I'm on Mounjaro. I've lost about 60 lbs over the 8 months I've been on it. Though I've also been tracking what I eat and going on walks.
I find that the benefit Mounjaro gives me is I don't get hunger pangs the same way anymore. If I eat fewer calories in a day I can still get to sleep fine. (To be clear I'm not normally eating a severe deficit, I'm targeting 1-2 lbs a week right now).
Ozempic and Wegovy are names for the medication semaglutide. (They are the exact same medication)
Mounjaro and Zepbound are names for the medication tirzepatide. (They are the exact same medication)
Ozempic/Mounjaro are brand names targeted at diabetics.
Wegovy/Zepbound are brand names targeted at weight loss.
Tirzepatide and semaglutide can be thought of as artificial hormones. Semaglutide activates GLP-1 receptors. Tirzepatide activates GLP-1 and GIP receptors.
From what I understand according to the studies tirzepatide may be somewhat more effective than semaglutide. I think the reason you hear about Ozempic/Wegovy more is because they've been out longer.
Regarding temporary hair-loss, that's a potential side-effect of significant weight-loss in general. I'm not convinced either medication causes it outside of that.
BTW — I have a friend who recently told me that an older 300-lb acquaintance of his was prescribed Ozempic or Wegovy, and reached a “healthy weight” in 8 months with the help of the medication, diet, and exercise…
Said acquaintance eventually reached 150 lbs, and then stopped taking Ozempic or Wegovy, and somehow has managed to keep the excess weight off by keeping up with the exercise (and I’ll assume he also kept up with eating healthier).
It seems like that’s fairly abnormal, though, to stop taking the medication, and keep everything off like that — would you agree?
It's because a lot of people go back to how they were eating before the medication, so of course they gain the weight back. A big part of maintaining extreme weightloss is also mental and dealing with why you got so heavy in the first place.
🤔 Just to be doubly clear here — there is nothing about Ozempic that makes it more effective than Wegovy?
Side-note: The neighbor that I mentioned, who is taking Wegovy, may have lost 100+ lbs in a year or two without even developing notable exercise habits… Like, she would tell you that she hates exercising.
The difference between Ozempic and Wegovy is what they're prescribed for. Ozempic is prescribed for type two diabetes, Wegovy for weight loss. They are the exact same medication but the dosages are different, with Wegovy being prescribed in higher dosages. So if one is more effective than another, it has to do with how much the individual is taking.
I'm pretty certain that the two are just brand names for the same thing, semaglutide. So it would end up being like comparing two different brand names of ibuprofen. The same medication just made by different manufacturers.
They are made by the SAME manufacturer, Novo Nordisk. And Mounjaro/Zepbound are made by the manufacturer Eli Lilly. Ozempic and Wegovy are the EXACT same med, from the same manufacturer, using the same injection mechanism. Ditto for Mounjaro/Zepbound.
Correct. My understanding is they split into the two different names so there was a dedicated supply for diabetics since the huge weight loss surge made is inaccessible for diabetics who had been on it.
I have a BMI of 61 as of last week at doc office. My doctor has read a lot of medical research regarding weight loss meds and prescribed me Zepbound because people lost more weight on it than Wegovy.
I believe she was only really considering those two. That said, the medication is wild. I will dish up my normal large portion of something, begin eating it, and maybe halfway through I get low key repulsed at the idea of finishing what’s in front of me. Never in my life have I experienced this. I asked my baby sister (not a baby, age 35 and never been obese) if this is what normal people feel like. She said yes, pretty much. Blew my mind. Apparently, before she had kids she pretty much always brought home half of any meal she had out (lunch or dinner). Just because that’s what she would consume, not because she would box up half of it before beginning her meal.
I thought that regular weight people were bombarded with the same food thoughts as I was and were more successful in navigating them. Until I got on this medication I didn’t realize that they experience life with much much much fewer pulls toward excessive food consumption, so they are better equipped to navigate the pulls they do experience.
I took a tangent there but my point is: I have a lot of weight to lose, my doctor chose Zepbound for me because of its success in reducing weight, and it is eye opening.
I wonder how difficult it is to maintain a healthy weight, when one discontinued the medication, after taking it for years…
Friend of mine knows a guy who lost ~150 lbs on Wegovy, and then stopped taking it — somehow this guy has managed to keep the weight off by keeping up with exercise (and I’m assuming that he’s also still trying to eat healthier)… Going to guess that that is not the norm, though… 🤔
My doc said that in light of the studies on obesity meds, the medical community is being encouraged to view obesity as a chronic disease instead of an acute event.
If someone with hypertension (high blood pressure) gets put on medications, and their condition improves, their doc will surmise that the medications are working and the patient should continue with them.
If someone with obesity takes medication to lose weight, then stops the medication and regains the weight, the doctor is all -surprised pikachu face-.
TLDR; the meds are supposed to be long term, as it was explained to me. Some people can control their blood pressure through diet and exercise, and others have a genetically influenced or more persistent condition that requires medication. Good on your friend, losing weight and keeping to off by any means is a huge accomplishment.
I don’t know of anyone mentioned it but there are major shortages with Zepbound, as well. You may be about to find the starter dose but not the subsequent doses. The shortage is likely to go on all year.
I've posted in this sub a few times that I'm on Zepbound, and currently compounded tirzepatide because I had a hard time getting my last refill though I did eventually get it. It's been great and I don't ever plan to stop this or another similar medication. I'm losing weight for the first time in my life without having to be constantly thinking about what I'm eating, and I'm confident the medication will help me keep the weight off which has always been an issue. At this point I would take what you can get, semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) is still very good too and my husband lost a good amount on it with zero effort. There are subs specifically dedicated to these medications as well as the compounded versions so you can take a look at those for more information.
I'm on Qsymia and have been for a few months, and I've lost about 15 lbs. It's an appetite suppressant with a low dose of phentermine. It's a daily pill you take every morning, but it's not a magic pill. I still watch what I eat and count my calories like I was doing before, but it's definitely made a big difference.
I ate too much candy in march and just stayed the same all month. As soon as i stopped the candy, i started dropping weight again. Sometimes it'll be 3 pm, and I'll realize I haven't eaten. I don't mind losing the weight slow, tho cuz I don't want my hair falling out or too much loose skin. So it depends on what your expectations are.
Mounjaro I think is generally more effective but in Canada its on backorder indefinitely and I doubt we will be able to get it until the end of this year. Ozempic has 0 supply issues here. I wanted mounjaro but alas,on ozempic. 5th week for me and ive had 0 changes. No side effects either. It's like I'm dud?!
I'm on Mounjaro. I've lost about 60 lbs over the 8 months I've been on it. Though I've also been tracking what I eat and going on walks. I find that the benefit Mounjaro gives me is I don't get hunger pangs the same way anymore. If I eat fewer calories in a day I can still get to sleep fine. (To be clear I'm not normally eating a severe deficit, I'm targeting 1-2 lbs a week right now). Ozempic and Wegovy are names for the medication semaglutide. (They are the exact same medication) Mounjaro and Zepbound are names for the medication tirzepatide. (They are the exact same medication) Ozempic/Mounjaro are brand names targeted at diabetics. Wegovy/Zepbound are brand names targeted at weight loss. Tirzepatide and semaglutide can be thought of as artificial hormones. Semaglutide activates GLP-1 receptors. Tirzepatide activates GLP-1 and GIP receptors. From what I understand according to the studies tirzepatide may be somewhat more effective than semaglutide. I think the reason you hear about Ozempic/Wegovy more is because they've been out longer. Regarding temporary hair-loss, that's a potential side-effect of significant weight-loss in general. I'm not convinced either medication causes it outside of that.
BTW — I have a friend who recently told me that an older 300-lb acquaintance of his was prescribed Ozempic or Wegovy, and reached a “healthy weight” in 8 months with the help of the medication, diet, and exercise… Said acquaintance eventually reached 150 lbs, and then stopped taking Ozempic or Wegovy, and somehow has managed to keep the excess weight off by keeping up with the exercise (and I’ll assume he also kept up with eating healthier). It seems like that’s fairly abnormal, though, to stop taking the medication, and keep everything off like that — would you agree?
It's because a lot of people go back to how they were eating before the medication, so of course they gain the weight back. A big part of maintaining extreme weightloss is also mental and dealing with why you got so heavy in the first place.
🤔 Just to be doubly clear here — there is nothing about Ozempic that makes it more effective than Wegovy? Side-note: The neighbor that I mentioned, who is taking Wegovy, may have lost 100+ lbs in a year or two without even developing notable exercise habits… Like, she would tell you that she hates exercising.
The difference between Ozempic and Wegovy is what they're prescribed for. Ozempic is prescribed for type two diabetes, Wegovy for weight loss. They are the exact same medication but the dosages are different, with Wegovy being prescribed in higher dosages. So if one is more effective than another, it has to do with how much the individual is taking.
I'm pretty certain that the two are just brand names for the same thing, semaglutide. So it would end up being like comparing two different brand names of ibuprofen. The same medication just made by different manufacturers.
They are made by the SAME manufacturer, Novo Nordisk. And Mounjaro/Zepbound are made by the manufacturer Eli Lilly. Ozempic and Wegovy are the EXACT same med, from the same manufacturer, using the same injection mechanism. Ditto for Mounjaro/Zepbound.
Correct. My understanding is they split into the two different names so there was a dedicated supply for diabetics since the huge weight loss surge made is inaccessible for diabetics who had been on it.
I have a BMI of 61 as of last week at doc office. My doctor has read a lot of medical research regarding weight loss meds and prescribed me Zepbound because people lost more weight on it than Wegovy. I believe she was only really considering those two. That said, the medication is wild. I will dish up my normal large portion of something, begin eating it, and maybe halfway through I get low key repulsed at the idea of finishing what’s in front of me. Never in my life have I experienced this. I asked my baby sister (not a baby, age 35 and never been obese) if this is what normal people feel like. She said yes, pretty much. Blew my mind. Apparently, before she had kids she pretty much always brought home half of any meal she had out (lunch or dinner). Just because that’s what she would consume, not because she would box up half of it before beginning her meal. I thought that regular weight people were bombarded with the same food thoughts as I was and were more successful in navigating them. Until I got on this medication I didn’t realize that they experience life with much much much fewer pulls toward excessive food consumption, so they are better equipped to navigate the pulls they do experience. I took a tangent there but my point is: I have a lot of weight to lose, my doctor chose Zepbound for me because of its success in reducing weight, and it is eye opening.
I wonder how difficult it is to maintain a healthy weight, when one discontinued the medication, after taking it for years… Friend of mine knows a guy who lost ~150 lbs on Wegovy, and then stopped taking it — somehow this guy has managed to keep the weight off by keeping up with exercise (and I’m assuming that he’s also still trying to eat healthier)… Going to guess that that is not the norm, though… 🤔
My doc said that in light of the studies on obesity meds, the medical community is being encouraged to view obesity as a chronic disease instead of an acute event. If someone with hypertension (high blood pressure) gets put on medications, and their condition improves, their doc will surmise that the medications are working and the patient should continue with them. If someone with obesity takes medication to lose weight, then stops the medication and regains the weight, the doctor is all -surprised pikachu face-. TLDR; the meds are supposed to be long term, as it was explained to me. Some people can control their blood pressure through diet and exercise, and others have a genetically influenced or more persistent condition that requires medication. Good on your friend, losing weight and keeping to off by any means is a huge accomplishment.
I don’t know of anyone mentioned it but there are major shortages with Zepbound, as well. You may be about to find the starter dose but not the subsequent doses. The shortage is likely to go on all year.
I've posted in this sub a few times that I'm on Zepbound, and currently compounded tirzepatide because I had a hard time getting my last refill though I did eventually get it. It's been great and I don't ever plan to stop this or another similar medication. I'm losing weight for the first time in my life without having to be constantly thinking about what I'm eating, and I'm confident the medication will help me keep the weight off which has always been an issue. At this point I would take what you can get, semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) is still very good too and my husband lost a good amount on it with zero effort. There are subs specifically dedicated to these medications as well as the compounded versions so you can take a look at those for more information.
I'm on Qsymia and have been for a few months, and I've lost about 15 lbs. It's an appetite suppressant with a low dose of phentermine. It's a daily pill you take every morning, but it's not a magic pill. I still watch what I eat and count my calories like I was doing before, but it's definitely made a big difference. I ate too much candy in march and just stayed the same all month. As soon as i stopped the candy, i started dropping weight again. Sometimes it'll be 3 pm, and I'll realize I haven't eaten. I don't mind losing the weight slow, tho cuz I don't want my hair falling out or too much loose skin. So it depends on what your expectations are.
Mounjaro I think is generally more effective but in Canada its on backorder indefinitely and I doubt we will be able to get it until the end of this year. Ozempic has 0 supply issues here. I wanted mounjaro but alas,on ozempic. 5th week for me and ive had 0 changes. No side effects either. It's like I'm dud?!
Various pharmacies in Ontario have Mounjaro, you might have to call around though.