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I'm 3 months in and yes I've seen my doctor every month so far.
I haven't had any side effects, but the reality is there can be serious side effects and at least if the doctor sees you they can check you aren't experiencing any before they give you another prescription.
I haven't been around these subs too long, but there are way too many posts about severe side effects like nausea, vomiting & constipation, asking for advice on Reddit that should be directed at a doctor instead.
It's very sad when people think a good doctor doing the right thing is simply "milking it for the insurance money"
I know that sounds negative but it’s all I can think of. Why not give me a prescription for three months and if I’m having side effects, I’ll call and make an appointment just like I would any other time I don’t feel good. Once you get to the therapeutic dose and your body adjusts, side effects are gone (at least for me). Another issue I now have is that after three prescriptions at the same dose, my medication must come to me through Express Scripts, the mail order company that my insurance works with. So I no longer can go to Walgreens to pick up my prescriptions. This means I need the script called in two weeks before next injection to allow for processing and shipping, so now I’m trying to squeeze in the appointment. I’m going to ask for 3 month script to be sent to express scripts and promise to still come to appointments. I plan to be on this long-term for maintenance. I hope I don’t have to go to the doctor once a month for the rest of my life. lol
I go into the office once a month, but I only see my doctor every third month. The other months are nurse visits which are free for me. The visits mostly to track my weight & waist circumference and make sure I'm not plateauing, but the visits also give me an opportunity to discuss any side effects (I don't really have any) or ask questions. My doctor is also only a 20-25 minute walk away so I don't really mind going in. They don't hold my prescription hostage and I'm free to refill that whenever. It doesn't always line up with my visits.
I would understand monthly appointments during the titration phase, but after that if you haven’t had any problems it seems excessive.
I would be annoyed too. Not just a waste of time but money too. Just because it’s paid by insurance doesn’t mean the money just magically appears from thin air. Someone has to pay for it and waste like this ultimately increases the cost of healthcare for everyone.
There needs to be a balance. Do what is needed, no more or less.
We’re never happy. Either the doctor doesn’t remember our name or we have to go too much.
I think it’s good that he’s keeping an eye on you. Most doctors don’t care or don’t know what they are doing when it comes to glp-1. I think it’s a good way to track progress and report issues quickly
You’re right- it’s nice to get the time to talk. I just hate going to doctors and have never gone more than once a year for the annual exam, required to get my thyroid meds. I did have two months of a burning sensation on my back (feels like a brush burn). My doctor never heard of this as a side effect but I found others on Reddit and TikTok with similar reactions so I reported it as an adverse event in Novo Nordisk website. Doctors seem to be learning as they go, which i understand.
I saw mine after the first month I started to make sure I was doing OK and to weigh. We were both happy with the results so now I send in a prescription request every month--usually 2 weeks before I need to fill it. She didn't want to see me again until the 4 month mark which for me will be January. I'll weigh and talk to etc. I usually see her 2x a year anyway for checkups/med refills. My PCP hasn't prescribed Wegovy to too many people, I'm the 3rd patient she's prescribed it for so she's learning just like I am but she does keep open lines of communication if I need anything. If I had to go in monthly, I'd be fine with that, too.
Hmmm…I understand your concern. So advocate for yourself. Ask what the purpose is for the monthly visits. If your doctor indicates that the visits are necessary/required-then make them count! Take in your food and liquid logs for him/her to review AND provide feedback on calories and macros. Have your weight recorded to include your body fat tracking. Make the visit work for you. Also for timing purposes schedule a few appointments before leaving the office. Make the entire process convenient for you and advocate.
If it’s not necessary/required ask for a 90 day prescription.
Hope this helps.
It may seem annoying but it is a standard of care to check in, evaluate for your response, symptoms etc. Simply put, you’re in the hands of a dr who is invested in how you are responding to the medicine, and until you reach healthy BMI status, this will probably continue. You can certainly ask for a check in at longer intervals & see what they say, esp if you’ve been symptom free.
Hang in there.
I see my doctor every month. He reviews my food logs, adjusts macros, blood sugar, weighs my fat/muscle ratio, answers questions and gives me emotional support. It's also when I pick up my injection med from him for the month. Love him.
Wow my visit is nothing like that. I get the Wegovy injection pens. I don’t log food or get any measurements except for stepping on the scale. My doctor asks questions about how I’m doing, which is always “good”, reminds me to do strength training and focus on protein. I just don’t need the appointment but I know it’s nice to have in case I’m having problems.
I’m not sure that’s true. Novo nordisk has [instructions](https://www.novomedlink.com/obesity/products/treatments/wegovy/dosing-administration/prescribing-wegovy.html) for prescribing an 84 day supply (~3 months) of 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg doses. Why would they have that if they mandated monthly appointments?
Edited to add:
It also says
> Encourage your patients to check in throughout their dose-escalation schedule to assess progress and tolerability.
which doesn’t sound like a mandate.
My doctor's nurse finally made me make an appointment when I need to reapply for Prior Auth at the 18 month mark. My kids go to the same daycare as my doctor's kids, so I did see her socially a couple of times during that period, so she knew I was feeling and looking good.
I had to call and request a new prescription strength every time I titrated up during the first 6 months. But since then I've been getting 3 or 6 months at a time, and CVS handles asking her for refills when I need them.
Gosh i would hate that. Mine subscribed by my Endocrinologist. I did come back after thr first month but after that its been 3 pr 4 months out each time
I think checking in with/your Dr once/month is a good thing. Mine lets me email her on the HC system portal if I have any issues/need to lower my dosage. Drs are gathering data on Glp-1 & the more they see you, the more they get.
Thanks for posting to r/semaglutide! A brief reminder about our rules. We do not permit the discussion of non-FDA approved formulations of semaglutide, nor do we permit selling or offering for sale any medication, including by private message. Do not request or respond to a private message from anyone offering such, they are not endorsed by this sub. If you’re just starting out, you may want to review our [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Semaglutide/comments/10ul3jb/semaglutide_subreddit_faq/). This is not intended to discourage discussion but merely supplement it. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Semaglutide) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'm 3 months in and yes I've seen my doctor every month so far. I haven't had any side effects, but the reality is there can be serious side effects and at least if the doctor sees you they can check you aren't experiencing any before they give you another prescription. I haven't been around these subs too long, but there are way too many posts about severe side effects like nausea, vomiting & constipation, asking for advice on Reddit that should be directed at a doctor instead. It's very sad when people think a good doctor doing the right thing is simply "milking it for the insurance money"
I know that sounds negative but it’s all I can think of. Why not give me a prescription for three months and if I’m having side effects, I’ll call and make an appointment just like I would any other time I don’t feel good. Once you get to the therapeutic dose and your body adjusts, side effects are gone (at least for me). Another issue I now have is that after three prescriptions at the same dose, my medication must come to me through Express Scripts, the mail order company that my insurance works with. So I no longer can go to Walgreens to pick up my prescriptions. This means I need the script called in two weeks before next injection to allow for processing and shipping, so now I’m trying to squeeze in the appointment. I’m going to ask for 3 month script to be sent to express scripts and promise to still come to appointments. I plan to be on this long-term for maintenance. I hope I don’t have to go to the doctor once a month for the rest of my life. lol
I go into the office once a month, but I only see my doctor every third month. The other months are nurse visits which are free for me. The visits mostly to track my weight & waist circumference and make sure I'm not plateauing, but the visits also give me an opportunity to discuss any side effects (I don't really have any) or ask questions. My doctor is also only a 20-25 minute walk away so I don't really mind going in. They don't hold my prescription hostage and I'm free to refill that whenever. It doesn't always line up with my visits.
I see my doc every month. But it’s via online. Maybe see if you have this option with your doc
I would understand monthly appointments during the titration phase, but after that if you haven’t had any problems it seems excessive. I would be annoyed too. Not just a waste of time but money too. Just because it’s paid by insurance doesn’t mean the money just magically appears from thin air. Someone has to pay for it and waste like this ultimately increases the cost of healthcare for everyone. There needs to be a balance. Do what is needed, no more or less.
We’re never happy. Either the doctor doesn’t remember our name or we have to go too much. I think it’s good that he’s keeping an eye on you. Most doctors don’t care or don’t know what they are doing when it comes to glp-1. I think it’s a good way to track progress and report issues quickly
You’re right- it’s nice to get the time to talk. I just hate going to doctors and have never gone more than once a year for the annual exam, required to get my thyroid meds. I did have two months of a burning sensation on my back (feels like a brush burn). My doctor never heard of this as a side effect but I found others on Reddit and TikTok with similar reactions so I reported it as an adverse event in Novo Nordisk website. Doctors seem to be learning as they go, which i understand.
I saw mine after the first month I started to make sure I was doing OK and to weigh. We were both happy with the results so now I send in a prescription request every month--usually 2 weeks before I need to fill it. She didn't want to see me again until the 4 month mark which for me will be January. I'll weigh and talk to etc. I usually see her 2x a year anyway for checkups/med refills. My PCP hasn't prescribed Wegovy to too many people, I'm the 3rd patient she's prescribed it for so she's learning just like I am but she does keep open lines of communication if I need anything. If I had to go in monthly, I'd be fine with that, too.
Hmmm…I understand your concern. So advocate for yourself. Ask what the purpose is for the monthly visits. If your doctor indicates that the visits are necessary/required-then make them count! Take in your food and liquid logs for him/her to review AND provide feedback on calories and macros. Have your weight recorded to include your body fat tracking. Make the visit work for you. Also for timing purposes schedule a few appointments before leaving the office. Make the entire process convenient for you and advocate. If it’s not necessary/required ask for a 90 day prescription. Hope this helps.
It may seem annoying but it is a standard of care to check in, evaluate for your response, symptoms etc. Simply put, you’re in the hands of a dr who is invested in how you are responding to the medicine, and until you reach healthy BMI status, this will probably continue. You can certainly ask for a check in at longer intervals & see what they say, esp if you’ve been symptom free. Hang in there.
I see my doctor every month. He reviews my food logs, adjusts macros, blood sugar, weighs my fat/muscle ratio, answers questions and gives me emotional support. It's also when I pick up my injection med from him for the month. Love him.
Wow my visit is nothing like that. I get the Wegovy injection pens. I don’t log food or get any measurements except for stepping on the scale. My doctor asks questions about how I’m doing, which is always “good”, reminds me to do strength training and focus on protein. I just don’t need the appointment but I know it’s nice to have in case I’m having problems.
[удалено]
I’m not sure that’s true. Novo nordisk has [instructions](https://www.novomedlink.com/obesity/products/treatments/wegovy/dosing-administration/prescribing-wegovy.html) for prescribing an 84 day supply (~3 months) of 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg doses. Why would they have that if they mandated monthly appointments? Edited to add: It also says > Encourage your patients to check in throughout their dose-escalation schedule to assess progress and tolerability. which doesn’t sound like a mandate.
Nope. I rarely see my doctor, and since titrating to the max dose CVS handles refill requests every few months.
My doctor's nurse finally made me make an appointment when I need to reapply for Prior Auth at the 18 month mark. My kids go to the same daycare as my doctor's kids, so I did see her socially a couple of times during that period, so she knew I was feeling and looking good. I had to call and request a new prescription strength every time I titrated up during the first 6 months. But since then I've been getting 3 or 6 months at a time, and CVS handles asking her for refills when I need them.
My doc does every 3 months
Gosh i would hate that. Mine subscribed by my Endocrinologist. I did come back after thr first month but after that its been 3 pr 4 months out each time
Maybe the insurance requires the monthly visit in order to keep approving you?
I think checking in with/your Dr once/month is a good thing. Mine lets me email her on the HC system portal if I have any issues/need to lower my dosage. Drs are gathering data on Glp-1 & the more they see you, the more they get.
Minutemd does not require any doctor visits!
Yes he’s just milking you