I think it's really important to talk about these types of drugs and treatments and why people want them. However in my previous job I was a diabetes nurse specialist and was involved in the first trials of GLP-1 inhibitors. Ending up being Ozempic. These medications are indicated in people with type 2 diabetes for a reason. They tend to have mixed hormone signals that interferes with their insulin secretion, which can increase their insulin resistance and cause further spikes in blood sugar which is a very serious impact of diabetes leading to significant long term health problems. The drug was designed to mimic the body's normal natural response to hormones in the gut whichake you feel full. Diabetes and obesity can mess with these signals. It is not clear whether this is as a result of poor eating and diabetes or because of it. The research is not definitive on that but research is improving. I'm not saying all this to lecture trust me I have worked in diabetes and obesity for a long time and have huge empathy for people such as Bea and also have my own weight issues.
The reason I am saying it is because a person who has a normal hormone profile and does not have diabetes can be put at risk being on GLP 1 activators. There are links to all sorts of diseases and also there is a risk of low blood sugar that is not normal and can be dangerous.
Bea doesn't seem to be too badly impacted but still it can harm the normal endocrine system. The GLP 1 drug group is now treatment for obesity without diabetes but that tends to be in people who are morbidly and dangerously obese.
Anyway I think it's important for people to know all the facts also Uay be interested to know that you can mimic Ozempics affect. In people who are slimmer and tend to eat high fibre diet and good protein and also exercise, particularly those who have always been slim and not experienced turbulent weight fluctuations are known to have normal GLP 1 process. These are people who feel full and are able to stop eating. Ozempic only exists because the body did it first. I know that can be unhelpful to hear but there is another way. Also the diarrhoea and nausea from Ozempic is severe. I had many patients who could not tolerate it at all because they were so fearful of not making the toilet.
This is absolutely fascinating and exactly why I wanted to have a SubStack in the first place, to encourage discussion and bring people with different insights together so they might share them. Thank you so much!
I was reluctant to read this article when first posted. I have to say I think it’s a tasteful insight in how a person may choose to use it properly (minus doc supervision). It reminded me about how important it is to feel good in one’s own body which of course is highly individual. I would 100 advocate for doctor led prescription and guidance though.
I must admit to being very tempted to try it. I’d like to lose a lot of weight as I have ballooned over the last year (lots of reasons, mostly emotional) but I just can’t afford those prices. Like others have said, your head is telling you to take the sensible diet and exercise route but your heart wants something that will take the hard work out of it. So easy for us to get sucked in, when you look at the toxicity around bodies these days. Very good article, thanks Polly. X
What doesn’t seem to be discussed is what happens when you stop taking it? I think the guidance is to use for no more than two years for weight loss. After two years and you stop, presumably your appetite will revert to previous levels? At £200 per month, for 24 months, it would be truly sickening to see it coming back.
It is interesting. Most losing weight advice I’ve seen recently from medical writers/doctors says don’t embark on anything you’re not prepared to continue for life. The context was for eating and exercise but I suspect it’s the same for this; you’re artificially suppressing your appetite.
Thanks for a very thought provoking piece, Polly. I've also just read the recent Atlantic article on the potential additional health benefits of Ozempic & Wegovy so it's a really interesting discussion all round. (The Mystique of Ozempic is Growing by Yasmin Tayag).
Oh fab! I’ll definitely look at that. It’s such a big, easy Andes conversation, with so many pros and so many cons… there’s just so much to think and talk about, which is my favourite sort of a situation, obviously.
Oh god Polly, I am SO torn with this article. I’ve always had ‘if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is’ drummed into me by my dad.
My brother has just bought Ozempic online and I went mad with him, having read articles about people ending up in A&E. At the same time though my first thought was ‘ooh I really want to try it!’
I’m only a few pounds over where I like to be and I KNOW it would be stupid but if I am tempted (a PT, an advocate of good, clean nutrition, old enough to know better) then heaven help anyone with food issues to start with.
I know it would be worse to not discuss it and I think you did your best to balance out the article but still, I think we’re going to see some major issues with these drugs in the next few years.
I don’t think this is a case of ‘sounding too good to be true’ I have to say. Some medication does do what it’s supposed to do. But they all come with side effects, issues, and of course, are open to abuse. I think, of the good that can be achieved with semaglutide, the cost makes them prohibitive, and that will cut out a lot of people who could really benefit (as I say in the piece, obesity is a class issue). And I think more and more issues will come to light over time. But I think a lot of good will be achieved too, and we’ll find balance ultimately. I mainly think it’s really important to have solid information out there, which I really hope this provides.
I do think you’re right and I know it is potentially a good thing.
I just worry that we do not know the long term impact of taking this drug for weight loss…as your friend Bea said, the impact seems to wear off over time. How tempting will it be for someone to continue to up the dose to get the same impact when they still have weight to lose? And, as another reader mentioned, how hard will it be to keep that weight off when the drug has done a lot of the work?
I promise, as someone who has struggled with weight loss for most of my life (and who hates the fact that I care so much about it), I absolutely hope that Ozempic is the answer and not the problem.
I think, more so even after this (excellent) debate under my piece, that ozempic, as things stand, seems as bad as it does good, and as good as it seems bad. We’ve got excellent arguments for and against. I think that makes it really uncomfortable but also fascinating for us, plus of course, we’ve got the added burden of women’s relationship with their bodies.
I’ve made my views on Ozempic & Wegovy for weight loss known in my replies to your previous article. Supply should be ring fenced to support diabetics through the NHS first. Only obese type 2 diabetics qualify.
It’s good that the App Bea uses takes a full history & request proof of body habitus in photos. I hope they check on these regularly.
Of course some will abuse the drug & others will plain tell lies. So the Apps are not foolproof. There again there must be private clinics who stretch the rules a little. Off licence prescribing happens with many drugs.
I’ll be watching the comments on this article with interest
Looks like The Times has done an expose where a reporter was allegedly able to buy it from both Boots and Superdrug despite the fact that she wasn’t overweight. Haven’t read the full thing yet.
I've just found a trusted High Street pharmacy chain offering Mounjaro and Ozempic. 🤯🤯🤯 I had heard of Ozempic and thought buying it privately was a bit dodgy, akin to a gym buddy of mine buying steroids. I think I was wrong
I've just gone online and the first site I found has offered me something called Mounjaro. I found your conversation with Bea really thought-provoking and enlightening. I'm now thinking I'm going to talk to my GP about all this
I think that is one of the good ones… I’m going to check. That’s such a good idea about seeing your GP. Didn’t even occur to me. Presumably they can steer you even if they can’t proscribe, and if they think it’s totally wrong for you, they’ll tell you.
Mounjaro does seem to have been approved by the NHS for the treatment of obesity, from what I’ve read. Whether it’s right for you / whether that’s what you’ll actually receive if you buy online is, of course, different!
PS I struggled over the decision on whether to name the apps / online pharmacies selling legitimate Ozempic, ultimately decided not to. But I’m still wavering TBH… we do know these sites are selling the real deal. Let me know if you think i should. Really can’t decide.
Yes, if people are going to go down the internet route, better to know where to get the real stuff. Especially if these pharmacy sites insist on follow up.
Yea, this is absolutely one of the things I’m thinking! But I’m also a bit: this isn’t a FAB NEW MASCARA I’m suggesting, and it might look like a recommendation? Aargh. Dunno! But thanks. I’ll sit on it for a bit longer. If people want to PM me, that might feel more comfortable?
Hi Polly,
I think it's really important to talk about these types of drugs and treatments and why people want them. However in my previous job I was a diabetes nurse specialist and was involved in the first trials of GLP-1 inhibitors. Ending up being Ozempic. These medications are indicated in people with type 2 diabetes for a reason. They tend to have mixed hormone signals that interferes with their insulin secretion, which can increase their insulin resistance and cause further spikes in blood sugar which is a very serious impact of diabetes leading to significant long term health problems. The drug was designed to mimic the body's normal natural response to hormones in the gut whichake you feel full. Diabetes and obesity can mess with these signals. It is not clear whether this is as a result of poor eating and diabetes or because of it. The research is not definitive on that but research is improving. I'm not saying all this to lecture trust me I have worked in diabetes and obesity for a long time and have huge empathy for people such as Bea and also have my own weight issues.
The reason I am saying it is because a person who has a normal hormone profile and does not have diabetes can be put at risk being on GLP 1 activators. There are links to all sorts of diseases and also there is a risk of low blood sugar that is not normal and can be dangerous.
Bea doesn't seem to be too badly impacted but still it can harm the normal endocrine system. The GLP 1 drug group is now treatment for obesity without diabetes but that tends to be in people who are morbidly and dangerously obese.
Anyway I think it's important for people to know all the facts also Uay be interested to know that you can mimic Ozempics affect. In people who are slimmer and tend to eat high fibre diet and good protein and also exercise, particularly those who have always been slim and not experienced turbulent weight fluctuations are known to have normal GLP 1 process. These are people who feel full and are able to stop eating. Ozempic only exists because the body did it first. I know that can be unhelpful to hear but there is another way. Also the diarrhoea and nausea from Ozempic is severe. I had many patients who could not tolerate it at all because they were so fearful of not making the toilet.
This is absolutely fascinating and exactly why I wanted to have a SubStack in the first place, to encourage discussion and bring people with different insights together so they might share them. Thank you so much!
Love your work ❤️
💋💋back at you.
I was reluctant to read this article when first posted. I have to say I think it’s a tasteful insight in how a person may choose to use it properly (minus doc supervision). It reminded me about how important it is to feel good in one’s own body which of course is highly individual. I would 100 advocate for doctor led prescription and guidance though.
Same! ❤️❤️❤️
How interesting, thanks! (And thanks Bea) 😀
I must admit to being very tempted to try it. I’d like to lose a lot of weight as I have ballooned over the last year (lots of reasons, mostly emotional) but I just can’t afford those prices. Like others have said, your head is telling you to take the sensible diet and exercise route but your heart wants something that will take the hard work out of it. So easy for us to get sucked in, when you look at the toxicity around bodies these days. Very good article, thanks Polly. X
❤️❤️❤️
What doesn’t seem to be discussed is what happens when you stop taking it? I think the guidance is to use for no more than two years for weight loss. After two years and you stop, presumably your appetite will revert to previous levels? At £200 per month, for 24 months, it would be truly sickening to see it coming back.
Interestingly, I was just with someone else who came off it (after a few months) and put the stone he’d lost, back on….
It is interesting. Most losing weight advice I’ve seen recently from medical writers/doctors says don’t embark on anything you’re not prepared to continue for life. The context was for eating and exercise but I suspect it’s the same for this; you’re artificially suppressing your appetite.
Thanks for a very thought provoking piece, Polly. I've also just read the recent Atlantic article on the potential additional health benefits of Ozempic & Wegovy so it's a really interesting discussion all round. (The Mystique of Ozempic is Growing by Yasmin Tayag).
Oh fab! I’ll definitely look at that. It’s such a big, easy Andes conversation, with so many pros and so many cons… there’s just so much to think and talk about, which is my favourite sort of a situation, obviously.
Oh god Polly, I am SO torn with this article. I’ve always had ‘if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is’ drummed into me by my dad.
My brother has just bought Ozempic online and I went mad with him, having read articles about people ending up in A&E. At the same time though my first thought was ‘ooh I really want to try it!’
I’m only a few pounds over where I like to be and I KNOW it would be stupid but if I am tempted (a PT, an advocate of good, clean nutrition, old enough to know better) then heaven help anyone with food issues to start with.
I know it would be worse to not discuss it and I think you did your best to balance out the article but still, I think we’re going to see some major issues with these drugs in the next few years.
I don’t think this is a case of ‘sounding too good to be true’ I have to say. Some medication does do what it’s supposed to do. But they all come with side effects, issues, and of course, are open to abuse. I think, of the good that can be achieved with semaglutide, the cost makes them prohibitive, and that will cut out a lot of people who could really benefit (as I say in the piece, obesity is a class issue). And I think more and more issues will come to light over time. But I think a lot of good will be achieved too, and we’ll find balance ultimately. I mainly think it’s really important to have solid information out there, which I really hope this provides.
I do think you’re right and I know it is potentially a good thing.
I just worry that we do not know the long term impact of taking this drug for weight loss…as your friend Bea said, the impact seems to wear off over time. How tempting will it be for someone to continue to up the dose to get the same impact when they still have weight to lose? And, as another reader mentioned, how hard will it be to keep that weight off when the drug has done a lot of the work?
I promise, as someone who has struggled with weight loss for most of my life (and who hates the fact that I care so much about it), I absolutely hope that Ozempic is the answer and not the problem.
I think, more so even after this (excellent) debate under my piece, that ozempic, as things stand, seems as bad as it does good, and as good as it seems bad. We’ve got excellent arguments for and against. I think that makes it really uncomfortable but also fascinating for us, plus of course, we’ve got the added burden of women’s relationship with their bodies.
I’ve made my views on Ozempic & Wegovy for weight loss known in my replies to your previous article. Supply should be ring fenced to support diabetics through the NHS first. Only obese type 2 diabetics qualify.
It’s good that the App Bea uses takes a full history & request proof of body habitus in photos. I hope they check on these regularly.
Of course some will abuse the drug & others will plain tell lies. So the Apps are not foolproof. There again there must be private clinics who stretch the rules a little. Off licence prescribing happens with many drugs.
I’ll be watching the comments on this article with interest
Yes, you’re right, your comments are entirely valid and I’m very happy you’re making them.
And the apps are not foolproof at all, but then, all drugs are of course open to abuse.
Looks like The Times has done an expose where a reporter was allegedly able to buy it from both Boots and Superdrug despite the fact that she wasn’t overweight. Haven’t read the full thing yet.
I've just found a trusted High Street pharmacy chain offering Mounjaro and Ozempic. 🤯🤯🤯 I had heard of Ozempic and thought buying it privately was a bit dodgy, akin to a gym buddy of mine buying steroids. I think I was wrong
Yes, that’s what I thought, and yea: we were wrong! Though you can’t beat a doc.
I've just gone online and the first site I found has offered me something called Mounjaro. I found your conversation with Bea really thought-provoking and enlightening. I'm now thinking I'm going to talk to my GP about all this
I think that is one of the good ones… I’m going to check. That’s such a good idea about seeing your GP. Didn’t even occur to me. Presumably they can steer you even if they can’t proscribe, and if they think it’s totally wrong for you, they’ll tell you.
Mounjaro does seem to have been approved by the NHS for the treatment of obesity, from what I’ve read. Whether it’s right for you / whether that’s what you’ll actually receive if you buy online is, of course, different!
PS I struggled over the decision on whether to name the apps / online pharmacies selling legitimate Ozempic, ultimately decided not to. But I’m still wavering TBH… we do know these sites are selling the real deal. Let me know if you think i should. Really can’t decide.
Yes, if people are going to go down the internet route, better to know where to get the real stuff. Especially if these pharmacy sites insist on follow up.
Yea, this is absolutely one of the things I’m thinking! But I’m also a bit: this isn’t a FAB NEW MASCARA I’m suggesting, and it might look like a recommendation? Aargh. Dunno! But thanks. I’ll sit on it for a bit longer. If people want to PM me, that might feel more comfortable?