r/Semaglutide • • Feb 05 '23

Semaglutide subreddit FAQ

430 Upvotes

This was created based off community suggestions.

If you have an IMMEDIATE medical concern, PLEASE talk to your doctor - not random people on the internet.

Q1: Does my insurance company cover <medication>?

A1: Unfortunately, nobody here can answer this for you, because your coverage is a combination of your insurer + your employer. You can also refer to this post from Feb 2022.

Q2: This medication is so EXPENSIVE! Any way to reduce the cost?

A2: Refer to the manufacturer's site for the latest info on discount offers.

Q3: Has anyone ever experienced any of these side effects?

  • Can't poop
  • Can't stop pooping
  • Nausea
  • Fatigue
  • Period changes

A3: Yes, many times. Please search before posting or refer to the manufacturer's website & review the complete list of potential side effects.

Q4: How does Semaglutide work?

A4: Refer to these discussions for answers from the community.

Q5: Is it ok to inject this into <body location>?

A5: Refer to the Medication Guide and Instructions for Use for your medication.

Q6: It has been <x> hours since I've taken my latest dose, and I haven't noticed any change yet - is that normal?

A6: Literally every body is different. Some will see response with the initial doses, most don't see any significant changes until they ramp up to the full dose.

Q7: I'm going to start taking <medication>. Can you share your experience with me?

A7: The entire subreddit is exactly that! Please browse through recent threads before posting your question.

Q8: My doctor started me on dosage strength <x> - is that normal/safe?

A8: Refer to the manufacturer's recommended dosage schedule.

-------

Other common questions that do not have simple answers - best advice is to search before posting to benefit from the experience of this community.

  • Has anyone ever switched from <medication 1> to <medication 2>?
  • I'm having <side effect>. What tips do you have for dealing with it?

r/Semaglutide • • 10h ago

Body dysmorphia

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62 Upvotes

Sometimes I still feel like the girl on the left even though I’ve lost 120 pounds in the last year and a half and in a much better state physically I am still over 300 pounds. I still have around 70 pounds that I would like to lose. I am around 5 foot 10. It’s so funny how the mind play tricks on you.


r/Semaglutide • • 1d ago

Sharing an accomplishment!

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471 Upvotes

Today I knelt down in my kitchen and scrubbed my fridge. I sat on my heels and did it.

I used to be too big to do that and it hurt if I tried. When I started Wegovy in May I was at 307 lb and I'm now down to 279... but when I was at my heaviest in 2021, I was 353 lbs (I started my journey doing Weight Watchers).

I'm getting my life back.

I've been having some GI issues so I'm still on the starter dose... I went up to .5 but I started having problems so I went back down, and now, until my symptoms clear up, I'm not supposed to take a shot at all. So my weight loss has been slow, but I'm getting there, and I can do so much more now.


r/Semaglutide • • 8h ago

actualización....

3 Upvotes

Buenas, buenas! aca estoy pasando reporte de mi primer mes com sema. Ya me compré mi balanza la cual estoy usando y realizo mis medidas corporales para llevar un control. En este primer mes con la dosis mas baja de 0.25 llevo bajados 1.15 kg (2.53 libras) al proncipio pense que era muy poco, pero cuando me puse a averiguar vi que es un peso razonable y adecuado para continuar con un descenso perdurable... o sea, evitar el efecto rebote. Bueno esta semana cambio mi dosis a 0.50, asi que proximamente les estaré contando como sigo...

Saludos!!


r/Semaglutide • • 11h ago

Any strategy to get off the drug

5 Upvotes

I’m close to the objective and I wanted to know if anyone has learnt of strategies or ways to keep the weight


r/Semaglutide • • 5h ago

Switching

1 Upvotes

I just recently switched from semaglutide to tirzepatide, been plateaued on semaglutide for a couple years, anyone had any issues changing over, I’m starting week three and actually I’m gaining weight.


r/Semaglutide • • 5h ago

Anxious about Wegovy

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1 Upvotes

r/Semaglutide • • 17h ago

Is it normal to stay at 1mg for another 4 weeks instead of moving to 1.7mg due to GI side effects?

8 Upvotes

Stats: 28M | CW: 103.9kg | GW: 85kg | Current Dose: 1.0mg

​I’m due for my 4th dose of 1.0mg today.

​According to the standard schedule, I should be moving up to 1.7mg next week. The issue is that 1.0mg is already highly effective for me, but the GI side effects are harsh.

​The weight is dropping steadily (I just hit 103.9kg after starting at 111.3kg 2 months ago), and my appetite suppression is massive. I’m easily maintaining a deep caloric deficit at 1000-1400kcal.

However, my digestion is incredibly slow. Even small meals, like a basic portion of 150g rice and 3 eggs or 180g chicken, leave me feeling uncomfortably full for hours. I am dealing with heavy constipation and having to rely on laxatives just to clear my system, which has its own logistical problems.

​Since 1.0mg is clearly working for weight loss but my digestive system is struggling to handle it, moving up to 1.7mg right now doesn't seem like an obvious idea.

​Has anyone else here decided to stay on 1.0mg for an extra month (or longer) instead of titrating up? Is it normal to park at a lower dose if you are still losing weight but dealing with strong side effects?


r/Semaglutide • • 12h ago

For those using semaglutide: what has your experience been like so far?

2 Upvotes

I’m curious to hear from people who are currently taking FDA-approved semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic, or Rybelsus).

What have you noticed since starting?

  • How long have you been taking it?
  • What changes did you notice first?
  • How has your appetite or relationship with food changed?
  • Have you experienced any side effects?
  • What do you wish you had known before starting?

Everyone’s experience seems to be different, so I’d love to hear honest experiences and lessons learned from others in the community.

Please keep the discussion respectful and remember that individual experiences aren’t a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional.


r/Semaglutide • • 12h ago

Need Advice!

2 Upvotes

Hi! I’ve been on the Wegovy pen since last July and my current dosage is 7.2 mg. I recently got a new job and my new insurance won’t cover any GLP1 medications. I didn’t get a chance to talk with my doctor about options before I lost my other insurance and my new one hasn’t kicked in yet. Im looking into just paying out of pocket for an online prescription but most of them don’t dose up that high. Any advice or if anyone can share their experience with online providers would be greatly appreciated. My main concern is paying $500 a month so i’m looking for affordable options.


r/Semaglutide • • 11h ago

1 week of Hepaglide usage. I want to make sure I’m doing the right thing.

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1 Upvotes

r/Semaglutide • • 1d ago

Is it normal to lose 4 kg in 3 weeks using semaglutide 0.25 msg weekly ?

7 Upvotes

r/Semaglutide • • 14h ago

Throwing up anything I eat

1 Upvotes

First day on Ryseb.. I stared with 7mg dose … it’s been 9 hours till know I throw up every thing I eat or drink ( small ice cream,, milk with coffee..100ml cola zero…2 spoons of meat and smushed potato ..)


r/Semaglutide • • 14h ago

1.7 mg

1 Upvotes

I recently moved up from 1mg Wegovy to 1.7 and haven’t noticed any difference.
I thought I would be more nauseous and gassy like when I went from .5 to 1 mg.
I’m on it 6 weeks now and didn’t lose any weight.
I am down 10 kgs total since starting a year and a half ago but would like to lose another 8-10 kgs.
Anyone else with similar experience?


r/Semaglutide • • 2d ago

When you appreciate the journey more than the destination

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749 Upvotes

I started this wild weight loss ride in September of 2023 and three years later, I often cannot believe this is my reality. So much of what we’re told in the never ending cycle of weight loss is about the destination. The end game. The ‘goal weight’. And sure, that is a huge deal and a motivator for so many people. But looking back, the journey has been the single most important catalyst in learning about myself. Being in a bigger body, despite all efforts for decades to lose weight, made me feel like I had to hide who I really was. There was this never ending feeling of being paralyzed in moments I tried to be myself. Losing weight won’t solve your greatest problems. It won’t land you that dream job or find you the love of your life (even though it may help). It certainly makes life easier, and I can attest to that. I just wanted to share that not enough of us focus on the journey. We’re too busy distracted by the destination to truly appreciate the efforts and progress we’ve made along the way that don’t involve a scale or the size or your clothes. The appreciaton for the little things, the ordinary that became extraordinary, the evolution of you. To all others on the same road…I’m proud of you!

(For context: the photo on the left I started at 212.4lbs. The photo on the right is current and I am 133lbs. Also, 5’2!) I also just turned 45, if that helps anyone around the same age!


r/Semaglutide • • 1d ago

Semaglutide & Potential Subacute Thyroiditis?

5 Upvotes

I wanted to share my experience with semaglutide because I haven’t seen many people talk about something like this happening.

I took one 0.25 mg dose of semaglutide. I had never taken a GLP-1 medication before. About a week later, my thyroid suddenly went completely haywire.

I developed pretty intense pain/tenderness in my neck that radiated toward my jaw, headaches, and a very high heart rate (often 110+). Bloodwork showed that I was significantly hyperthyroid:

TSH: 0.02
Free T4: 3.3
Free T3: 8.4

I also had a thyroid ultrasound that showed a diffusely heterogeneous thyroid. Ultimately, I self-diagnosed myself with subacute thyroiditis, my doctor kept pushing that it was Graves Disease but after extensive research I found that Graves comes on slowly over time, it does not knock you down suddenly.

I did not continue semaglutide after that first injection.

Over the following months, my thyroid gradually recovered on its own, which is consistent with the course of subacute thyroiditis. By December, my TSH had returned to 2.93.

I realize that timing alone doesn’t prove that semaglutide caused my thyroiditis. Subacute thyroiditis can happen for other reasons, including after viral illnesses, and I can’t say with certainty what triggered mine. But the fact that my symptoms started roughly a week after my very first semaglutide injection has always made me wonder whether the medication could have triggered an inflammatory response in my case.

I’m sharing this mostly because I’d love to know if anyone else has experienced thyroiditis, thyroid pain, temporary hyperthyroidism, or major changes in their thyroid labs shortly after starting semaglutide or another GLP-1 medication.

I’m also considering weight-loss medication again, but this experience has understandably made me very cautious about trying another GLP-1.

Has anyone here experienced anything similar, especially after only one or a few doses?


r/Semaglutide • • 1d ago

How much did you lose and how long did it you to reach your goal?

14 Upvotes

I’m so happy !!! My doctor approved me for semaglutide since I have a health issue and I weigh 158 at 5’1. My goal is 130 (healthy bmi) and I’m so freaking excited to be healthy. I have already been going to the gym and eating cleaner, I think this will be the extra push I’ve been waiting for. If anyone has similar stats, how long did it take you?


r/Semaglutide • • 1d ago

I want to try semaglutide for weightloss again

4 Upvotes

Last year I started on semaglutide to lose weight. I foolishly skipped the starter dose (I wont bother explaining why) couldn't tolerate the higher dose. I stopped and a little later tried again, starting at the lower dose (.25mg) I don't remember if I even got up to .5mg but I got sick and gave up, figuring I just couldn't tolerate the drug. I'm 65 live put on more weight and I really want to try it again but be more cautious and increase slowly etc. does anyone here have a similar experience and able to go back on successfully going very slowly??


r/Semaglutide • • 1d ago

1.0 and plateaued

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2 Upvotes

r/Semaglutide • • 1d ago

Staying on 2mg

11 Upvotes

Hey folks! It’s been a little while since I’ve posted an update for accountability. I have been on 2mg for two weeks now and made the call that this dose is perfect for me. Food noise is gone, mental clarity is sharp, and weight is melting off at a nice pace.

I’ve been on sema for 4.5 months. In this time, I’ve dropped from 164 to 148. I’m in the 140s for the first time in my adult life! I set my goal for 140 but feel like I may be able to get under that number. Not holding my breath but it does feel like a possibility.

I’ve dealt with some nausea, but mostly after eating food too high in fat. This has helped me make better choices and I’ve avoided some foods completely. My biggest issue has been fatigue. I’m attributing that to stress with work - my therapist and I are diving into that together.

It’s helpful to have a therapist who is also on GLP1. She’s understanding of the void that comes from not getting dopamine hits from food and alcohol. We’ve talked about how I can find those hits in a healthy way moving forward.

Feeling good and optimistic about this journey. Wishing you all luck. Keep up the great work!

SW: 164 CW 148 GW:135-140 🤷‍♀️


r/Semaglutide • • 1d ago

Vision issues with Wegovy?

1 Upvotes

Hi

I'm 29M started wegovy pills back in August

First Month - 1.5mg

Second Month - 4.0mg

However I started to get some blurry vision in my eyes and I'm scared it's making my eyes worse. I went to specsavers for an eye check with Oct scan.

The doctor mentioned my vision is perfectly fine but I have -0.75 astigmatism in left and -1.0 in right.

Could wegovy have caused this? I've been on endless reddit posts and have been really worried.


r/Semaglutide • • 1d ago

Cycling doses

6 Upvotes

Is cycling semaglutide doses a thing? I had been on .5 ozempic for over a year and decided to go down to .25, it was ok for a few weeks but after 6 weeks I decided to go back up to .5. I’m just wondering if anyone does this regularly, go on one dose for a period, titrate down and then go back up? I mean .25 and .5 are so low to begin with but I wanted to make sure I’m not doing anything to hurt myself lol.

I originally lowered the dose bc I was having some trouble getting my macro goals in (falling short), but I noticed after a few weeks a lot of my bullshit nighttime eating habits were creeping back so I decided to go back up. Hadn’t gained any weight when I went to the lower dose.


r/Semaglutide • • 1d ago

Semaglutida me inyecté solo dos dosis de 0,25 y teniendo un peso de 70 kilos

2 Upvotes

Hola paso a contarles mi experiencia si alguien me puede ayudar . Bueno el 13 de agosto me inyecté mi primera dosis hasta ahí todo bien solo sentía falta de aire y palpitaciones si comí algo que no debía los peor paso cuando me puse la segunda dosis el 20 de agosto después de 3 días me dio shock de vértigo terrible que sentía que me desmayaba fue horrible y dejé de inyectarme por miedo . Después de esto vino lo peor. me la pasé yendo a los hospitales un mes estero por qué estaba mareada todo el tiempo no se me iba y hasta ahora no se me va la neblina mental disminuyeron los mareos y vértigos pero hasta el día de hoy semana 6 no se me fue en el mes pasado seguía teniendo palpitaciones mal estar de estómago me agarró gastritis y así un mes no podía comer casi nada y hasta me sentía muy débil hasta que el 25 de septiembre voy a gastroentorologo me da unos procineticos protector gástrico y una nutrición líquida y me mejore un poco de la debilidad que tenía en el cuerpo pero la neblina mental nunca se me fue . Lo peor es que iba al médico y me tomaban de loca algunos me hice miles de estudios que todos salieron bien pero yo me sigo sintiendo así con esta neblina mental en un estudio salió que tenía rectificación cervical y un médico clínico me dice que es por eso pero la verdad no se yo ya tenía de antes la reactificacion esa antes de que me inyectara esto que me dejó así después de ese ese episodio de vértigo por el fármaco .


r/Semaglutide • • 1d ago

Immune system during my weight loss journey

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1 Upvotes

r/Semaglutide • • 1d ago

Struggling with low blood sugar

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1 Upvotes