Tara Johnson has lost more than 110 pounds since March 2021, and it wasn’t through fad diets where people lose a lot of weight only to gain it back.
The drug Merrick’s woman is taking, semaglutide, is sold under brand names such as Wigovy and Ozempic, and it has made a huge difference in her weight loss. Medical experts say the drug won’t work for everyone long-term, but it may help people lose weight over many years. Research shows that another drug, tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro, which, like Ozempic, was first developed for patients with type 2 diabetes, may be even more effective.
Johnson, 51, underwent gastric bypass surgery about 15 years ago and eventually regained most of the weight. As she neared her 50th year and her weight hit her 299 pounds, she thought about the various serious health conditions associated with obesity and worried about not being able to see her children grow into adults. I was worried that it might.
“I was scared,” she said. “It’s like, ‘We’re getting into heart attack territory.’ And I have young children. They were 8 and 10 at the time. So I had to do something. .”
What you need to know
- Research shows that drugs such as Wegovy, Ozempic and Munjaro lead to significant weight loss, and experts believe these drugs may be effective in long-term weight maintenance. However, they are not foolproof.
- Ozempic and Munjaro are federal only approved As diabetes drugs become more popular, some people with diabetes are finding it difficult to obtain them.
- Wegovy approved for weight loss. But only if you’re obese or have at least one weight-related health condition.
Johnson said more people on Long Island are taking these drugs, which brings hope to people struggling with obesity. But the drug’s popularity has also created a drug shortage for diabetics. Studies have also shown that a small number of people suffer from severe abdominal pain after taking the drug, with nausea and diarrhea being more common side effects.
Weight-loss patients are increasingly picking up their prescriptions not only at traditional clinics but also at “wellness centers,” where the medication may be provided along with Botox treatments and vitamin infusions.
Tara Johnson (left). Pictured when she went on her family trip to Disney World in 2020. October 3rd after losing nearly 120 pounds.Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
Doctors say Ozempic, Munjaro and Wigoby cost more than $1,300 a month and may not be covered by insurance, and many insurance companies refuse to cover weight loss. That makes them out of reach for many people trying to lose weight. Experts say Ozempic and Munjaro are often indicated as diabetes treatments because they are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat weight loss, not to treat type 2 diabetes. However, doctors can legally prescribe drugs for weight loss. Wegovy is FDA-approved only for weight loss in people with obesity and weight-related health conditions.
According to , the number of prescriptions written for semaglutide and tirzepatide increased by 300% between the first quarter of 2020 and the fourth quarter of 2022, to more than 9.1 million. analysis By Trilliant Health, a healthcare research and analysis company.
300% Growth in the number of prescriptions for semaglutide and tirzepatide from the beginning of 2020 to the end of 2022
Approximately 42% According to 2017-20 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of Americans over the age of 20 is obese. Adult obesity rates on Long Island are reported to be lower, at 25% in Nassau and 29% in Suffolk. State Department of Health data.
Dr. Jamie Cain, director of obesity medicine at Northwell Health, said that while studies have shown significant weight loss with the medication, “it’s not foolproof.”
“Some people have gained most of their weight back while taking these drugs. And I’ve had others do just fine.”
Long-term drug studies prohibited
Because these drugs are so new, there are no studies that have followed people over many years to measure long-term weight loss effects, Cain said. And the generations-old advice to eat healthy and exercise still holds true and will help you maintain your weight loss, he said.
Some of Kane’s patients say the drug works well for making them feel full.
“I often hear from patients that for the first time, ‘I feel like I’ve actually finished eating.’ I don’t think about food all the time,” he said. Federal records show Mr. Cain received consulting fees from Eli Lilly and Co., which makes Munjaro. He said Munjaro was not involved in this consulting and that it was his only consulting fee for the past 17 years.
According to the FDA, semaglutide mimics the natural hormone GLP-1 and targets areas of the brain that regulate appetite and the amount of food eaten.
the study A paper published in 2021 found that weekly injections of Wegovy led to an average weight loss of nearly 15%, compared to about 2% for those given a placebo. The study was funded by Nordisk, the manufacturer of Wegoby, which also makes Ozempic.
Tirzepatide mimics the effects of two hormones instead of just one. Similar to semaglutide, studies have shown that it may lead to additional weight loss.the study Published October 15th In Nature Medicine, participants who took Munjaro after three months of a low-calorie diet, exercise, and counseling lost an average of about a quarter of their body weight after 72 weeks, compared to 1. It was found that participants who took it lost 4% of their body weight. A similar regimen received a placebo. Eli Lilly, which funded the study, is seeking FDA approval for Mounjaro as a weight loss drug. Other studies have shown similar or more modest weight loss to Mounjaro.
Changing attitudes towards obesity
For years, obese people have been told that it’s their fault for not being able to lose weight or keep it off, said Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford of Harvard Medical School.Credit: Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an associate professor of medicine and pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and an obesity physician at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said the drug’s popularity is growing because attitudes about obesity are changing. .
For years, obese people have been told it’s their fault for not being able to lose weight or keep it off, she says.
“This is definitely a blame game, a shame game,” Stanford said.
More medical professionals now understand that some people are biologically predisposed to storing more fat, she said. But Stanford, who is a paid consultant for Eli Lilly and Nordisk, said some doctors mistakenly believe that anyone can lose enough weight through diet and exercise, so He said he remains reluctant to prescribe the drug.
Diet is famous, but Because it won’t work long term.
Studies have shown that people who stop taking semaglutide usually regain weight as well.
“The body’s desire to gain weight back is so strong that many people end up taking long-term medications to lose weight, just as many people take blood pressure and cholesterol medications. It’s very possible,’” Kane said.
Dr. Nirav Desai, a surgeon at the New York Obesity Group’s Roslyn Heights office, said he has used Wegovy on patients who have regained weight after surgery. He also prescribes drugs to help people who are not obese enough for surgery or to lose weight to reduce the risk of surgery.
Johnson documented her weight loss journey for her 75,000 followers. on TikToksaid he was ready to join Wegovy long-term after seeing his weight come back after surgery.
“If I had to keep it forever, I would,” Johnson said. Ms. Johnson’s husband’s insurance covers Wegobee except for her monthly copay of $25.
Since losing weight, her doctor has taken her off her blood pressure medication, her cholesterol has gone down and she is no longer prediabetic.
Celebrity’s thoughts shine
Rumors in gossip magazines that Hollywood celebrities were taking drugs to lose a few pounds gave the drug a glamorous sheen.
But for people who are obese, Stanford said, the drug offers the potential for significant health improvements.
“Obesity is a precursor to 230 other chronic diseases,” she says.
An analysis of prescription data through Sept. 15 by health research organization Epic Research found that 81% of patients prescribed semaglutide this year were obese, and less than 3% were at a “healthy” weight. Almost 59% have diabetes.
Many people looking for semaglutide or tirzepatide turn to companies that advertise themselves as wellness centers and, in addition to prescribing obesity drugs, also offer skin tightening and other beauty services.
Stanford University is concerned that some of these centers may be offering “quick fixes” and not ensuring thorough patient care, which is important to ensure maximum effectiveness. ing.
The nurse prescribes and takes the medicine
Nicole Imbasciani, a nurse who runs Rock Star Recovery and Wellness in Massapequa, said she provides comprehensive follow-up, including nutritional counseling and lifestyle guidance.
Imbasciani, 47, of Deer Park, not only prescribes medicine, but doctors also prescribe Munjaro. She said her weight dropped from 185 to 145 in just over a year.
Nicole Imbasciani (left) in August 2022 and this year after starting weight loss pills.Credit: Inbastiani family
“I was thinking of using this to lose weight for looks, but my energy was also sluggish and I had arthritis in one of my knees that was bothering me,” she said. .
She said that after several attempts to lose weight through diet and exercise, she gained the weight back.
Dispensing pharmacies to accommodate supplies
Due to high demand for medicines, there are shortages of all three, impacting people with diabetes and people without diabetes.
One way some medical professionals are addressing the shortage is by prescribing semaglutide and tirzepatide, which are mixed at compounding pharmacies.
Dr. Frank Ocasio of North Shore Medical Wellness in Huntington said he primarily prescribes compounds because it’s often the only way patients can get drugs. Either drugs cannot be found due to shortages, or insurance companies won’t pay. Moreover, the price of the compound is about half the monthly price of the drug, which ranges from $1,300 to $1,500.
F.D.A. Warning in May The company has not verified the safety or effectiveness of the combination drugs, nor has it verified whether it has received any “adverse event reports” from the combination semaglutide.
Jessica Bayliss (left). June 20th when she started taking weight loss pills and October 5th after reaching her goal weight in September. Credit: Jessica Bayliss.morgan campbell
Ocasio’s patient, Jessica Bayliss, 43, of Greenlawn, said she sometimes feels nauseous after taking the tirzepatide combination, but she knows it’s not FDA-approved. .Nausea is also listed as a possible symptom. Munjaro side effects and semaglutide.
Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic can also cause serious side effects in a small number of patients.the study Released on October 5th They found higher rates of pancreatitis and other major gastrointestinal illnesses among people taking semaglutide.
Dr. Eileen Barr, a bariatric physician in East Setauket, said patients should talk to their doctors to find out about potential side effects and to see if the drug is right for them.
Bayliss has lost 32 pounds since June, dropping from 169 pounds to 137 pounds.
“It’s a miracle,” she said.
Before losing weight, Bayliss said she was depressed because “my skin wasn’t looking good”. Now she said: She says, “I feel less tired and much more confident. I also feel much better when I wear her clothes.”
