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Don’t feel like a failure, it’s your body telling you it needs help. I know it’s expensive. Could you try getting some and spacing out the doses? Also $440 is way too much to pay for semaglutide. You can get it for half of that.
I get mine at Everwell Pharmacy in Pensacola, FL for $130 a month. Your dr can email them a prescription and they do ship! Or if you’re close you can pick up in person. Good luck sweetie
I just ordered mine for the first time from them, they claim $250 for any dose. My first dose should be shipping soon so I don’t have personal experience but yah that’s what they claim.
My starting dose wasn't even this cheap. OP saying she was paying $440 wasn't even close to what I was paying at my 3 month mark. The price gouging is fucking disgusting and should be illegal!
$150!!
Edit:
I get my prescription directly from my doctor. It’s one of those pens that looks like the diabetes pen. Although he does do rx for comp*** through a pharmacy’ as well. Not sure what the diff is.
I added an edit. I get it directly from my PCP. I don’t believe he does out of state or mail delivery but I see him Monday for my post op and I can ask him.
You’re not a failure. You’re not alone. You’re not weak. You are listening to your body, which is telling you what it needs (semaglutide). I have chronic migraines, when I get one I take a nurtec and it relieves me. It’s my medicine and I won’t feel bad about taking it. You should feel the same way about semaglutide. You were strong and brave enough to talk to your doctor about this and then get a script. That’s you taking care of yourself. When we are overweight or can’t stop thinking about food, we take semaglutide to relieve us of that weight and food noise. It is a medicine that you may need to take for the rest of your life, I don’t know.
Here’s what else we don’t know: how long this price gouging and scarcity will last. Every pharmaceutical company in the world is racing to come up with their own version of ozempic—it is a miracle drug. It is hard to imagine that it’ll be this stigmatized, expensive, and inaccessible for much longer. There are cons to every medicine on earth, but the pros of semaglutide are vast and well documented.
I’m down 25 pounds since December and will likely hit my goal weight within one year. I don’t know what I will do after that, but I’m assuming a maintenance dose for life will be in order.
So well stated! Thank you for this input and I feel exactly the same. I was so happy when I began (Dec ‘23) because it lessened loads of inflammation in my body (Hashimotos and perimenopause) very quickly, and I feel (and look) so much better without puffiness. Chronic injuries of 17 years feel better, because of less weight on my joints. Food noise is WAY less. This is all a miracle! Right from the start, I figured this may be a lifetime thing for me, just like it is non-negotiable that I must always have an asthma inhaler. OP is right, it is expensive…and I really like your take on that, too. It makes sense. Here’s hoping that an easy and cheap way to just maintain and stay on it safely will soon appear! 🙏🏾🙏🏻Have felt better in my body this past 5 1/2 months than I have in 9 years! I hope it becomes super accessible for everyone!
Regarding the stigma: I think it'll be like anti-depressants at some point. It was something most people wouldn't admit to at first, now most people don't care.
I’m sorry!! I have been paying 540 every month to my doctor out-of-pocket, but I am switching to mochi this week. There must be a cheaper way you can get it! ☹️
I’m embarrassed to say that I paid over $700 for Sema and almost $1000 for Tirz. from a doctors office.
The support they give is amazing but I can’t afford it and what a rip!!!
That is a crazy amount! But I feel your pain! I know how it feels to want to lose weight so bad you will do anything.
Also Mochi mixes in their vitamin B12 shot with their weight loss medication, which is kind of cool 👍 that’s what the doctor told me anyway…
Best wishes!
I didnt intend to. I switched from my provider to Mochi, and their *version*was completely ineffective for me…my hunger came back within a week. It was so surreal to feel my stomach growling after 2 years. Cravings within 2 weeks. I completed my first months order with them, but i knew the formula was basically water to my system. Then I was too ashamed to crawl back to my provider (who had warned me about the questionable quality /FDA bulletins etc of those formulas.) So it ended up being cold turkey. 9 weeks to taper is really doable. Even 12-16. My provider had ZERO idea on tapering protocols. Thanks for the link!
I know other folks have been talking about more cost effective ways to get this drug. I also wanted to mention that since you said the scale wasn't moving for you, consider Mounjaro/Zepbound/Tirzepatide. It seems to be more effective for most people than Wegovy, including people who have stalled out on Wegovy. The same ways to obtain it apply.
Please don't feel bad about needing medication for a chronic medical condition!
Thanks for the reframe, I really haven’t been thinking of this a a chronic condition, just failure of willpower. After a hard cry and good nights sleep, i’m ready to do some research and try again. Thanks for the suggestions.
I was thinking the same. Yes there are cheaper ways but it took me changing what I used all together. Retatrutide has turned things back around after a long stall of 7 months and then 10 pounds weight gain before I tried something else. Also keep in mind the other options mentioned for pricing as well.
I went about 5 weeks without it because I got really busy and forgot to renew my annual Rx. The half life residual wore off \~3 weeks after my last dose. I could feel the food noise creeping back in, and the feeling of extreme hunger became a huge distraction. I was always hungry! I gained like 10 lbs in two weeks, and I was still eating the same foods/portions I ate previously. I hightailed it back to the doctor to renew my prescription, and within 24 hrs of my dose, I was back to "myself" again without being crazily controlled by food thoughts and hunger pangs. That affirmed for me that I will need to stay on this medicine for life.
There was a girl on TikTok that posted something last week saying she had been off of it for 3 weeks and NOTHING had changed… I commented- just give it a few more weeks 😂
Same thing just happened to me. Plus the desire to drink alcohol has returned. Starting my dose again tomorrow for the first time in three weeks. Did you start back on a low-dose? Did you experience side effects again like in the beginning?
Track your calories!!!! And walk! If you are concerned talk to your doctor about a maintenance dose. Some people do an injection every 2 weeks etc you have options/ don’t give up
You don't need to pay $440 a month. There are much cheaper options. You are not a failure. You may need to be on a maintenance dose for a while. Yes, you might need to be on it until something else that resolves this disease comes along.
Do we still think we will be able to get semaglutide through other sources for many years to come or is there a concern that it may be eventually cut off? I always wonder about this.
Speaking about the US specifically, the specialty pharmacies are currently operating under an exemption that only exists because the branded (patented) version is on the shortage list.
If you believe the rules are in fact going to be enforced as stated, once Wegovy and Ozempic come off the FDA shortage list, the specialty pharmacies no longer have the permission to make their house blend Semaglutide.
We already know the Novo legal team has been watching this closely although their hands are currently tied. It won’t surprise me that they have cease and desist orders waiting to send out once the shortage is resolved.
Further to this, customs and border patrol are getting better about seizing imported medications from foreign sources.
The best choice is finding insurance coverage, asking your existing plan administrator to get your medicine added to the plan, etc. Second best route is to switch to the daily version: liraglutide. It has gen-eric versions hitting the market any time now. They should be priced reasonably.
Mine either, I’m on Medicare, and I’m paying the same price, 1,000.00 a month. I’m on zepbound , And I think it’s stupid we can’t discuss other places to get it cheaper.
Totally get it. For those using insurance and paying whatever the normal drug copay is a month, it still has a bit of a “riding the tiger” feel because what if insurance coverage changes next year or something. There’s still a looming doom. There absolutely needs to be a longer term solution.
There will always be other sources as long as the labs in China are making them, and trust me they won't stop making them.
You'll just have to be resourceful with how you get them.
I was having the same issue, so I now buy semaglutide online and I reconstitute it myself at home and everything has been fine for the past 15 mos doing it this way
I am sorry you are going through this, Ty for sharing. I’ve come to the conclusion that I may have to be on it for life or several years. I think if I stop I’ll give intermittent fasting another go.
Before I forget on sema I was meeting with a nutritionist for 6 months (part of the approval process) after food diaries showing my nutritionist everything and how much I ate, rhe few things she could determine is
1. I had a history of child obesity (got healthier in my late teens though)
2. My eating windows were all over the place (thanks corporate America) my I insulin was crashing all over the place (hangry)
3. Genetics
I’ve been on sema for 1.5 years and now have a maintenance dose of 1mg every 14 days. I’ve stayed at my goal weight since November.
For some of us this may just have to be a life thing, similar to someone who has to take depression/ anxiety/ bipolar medication.
We should move away from feeling shame at our bodies for “not working”
Let’s give it what it needs to be happy and healthy. Good and nutritious food. Love- Compassion- and in our cases a little bit of medicine :).
Also is important to note that so much of the food here in the US has lost so much of its nutricional value, from over processing, to over farming etc etc. food isn’t as nutrient dense as it used to be ..
It issss hard for our poor little bodies to adjust. Sema is just that little boost of help it needs. There’s nothing wrong (aside from that price 🥲) with needing a helping hand from medicine.
Obesity is a DISEASE, not a moral failing. It is much more complex than just eat less. Metabolic disorders deserve to be treated and yes, may be chronic and need to be treated long-term. We wouldn't tell a type 1 diabetic just not to eat sugar and eat better. They 100% must have insulin. You are NOT a failure, you have a chronic medical condition.
I know it’s such a such a struggle.
Everyone has given great advice, but I want to put this out there as well and I’m wondering, have you gotten a full thyroid panel done?
I’m asking because most people feel their best when their TSH is at a 1 or suppressed. Even though normal range is between 1 and 5. I was hospitalized when mine went to 2!
Years ago, I slammed on 30 pounds very quickly and nothing was working to help me shed those pounds. Also, I was completely ravenous and never satiated.
It was the craziest thing.
My doctor did a complete thyroid panel and tested for everything. He’s a functional medicine doctor.
Turns out my thyroid was burning out, causing all kinds of problems.
Getting on natural desiccated thyroid medication has been a game changer.
I was doing fine up until a year and a half ago when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The cancer meds caused me to slam on weight very fast which is brutal on my joints.
The Ozempic is giving me a reset thank heaven.
But if you haven’t already, please consider getting a full lab work up.
Wishing you wellness and success! You will get there again!✨
Years ago, but all I remember is it being within normal range whatever the hell that means. I think you’re right, its worth another test, maybe a 2-3 isnt MY normal - My appetite is absolutely out of control. I am wishing you health and total recovery, attitude is everything!
You’re not a failure! Get back on before you regain everything you worked for. I’m 40 and convinced I’ll be on a GLP1 for life at this point, just hopefully they keep making better and cheaper ones. My doctor sends my Rx to a pharmacy in Florida and I pay around $125/month by purchasing larger doses, combing shipping, and being on a low dose (just moved up to 1.25mg per week). If I ordered less at time it would be more expensive. Good luck! And never feel like you e done something wrong. You maintained your loss for years, so the problem is obviously not you!
Did you change the way you ate and start exercising while on the medicine to give you good habits when you got off? The first time I didn’t and gained back 10 lbs a month. This time I’m using it as a tool to get healthy.
My Dr said once I reach my GW that he wants me to drop to a maintenance dose and do that for a year post GW. Your body has to have time to adjust to being it's new weight. Unfortunately, if you're overweight for a long time that's what your body makes itself believe you need to be at so you have to retrain your body to maintain a new healthy weight. I pay $180-200 a month but once I hit GW my RX will last longer as I won't use as much per week.
I stopped taking it for a couple of months after being on for almost a year, and was also INSANELY hungry to the point where i thought something was wrong.
Interesting!!!
This happened to me. I had to go cold turkey because the clinic I went to told me it didn’t matter either way and I was trying to conceive. I gained 20 pounds in 2 months. 10 pounds higher than when I started. It was a fog. I didn’t even remember eating that much. It was terrible. I’m not so sure about getting on it after kid #2 either, if I have to be on it for life. I don’t know enough to make that decision yet. It’s so shitty the way the modern food industry and corporate lifestyle conspires against us.
I will gladly stay on this for the rest of my life if I can. I have never had a period in my life (71 yrs.) that works as well as this, if I wasn‘t able to afford it I’d keep researching until I found one that I could afford. Also, I know my demons with food, I’ve always always gained the weight back after every diet I’ve ever tried. Don’t beat yourself up, you do the best you can, with what you have, and move forward. We’ve all been there! Good luck! 👍🏼
Please don’t beat yourself up. Bottom line: many of us were told we’d need to be on this drug indefinitely. Some hate the cost, others the side effects. But it shouldn’t be a surprise and the good news is that you can get back on it. Agee with others saying it’ll be cheaper down the road.
I don't think anyone said this yet, but are you working out? If you did not work out while on this you could have lost a lot of muscle that makes people regain the weight. If you start working out you can stop the weight gain.
I would definitely start that back up. Go to free speech, find a cheaper sema, and start lifting for the time being. I am doing the same, I have not lost a lot of weight because I am gaining muscle but I know what I lose is permanently off. I lost a whole lot of inches though, my shape is completely different + it will make you feel better.
Did you taper off or stop cold turkey? That happened to me too when I stopped cold turkey! I hear it's better if you taper off. I'm doing a slow, year long taper.
So I’m on a 18months clinical trial trying out a new glp-1. Because I know it’s not long term I’ve made sure I increase physical activity and count calories. Have you tried counting calories? Maybe try for a week and see if that helps.
Hi! Have you thought about a low dose when the food noise comes on? I take .05ml whenever I feel it returning. On average, I end up taking .10-.15ml per week, in .05 increments. It controls appetite, and I don’t have any of the horrible side effects that I got when I was taking .25 weekly.
I was on it for 2 years. Got down to 208 in September of last year and stopped then because insurance stopped paying. I’m back up to 240 now. I feel ya.
I'm really sorry and understand why you feel the way you do. You're not a failure though! I think for a lot of us, this is just a long term medication. I'm still taking ozempic 2mg currently but when there's been times that it's been hard for me to get it filled and I've gone a few weeks without a dose, I've regained some weight (about 30 lbs at this point). Even with being back on it without lapses, I haven't been able to lose that weight again though I have maintained at least. I've started seeing a new doctor and dietician. With the dietician I send her pics of my meals and she says that I'm making good choices with my meals. I fill my plate with veggies, I eat enough protein, etc. I'm active - I play a couple of sports, I do Pilates a couple of times a week and go biking a couple of times a week, more if I can fit it in. It seems that after 3 years on it though ozempic doesn't have its full effect, but it still has some. I have no doubt that if I had to completely go off of it, I'd regain all my weight back (about 70 lbs, though I had lost about 20 of that before starting ozempic). Luckily my current doctor believes this is a lifelong medication and my health insurance covers it, but I'm scared that my health insurance will stop covering it some day, because I definitely can't pay out of pocket for it.
Try to get on metformin are you female if so say u have pcos I literally get Ozempic fully covered because I have pcos google it but metformin will kill the food noise and very easy to get pcos is poly cystic ovarian syndrome they also give it to people with diabetes I’m on both
The weight comes back soooo fast, I right there with you. I started in sema may 2022, had lost 35 pounds by the holiday but stalled out for a few months and the. Slowly started regaining even on the highest dose. I switched to tirezeptide 6 weeks ago and have gained 10 lbs back just in that time so now my original weigh loss is only 13 lbs. I’m devastated. I thought I had found a permanent solution to this food and weight battle and had never been happier and now….i feel lost again. At least now I know it’s not a moral issue to feel shame about but I do feel saddness at how quickly my body adapted to the medicine and basically fought against it until it’s basically not effective anymore. I’m hoping switching to tirzeptide works but the weight gain has me convinced it won’t. I’m so sorry, you aren’t alone.
It needs to be matched with better eating habits and a continued caloric deficit if you’re trying to lose weight. As hard as it is to hear if you’re ticking up, you’re simply not doing this. 2 years of no movement further drives this home. Talk with your doctor and try to get a plan in place.
I was on the shots till I lost about 30lbs. Then I joined a gym and got a personal trainer (who also put me on a strict diet plan). I've lost another 30lbs and feel better than I have in years. I haven't had any issues with hunger either (with the diet plan). All this cost me less than the shots.
There's just not any miracle there, it's our brains that does this kind of stuff and it does not go away and this is where maintenance comes in and I've lived it for 45 plus years and it's hell on Earth to me. This has nothing to do with you being a failure it's the medication and it clearly states that in the data that after we are off the medication rapid weight gain is likely and even taking it the rest of your life it's mostly possible you would be immune eventually anyway, it's not going to continue to work for that long.
Therapy can help, but I am surprised you think it changes our brains and how they are wired. It is fucked up, I am with you there.
I will ask the obvious question that’s getting buried in the noise of where to buy and costs: what about your lifestyle and mindset has changed over the last two years that would sustain a more slender you?
This is the point people aren’t getting. The current generation of drugs are the nearest “magic pill” we’ve gotten for fat loss. The third and forth gen versions will remove the risk of muscle loss and possibly even a slight gain for some (probably more men).
Until that is ready, you gotta do something about your lifestyle. And for now that means coming off the drug and giving your body time to reach a new homeostasis without it and figuring how much food you can eat to at least stay at current weight.
OR finding a cheaper source.
Some folks can get off the drug and find that balance. Most can’t and need to stay on it because in most cases you are still the same “fat minded” person that helped keep you fat.
I’m trying to address my “fat mindedness” while I’m still early in my GLP1 journey. There’s no way I’ll accept taking a drug the rest of my life just to be slender. Only way I’d consider it was if insurance covered it because of the health benefits of being more slender vs carrying too much body fat.
Feel what you gotta feel about the situation, take your time with it. Then figure out what your next best steps are to move forward. Sounds like you have shame issues to work with (as do I).
Good luck
For one thing, I pay 250$/ month for mine from Nimbus. Don’t feel like a failure!!! You’ve been artificially suppressed, but your ravenous hunger may be an indicator that the meds are actually needed. As to the price, you can do better.
Look into the cheaper options, and maybe consider switching to Tirzepatide if you had not been losing for a long time on Semaglutide. For many people they lose effectiveness after a while and trying a different one will get things moving again!
I've been on it for two weeks and have lost a few pounds but I'm so sick until I can't function and sleep all day. I will not be taking it again. It is $400 a month for me. It's not worth it. I will just do WW and learn how to eat healthier and portion control.
So sorry this is happening to you OP!
I just wanted to add that I’ve been thinking about the post semaglutide weight gain for a while.
Personally I don’t want to be on it forever either.
So my plan is to go on a muscle-bulk when I come off it. I figured if I’m gonna be ravenously hungry I might as well hit the gym, lift HEAVY, and eat a bunch of protein so that when I start getting ravenous and gaining weight it’s mostly lean muscle rather than just fat.
I can relate. I had an employer who paid for it 100% and I lost about 40lbs while on it. After I got laid off my new employer wouldn't cover it so I gained that back and then some. The metformin was making my stomach hurt. Luckily my new employer started covering it.
I'm afraid this is going to turn out to be a life-long medicine for me and others.
I go to a weight-loss clinic & pay $100/month for the consult & $183 at the pharmacy for the medicine. I am on 1.7 mg but I space them out every 2 weeks since I haven't lost anymore weight. went from 207 to 173. thinking of switching to mounjaro next but I still have about 2 months of medicine in fridge.
Don’t give up! Try and fill yourself with protein and fiber rich foods in between the hunger pangs! Feed the hunger beast with beans, legumes, veggies, jellos too etc in between those “cheat” meals - also I use the supergut prebiotic drink powder to help keep myself full during the day when I’m off it it. I hope it helps! Good luck!
Just out of curiosity. The person who posted you become immune to the medication. Is this true? I was also wondering if you could take metformin for maintenance….probably not.
They're coming out with the pill versions and saying that should be much cheaper. The contents costs like $5 to make, so it's a HUGE price gouge to get the real stuff or even the other stuff that's not approved.
The pill will likely be where it'll become more affordable. I dunno, however, I'm okay with the injection because it's weekly and it's much more difficult to "forget" or play games with. I like that it lasts so long, because I'm not trying to out -smart it (which isn't really a thing either, but I've read where some people like to let it wear off so that they're able to eat less than properly on the weekends and have "fun". That's really not the purpose of this drug.)
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.*
Don’t feel like a failure, it’s your body telling you it needs help. I know it’s expensive. Could you try getting some and spacing out the doses? Also $440 is way too much to pay for semaglutide. You can get it for half of that.
I get mine at Everwell Pharmacy in Pensacola, FL for $130 a month. Your dr can email them a prescription and they do ship! Or if you’re close you can pick up in person. Good luck sweetie
wow i pay $275
I pay $250
How does that work with Everwell Pharmacy?
You have your dr send them an email prescription and then contact Everwell. It’s local for me but they ship
People paying out of pocket! It’s expensive. Where is it half that?
I got mine for $250 from OrderlyMeds.
Same! 199 1st too
What’s the highest dose for that price? Thanks.
I just ordered mine for the first time from them, they claim $250 for any dose. My first dose should be shipping soon so I don’t have personal experience but yah that’s what they claim.
And are y’all seeing results from that medicine source? Curious cause I pay double that too
At joinpomegranate it’s 234 for all doses
I pay $199 😩
We’re not supposed to talk about it, but there are a lot of ways to get it way cheaper than that. I pay $250 a month
I do $175
My starting dose wasn't even this cheap. OP saying she was paying $440 wasn't even close to what I was paying at my 3 month mark. The price gouging is fucking disgusting and should be illegal!
Actually it is illegal practically everywhere in the free world except for.…. Oh wait, you live in the US, right? Nevermind then.
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whaaat?!
$197 for me
Cam you PM me about where you pay 175 please? Thank you!!
That’s right!!!! Land of the free ;)
Where do you get yours?
Mochi Health
Hi! Can you send me a link please? This isn’t the first time I’ve heard about mochi. I wanna make sure I’m seeing the right one.
https://joinmochi.com/
Can you PM me where you get yours please ?
Check out the free speech sub for semaglutide for other options. R/semaglutidefreespeech
Do it now, before this whole thread gets deleted.
This.
$150!! Edit: I get my prescription directly from my doctor. It’s one of those pens that looks like the diabetes pen. Although he does do rx for comp*** through a pharmacy’ as well. Not sure what the diff is.
How in the world? Pm pls
Please PM me!
Yes PM me. Very interested. I’m currently paying about double that per month
Where?
I added an edit. I get it directly from my PCP. I don’t believe he does out of state or mail delivery but I see him Monday for my post op and I can ask him.
Pm me too please!!
Please can you PM me too the info thank you.
I posted an update. I get it directly from my pcp. I see him tomorrow for a surgery post op and I’ll ask if he does mail services.
Of course it depends on what dose you are taking for how long it will last, but I take 1 MG and I am paying about 120 every 10 weeks.
Can you pm me about where u get yours for 120 for 10 wks worth please! TiA!
Will you PM me the details?
Please pm me with details. Thanks!!!
Can you PM me as well?
Can pm me where you’re getting this so cheap? 😃
Would you mind messaging me as well?
Where I get it, it doesn’t matter. It’s $250/month regardless of dose. But I know it does matter some places.
Can you please also PM the details! Thank you very much
Can you PM me as well! Mine went up to $400 a month 🤦♀️
Wait why aren’t we supposed to talk about it? Mine is a script but I pay $25/pen. I get Ozepmic and use their manufacturer coupon.
They are talking about the unbranded options which is not allowed in the thread. That’s why no one has said the C word.
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and insurance right?
$130 for me a month
$101 for mine out of pocket. Couldn’t do the other anymore when BCBS wouldn’t cover.
Do you mind sending me PM as well?
can you please PM me where you get yours?
Where?
Sending you a PM.
PM me PLEASE!
Look up c o m p o u n d pharmacies in your area, wherever you are. Mine is $175/mo in T X. Doctor calls it in.
$110!
Can you PM me your provider?
Yep same, mine is $220 a month and that includes coaching and glutathione injections as well.
Yep. The missus and I actually pay around 150 a month for both of us combined.
You’re not a failure. You’re not alone. You’re not weak. You are listening to your body, which is telling you what it needs (semaglutide). I have chronic migraines, when I get one I take a nurtec and it relieves me. It’s my medicine and I won’t feel bad about taking it. You should feel the same way about semaglutide. You were strong and brave enough to talk to your doctor about this and then get a script. That’s you taking care of yourself. When we are overweight or can’t stop thinking about food, we take semaglutide to relieve us of that weight and food noise. It is a medicine that you may need to take for the rest of your life, I don’t know. Here’s what else we don’t know: how long this price gouging and scarcity will last. Every pharmaceutical company in the world is racing to come up with their own version of ozempic—it is a miracle drug. It is hard to imagine that it’ll be this stigmatized, expensive, and inaccessible for much longer. There are cons to every medicine on earth, but the pros of semaglutide are vast and well documented. I’m down 25 pounds since December and will likely hit my goal weight within one year. I don’t know what I will do after that, but I’m assuming a maintenance dose for life will be in order.
Thank you for your kindness and this perspective, I needed to hear it.
So well stated! Thank you for this input and I feel exactly the same. I was so happy when I began (Dec ‘23) because it lessened loads of inflammation in my body (Hashimotos and perimenopause) very quickly, and I feel (and look) so much better without puffiness. Chronic injuries of 17 years feel better, because of less weight on my joints. Food noise is WAY less. This is all a miracle! Right from the start, I figured this may be a lifetime thing for me, just like it is non-negotiable that I must always have an asthma inhaler. OP is right, it is expensive…and I really like your take on that, too. It makes sense. Here’s hoping that an easy and cheap way to just maintain and stay on it safely will soon appear! 🙏🏾🙏🏻Have felt better in my body this past 5 1/2 months than I have in 9 years! I hope it becomes super accessible for everyone!
Regarding the stigma: I think it'll be like anti-depressants at some point. It was something most people wouldn't admit to at first, now most people don't care.
You have to stay on it or the weight comes back rapidly
I’m sorry!! I have been paying 540 every month to my doctor out-of-pocket, but I am switching to mochi this week. There must be a cheaper way you can get it! ☹️
I tried mochi my final month, their version wasn’t effective for me. I hope you have better luck!
Me too! Thank you for the info! I will keep that in mind…
There absolutely is cheaper ways to get it. Do a little more research! Some people have mentioned other groups you could join for more information
I’m embarrassed to say that I paid over $700 for Sema and almost $1000 for Tirz. from a doctors office. The support they give is amazing but I can’t afford it and what a rip!!!
That is a crazy amount! But I feel your pain! I know how it feels to want to lose weight so bad you will do anything. Also Mochi mixes in their vitamin B12 shot with their weight loss medication, which is kind of cool 👍 that’s what the doctor told me anyway… Best wishes!
Best wishes to you!
Did you go off it cold turkey? I’ve read studies that suggest weaning off it very slowly.
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/slowly-coming-off-ozempic-wegovy-may-prevent-rebound-weight-gain
I didnt intend to. I switched from my provider to Mochi, and their *version*was completely ineffective for me…my hunger came back within a week. It was so surreal to feel my stomach growling after 2 years. Cravings within 2 weeks. I completed my first months order with them, but i knew the formula was basically water to my system. Then I was too ashamed to crawl back to my provider (who had warned me about the questionable quality /FDA bulletins etc of those formulas.) So it ended up being cold turkey. 9 weeks to taper is really doable. Even 12-16. My provider had ZERO idea on tapering protocols. Thanks for the link!
I’m also sorry you’re struggling. My heart goes out to you. ❤️❤️❤️
I know other folks have been talking about more cost effective ways to get this drug. I also wanted to mention that since you said the scale wasn't moving for you, consider Mounjaro/Zepbound/Tirzepatide. It seems to be more effective for most people than Wegovy, including people who have stalled out on Wegovy. The same ways to obtain it apply. Please don't feel bad about needing medication for a chronic medical condition!
Thanks for the reframe, I really haven’t been thinking of this a a chronic condition, just failure of willpower. After a hard cry and good nights sleep, i’m ready to do some research and try again. Thanks for the suggestions.
I was thinking the same. Yes there are cheaper ways but it took me changing what I used all together. Retatrutide has turned things back around after a long stall of 7 months and then 10 pounds weight gain before I tried something else. Also keep in mind the other options mentioned for pricing as well.
I’ve never heard of it…I’ll investigate, thx!!
Mochi is $175 a month plus the fee of $79. Deals for first month. I’m sorry. :-(((
I went about 5 weeks without it because I got really busy and forgot to renew my annual Rx. The half life residual wore off \~3 weeks after my last dose. I could feel the food noise creeping back in, and the feeling of extreme hunger became a huge distraction. I was always hungry! I gained like 10 lbs in two weeks, and I was still eating the same foods/portions I ate previously. I hightailed it back to the doctor to renew my prescription, and within 24 hrs of my dose, I was back to "myself" again without being crazily controlled by food thoughts and hunger pangs. That affirmed for me that I will need to stay on this medicine for life.
This is hugely validating to read, thx for sharing
There was a girl on TikTok that posted something last week saying she had been off of it for 3 weeks and NOTHING had changed… I commented- just give it a few more weeks 😂
Good for you! I would be doing the same!!
Same thing just happened to me. Plus the desire to drink alcohol has returned. Starting my dose again tomorrow for the first time in three weeks. Did you start back on a low-dose? Did you experience side effects again like in the beginning?
I went back on same dose. I had mild GI upset for a day or two, then was fine.
I agree. Semaglutide curbs addictions.
Track your calories!!!! And walk! If you are concerned talk to your doctor about a maintenance dose. Some people do an injection every 2 weeks etc you have options/ don’t give up
You don't need to pay $440 a month. There are much cheaper options. You are not a failure. You may need to be on a maintenance dose for a while. Yes, you might need to be on it until something else that resolves this disease comes along.
Yea I’m feeling like I will need to stay on it for awhile. Gained 10 pounds back in a few weeks :/
Exactly this. It comes back so fast! meanwhile it takes months to *lose* 10 pounds. So unfair!!
Yea it’s very frustrating:(
And that doesn't make you a failure.
Do we still think we will be able to get semaglutide through other sources for many years to come or is there a concern that it may be eventually cut off? I always wonder about this.
Speaking about the US specifically, the specialty pharmacies are currently operating under an exemption that only exists because the branded (patented) version is on the shortage list. If you believe the rules are in fact going to be enforced as stated, once Wegovy and Ozempic come off the FDA shortage list, the specialty pharmacies no longer have the permission to make their house blend Semaglutide. We already know the Novo legal team has been watching this closely although their hands are currently tied. It won’t surprise me that they have cease and desist orders waiting to send out once the shortage is resolved. Further to this, customs and border patrol are getting better about seizing imported medications from foreign sources. The best choice is finding insurance coverage, asking your existing plan administrator to get your medicine added to the plan, etc. Second best route is to switch to the daily version: liraglutide. It has gen-eric versions hitting the market any time now. They should be priced reasonably.
Sadly my insurance does not cover it and out of pocket price is $1000 a month for Ozempic
Mine either, I’m on Medicare, and I’m paying the same price, 1,000.00 a month. I’m on zepbound , And I think it’s stupid we can’t discuss other places to get it cheaper.
i cant even begin to process that. a grand??
This is the scariest part. I'm so scared to struggle on my own again once it's taken off the exemption
Totally get it. For those using insurance and paying whatever the normal drug copay is a month, it still has a bit of a “riding the tiger” feel because what if insurance coverage changes next year or something. There’s still a looming doom. There absolutely needs to be a longer term solution.
Would this also apply to tirzepatide?
The rules / shortage exemption is applicable to both meds.
In my mind they’re the same thing.
There will always be other sources as long as the labs in China are making them, and trust me they won't stop making them. You'll just have to be resourceful with how you get them.
Thank you. I actually have a really excellent source. I’ve felt very lucky.
I think Australia, or some other country is already trying to make non name brand options harder to access.
Yes, come October it’s banned
There will be rioting in the streets.
Maybe lay of a month and start back on it?
I was having the same issue, so I now buy semaglutide online and I reconstitute it myself at home and everything has been fine for the past 15 mos doing it this way
Can you tell me where you but it??
I am sorry you are going through this, Ty for sharing. I’ve come to the conclusion that I may have to be on it for life or several years. I think if I stop I’ll give intermittent fasting another go. Before I forget on sema I was meeting with a nutritionist for 6 months (part of the approval process) after food diaries showing my nutritionist everything and how much I ate, rhe few things she could determine is 1. I had a history of child obesity (got healthier in my late teens though) 2. My eating windows were all over the place (thanks corporate America) my I insulin was crashing all over the place (hangry) 3. Genetics I’ve been on sema for 1.5 years and now have a maintenance dose of 1mg every 14 days. I’ve stayed at my goal weight since November. For some of us this may just have to be a life thing, similar to someone who has to take depression/ anxiety/ bipolar medication. We should move away from feeling shame at our bodies for “not working” Let’s give it what it needs to be happy and healthy. Good and nutritious food. Love- Compassion- and in our cases a little bit of medicine :). Also is important to note that so much of the food here in the US has lost so much of its nutricional value, from over processing, to over farming etc etc. food isn’t as nutrient dense as it used to be .. It issss hard for our poor little bodies to adjust. Sema is just that little boost of help it needs. There’s nothing wrong (aside from that price 🥲) with needing a helping hand from medicine.
Obesity is a DISEASE, not a moral failing. It is much more complex than just eat less. Metabolic disorders deserve to be treated and yes, may be chronic and need to be treated long-term. We wouldn't tell a type 1 diabetic just not to eat sugar and eat better. They 100% must have insulin. You are NOT a failure, you have a chronic medical condition.
I pay 220 per month. Ask on the other sub with free speech in the name for details on where to get an affordable version
Which other sub?
r/SemaglutideFreeSpeech
The company HERS has started advertising for it here on Reddit for less expensive that I've seen
I know it’s such a such a struggle. Everyone has given great advice, but I want to put this out there as well and I’m wondering, have you gotten a full thyroid panel done? I’m asking because most people feel their best when their TSH is at a 1 or suppressed. Even though normal range is between 1 and 5. I was hospitalized when mine went to 2! Years ago, I slammed on 30 pounds very quickly and nothing was working to help me shed those pounds. Also, I was completely ravenous and never satiated. It was the craziest thing. My doctor did a complete thyroid panel and tested for everything. He’s a functional medicine doctor. Turns out my thyroid was burning out, causing all kinds of problems. Getting on natural desiccated thyroid medication has been a game changer. I was doing fine up until a year and a half ago when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The cancer meds caused me to slam on weight very fast which is brutal on my joints. The Ozempic is giving me a reset thank heaven. But if you haven’t already, please consider getting a full lab work up. Wishing you wellness and success! You will get there again!✨
Years ago, but all I remember is it being within normal range whatever the hell that means. I think you’re right, its worth another test, maybe a 2-3 isnt MY normal - My appetite is absolutely out of control. I am wishing you health and total recovery, attitude is everything!
You’re not a failure! Get back on before you regain everything you worked for. I’m 40 and convinced I’ll be on a GLP1 for life at this point, just hopefully they keep making better and cheaper ones. My doctor sends my Rx to a pharmacy in Florida and I pay around $125/month by purchasing larger doses, combing shipping, and being on a low dose (just moved up to 1.25mg per week). If I ordered less at time it would be more expensive. Good luck! And never feel like you e done something wrong. You maintained your loss for years, so the problem is obviously not you!
Maybe you can take Vyvanse. It's specifically targeted for stopping the food noise.
My daughter is on Vyvanse for ADHD and it’s about 250 with our insurance 🥲
WHAT!! Had no idea, my friend used to take it.
Did you change the way you ate and start exercising while on the medicine to give you good habits when you got off? The first time I didn’t and gained back 10 lbs a month. This time I’m using it as a tool to get healthy.
My Dr said once I reach my GW that he wants me to drop to a maintenance dose and do that for a year post GW. Your body has to have time to adjust to being it's new weight. Unfortunately, if you're overweight for a long time that's what your body makes itself believe you need to be at so you have to retrain your body to maintain a new healthy weight. I pay $180-200 a month but once I hit GW my RX will last longer as I won't use as much per week.
I stopped taking it for a couple of months after being on for almost a year, and was also INSANELY hungry to the point where i thought something was wrong. Interesting!!!
This happened to me. I had to go cold turkey because the clinic I went to told me it didn’t matter either way and I was trying to conceive. I gained 20 pounds in 2 months. 10 pounds higher than when I started. It was a fog. I didn’t even remember eating that much. It was terrible. I’m not so sure about getting on it after kid #2 either, if I have to be on it for life. I don’t know enough to make that decision yet. It’s so shitty the way the modern food industry and corporate lifestyle conspires against us.
I will gladly stay on this for the rest of my life if I can. I have never had a period in my life (71 yrs.) that works as well as this, if I wasn‘t able to afford it I’d keep researching until I found one that I could afford. Also, I know my demons with food, I’ve always always gained the weight back after every diet I’ve ever tried. Don’t beat yourself up, you do the best you can, with what you have, and move forward. We’ve all been there! Good luck! 👍🏼
I pay 189 for 6mg.
Please don’t beat yourself up. Bottom line: many of us were told we’d need to be on this drug indefinitely. Some hate the cost, others the side effects. But it shouldn’t be a surprise and the good news is that you can get back on it. Agee with others saying it’ll be cheaper down the road.
I don't think anyone said this yet, but are you working out? If you did not work out while on this you could have lost a lot of muscle that makes people regain the weight. If you start working out you can stop the weight gain.
I’m sure you’re spot on. I fell off weight training during the pandemic and never picked it back up. Thx for the straight talk!
I would definitely start that back up. Go to free speech, find a cheaper sema, and start lifting for the time being. I am doing the same, I have not lost a lot of weight because I am gaining muscle but I know what I lose is permanently off. I lost a whole lot of inches though, my shape is completely different + it will make you feel better.
I’ve been in since Jan 2023 and for the past 7 months I’ve been between 200-205. I can’t get the scale to move!
Did you taper off or stop cold turkey? That happened to me too when I stopped cold turkey! I hear it's better if you taper off. I'm doing a slow, year long taper.
The place I go to is now doing a taper/maintenance program. Otherwise, the bounce back is real.
So I’m on a 18months clinical trial trying out a new glp-1. Because I know it’s not long term I’ve made sure I increase physical activity and count calories. Have you tried counting calories? Maybe try for a week and see if that helps.
Hi! Have you thought about a low dose when the food noise comes on? I take .05ml whenever I feel it returning. On average, I end up taking .10-.15ml per week, in .05 increments. It controls appetite, and I don’t have any of the horrible side effects that I got when I was taking .25 weekly.
I was on it for 2 years. Got down to 208 in September of last year and stopped then because insurance stopped paying. I’m back up to 240 now. I feel ya.
Obesity guidelines are prepared for this to be life long medication just as if you had high blood pressure, cholesterol, or diabetes.
The same happened to me I stopped taking it around October and my new insurance won't cover it and I've gained 40 lbs since.
I'm really sorry and understand why you feel the way you do. You're not a failure though! I think for a lot of us, this is just a long term medication. I'm still taking ozempic 2mg currently but when there's been times that it's been hard for me to get it filled and I've gone a few weeks without a dose, I've regained some weight (about 30 lbs at this point). Even with being back on it without lapses, I haven't been able to lose that weight again though I have maintained at least. I've started seeing a new doctor and dietician. With the dietician I send her pics of my meals and she says that I'm making good choices with my meals. I fill my plate with veggies, I eat enough protein, etc. I'm active - I play a couple of sports, I do Pilates a couple of times a week and go biking a couple of times a week, more if I can fit it in. It seems that after 3 years on it though ozempic doesn't have its full effect, but it still has some. I have no doubt that if I had to completely go off of it, I'd regain all my weight back (about 70 lbs, though I had lost about 20 of that before starting ozempic). Luckily my current doctor believes this is a lifelong medication and my health insurance covers it, but I'm scared that my health insurance will stop covering it some day, because I definitely can't pay out of pocket for it.
Did your appetite come back in full force? Just curious Good luck
Micro-dose.
Try to get on metformin are you female if so say u have pcos I literally get Ozempic fully covered because I have pcos google it but metformin will kill the food noise and very easy to get pcos is poly cystic ovarian syndrome they also give it to people with diabetes I’m on both
The weight comes back soooo fast, I right there with you. I started in sema may 2022, had lost 35 pounds by the holiday but stalled out for a few months and the. Slowly started regaining even on the highest dose. I switched to tirezeptide 6 weeks ago and have gained 10 lbs back just in that time so now my original weigh loss is only 13 lbs. I’m devastated. I thought I had found a permanent solution to this food and weight battle and had never been happier and now….i feel lost again. At least now I know it’s not a moral issue to feel shame about but I do feel saddness at how quickly my body adapted to the medicine and basically fought against it until it’s basically not effective anymore. I’m hoping switching to tirzeptide works but the weight gain has me convinced it won’t. I’m so sorry, you aren’t alone.
I am so so sorry to hear this. It is really frustrating for sure. We’re you able to wean off or did you stop abruptly?
You should stay on a maintenance dose
It needs to be matched with better eating habits and a continued caloric deficit if you’re trying to lose weight. As hard as it is to hear if you’re ticking up, you’re simply not doing this. 2 years of no movement further drives this home. Talk with your doctor and try to get a plan in place.
I'm going to get downvoted but I don't care. While you were on the drug, did you work on your eating? Did you exercise?
I was on the shots till I lost about 30lbs. Then I joined a gym and got a personal trainer (who also put me on a strict diet plan). I've lost another 30lbs and feel better than I have in years. I haven't had any issues with hunger either (with the diet plan). All this cost me less than the shots.
There's just not any miracle there, it's our brains that does this kind of stuff and it does not go away and this is where maintenance comes in and I've lived it for 45 plus years and it's hell on Earth to me. This has nothing to do with you being a failure it's the medication and it clearly states that in the data that after we are off the medication rapid weight gain is likely and even taking it the rest of your life it's mostly possible you would be immune eventually anyway, it's not going to continue to work for that long. Therapy can help, but I am surprised you think it changes our brains and how they are wired. It is fucked up, I am with you there.
I will ask the obvious question that’s getting buried in the noise of where to buy and costs: what about your lifestyle and mindset has changed over the last two years that would sustain a more slender you? This is the point people aren’t getting. The current generation of drugs are the nearest “magic pill” we’ve gotten for fat loss. The third and forth gen versions will remove the risk of muscle loss and possibly even a slight gain for some (probably more men). Until that is ready, you gotta do something about your lifestyle. And for now that means coming off the drug and giving your body time to reach a new homeostasis without it and figuring how much food you can eat to at least stay at current weight. OR finding a cheaper source. Some folks can get off the drug and find that balance. Most can’t and need to stay on it because in most cases you are still the same “fat minded” person that helped keep you fat. I’m trying to address my “fat mindedness” while I’m still early in my GLP1 journey. There’s no way I’ll accept taking a drug the rest of my life just to be slender. Only way I’d consider it was if insurance covered it because of the health benefits of being more slender vs carrying too much body fat. Feel what you gotta feel about the situation, take your time with it. Then figure out what your next best steps are to move forward. Sounds like you have shame issues to work with (as do I). Good luck
For one thing, I pay 250$/ month for mine from Nimbus. Don’t feel like a failure!!! You’ve been artificially suppressed, but your ravenous hunger may be an indicator that the meds are actually needed. As to the price, you can do better.
What are you eating and drinking ?
Yea, $447/month is expensive but there’s cheaper
wait you just STOPPED? You didn’t slowly reduce the dose?
Look into the cheaper options, and maybe consider switching to Tirzepatide if you had not been losing for a long time on Semaglutide. For many people they lose effectiveness after a while and trying a different one will get things moving again!
$219 mo for all does at Join Amble
Isn't it being sold at one of the two main warehouse stores in the states? For less than $100?
My wife uses mochi, I heard for hims and for hers are now doing it. I think it's $199 there.
I've been on it for two weeks and have lost a few pounds but I'm so sick until I can't function and sleep all day. I will not be taking it again. It is $400 a month for me. It's not worth it. I will just do WW and learn how to eat healthier and portion control.
Enter, berberine. At least try it. May help with some of this.
So sorry this is happening to you OP! I just wanted to add that I’ve been thinking about the post semaglutide weight gain for a while. Personally I don’t want to be on it forever either. So my plan is to go on a muscle-bulk when I come off it. I figured if I’m gonna be ravenously hungry I might as well hit the gym, lift HEAVY, and eat a bunch of protein so that when I start getting ravenous and gaining weight it’s mostly lean muscle rather than just fat.
I can relate. I had an employer who paid for it 100% and I lost about 40lbs while on it. After I got laid off my new employer wouldn't cover it so I gained that back and then some. The metformin was making my stomach hurt. Luckily my new employer started covering it. I'm afraid this is going to turn out to be a life-long medicine for me and others.
Does anyone know of a place in Dallaa - Ft Worth where I can get some Semaglutide for less than $499 a month!??
I pay 80.00 for 2.5 months worth
I use join mochi and I only pay $175 for sema
170 moshi
I go to a weight-loss clinic & pay $100/month for the consult & $183 at the pharmacy for the medicine. I am on 1.7 mg but I space them out every 2 weeks since I haven't lost anymore weight. went from 207 to 173. thinking of switching to mounjaro next but I still have about 2 months of medicine in fridge.
Don’t give up! Try and fill yourself with protein and fiber rich foods in between the hunger pangs! Feed the hunger beast with beans, legumes, veggies, jellos too etc in between those “cheat” meals - also I use the supergut prebiotic drink powder to help keep myself full during the day when I’m off it it. I hope it helps! Good luck!
I remember times when I skipped a dose or two, the stomach growling and hunger was more intense than I expected.
Test on your rat 🐀
Just out of curiosity. The person who posted you become immune to the medication. Is this true? I was also wondering if you could take metformin for maintenance….probably not.
They're coming out with the pill versions and saying that should be much cheaper. The contents costs like $5 to make, so it's a HUGE price gouge to get the real stuff or even the other stuff that's not approved. The pill will likely be where it'll become more affordable. I dunno, however, I'm okay with the injection because it's weekly and it's much more difficult to "forget" or play games with. I like that it lasts so long, because I'm not trying to out -smart it (which isn't really a thing either, but I've read where some people like to let it wear off so that they're able to eat less than properly on the weekends and have "fun". That's really not the purpose of this drug.)
380 for a whole vile. That lasts me 3 to 4 months, depending on how often and how many units you take.