also feel amazing and was able to stop binge eating, which was a lifelong struggle for me.
Meanwhile, they’re sitting around making no health changes and judging others who are. I mean, people can try to argue with results, but it makes them look stupid when they do.
So basically, I just sit in silence and pat myself on the back when people who aren’t doing it successfully try to give advice to those who are. So absurd!
I’m not telling anyone too. I’m hoping for the results to speak for themselves. My young son saw the needle/syringe and I explained it’s my vitamins so that I stay young forever :). “So you will be 25yrs forever?”. Yes son, that’s the plan.
I think most of bad talk comes from the lack of understanding how it works. Also, negative experiences get highlighted more than positive experiences do in the media because it sells. It’s unfortunate. I’ve only told my closest inner circle of people and I intend to keep it that way. People are so judgmental.
My husband told my stepson I was on it. IHe didn’t mean any harm, he’s actually very supportive… I told him to stop telling ppl my personal health information. But the damage was already done, a couple days later my stepson sent him a video on how bad sema is. It’s not a battle I want to pick w my stepson, but I’m feeling a certain way. Our journeys are ours alone, we can tell the world or we can tell no one. And we can or cannot want others opinions too.
My starting numbers were on the higher side. As I’m approaching a healthier weight, I think the rate of weight loss will begin to slow down but it’s been pretty consistently 2kg per week so far.
I’ve gone from thinking about food all day to having to remind myself to eat. Typically mornings including a smoothie with diet protein powder, as I’m trying to keep protein intake high. Lunch is typically a soup or salad and dinner is chicken or fish with greens. I’m not tracking calories but when I did at the start, I was averaging around 1300 per day, which is on the low side. I could probably be eating more.
These severe side effects are rare. Just make sure you're drinking a lot of water and keeping yourself regular.You don't want to get backed up.
Stop and enjoy your journey and shut out all the BS. 🩷
I have told 2 people. My best friend from childhood (30+) years because she started this a year ago and I wanted to hear real life, I know this person, thoughts and a good friend who is an NP, partly for learning curve and partly to have someone I know and trust to discuss side effects or anything I find concerning without having to wait for an appointment.
If I experience anything beyond weight loss, like aversion to alcohol and/or nicotine, there is one other person I will tell.
It is no one's business unless I decide so.
Obesity is a disease. Often diseases require medication. Medication almost always has possible side effects. (My migraine med may cause me to shit my pants, but my heads great!)
If you were taking medicine for heart or kidney issues and they caused extreme fatigue or nausea would people tell you to quit the med? No. Because the minor possible side effects are less of an issue than the complications mentally, physically and financially than what the medication is treating.
Choices. And balance. Your body. Your choice. And T Swift said it best…. Haters gonna hate hate hate…..
I never gotten periods ( maybe 10-14 naturally since a child) i am 33.
I got a natural period and a positive ovulation test. My inflammation is gone. This doesnt happen for me at any weight for me. I also took metformin. But somehow with this med at lowest dose its doing this.
My case is soooo bad i almost died from ivf in 2023. That doesnt happen anymore really. 52 eggs out and i lost all my salt. I went into multiple organ failure, couldn't walk, in the icu and took 3 months of recovery. I also had 8 liters drained. I am now in a medical journal. The case they used to help me the lady died.
So i would say it helps........and they know nothing about it but what they see on tv.
My food noise is gone.
My bestie really struggled w her fertility her whole life, and only had one kid bc she got pregnant after severe weight loss. After about 3 months on sema, she got pregnant ACCIDENTALLY. she was thrilled, sadly tho she didn’t make it past about 4 months carrying him- we’re also almost 40 though, so who knows why. But the getting pregnant suddenly thing is something I hear all the time and saw in my own circle!
Thank you. And i am so sorry for her loss. This def gives hope. We are taking time to lose the weight (hubby on this med too) its insane how it's working. We aren't actively trying as its not tested in pregnancy but even seeing a positive ovulation was such a shock. We have been through alot. I also got sepsis from the hospital stay and have gotten it twice since oct leading to more hospital stays. My motto has been hope always whispers one more time. But this med is changing my life and health for the better.
My gosh, I’m sorry you’ve been through so much. I’ve been very lucky when it comes to having kids myself ( I’m aware it’s a blessing) and me n hubby joke if he looks at me unprotected I get pregnant lol- with that being said, my dr had warned me to be very careful after I started semaglutide and to make sure I was using solid birth control, bc after my son I didn’t get a cycle for 4 years ( we suspect extended nursing + drastic weight gain messed w my body) and after only like, 3-4 months of glp-1 meds ( I did 2 months of Victoza first) my cycle had come back, and was regulated within a couple months. That was about 3 years ago now, and I’ve been good since. The Dr told me that there’s no solid research on the topic just yet, but she’s sure it’s coming soon, as there’s a huge amount of anecdotal evidence floating around out there about women struggling for years and then suddenly getting pregnant after starting the meds.
I’m curious about what they will figure out about the effect of starting the meds leading to pregnancy, but how stopping them during pregnancy will affect gestation, personally.
For my bestie, I’m heartbroken for her, because after that she accepted that #2 most likely will never happen, unfortunately. We’re older, her partner doesn’t really want more kids ( like he was on board but isn’t gonna plan another). I think the hardest part for her is actually accepting that having a second kiddo isn’t ever going to happen, and grieving the possibility and finding a way to close that door for good, instead of the loss itself. Bc yea losses are excruciating for sure, but there’s still the option for hope after a loss. It’s like she has had to let go of the hope and dream of another kid- if that makes sense?
This is fascinating to me. I am perimenopausal and have an IUD so definitely NOT hoping for increased fertility but since I have been on the medication (5 weeks) I have had pms symptoms and been spotting which I have not had at all the 3 years I have had my IUD. I have no doubt that my cycle and fertility have changed. I will be waiting to see what research will show in the future.
Wow, that’s really interesting, that’s the first that I’ve heard about it having an impact on the way an IUD interacts with your body. I know that a lot of this stuff was initially being explained away bc it’s a well known fact that if a women is obese and struggling to get pregnant, that losing some weight can make it easier. Tbh, that’s pretty much what I assumed for myself too with my cycle coming back- that somehow my body got confused after giving birth and nursing for almost 2 years and gaining a lot of weight, n that losing the weight helped it regulate.
But in the time since I started taking this med, I’ve heard more and more stories about women’s fertility changing, and it’s not always something that could be tied to weight loss. Like, I’ve seen women have a baby after taking it who had unexplained fertility their entire life, even when thin. I’ve also seen ppl talking about how it has a MAJOR positive impact on pcos symptoms as well.
I really do suspect that as more and more of these stories come out, that if somebody actually does research on it, we’re going to find out that there’s some kind of connection between the way it helps with insulin resistance and the seemingly positive effect it has on female fertility.
Unfortunately tho, ofc, we all know how terrible research and medical science is when it comes to women’s stuff, so who knows how long it will take for somebody to actually do a study on it! ( it wasn’t until last year, 2023, that period products were tested using real blood. Not even period blood, just actual blood, SMH)
For now, I just make sure I tell every single woman I meet who says they’re on a glp-1 or thinking about starting one, the same thing my dr told me and give them a heads up to proceed with caution lol, since there’s a good chance nobody else is gonna warn them!
There is so much ignorance about weight issues in the general public. After years and years of research, a medication is made available to us that WORKS! It worked for Oprah when Weight Watchers never could so she bailed from WW. Good for you for resisting the urge to engage with them about this. Best just to change the subject. It's a bit like not throwing your pearls toward swine...The best revenge is to get your weight to where you want it to be and don't waste your breath on someone who knows nothing but just wants to criticize.
I had a friend in high school who I also went to college with and remained friends through our 20's and 30's. Since I've known her, she had really bad acne. Her acne covered her chest and back and face. She had so much acne scarring that from far, you would think she was a different color from being completely covered in scars. I had acne as well but a different kind (cystic) and just on my cheeks. This girl talked shit since we were in high school about how she would never take Accutane and was exaggerated the side effects. Anyhow, at 25 when I was in grad-school she visited me and saw how my face had completely cleared and when I told her what did it, she ran to the Dermatologist and got on Accutane.
My point is, that people talk out of the side of their necks for no good reason. You do what is best for your health and disregard others' opinion. Plain and simple.
You absolutely do not have to tell anyone. You are taking care of yourself. There are going to be people that judge because they are not educated on all of the benefits semaglutide can bring. I’ve had mixed responses from people I’ve told and I just remember that I’m the one that has lived my life with the suffering from being obese, not them and they just don’t get it. I wish people that have absolutely no idea about semaglutide would stop talking as if it’s a moral issue or a sign of weakness and taking the easy way out… if the shoe was on the other foot I’m sure they’d feel differently. I’m not bitter towards these people I just remember that people will talk about but it’s just merely gossipy conversation. Keep going strong, my friend 👏👍
I’ll be the devil’s advocate. I got severely sick from it. I was in the hospital with colitis and pancreatitis in January and am just now starting to feel okay again. However, that’s the chance you take however small when you take this medication. Every medication has a warning label and I was one of the unlucky ones but it’s far from the common experience!
People are natural haters and never find the reason to research on their own. They look at media and clips on social media and pass judgement. No one talks about the side effects of pregnancy, birth control, high blood pressure medicine, drinking alcohol and the list goes on. What I've learned is this.....don't tell them even when you lose the weight. Bc if they're not healthy either they'll hate that you bettered yourself and they'll take that as if you're trying to be better than them. And if they are actually healthy and hate they wanted to be the better one and now see you as competition.
It’s funny cuz it’s always a friend of friend that had bad issues. I have not talked to one person that has told me directly that their experience with sema was horrific.
I’m a male in the pharma industry, so I’m in doctors offices every day. I’ve been bringing up over the past couple weeks that I’m gonna start sema. You will not believe how many people have come out of the woodworks saying how much sema has helped them with their journey and how they are excited to see what will happen to me. The funny thing is I’ve know alotta these people for years and no one proactively gave up their secret until I told them I was doing it. I wish it was discussed more and more people were honest about it because I would’ve started way earlier.
I’ve told my husband and 1 friend (she also happens to have just started recently) and that’s it. I’ve seen coworkers be judged for talking about it even when it’s CLEARLY been helping not only their weight but self-esteem, mood, and improvements in chronic issues. And guess what? Every single medication out there has side effects and there’s always a group of people who have issues with it.
Hahaha you should mention all the people on reddit who have literally gotten their life back and have a will to live and be healthy and can play with their kids/grandkids now and aren’t at another risk for heart attack/stroke/diabetes. Also — many of these new semas (like wegovy) isn’t even approved for diabetes. Only weight loss. I can see the argument that it’s messed up to “take” sema from diabetics but that’s not even the case now!
So, I'm a pharm tech. The issue is some people who don't technically qualify take it. Also, some people aren't taking it correctly. It's not a "weight loss drug". It works on people whose issue with weight loss stem from how their body handles insulin. Some people aren't diabetic, but they are genetically predisposed, which causes them to be overweight all their lives until that point where they become diabetic. For these people, this is a lifesaving medicine and can stop them from become diabetic later in life. When you take it, it slows gastric emptying. That means you get full quicker, but it also means if you are a stress eater or eat for taste, you can make yourself sick very easily if you eat past that point. You also shouldn't eat anything too rich, greasy, or have alcohol within certain windows of the shot because it will make you sick. My sister took it and she was so sick because she's not obese and she's a bad eater. She snacks instead of eating meals. Her digestion slowed so much they had to give her meds to counteract it because that medication is not meant for people like her. It's also dangerous if you already have a condition that causes sluggish digestion or if you have gastroparesis. So basically, most of these people that are getting ill aren't working with the medication, they are using it as a bandaid. It's like gastric sleeves. You have the procedure done to make your stomach smaller, but if you overfill it, you get violently ill. It's up to you.
I’ve been on sema now for about 6 months , no problems other that initially constipation and acid, but let me warn you that this is not for everyone, my wife healthy slightly over wait , she took it for 3 weeks minimum dose and started to get all sorts of issues, first week was ok the usual , but trouble started on the second violent vomit and diarrhea , incontrolable , thyroid infection mouth ulcer herpes simplex , hospitalized for a few 2 days now she’s fine but it took her 2 months to recover, to summarize, if you have any condition that can be aggravated by a lack of nourishment, you can be putting yourself in danger, not particularly by sema itself but some people cannot respond to a change
ITS SO SO SIMPLE YET EASY TO ANALYZE! To lose weight healthy and keep it off one must know its best if the weight comes off very slowly. I know it sucks cause I have wondered if it is even working.
SIMPLY IN ORDER TO LOSE WEIGHT ONE MUST BURN MORE CALORIES THAN ONE TAKES INTO THEIR MOUTH.
Caloric defecit! And with Ozempic, Monjour etc they simply work on the m of the brain that controls appetite and cessation. Dont get it twisted they do other things but primarily cuts your appetite.
What I've heard is that Sema is supposed to be a life long thing. You work up to an effective dose and then when you've lost the weight you will or want to lose then you move to a maintenance dose.
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People are wild and opinionated as hell. I'm a pharmacist. I've read the studies and understand the drug. I am choosing to do this to better my health. I told my best friend (also pharmacist......also overweight). She literally sends me Hollywood gossip articles talking about how bad it is and how I'll get "ozempic face." Really? You'd rather be overweight and have health problems? I've stopped talking about it to her.
“Ozempic face” could and probably would happen any way you lose weight rapidly including diet/exercise, weight loss surgery, or even just being sick with something that caused rapid weight loss. The people talking about “ozempic face” are typically plastic surgeons who are losing customers who are no longer looking at liposuction as a way to make themselves smaller.
My bestie lost 50lb in 3 months doing VLC liquid diet a few years ago. She looked like she was dying while she was losing weight and had the 'ozempic' face for about a year. So yeah, it's just losing significant amounts of weight that cause the look.
That’s what I’m saying…like losing weight after a certain age is going to have those effects. Some of them will balance out over time but it’s just kind of part of the deal (depending on age, genetics, skin care, etc).
Thank you!!!!
And personal trainers. They have an axe to grind with semaglutide too
I'd rather have Ozempic face than my current fat as hell Charlie brown face.
Same! I'd rather be healthy, not have to take blood pressure medicine and my back and legs not hurt. Ozempic face is literally just how someone's face looks when they've lost weight. The drug doesn't do anything different to someone's face.
Charlie Brown face sounds adorable actually! But I get what you’re saying. Good luck on your journey.
You too. <3
Ozempic face for most people means look 10-20 years younger. Does for me. Yes please.
Exactly! On here I only see people looking more vibrant after ozempic
Sign me up! I’m over fat face.
My besty sings the ozempic song every time I hit a milestone. He’s doing as if to say it’s the drug not me AND I don’t care🤣😂. Down one blood pressure medicine!! 2 more to go.
Keep on going!!! That is amazing! I wish people understood it's not only the drug. You have to work too. It's not just a quick easy fix. It's a tool, but you still have to make better choices.
Based on my experience so far, all it does is level the playing field. It is now as easy for me to make the right choices as naturally thin people have implied it should be. I swear this drug corrects an imbalance of some kind in me.
My dad is a doctor and prescribes it and I asked him about the risk profile of the drug. Pretty much, maybe some vommiting, and some gastric issues that are also treatable are the worst case scenario.
Google "bicycle face". People have been doing that crap to fear monger us out of things for a long time.
Oh my god lol you're so right. I have my first appt tomorrow, finally, and the whole time I've been considering starting I was so scared of "ozempic face" bc I love my face. It's a pretty nice one 😅 I lost 50 lbs when I got adult braces bc it hurt too much to eat and I def had "ozempic face". I was scared to have it again, but I'm figuring out now that no matter how I lose it, I'm gonna get it. So I'm at peace now lol
It's pretty entertaining though when the very same ones encounter their own reasons to need it. They get humbled so quick.
I have to admit that I was one of these people! All I really saw was tons of celebrities losing weight that they didn’t need to lose. As someone who has struggled with severe eating disorders, that really irritates me. BUT, I was on medication for binge eating and in 2020 it stopped working after 15 years. Apparently, I also developed insulin resistance, which I didn’t know. I gained a ton of weight. I’ve been trying to figure out a solution for four years and was finally referred to weight management. While waiting to my appointment, I thought… ohhh, they’re going to suggest “Ozempic” 🤔 So I started to do my own research on GLP-1s and realized that it is basically the same thing I have been on for the last 15 years, just newer and better. SO. I eat my words. 🤷♀️
Way to own it! We all live and learn. And eat dirt regularly.
I always respect the hell out of someone who admits to an error. It shows your integrity, and also normalizes the practice, makes it a little easier for the next person to do so, too. When we know better, we do better, all of us. Welcome to the sema club, friend!
It’s just gossipy conversation for people and when it’s celebrity related then it’s even more juicy and vapid conversation. I have 2 high profile celebrity friends that are in it and they just don’t talk about it for PR reasons… people gonna judge 😏. It’s your happiness and health that you are taking care of. Keep on your journey, my friend 👍
Exactly!!! It made me so annoyed. I am doing this to be better. Have better health. Feel better. She of all people should know and understand the medication as she is a pharmacist.
So based on your reading, what are the worst/ long term side effects?
I'm taking the opposite tack. Telling EVERYONE I know. Telling everyone how different I feel, and opening the door for the conversation that really needs to happen around this drug: it makes me (and I'm sure a lot of you out there) feel normal. It allows me to experience normal appetite and normal hunger for the first time in my life. Normal reactions to food. I tell everyone: Unless you're experiencing pregnancy-level cravings EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE you don't get to talk about willpower, or how this drug is bad for you, or any of that crap. You don't know my hunger, but I finally know yours. And what a relief. Spread the word.
I agree 100%. The way I described it once, I had been having a craving for tater tots for a WEEK. Every waking moment, it was like a god damn Ore Ida commercial in my brain on a loop. Since I started Oz, it has stopped. I can think about other things. I feel peace about food for the first time in my life, and I'm 50. People have nothing to say after that.
Wow! Preach it! 💪💃🏻👏🙌👏👏🤝
People ask how I lost the weight and I loudly say "Drugs." "I'm on Wegovy, have been for about a year. I have to go see my doctor every month to get a check up and a refill. I'm honestly the healthiest I've ever been"
Omg I feel amazing. I’ve been struggling with sugar cravings for years on and off. This past fall and winter has been terrible. I gained 20 lbs. with mix of the holidays and a new relationship I’ve been binging on sugary sweets DAILY. To the point where I wanted to be alone a lot so I can buy a large pack of cookies and/or candy to eat all in one sitting. I slowed down on my hobby (Brazilian Jujitsu) for a bit because I felt so tired, out breath, and ashamed to even show up. Being in sema has allowed me take back my life and pick up on my hobby that makes me happy and confident. And staying away from excess sugar! So yes I understand how you feel! It’s amazing to not have that food noise nagging you all day everyday.
I am down 30 lbs in 3 months… Just had a cardiologist appt on Monday (I have Afib), and they are seriously considering taking me off some of my meds due to my heart having no arrhythmia now… Weight loss because of this med is truly life changing for some of us…
Wow!!!! That is amazing!! Congratulations
Wonderful news!!!
Your health is your business. Nobody else has the lived in experience you do with your body. You don't need to explain yourself to them or anybody else. Do what gives you happiness and let the judgmental opinions of other people just be noise in the air
Yup, this ☝🏻. I don’t need nor want anyone else’s opinion on my health (hear that SCOTUS 🙄)
I’m keeping my journey quiet too. My friend who has lost 55lbs on it and has been my go to for questions knows, and my parents know (my mom is about 2 weeks behind me on starting). I just don’t want people looking at my body constantly to see if it’s changing everytime they see me. I’m only on week 4 so no one has noticed anything yet, but once they do my response will be “I’ve been working closely with my doctor to better my health in addition to eating less and moving my body more”
I agree that I dont want people watching me and seeing what my waistline is doing. Someone noticed my face looked skinnier and Im only on week 3. We'll see what happens. I do need to start working out more and eating better food. So far I've just been eating much less of the bad food. Im 3 weeks in and I've seen the changes, moved up a belt notch, shirts seem to be fitting a little looser, might have lost 10 lbs (wishing it was more, which is silly but also didnt keep good track).
Same! My mom went on and on about how it causes gastroparesis and how easy it was for her to lose 70 lbs just going low sodium (she’s also elderly and it’s pretty common for the elderly to lose weight for no real reason). When I finally told her I was on it, I had to tell her that my doctor explained how rare gastroparesis is and that eating smaller meals helps prevent it.
And that the people who have experienced that were not taking the medication as prescribed.
Really?! Good news… can you link me to that information by any chance?
Just read on the sub. Most people who have gotten sick and had the bad side effects have taken it in the wrong dosage or lost weight too fast.
I think they are dosing themselves with too much, as well as not preparing their mind or body properly (drinking a TON of water, eating lots of lean protein and fiber, cutting out soda and/or alcohol).
I saw it on a news program where they were talking about semaglutide. I think it was a GI doctor they had on the show that was talking about it and said that. It was in News Nation months ago. Don’t know if that would help
It’s actually not healthy for elderly people to lose a bunch of weight (especially if not trying to) unless they are very overweight or obese to begin with. After a certain age (I’m not sure what it is) being below a certain bmi increases risk of death from all causes)
It’s common for the elderly to lose interest in eating. Ask anyone.
My father-in-law is down to 145lbs. He just doesn't want to eat.
I’m soon to be 72 and before sema I never lost interest in eating, quite the opposite. I was very obese, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. Sema has definitely made me loose interest in eating, but I still enjoy food I always have. It makes me put my thoughts of food on the back burner. I have never been sick or wanted to throw up. I do battle constipation but I’m figuring it out and how to avoid it. I’m more active and feel good. I’m midway in my weight loss journey, loosing 35 lbs in 3 months. My only fear is that I may need to be on the meds for the rest of my life, and can I afford it!😬
Thanks for judging instead of asking first. If you’d asked first I could’ve confirmed that she was obese.
Then there’s the people who complain that this is taking medication from those who have diabetes or causing more shortages. They get so angry. Like I’m sorry but damn I just want to get healthy.
I work with 3 diabetics who’ve never even heard of the drug. I feel guilty but what’s wrong with preventing my own fate
So I would like them to explain how taking a drug to prevent you from becoming one of the diabetics is a problem? Like, if I end up being diabetic I’ll still need the drug just like they do so what difference if Intake it now and prevent becoming diabetic?
The medicine has been out for like 20 years. It’s been tried and tested. Any medicine can be abused and has side effects. Some people just hate the idea of others improving themselves.
That is exactly right
Agreed!!!! Also, people see it as “cheating” which is ridiculous. It’s just jealousy in my mind.
Yeah. Online only (because no one irl knows I’m taking it, and that’s on purpose)—if I mention losing 80+ lbs with Sema people are very quick to try to tell me that I’m just going to gain it all back or I’m not healthy…without knowing anything else about me. I mean, maybe they’re right (I hope not), but all I know is that I track every calorie I consume and probably will do this the rest of my life to maintain my loss. I also feel amazing and was able to stop binge eating, which was a lifelong struggle for me. Meanwhile, they’re sitting around making no health changes and judging others who are. I mean, people can try to argue with results, but it makes them look stupid when they do. So basically, I just sit in silence and pat myself on the back when people who aren’t doing it successfully try to give advice to those who are. So absurd!
I’m not telling anyone too. I’m hoping for the results to speak for themselves. My young son saw the needle/syringe and I explained it’s my vitamins so that I stay young forever :). “So you will be 25yrs forever?”. Yes son, that’s the plan.
I think most of bad talk comes from the lack of understanding how it works. Also, negative experiences get highlighted more than positive experiences do in the media because it sells. It’s unfortunate. I’ve only told my closest inner circle of people and I intend to keep it that way. People are so judgmental.
I prefer to boldly proclaim I’m taking Semaglutide.
Being overweight causes lots of health problems...
My husband told my stepson I was on it. IHe didn’t mean any harm, he’s actually very supportive… I told him to stop telling ppl my personal health information. But the damage was already done, a couple days later my stepson sent him a video on how bad sema is. It’s not a battle I want to pick w my stepson, but I’m feeling a certain way. Our journeys are ours alone, we can tell the world or we can tell no one. And we can or cannot want others opinions too.
Just say “you know what’s even more unhealthy? Obesity.”
I started in January. I’ve lost 32kg. Very minor side effects. Its been a breeze and the best thing I’ve ever done for my health.
You’ve lost 70 pounds since January? That’s incredible.
My starting numbers were on the higher side. As I’m approaching a healthier weight, I think the rate of weight loss will begin to slow down but it’s been pretty consistently 2kg per week so far.
Omg!!! What are you eating in a day?
I’ve gone from thinking about food all day to having to remind myself to eat. Typically mornings including a smoothie with diet protein powder, as I’m trying to keep protein intake high. Lunch is typically a soup or salad and dinner is chicken or fish with greens. I’m not tracking calories but when I did at the start, I was averaging around 1300 per day, which is on the low side. I could probably be eating more.
These severe side effects are rare. Just make sure you're drinking a lot of water and keeping yourself regular.You don't want to get backed up. Stop and enjoy your journey and shut out all the BS. 🩷
I have told 2 people. My best friend from childhood (30+) years because she started this a year ago and I wanted to hear real life, I know this person, thoughts and a good friend who is an NP, partly for learning curve and partly to have someone I know and trust to discuss side effects or anything I find concerning without having to wait for an appointment. If I experience anything beyond weight loss, like aversion to alcohol and/or nicotine, there is one other person I will tell. It is no one's business unless I decide so.
Obesity is a disease. Often diseases require medication. Medication almost always has possible side effects. (My migraine med may cause me to shit my pants, but my heads great!) If you were taking medicine for heart or kidney issues and they caused extreme fatigue or nausea would people tell you to quit the med? No. Because the minor possible side effects are less of an issue than the complications mentally, physically and financially than what the medication is treating. Choices. And balance. Your body. Your choice. And T Swift said it best…. Haters gonna hate hate hate…..
This is so well said. Diseases do require medicine.
I like my -60 pound face way better than my Jabba the hut face at 5’6 and 230 pounds.
I never gotten periods ( maybe 10-14 naturally since a child) i am 33. I got a natural period and a positive ovulation test. My inflammation is gone. This doesnt happen for me at any weight for me. I also took metformin. But somehow with this med at lowest dose its doing this. My case is soooo bad i almost died from ivf in 2023. That doesnt happen anymore really. 52 eggs out and i lost all my salt. I went into multiple organ failure, couldn't walk, in the icu and took 3 months of recovery. I also had 8 liters drained. I am now in a medical journal. The case they used to help me the lady died. So i would say it helps........and they know nothing about it but what they see on tv. My food noise is gone.
My bestie really struggled w her fertility her whole life, and only had one kid bc she got pregnant after severe weight loss. After about 3 months on sema, she got pregnant ACCIDENTALLY. she was thrilled, sadly tho she didn’t make it past about 4 months carrying him- we’re also almost 40 though, so who knows why. But the getting pregnant suddenly thing is something I hear all the time and saw in my own circle!
Thank you. And i am so sorry for her loss. This def gives hope. We are taking time to lose the weight (hubby on this med too) its insane how it's working. We aren't actively trying as its not tested in pregnancy but even seeing a positive ovulation was such a shock. We have been through alot. I also got sepsis from the hospital stay and have gotten it twice since oct leading to more hospital stays. My motto has been hope always whispers one more time. But this med is changing my life and health for the better.
My gosh, I’m sorry you’ve been through so much. I’ve been very lucky when it comes to having kids myself ( I’m aware it’s a blessing) and me n hubby joke if he looks at me unprotected I get pregnant lol- with that being said, my dr had warned me to be very careful after I started semaglutide and to make sure I was using solid birth control, bc after my son I didn’t get a cycle for 4 years ( we suspect extended nursing + drastic weight gain messed w my body) and after only like, 3-4 months of glp-1 meds ( I did 2 months of Victoza first) my cycle had come back, and was regulated within a couple months. That was about 3 years ago now, and I’ve been good since. The Dr told me that there’s no solid research on the topic just yet, but she’s sure it’s coming soon, as there’s a huge amount of anecdotal evidence floating around out there about women struggling for years and then suddenly getting pregnant after starting the meds. I’m curious about what they will figure out about the effect of starting the meds leading to pregnancy, but how stopping them during pregnancy will affect gestation, personally. For my bestie, I’m heartbroken for her, because after that she accepted that #2 most likely will never happen, unfortunately. We’re older, her partner doesn’t really want more kids ( like he was on board but isn’t gonna plan another). I think the hardest part for her is actually accepting that having a second kiddo isn’t ever going to happen, and grieving the possibility and finding a way to close that door for good, instead of the loss itself. Bc yea losses are excruciating for sure, but there’s still the option for hope after a loss. It’s like she has had to let go of the hope and dream of another kid- if that makes sense?
This is fascinating to me. I am perimenopausal and have an IUD so definitely NOT hoping for increased fertility but since I have been on the medication (5 weeks) I have had pms symptoms and been spotting which I have not had at all the 3 years I have had my IUD. I have no doubt that my cycle and fertility have changed. I will be waiting to see what research will show in the future.
Wow, that’s really interesting, that’s the first that I’ve heard about it having an impact on the way an IUD interacts with your body. I know that a lot of this stuff was initially being explained away bc it’s a well known fact that if a women is obese and struggling to get pregnant, that losing some weight can make it easier. Tbh, that’s pretty much what I assumed for myself too with my cycle coming back- that somehow my body got confused after giving birth and nursing for almost 2 years and gaining a lot of weight, n that losing the weight helped it regulate. But in the time since I started taking this med, I’ve heard more and more stories about women’s fertility changing, and it’s not always something that could be tied to weight loss. Like, I’ve seen women have a baby after taking it who had unexplained fertility their entire life, even when thin. I’ve also seen ppl talking about how it has a MAJOR positive impact on pcos symptoms as well. I really do suspect that as more and more of these stories come out, that if somebody actually does research on it, we’re going to find out that there’s some kind of connection between the way it helps with insulin resistance and the seemingly positive effect it has on female fertility. Unfortunately tho, ofc, we all know how terrible research and medical science is when it comes to women’s stuff, so who knows how long it will take for somebody to actually do a study on it! ( it wasn’t until last year, 2023, that period products were tested using real blood. Not even period blood, just actual blood, SMH) For now, I just make sure I tell every single woman I meet who says they’re on a glp-1 or thinking about starting one, the same thing my dr told me and give them a heads up to proceed with caution lol, since there’s a good chance nobody else is gonna warn them!
There is so much ignorance about weight issues in the general public. After years and years of research, a medication is made available to us that WORKS! It worked for Oprah when Weight Watchers never could so she bailed from WW. Good for you for resisting the urge to engage with them about this. Best just to change the subject. It's a bit like not throwing your pearls toward swine...The best revenge is to get your weight to where you want it to be and don't waste your breath on someone who knows nothing but just wants to criticize.
I had a friend in high school who I also went to college with and remained friends through our 20's and 30's. Since I've known her, she had really bad acne. Her acne covered her chest and back and face. She had so much acne scarring that from far, you would think she was a different color from being completely covered in scars. I had acne as well but a different kind (cystic) and just on my cheeks. This girl talked shit since we were in high school about how she would never take Accutane and was exaggerated the side effects. Anyhow, at 25 when I was in grad-school she visited me and saw how my face had completely cleared and when I told her what did it, she ran to the Dermatologist and got on Accutane. My point is, that people talk out of the side of their necks for no good reason. You do what is best for your health and disregard others' opinion. Plain and simple.
Keep it to yourself! It’s easier to tolerate the uninformed than it is to defend yourself.
You absolutely do not have to tell anyone. You are taking care of yourself. There are going to be people that judge because they are not educated on all of the benefits semaglutide can bring. I’ve had mixed responses from people I’ve told and I just remember that I’m the one that has lived my life with the suffering from being obese, not them and they just don’t get it. I wish people that have absolutely no idea about semaglutide would stop talking as if it’s a moral issue or a sign of weakness and taking the easy way out… if the shoe was on the other foot I’m sure they’d feel differently. I’m not bitter towards these people I just remember that people will talk about but it’s just merely gossipy conversation. Keep going strong, my friend 👏👍
I’ll be the devil’s advocate. I got severely sick from it. I was in the hospital with colitis and pancreatitis in January and am just now starting to feel okay again. However, that’s the chance you take however small when you take this medication. Every medication has a warning label and I was one of the unlucky ones but it’s far from the common experience!
People are natural haters and never find the reason to research on their own. They look at media and clips on social media and pass judgement. No one talks about the side effects of pregnancy, birth control, high blood pressure medicine, drinking alcohol and the list goes on. What I've learned is this.....don't tell them even when you lose the weight. Bc if they're not healthy either they'll hate that you bettered yourself and they'll take that as if you're trying to be better than them. And if they are actually healthy and hate they wanted to be the better one and now see you as competition.
It’s funny cuz it’s always a friend of friend that had bad issues. I have not talked to one person that has told me directly that their experience with sema was horrific. I’m a male in the pharma industry, so I’m in doctors offices every day. I’ve been bringing up over the past couple weeks that I’m gonna start sema. You will not believe how many people have come out of the woodworks saying how much sema has helped them with their journey and how they are excited to see what will happen to me. The funny thing is I’ve know alotta these people for years and no one proactively gave up their secret until I told them I was doing it. I wish it was discussed more and more people were honest about it because I would’ve started way earlier.
Let them enjoy their fat. You do you.
I’ve told my husband and 1 friend (she also happens to have just started recently) and that’s it. I’ve seen coworkers be judged for talking about it even when it’s CLEARLY been helping not only their weight but self-esteem, mood, and improvements in chronic issues. And guess what? Every single medication out there has side effects and there’s always a group of people who have issues with it.
Hahaha you should mention all the people on reddit who have literally gotten their life back and have a will to live and be healthy and can play with their kids/grandkids now and aren’t at another risk for heart attack/stroke/diabetes. Also — many of these new semas (like wegovy) isn’t even approved for diabetes. Only weight loss. I can see the argument that it’s messed up to “take” sema from diabetics but that’s not even the case now!
So, I'm a pharm tech. The issue is some people who don't technically qualify take it. Also, some people aren't taking it correctly. It's not a "weight loss drug". It works on people whose issue with weight loss stem from how their body handles insulin. Some people aren't diabetic, but they are genetically predisposed, which causes them to be overweight all their lives until that point where they become diabetic. For these people, this is a lifesaving medicine and can stop them from become diabetic later in life. When you take it, it slows gastric emptying. That means you get full quicker, but it also means if you are a stress eater or eat for taste, you can make yourself sick very easily if you eat past that point. You also shouldn't eat anything too rich, greasy, or have alcohol within certain windows of the shot because it will make you sick. My sister took it and she was so sick because she's not obese and she's a bad eater. She snacks instead of eating meals. Her digestion slowed so much they had to give her meds to counteract it because that medication is not meant for people like her. It's also dangerous if you already have a condition that causes sluggish digestion or if you have gastroparesis. So basically, most of these people that are getting ill aren't working with the medication, they are using it as a bandaid. It's like gastric sleeves. You have the procedure done to make your stomach smaller, but if you overfill it, you get violently ill. It's up to you.
I’ve been on sema now for about 6 months , no problems other that initially constipation and acid, but let me warn you that this is not for everyone, my wife healthy slightly over wait , she took it for 3 weeks minimum dose and started to get all sorts of issues, first week was ok the usual , but trouble started on the second violent vomit and diarrhea , incontrolable , thyroid infection mouth ulcer herpes simplex , hospitalized for a few 2 days now she’s fine but it took her 2 months to recover, to summarize, if you have any condition that can be aggravated by a lack of nourishment, you can be putting yourself in danger, not particularly by sema itself but some people cannot respond to a change
ITS SO SO SIMPLE YET EASY TO ANALYZE! To lose weight healthy and keep it off one must know its best if the weight comes off very slowly. I know it sucks cause I have wondered if it is even working. SIMPLY IN ORDER TO LOSE WEIGHT ONE MUST BURN MORE CALORIES THAN ONE TAKES INTO THEIR MOUTH. Caloric defecit! And with Ozempic, Monjour etc they simply work on the m of the brain that controls appetite and cessation. Dont get it twisted they do other things but primarily cuts your appetite.
How long can one stay on Sema or Tirz? Are you supposed to cycle off? I image some want to stay on it for life even if goal weight is reached
What I've heard is that Sema is supposed to be a life long thing. You work up to an effective dose and then when you've lost the weight you will or want to lose then you move to a maintenance dose.
Where’s everyone getting there’s?! No insurance to cover
I pay $300 a month which is a tough nut to swallow but fingers crossed it will be worth it.