clock: Why some people take Ozempic vacation as a vacation
For many people, the holiday season is a time to enjoy holiday feasts, from dinners to cocktail parties to special desserts.
Amid the celebratory mood, people like Julie Kelly, 41, from North Carolina, are choosing to pause the medications they take to lose weight, including Ozempic, Wigovy and Munjaro. ing.
Kelly, who lost 38 pounds by taking Ozempic and semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wigovy, told “Good Morning America” that she refrained from taking semaglutide during the Thanksgiving holiday and did the same around Christmas. Told. She said the breaks made her feel less full during meals, and her friends and family asked her fewer questions about what she was and wasn't eating.
“What I realized was that I could still eat the things I really wanted to indulge in a little bit,” Kelly said of her Thanksgiving experience. “I had to really be conscious of how I was feeling, what I was eating, and how fast I was eating.”
The past year has seen a spike in the use of drugs that can lead to weight loss.
Ozempic and Munjaro are both approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat type 2 diabetes, but some doctors prescribe the drugs “off-label” for weight loss purposes, which is approved by the FDA.
Wegovy is FDA approved for weight loss.
Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro require a prescription and are not sold over the counter.
In November, FDA approves another drug, known as Zepbound, is a weight loss management treatment for people who are obese or who are overweight with at least one associated underlying medical condition, such as high blood pressure. As a diabetes drug, this drug is sold under the trade name Mounjaro, as the two drugs contain the same active ingredient, tirzepatide.
Clinical studies have shown that users of this drug can lose 5% to 20% of their body weight over time.
Kaylee Svenson, 39, from New Jersey, said she lost 90 pounds on Munjaro. During her holiday season, she also chooses to take less of her medication for financial reasons, she said.
Svenson said her prescriptions are not covered by insurance, so she is paying more than $1,000 out-of-pocket for four single doses. She said Svensson is increasing her doses during her vacation compared to a normal week so she can use the money for other expenses, such as Christmas presents.
“If we can extend it for 10 days instead of every week, we can save a little bit more money,” Svensson told GMA. He added that extending the dose could save money on several doses. Additional $100. ”
Read more: Oprah Winfrey admits taking weight loss pills, says she's tired of being 'shamed'
Conversely, when Oprah Winfrey revealed earlier this month that she uses drugs to maintain her weight loss, she strategically took drugs before Thanksgiving to eat less. He said he had taken it.
“I knew I could eat well for two weeks, but instead of gaining eight pounds like last year, I gained half a pound,” she said. told People magazine. “The sound of food will also be quieter.”
Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are all injectable medications that are typically prescribed to be taken once a week.
Side effects of the drug include severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation.
Details: First Ozempic came to lose weight, then to humiliation.
Dr. Veronica JohnsonThe Northwestern Medicine obesity medicine specialist told GMA that while there are no known long-term side effects from pausing and restarting the drug, it can cause increased appetite, nausea, and weight gain. He said there is a possibility of an increase in side effects such as Profit.
“If a patient takes a week or two off their medication, there can be an increase in side effects,” said Johnson, who does not treat Winfrey, Svensson or Kelly. “You may not see any improvement in your hunger or appetite, so you'll inevitably eat more, which can lead to weight gain.”
To minimize the risk of side effects, it is recommended that you consult your doctor before discontinuing weight loss medications.
