i had a gastric sleeve 10 years ago. i've put back on weight and have a hernia. i guess I failed. Has anyone been subscribed ozempic as a treatment plan? Also on medicare as primary. thanks

Did you wish a hernia on yourself? You didn’t “fail” it’s just another opportunity to learn. I’ve been told that people who get hernias tend to get more of them. I had bypass and my doc offered ozempic for me, so apparently it’s ok. (I didn’t do it, yet.) would you be willing to try a surgical revision due to your GERD?

I was not prescribed it but I do know someone who lost over 50 pounds on the diabetes version of it. I read It does have possible side effects but the only way to know if you will have them is to try it I guess. Of course you should discuss them first with your doctor. The only negative I have heard from those that take it is the price and availability. Hopefully it will be more readily available and affordable soon. It seems like a good option for some people.

Edited May 5, 20242 yr by ShoppGirl

I was on Ozempic, Trulicity, and Mounjaro at different times between 2021 and 2023 (depending on which one insurance would cover for that month), and it helped with my Type 2 diabetes symptoms, and I lost 30lbs as a bonus. However, I feel like I hit a wall around that 30lb mark and couldn't get past it. I was stuck around 320-325lb for a year before going forward with Gastric Sleeve surgery last November.

I feel like it helped significantly for my diabetes, and more for weight loss than other things I have tried, but it definitely wasn't a miracle drug for the weight loss aspect of it. It didn't really help my cravings, but then again, nothing has helped that for me. If you take it, be sure your doctor monitors your thyroid levels periodically. My mother has a history of Thyroid issues, and Mounjaro caused some significant issues for her, so she had to stop taking it.

I wasn't offered the medications, but I would have declined them if I was. I don't want to rely on them, especially with the shortages. I can't afford the cost, and since I'm no longer diabetic (A1c is 5.3) I would have to pay out of pocket. I won't go the compound route because I don't trust it. For me, I wanted to just have the surgery and do the work so that I was reliant on ME and not a medication I may or may not be able to even get my hands on at any given month. I also felt that, if I'm not diabetic, I don't want Ozempic or Monjauro because those are specifically for diabetics and I didn't want to take meds for them. Wegovy and Zepbound are for weight loss, and those are pretty much never covered by insurance. So I just bypassed all of it completely.

As far as I know, medicare doesn't cover any of it unless you have diabetes.

I gained some weight back but I just went back to low carb and not eating in the evenings. It was snacking in the evenings that caused my gain.

i know quite a few people who are/were on it. those currently on it, lost anywhere from 10-70 lbs.

those who are no longer in it, gained back anywhere from none to all the weight back. though the majority of the no-longer-users kept of "most" of their weight losses off. so still a decent net loss in the end (so far).

i myself experimented with ozepmpic last year...my mom is diabetic and i asked if i could try her stash because she takes less than ½ of the lowest dose as she says its too strong (so she had lots of surplus omg)...she's lost maybe 30-40 lbs (my stepdad is also diabetic with his own ozempic rx, and he lost closer to 70 lbs)

anyway...i took the lowest dosage for 4 weeks at 120lbs thinking i could lose 5lbs tops...i ended up losing 8 or 9 lbs i think. i stopped after the 4th week and pretty much went back to pre-ozempic weight-ISH within a couple months. (i am 119.1 lbs this morning).

so yeah, just like wls and everything else in life, individual losses and experiences depends on the person.

now while this was an interesting experiment, it was FREE. if i had to pay for it, i'd pass. for me, at least, its not worth it..but for someone with more weight to lose, and who has the means and the inclination, and the access...why not?

good luck! ❤️

Edited June 19, 20242 yr by ms.sss