It seems like every day, a new drug arrives on the market and is touted as the next best thing in the struggle against unwanted body weight. This is not always true. In most cases, these claims of a miracle solution to the weight loss problem turn out to be false.
The results of taking Ozempic, however, seem to tell a different story. Many patients have reported losing weight after being prescribed Ozempic for other related conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
How much weight you can lose tends to differ from one patient to the next, depending on various factors. That said, the results seem to point to significant weight loss in most people taking Ozempic. This has raised many questions about the drug, especially when it comes to its side effects that seem to cause medical weight loss.
If you are struggling with excess weight, you have come to the right place. This article will explore some women’s journeys through weight loss, Ozempic side effects, as well as other things you may need to know about this drug.
Ozempic may be your solution to finally lose weight, regain confidence, and enjoy a new lease on life. Read on to find out more.
The Need for Weight Loss Medication in the US
Recently, there has been a dramatic surge in obesity cases across America to the point that health officials have become very concerned. Being overweight makes lowering blood sugar very difficult and comes with a host of other potential medical problems.
It has been estimated that around 15 million adults in America (about 6% of the population) have reported using weight loss medication to control obesity. Also, an incredible one in eight people have used Ozempic for weight loss (or other similar drugs).
In most cases, a doctor might prescribe Ozempic if the body mass index of their patient is not reducing even after dieting and exercising. Thanks to such prescriptions, the weight loss market in the US is estimated to be around $135 billion.
If people are willing to spend that much money, it points to a country struggling with severe obesity and in dire need of viable weight management solutions. Drugs developed to treat diabetes, such as Ozempic, might be a possible option as a primary treatment. Ozempic-for-weight-loss reviews such as this one may shed more light on that.
What Is Ozempic?
Before going further, it is important to understand a little more about this drug that seems to be the talk of the town when it comes to weight loss. Ozempic is a form of prescription medication that is generally used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults.
The drug has been shown to lower hemoglobin A1C, which is a scientific measurement of blood glucose over time. It also helps adults suffering from a combination of heart disease and type 2 diabetes to significantly reduce their risk of heart attack.
A glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist called semaglutide is the active ingredient in Ozempic. In most cases, Ozempic is considered a long-term treatment option for patients who are overweight, obese, or suffering from diseases normally associated with having a high body mass index.
Does Ozempic Have FDA Approval?
Technically speaking, Ozempic is not approved for weight loss. However, it is an FDA-approved drug for blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Weight loss just happens to be the most talked about side effect of taking this drug.
After having gained weight due to their illness, some type 2 diabetes patients have reported losing hundreds of pounds after taking Ozempic for a few months. That is why a doctor may be inclined to prescribe Ozempic off-label to a person who is struggling with weight loss due to some other disease.
How Ozempic Helps You Lose Weight and Reduce Body Mass Index
Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy (a type of medication approved for weight loss), works by improving the effectiveness of the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1. This hormone has been shown to impact weight loss in two ways as follows:
- Prolonging fullness after a meal by slowing down the rate of stomach emptying
- Reducing hunger, cravings, and appetite by targeting the brain center that controls these feelings
When all these effects are combined, the net result is that the patient will eat less and start losing weight. A study sponsored by Novo Nordisk (the name behind Ozempic and Wegovy) revealed that out of 1,961 trial participants, those given 2.4 milligrams of semaglutide managed to lose an average of 14.9% of weight.
Even though the dose of semaglutide used in the study is higher than what is available in Ozempic, it still illustrates the point that this is an effective weight management drug. With such results, it is not surprising that the demand for Ozempic has risen recently, and this has severely impacted supply chains.
Another important thing to note about how Ozempic works is that studies have shown that stopping the drug can lead to patients regaining the weight they had lost in just a few months. This is why, as a treatment for chronic conditions such as diabetes, Ozempic is designed to be taken long-term.
Other Common Side Effects
While losing weight is the most popular unintended result of taking Ozempic off-label, there are other important side effects that people need to know, such as:
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- Thyroid cancer
- Vision changes
- Gallbladder problems
- Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
- Kidney problems
- Allergic reactions
- Stomach cramps
Is Ozempic Safe to Use?
Ozempic has a wide range of benefits and is generally considered to be safe by many doctors. However, patients must seek medical advice and obtain a prescription plan before starting Ozempic. This is because the drug isn’t safe for everyone.
The following are some of the circumstances and medical conditions that may prevent people from being prescribed Ozempic:
- Type 1 diabetes
- An endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
- Children under 18 years of age
- A history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in the family
- Pancreatitis
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women
- Problems with the kidneys or pancreas
- Diabetic retinopathy
Even in cases where the patients do not have any of these conditions, it is still important to seek medical advice regarding the correct dosage to take to avoid other symptoms, such as stomach pain.
Is Ozempic Covered by Insurance? – Expected Costs
In terms of insurance coverage, taking Ozempic is not eligible if the patient is doing so for weight-related issues. However, the drug will usually be covered for type 2 diabetes. This means any off-label Ozempic prescriptions will not be covered.
Sometimes, even a patient with type 2 diabetes may require a special authorization letter from their doctor before an insurance company agrees to cover the cost of the medication. Also, there are times when step therapy may be required before an individual gets approved for insurance coverage.
This means the patient would have to first try other prescribed medication for type 2 diabetes before they get approved for Ozempic. All these regulations make obtaining this drug through insurance a bit difficult.
As such, it is best to always be prepared to pay for your Ozempic medication out-of-pocket. With regards to the actual cost of the drugs, Ozempic can be very expensive without insurance. You can pay close to a thousand dollars for a 0.25 or 0.5-milligram dose of Ozempic. This is quite high compared to the $25 you would pay for up to three months’ supply if you were using insurance.
Considering that Ozempic is prescribed as a long-term form of medication, paying such high costs may be out of reach for many Americans, which is why getting insurance approval is very important.
Weight Loss Testimonies That Speak for Themselves
Why is Ozempic being talked about so much in 2024? Well, this is partly because of the amazing testimonies from real women who have used this drug and achieved great results.
In some cases, losing weight was simply an added benefit for these ladies who were on medication for other illnesses.
The following is a brief look at what they had to say:
Gray Beard – Fabulous Before and After Pictures
When Gray Beard started her weight loss journey, she was taking Wegovy to lose weight. This was back in February of last year. She also had slightly high blood pressure. As a result of her medication, she shrugged off an impressive 40 pounds.
One of the things she noticed was that she lost her appetite after beginning the treatment. This led to her eating less and eventually reaching her weight loss goals. Beard also says that she now takes regular exercise, which is great for her health.
Emily Clasen – Saying Goodbye to High Blood Sugar and 168 Pounds
Living with high blood pressure can be very difficult, as Emily Clasen found out in 2016 when she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Her doctor told her that in a few years, she would need insulin. When she looked around for advice, all she got were contradictions.
By 2021, Clasen weighed 352.8 pounds. That is when she finally decided to start taking Ozempic. She has lost an incredible 47.28% of her body weight, which is just about 168 pounds. This led to an improvement in her quality of life as she no longer experiences the knee pain she used to.
Janelle McCormack – “Feeling Like Myself Again”
Thanksgiving Day of 2021 was memorable for Janelle McCormack because that is when she decided to start taking Ozempic. After two months on the medication, she began seeing results. In 10 months, she had lost 60 pounds and was enjoying an improvement in both her mental and physical health.
She says when she finally started losing weight, she began to feel like herself again, which is something she had struggled with in the past.
Barbie Jackson-Williams – Working Out Plus Ozempic for Weight Loss
A 54-year-old resident of Des-Moines, Barbie Jackson-Williams, says she has managed to lose an incredible 180 pounds thanks to her use of Ozempic. Considering that she used to weigh as much as 400 pounds, this is an amazing achievement and a testament to how effective this weight-loss treatment is.
Jackson-Williams says she is now making better food choices and is now a lot more active. Her blood sugar levels have since dropped to much healthier levels.
Final Thought
Carrying a lot of extra weight is a major health risk that can result in a lot of complications. In the US, obesity has been attributed to a lot of illnesses in adults. However, finding the right weight loss solution is not easy.
Ozempic is a drug that is slowly gaining a lot of momentum in the weight-loss market. Many patients suffering from type 2 diabetes or some other form of insulin resistance have used it only to discover that they can now achieve their goal weight and return to pre-diabetic blood sugar levels.
If you are struggling to lose weight, ask your doctor about Ozempic today.