Expert Opinion: What is up with Wegovy?

Jan 7, 2022 | Julia Jurgensen | @juliajurgensen | Comments (30)

The newest weight loss medication, Wegovy (Semaglutide) came on the market in June 2021 and demand for the medication has been high. This medication, a once weekly injection, had excellent results in clinical trials showing weight loss of up to 15% body weight. It is recommended for adults with a BMI of > 30 or a BMI of > 27 plus weight related health concerns. It should be noted that Wegovy is recommended to be utilized long term for ongoing weight management.

The most common side effect of Wegovy is nausea (often due to feeling more full when starting this medication), but there are other side effects as well including:

  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Constipation
  • Stomach (abdomen) pain
  • Headache
  • Tiredness (fatigue)
  • Upset stomach
  • Dizziness
  • Feeling bloated
  • Belching
  • Gas
  • Stomach flu
  • Heartburn

If you are started on Wegovy and experience nausea, it is recommended that you contact your health care provider for guidance. In addition, you can try eating bland, low fat foods, avoid lying down after you eat, eat more slowly, and increase your water intake (including foods with water like soup and gelatin) if feeling dehydrated.

 

                                         What has been your experience with weight loss medications?

 

Related Posts:

Is a Weight Loss Medication Right for You?

Do I still need to eat healthy and exercise when I'm on a weight loss medication?

Q & A: Is phentermine a good option for weight loss?

Interested in more newsfeed posts like this? Go to the Weight Management blog.

@sirref

Started on Ozempic Dec 2021 at 340 lbs, moved to Mounjaro Jan 2023 last reading this morning 5/12/2023 225 lbs. I will gladly take any of the side effects experienced by the many comorbidities that I have reduced. The attached photo says it all.
Ferris

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What side effects did you have, and did they go away?

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@jrprusak

Male, 68. On Wegovy for weight loss 3 months now at the 1.7 dose. I have lost 30 pounds. I no longer have high blood pressure. Very few doctors know anything about how Wegovy works or how to deal with the side effects. The manufacturer is of no help at all. You do get through the side effects over time there is a hormone effect that happens to your body. The worst is my body temperature drops every afternoon and I get very cold. Wegovy does cause constipation and hard stools, part of the lack of not eating much. Drink lots of water, (I add electrolytes), go for fiber foods and I started using psyllium powder to add fiber and bulk to keep regular. Ask your doctor for some routine blood work and do your own research, I find some good stuff on youtube. Work on good eating habits for your future.

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is your doctor advocating to prolonged usage? I mean once you get to a healthy weight, won't there no longer be a need to be on the medicine as weight is manageable? With all of the awful side effects I would like to hear someone comments with solid results or being taken off type II meds.

What is the hormonal effect you reference that occurs over time? I'm considering the medication to help kick start me to a path to a healthy weight but do not want to be on it indefinitely. Thanks for sharing!

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@sunce1517

is your doctor advocating to prolonged usage? I mean once you get to a healthy weight, won't there no longer be a need to be on the medicine as weight is manageable? With all of the awful side effects I would like to hear someone comments with solid results or being taken off type II meds.

What is the hormonal effect you reference that occurs over time? I'm considering the medication to help kick start me to a path to a healthy weight but do not want to be on it indefinitely. Thanks for sharing!

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Hi @sunce1517 - Things to consider when discussing the duration of a weight loss medication could include the following: efficacy, tolerance, cost, and health status. Know there is a risk of weight regain when going off these medications, as the 'tool' is no longer present. That is why we highly encourage you to be working on lifestyle habits before, during, and after. Here are a few pages you might enjoy:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/weight-management-1/newsfeed-post/is-a-weight-loss-medication-right-for-you/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss-drugs/art-20044832#:~:text=Prescription%20weight-loss%20drugs%20that%20you%20can%20use%20for,greater%20weight%20loss%20than%20do%20lifestyle%20changes%20alone.
https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/living-well/when-should-i-consider-using-a-medication-to-assist-with-weight-loss/

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Thanks Tara for the input and providing good links! I was hoping to hear from the man referencing his experience I believe it was @jrprusak who was sharing details. Can you speak to the questions posed above?

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@habeebedwards

I was using Wegovy for the last 6 months. It works very well but had to learn how to navigate the side effects. Was able to use a coupon and that has expired, the price is too high. Would love to continue taking it but I can’t afford the price.

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Everyone experiences nausea starting GLP1's all brands do this, I was on Victoza for 6 months prior to WLS. Daily injection.

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Are you aware that China hasn’t approved semiglutide for weight loss? But China has approved a human glp-1 polypeptide that has very few side effects. Not questionably cancerous, pregnancy risk or riddled with stomach issues. Talked to the manufacturer today and they don’t deny that human peptide is far superior. The problem is that it has a shorter half life and so more expensive to produce. Wegovy and ozempic are Gila lizard peptide like. It’s dangerous and experimental. When we eat we release glp-1 why would you get sick unless the peptide is foreign and difficult to digest?
Very concern profit is corrupting.
Semiglutide 250k per gram
Demand human glp-1 peptide
This semiglutide has mental effects too for some people like my spouse 🙁

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@jrprusak

Male, 68. On Wegovy for weight loss 3 months now at the 1.7 dose. I have lost 30 pounds. I no longer have high blood pressure. Very few doctors know anything about how Wegovy works or how to deal with the side effects. The manufacturer is of no help at all. You do get through the side effects over time there is a hormone effect that happens to your body. The worst is my body temperature drops every afternoon and I get very cold. Wegovy does cause constipation and hard stools, part of the lack of not eating much. Drink lots of water, (I add electrolytes), go for fiber foods and I started using psyllium powder to add fiber and bulk to keep regular. Ask your doctor for some routine blood work and do your own research, I find some good stuff on youtube. Work on good eating habits for your future.

Jump to this post

I have been on wegoy since June 2024. I have lost 40lbs since and am almost at my BMI. I have recently been getting cold frequently, and headaches. I am only at 1.0 dose, Unfortunately my insurance is increasing wegovy to a tier 2 drug, which makes my co pay increased by 1000%, currently paying $25 monthly now will be over $500. I am looking into getting it through a compounding pharmacy at 225 for 2 months. I trust the Practioner who will be prescribing the medication and monitoring it. just wanted others to know what may be available.

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@kaelen

Are you aware that China hasn’t approved semiglutide for weight loss? But China has approved a human glp-1 polypeptide that has very few side effects. Not questionably cancerous, pregnancy risk or riddled with stomach issues. Talked to the manufacturer today and they don’t deny that human peptide is far superior. The problem is that it has a shorter half life and so more expensive to produce. Wegovy and ozempic are Gila lizard peptide like. It’s dangerous and experimental. When we eat we release glp-1 why would you get sick unless the peptide is foreign and difficult to digest?
Very concern profit is corrupting.
Semiglutide 250k per gram
Demand human glp-1 peptide
This semiglutide has mental effects too for some people like my spouse 🙁

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@kaelen
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/semaglutide-subcutaneous-route/description/drg-20406730
It is important to have a scientific and clinical discussion about weight loss semaglutide injectables and how safe or unsafe they are.

People who sell or are using them often refer to diabetics who have been taking these semaglutide drugs for decades. Like Botox it SEEMS most people have done so safely and a very small minority have had severe complications.

The potential side effects sound like what I managed with my medical team while going through chemo and immunotherapy.

Personally I don’t use Botox because I don’t have a medical condition requiring its use for a medical condition so as to live a healthy life. I choose not to use Botox for cosmetic purposes.

I have thought about using semiglutides to reach my recommended BMI to minimise my health risks, having been treated aggressively for stage 4 appendix cancer and being 2+ years of NED. Cancer treatment caused my weight gain and it has been a battle shedding it.

At this stage, I’ve chosen to use exercise and diet under expert care.

I’m not adverse to semiglutides in concept but I’m not there yet in pressing need to make the choice and bear the expense. At this stage it would be more cosmetic than medical. I still watch the science, clinical trials and read people’s lived experiences closely including pricing constraints on use.

Personally what China does or does not do isn’t something I place much weight on at the moment for making my own choices for my health. I worry about different safety standards and unregulated businesses. I worry about a different government structure and different approach to policies, let alone transparency.

I have recently read articles about China’s obesity crisis and how the government is cracking down on overeating. Can you imagine America regulating food intake?!! It is indeed interesting watching the China experience to the extent we are able to get uncensored information.

Knowledge is indeed very important but I personally currently prefer to place my trust in science and clinical trials in globally recognised hospitals.

This post is so very welcome for taking the discussion mainstream and encouraging those who do take semiglutides not to conceal it but to talk openly about their reasons and experiences.

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@isadora2021

@kaelen
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/semaglutide-subcutaneous-route/description/drg-20406730
It is important to have a scientific and clinical discussion about weight loss semaglutide injectables and how safe or unsafe they are.

People who sell or are using them often refer to diabetics who have been taking these semaglutide drugs for decades. Like Botox it SEEMS most people have done so safely and a very small minority have had severe complications.

The potential side effects sound like what I managed with my medical team while going through chemo and immunotherapy.

Personally I don’t use Botox because I don’t have a medical condition requiring its use for a medical condition so as to live a healthy life. I choose not to use Botox for cosmetic purposes.

I have thought about using semiglutides to reach my recommended BMI to minimise my health risks, having been treated aggressively for stage 4 appendix cancer and being 2+ years of NED. Cancer treatment caused my weight gain and it has been a battle shedding it.

At this stage, I’ve chosen to use exercise and diet under expert care.

I’m not adverse to semiglutides in concept but I’m not there yet in pressing need to make the choice and bear the expense. At this stage it would be more cosmetic than medical. I still watch the science, clinical trials and read people’s lived experiences closely including pricing constraints on use.

Personally what China does or does not do isn’t something I place much weight on at the moment for making my own choices for my health. I worry about different safety standards and unregulated businesses. I worry about a different government structure and different approach to policies, let alone transparency.

I have recently read articles about China’s obesity crisis and how the government is cracking down on overeating. Can you imagine America regulating food intake?!! It is indeed interesting watching the China experience to the extent we are able to get uncensored information.

Knowledge is indeed very important but I personally currently prefer to place my trust in science and clinical trials in globally recognised hospitals.

This post is so very welcome for taking the discussion mainstream and encouraging those who do take semiglutides not to conceal it but to talk openly about their reasons and experiences.

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An unfortunate consequence of the high cost of semaglutides - dangerous fakes
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/who-issues-warning-fake-ozempic

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@mommatrish66

I have been on wegoy since June 2024. I have lost 40lbs since and am almost at my BMI. I have recently been getting cold frequently, and headaches. I am only at 1.0 dose, Unfortunately my insurance is increasing wegovy to a tier 2 drug, which makes my co pay increased by 1000%, currently paying $25 monthly now will be over $500. I am looking into getting it through a compounding pharmacy at 225 for 2 months. I trust the Practioner who will be prescribing the medication and monitoring it. just wanted others to know what may be available.

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@mommatrish66 and others, you may wish to join the discussions with other members talking about Wegovy and other GLP-1 agonists and weight management in this support group:
- Bariatric Surgery & Weight Loss Support Group https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/bariatric-surgery-weight-loss/

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