Hattie Cronk isn’t shy about losing 60 pounds in one year using the trendy GLP-1 drug, but she’s going to see if she can maintain her progress without it.
It’s a gamble for the 39-year-old Eden Prairie woman, considering current scientific thinking that drugs must be taken for a long time, if not a lifetime. Her diet alone wasn’t working for her.
“I’ve done a keto diet, a vegan diet, and a paleo diet,” she said. “I did Whole30, I did cabbage soup, I did intermittent fasting. So no carbs, no meat, no omnivores, all that stuff.”
If Cronk and others like her succeed, losing weight with drugs and keeping it off without them, they could solve Minnesota’s multibillion-dollar dilemma. . The state’s insurance companies and employers can’t afford to withstand the tsunami of diabetes, heart disease and knee replacements that will come as Minnesota’s obesity rate rises. They also can’t afford a lifetime supply of her GLP-1 treatments like Wegovy and Ozempic.
For short-term use, drug costs of $800 to $2,000 per month may be bearable, but only if people can maintain their weight loss, which is far from certain. GLP-1 injections deliver hormones into the stomach that reduce appetite and make you feel full, but the effect is temporary.
“It’s hormone replacement therapy. When you remove that hormone, people go back to their previous state in a sense,” says Dr. Carolyn Bramante, a weight management expert at U of M. Some people report feeling even more hungry afterward.
A study published in 2022 found that a year after stopping the drug, people gained an average of two-thirds of their weight. Global clinical trials It is funded by Novo Nordisk, which makes Wegovy and Ozempic. Other chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, are managed with long-term medication, and obesity may require a similar approach, the manufacturer said in a statement.
Wisconsin-based Epic Systems reported a little more success in January. 20,000 patients studied People who lost 5 pounds or more: 44% regained all or more weight one year after stopping the medication, while 36% actually lost more weight.
Cronk is optimistic, but doctors don’t think stopping the medication is a good idea, and genetics aren’t on her side. Obesity and unhealthy body image are prevalent throughout her extended family.
“That’s how I grew up. All my aunts were drinking Diet Coke and we were always dieting,” she said.
The problem is more than numbers. A busy mother of two and a corporate vice president, she can now carry her daughters upstairs without feeling a breeze. She no longer brushes against the passenger next to her in the economy seat of her plane.
Cronk started taking the medication a year ago, while also working on strength training and weightlifting with a trusted trainer at Lifetime Fitness in Eden Prairie. After her first attempt, she was sore for days, but over time, she almost doubled the weight she could deadlift, reaching 165 pounds. She can do a headstand in yoga. She said her nutrition counseling has changed her perspective on food, and she no longer reaches for her snacks when she’s stressed.
“I can always go back if I need to,” Cronk said. . ”
The latest research supports her approach. Danish researcher They looked at differences between people who stopped taking GLP-1 injections and reported last month that those who participated in structured exercise were more likely to maintain their weight loss.
Life Time is putting that discovery to the test at its Twin City Fitness Club. The Chanhassen-based fitness company provides members of its MIORA Lifestyle Program with off-brand, low-dose GLP-1 medications from compounding pharmacies for about $400 per month.
Novo Nordisk has raised safety concerns about providers offering formulated GLP-1 alternatives that are not subject to the same monitoring and testing as branded medicines. MIORA Executive Director Jeff Zwiefel countered that drug companies don’t want to compete with their blockbuster drugs.
Lifetime’s goal is for people to gradually lose weight with lower-dose alternatives and maintain their weight through fitness and nutritional counseling, Zwiefel said. “Sure, Big Pharma wants them to continue for the rest of their lives. We want them to start living healthy lives.”
If short-term drug use is ineffective for most people, it’s an incredible waste of money and means Minnesota’s obesity epidemic will continue. The state’s adult obesity rate has increased from 17% in 2001 to 33%. Public health leaders are already concerned about the hype on social media channels, touting GLP-1 drugs as a quick-fix solution when healthy habits are lacking.
“There are people who are going to a high school reunion and want to lose weight, so they want these drugs,” said Stephen Schondelmeyer, a university professor and national expert on pharmaceutical economics. he says. “It’s not intended for short-term weight loss.”
Prime Therapeutics, an Eagan-based pharmacy benefits manager, reported last July that two out of three people who started taking GLP-1 drugs stopped within a year. Increased co-payments, side effects such as nausea, and unrealistic expectations are likely to have played a role.
Cronk does not receive GLP-1 products from Lifetime, instead spending $600 a month to self-administer one of the brand-name drugs prescribed by her doctor. On the plus side, she said it’s becoming harder to find squishy parts of the body that are easier to inject. The downside is that even with manufacturer discounts, the cost is high. Her insurance company denied six claims for compensation.
Minnesota lawmakers are responding to these concerns with the following proposal: Require insurance coverage States are halting use of weight-loss drugs even as they face cost pressures from the drug. Quarterly state Medicaid spending on Wegoby alone jumped from $550,000 in early 2022 to $5.9 million in 2023, and although it is federally approved for diabetes, off-label prescriptions for weight loss are on the rise. Other GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic, also showed increases.
Although cost is influencing Cronk’s decision to quit, she is interested in seeing if the new habit can sustain her progress. She credits her lifelong trainer, Lindsey Ogden.
Ogden said the big difference with Cronk is that he works hard in strength classes, eats better at home and enjoys seeing the results. She said doing so will make it easier to stay motivated even after medication is no longer part of your weight loss plan.
“She loves coming here and she loves the people,” Ogden said. “She likes getting her ass kicked for some reason. I don’t know why she does it.”
