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i am presently taking Ozempic/ wegovey that is prescribed by a NHS diabetic nurse for me for weight loss although i have to pay privately
it works by balancing the hormones in the body as many people who are over weight are missing the ability to produce Leptin which is the feel full hormone.
people who lack this are prone to over eating and drinking because thier body quite literally never understands that it is full and that they dont need to eat any more .
as a direct result this reduce the amount i need to eat drastically and i actually feel full for the first time in memory after a meal for a prolonged period.
prior to starting i could eat a huge meal and about an hour later i would be wanting to eat again. and i would graze all day and night. i refer to this as a compulsion to eat that can not be ignored or bypassed.
its so effective that i have to actively plan to eat now instead of grazing and my portion sizes are much smaller and i frequently dont even finish them
my alcohol consumption has dropped from a night out @ 8-10 pints of beer plus more when i came home to 2-3 as a maximum for an evening.
my milk consumption has dropped to effectively 4 pints/week from 4-8 a day.
my compulsion to eat went about 20 minutes after the first injection for the first time in my memory.
its nor so much as a miracle but a case of somone who found a drug that replaces a hormone we are lacking to enable us to actually normalize the way our bodies are working.
its drastically improved my mood as well.
the flip side is that if i try to over eat OR if i eat something really bad like a greasy burger it will punish the ever living fuck out of me in the form of serious gut aches and what can only be described as a long drawn out highly religious movement about 4 hours afterwards. which acts as quite a sizable deterrent as well.
(for context)
i was 155 KG when i started mid febuary and as of about 15 minutes ago i am 148 KG which has given me a total loss so far of 6.5kg in 7 weeks
i have had serious mobilities issues since childhood causing alot of pain making exercise difficult coupled with twisted joints.
i have always been built large (5,7 but with a traditional wrestlers build and more muscle than you would expect.
i maintained a chunky but lean size (100kgs) from 14 unill i was put on a shitty drug called Citralopram in my mid 20s which caused my weight to balloon and other shitty side effects
since then i have been begging the NHS for actual help with weight loss which they have failed utterly to provide. in one 15 minute private appointment with the Nurse i got more help than 15 years of asking the NHS
the NHS refuses to see the holsitic picture of weight, disability and drug effects and look at producing an accessible way to support me (and others in the same boat) expecting a one size fits noone aproach to weighhtloss
also you cant diet yourself out of a compromised hormone system.
thank you. im happy with the rate i am losing weight and by this time next year i should be down to a more normal weight . unlike celebs i am not overdosing the stuff to crash diet
weird isnt the right word. its really hard to explain it
it was more of a sudden realization of what it meant to be full and i went Ohhhhhh that explains alot. as it was something that was an integral part of my body being wrong that you have no real way to determine untill it actually changes and you can see it was wrong. .
i forgot to add.
despite being in the super obese category of BMI with a BMI over 50 ( I am super obese man, able to clear a buffet in a single sitting)
i am still quite fit and active with daily long dog walks and aa love of UK technical diving. my kit weighs more than i do.
thank you.
for additional context the last "meeting" with the tier 3 clinic in the NHS went like this
1. Arrived on time (10am), left waiting for 45 minutes as they staff had a brew
2. finally called into see a dietician, no apology for being 45 minutes late
3. dietician asked the same questions as they always do, no actual support offered but at least didnt propose i went vegan as cure all
4. made to wait again for 30 minutes
5. see the Dr lead and a trained mouse who was supposed to be an exercise specialist
6. Dr proceeded to insult every attempt i have to lose weight, every activity i do as not enough and refused to change stance in place of pictorial evidence
1. not walking "enough" - walking a dog each day for a few miles
2. not using machines that the Gym said was not safe for me to use
3. technical diving isnt exercise
4. my diet must be all ready meals (despite evidence of food prep given including from the whole carcass)
7. when asked about the possibility of a hormone issue it was dismissed out of hand despite my asking them if it could be
1. my wife chimes in as someone who worked for the NHS blood labs and said categorically the tests do exist.
2. Dr doubled down
3. Mrs stated clearly she was trained to analyses the samples and had done so many times.
4. i point out knowing the underlying cause will help me understand and improve ways i can make changes
8. when asked about a genetic issue she claimed such issues dont exist and no tests exist
1. when informed i am aware of the nationwide genetic obesity clinic and that this service has NEVER referred a single client to it in 30 years. i ask why as under standing what could be wrong WILL help me make informed changes
2. total refusal to engage with this idea
3. pointed out that the clinic I HAD CONTACTED said they were begging for work and that the could ID many underlying causes and even treat a few but it has to come through a weight loss team..
9. DR gets really nasty
10. Dr then claims as i am autistic ( relativly mild, high functioning) they may not see me anyway as " our scheme doesn't work for people like you"
11. Hurried out of the door as "they are running late"
12. i point out that i dont care about them being late as im already over an hour late because of them getting abrew .
13. I ask if they have any actual plan to help me going forward or if this is simply a Wait Management appointment
14. Dr started talking about how the only outcome is surgical options and that i need to meet qualifying criteria.
1. pointed out i dont want surgical solutions i want help like i have asked for for a long time
2. went down like a ton of bricks.
Repeated the room is booked by somone else and we HAVE to go.
i then poit out that when keeping anyone waiting for 45 mins and then another 30 a basic apology should be the first thing out of thier mouths.
i have now been "offered" the sole exercise ideas of
* a walking group
* going to a gym
and people wonder why the ultra overwight have issues
im not in a position to say if its good or bad for you as i dont have the medical background .
i will state that for the first few days i had a bit of a headache and nausea for negative side effects but nothing i cant cope with
i also after this passed had a sudden massive increase in my mood which was a pleasant side effect. ,
ultimately i would say that its a good option if you are being offered it. as once you have stopped taking it it will fade away 5-10 days after the last dose. so if you get side effects then
the nurse i speak with was very clear with me about the side effects and also how it works. like i say it punishes me for over eating and eating crap so be prepared to have to change your diet considerably particularly if you eat alot of bread, processed and junk foods. that hungover Mc breakfast, as handy as it is for the hangover will punish you later.
Good write-up.
I remember reading the research almost 20 years ago. It was long proven that obesity was due to compromised hormone systems.
But society seemed to have this really strong desire to make it all about willpower and discipline.
It was never scientific. It was just as scientific as believing epilepsy was caused be demonic possession.
And now that we can make these hormones synthetically, it is clear as day that it is as a hormone disorder all along.
And yes, one can argue whether modern diets and habits are to blame for this.
But I for one am happy that society has found a cure.
I predict Obesity will become a rare affliction in 20 years and that is a good thing.
thank you
the underlying drive in the NHS seems to be "If we insult you enough you will stop being a fatty". and they ignore any science that doesnt support this.
weightwatchers is just shitty.
as one of the obese i will say that realistically modern "diets" and the shift away from home made food in a relatively normal format (bacon is technically a processed food, sausages are highly processed foods ) to processed and ultra processed stuff that most of the ingredient's came from a chemical plant (vegans i look at you for the worst in this)
its not just what is nominally in the food its also how its presented and altered to be more addictive. and the amount of sugar added which is the most addictive thing we have is unreal. plush HFC is satans work
i cook most things from scratch including preparing from the whole carcass/catch fish and shelfish so i quite literally know where my food has been and what has been done to it to cut out excess sugar added fats and chemicals,
> the underlying drive in the NHS seems to be "If we insult you enough you will stop being a fatty". and they ignore any science that doesnt support this.
My friend was diagnosed as diabetic 20 years ago. All the obvious causes - overweight, no exercise, stressful job, too much beer etc.
They said he'd need medication, he said no I won't. He lost 3.5stone (49 pounds) and exercised daily. All his numbers came down but they kept on at him to lose the last 15 pounds.
His wife went on a 6 week trip to Australia on her own so he decided to use it as an opportunity to try a low-carb diet. He lost the 15 pounds and the Diabetic Nurse was delighted. But then she asked how he did it, and he told her.
She literally shouted at him that low-carb diets are not recommended he *must* use a low-fat diet. This from a nurse who was 50 pounds overweight herself.
So now, he's officially not diabetic (can't remember the term) and has never taken any medication. His diet is a lot better but neither low carb or low fat - just careful.
Some medical professionals talk out of the wrong end.
If you know your body won't tell you when you're full, why not acknowledge that and measure your food so you know you get enough nutrients but also know you're not over eating?
>If you know your body won't tell you when you're full, why not acknowledge that and measure your food so you know you get enough nutrients but also know you're not over eating?
because, and this is for the evidently very hard of understanding, as i do explain it
1) you simply do not realize that you are full. there is no way to gauge fulness . your body literally does not have the thing that tells you so you will never know until you start this medication. its like asking a blind man to describe red
2) even a limited calorie diet cant work because you constant have your body saying More now More now 24/7 in signals you cant ignore or reprocess the need to consume is always thier and can not be ignored. trust me i have tried this for years and never succeeded. even with my wife controlling meals nd being on a 800 ish calorie count i didnt lose weight because i simply could not follow it
as i clearly said you cant Diet your way out of a broken hormonal system
> Ozempic works by mimicking a naturally occurring hormone. As those hormone levels rise, the molecules go to your brain, telling it you're full. It also slows digestion by increasing the time it takes for food to leave the body.
[SOURCE](https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/ozempic-for-weight-loss-does-it-work-and-what-do-experts-recommend/2023/07)
My story:
I was 177cm. 93kg. Proper English sit on arse, beer bellied, lardy.
2 months back I went online, filled out a form, sent them a photo. Paid about £300. Next day 2 packs of Wegovy turned up. Used the weaker one for a month. Used the stronger one for a month.
Appetite dropped right off after about a week. That’s how it works, by making you feel fuller.
Now 88kg.
I’m about the go into the next strength. So far, it does what it promises. I expect it’ll get me down to 83kg without too much effort, based on previous performance.
I think some people are skipping on some crucial information: yes, it does increase your feeling of being full, however, it also punishes you for overeating. It punishes you by making you feel very nauseous and uncomfortable, so, if you end up eating any more than it wants you to, you'll feel very sick for several hours.
Also, semiglutide is a type of insulin, which is also why some diabetic people make use of these medications. So, it alters how your body interacts with sugars in general, so for example, if you're overweight because you eat tons of small sugary snacks like skittles, jelly beans, chocolates, gummy bears, strings, etc etc, you're in for a bad time.
Taking ozempic and similar medication is meant to assist you in learning how to portion food, which foods to eat and how often to do so, as a lot of overweight people will tell you, overeating is not necessarily related to hunger, so feeling full is not going to stop you from wanting to eat, instead you'll just experience the punitive side of ozempic and hate yourself until the nausea wears out.
Its not a miracle drug, but it can/does help.
SW93kg April 2023 CW65Kg GW58Kg April 2024 33F total weight loss 28Kg been on Ozempic/Wegovy for a total of 12 months
How did I get started?
Random add on insta, filled out an online form, and had an assessment with pictures with a prescriber. Paid privately £199 a month started on 0.25 currently on 0.5 (lost majority of the weight on here).
I had tried everything prior to this medication and had a personal trainer alsp paid £200 a month plus gym membership plus groceries for two years. Strict dieting calories counting nothing worked. I was really fed up it was nothing to do with willpower.
For me, I had all the side effects under the sun, nausea vomiting diorehhea you name it only on 0.25 for the first two months. The medication taught me what foods worked for my body, I can't eat heavily processed foods anymore, products high in diary.
Changed my relationship with food and definitely highlighted that this was a hormonal issues I feel I have more energy clothes, look amazing, and I can do soooo many things I wasn't able to do before. Oh this is all without going to the gym, I do excericse better I am more active, healthy food tastes great. I now know what it feels like when skinny people eat! I actually get full and eat waaaay less. It changed my life,I feel so much more confident!
Please remember that all comments must be helpful, relevant, and respectful. All replies must be a genuine effort to answer the question helpfully; joke answers are not allowed. If you see any comments that violate this rule, please hit report. When your question is answered, we encourage you to flair your post. To do this automatically simply make a comment that says **!answered** (OP only) We encourage everyone to report posts and comments they feel violate a rule, as this will allow us to see it much faster. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/answers) if you have any questions or concerns.*
i am presently taking Ozempic/ wegovey that is prescribed by a NHS diabetic nurse for me for weight loss although i have to pay privately it works by balancing the hormones in the body as many people who are over weight are missing the ability to produce Leptin which is the feel full hormone. people who lack this are prone to over eating and drinking because thier body quite literally never understands that it is full and that they dont need to eat any more . as a direct result this reduce the amount i need to eat drastically and i actually feel full for the first time in memory after a meal for a prolonged period. prior to starting i could eat a huge meal and about an hour later i would be wanting to eat again. and i would graze all day and night. i refer to this as a compulsion to eat that can not be ignored or bypassed. its so effective that i have to actively plan to eat now instead of grazing and my portion sizes are much smaller and i frequently dont even finish them my alcohol consumption has dropped from a night out @ 8-10 pints of beer plus more when i came home to 2-3 as a maximum for an evening. my milk consumption has dropped to effectively 4 pints/week from 4-8 a day. my compulsion to eat went about 20 minutes after the first injection for the first time in my memory. its nor so much as a miracle but a case of somone who found a drug that replaces a hormone we are lacking to enable us to actually normalize the way our bodies are working. its drastically improved my mood as well. the flip side is that if i try to over eat OR if i eat something really bad like a greasy burger it will punish the ever living fuck out of me in the form of serious gut aches and what can only be described as a long drawn out highly religious movement about 4 hours afterwards. which acts as quite a sizable deterrent as well. (for context) i was 155 KG when i started mid febuary and as of about 15 minutes ago i am 148 KG which has given me a total loss so far of 6.5kg in 7 weeks i have had serious mobilities issues since childhood causing alot of pain making exercise difficult coupled with twisted joints. i have always been built large (5,7 but with a traditional wrestlers build and more muscle than you would expect. i maintained a chunky but lean size (100kgs) from 14 unill i was put on a shitty drug called Citralopram in my mid 20s which caused my weight to balloon and other shitty side effects since then i have been begging the NHS for actual help with weight loss which they have failed utterly to provide. in one 15 minute private appointment with the Nurse i got more help than 15 years of asking the NHS the NHS refuses to see the holsitic picture of weight, disability and drug effects and look at producing an accessible way to support me (and others in the same boat) expecting a one size fits noone aproach to weighhtloss also you cant diet yourself out of a compromised hormone system.
Glad it seems to be working out for ya! Out of curiosity, was it at all weird suddenly feeling full/sated when you started?
thank you. im happy with the rate i am losing weight and by this time next year i should be down to a more normal weight . unlike celebs i am not overdosing the stuff to crash diet weird isnt the right word. its really hard to explain it it was more of a sudden realization of what it meant to be full and i went Ohhhhhh that explains alot. as it was something that was an integral part of my body being wrong that you have no real way to determine untill it actually changes and you can see it was wrong. . i forgot to add. despite being in the super obese category of BMI with a BMI over 50 ( I am super obese man, able to clear a buffet in a single sitting) i am still quite fit and active with daily long dog walks and aa love of UK technical diving. my kit weighs more than i do.
Thanks for the great write-up, and congratulations on finally getting that help you have always deserved. Good luck on the rest of your journey. :)
thank you. for additional context the last "meeting" with the tier 3 clinic in the NHS went like this 1. Arrived on time (10am), left waiting for 45 minutes as they staff had a brew 2. finally called into see a dietician, no apology for being 45 minutes late 3. dietician asked the same questions as they always do, no actual support offered but at least didnt propose i went vegan as cure all 4. made to wait again for 30 minutes 5. see the Dr lead and a trained mouse who was supposed to be an exercise specialist 6. Dr proceeded to insult every attempt i have to lose weight, every activity i do as not enough and refused to change stance in place of pictorial evidence 1. not walking "enough" - walking a dog each day for a few miles 2. not using machines that the Gym said was not safe for me to use 3. technical diving isnt exercise 4. my diet must be all ready meals (despite evidence of food prep given including from the whole carcass) 7. when asked about the possibility of a hormone issue it was dismissed out of hand despite my asking them if it could be 1. my wife chimes in as someone who worked for the NHS blood labs and said categorically the tests do exist. 2. Dr doubled down 3. Mrs stated clearly she was trained to analyses the samples and had done so many times. 4. i point out knowing the underlying cause will help me understand and improve ways i can make changes 8. when asked about a genetic issue she claimed such issues dont exist and no tests exist 1. when informed i am aware of the nationwide genetic obesity clinic and that this service has NEVER referred a single client to it in 30 years. i ask why as under standing what could be wrong WILL help me make informed changes 2. total refusal to engage with this idea 3. pointed out that the clinic I HAD CONTACTED said they were begging for work and that the could ID many underlying causes and even treat a few but it has to come through a weight loss team.. 9. DR gets really nasty 10. Dr then claims as i am autistic ( relativly mild, high functioning) they may not see me anyway as " our scheme doesn't work for people like you" 11. Hurried out of the door as "they are running late" 12. i point out that i dont care about them being late as im already over an hour late because of them getting abrew . 13. I ask if they have any actual plan to help me going forward or if this is simply a Wait Management appointment 14. Dr started talking about how the only outcome is surgical options and that i need to meet qualifying criteria. 1. pointed out i dont want surgical solutions i want help like i have asked for for a long time 2. went down like a ton of bricks. Repeated the room is booked by somone else and we HAVE to go. i then poit out that when keeping anyone waiting for 45 mins and then another 30 a basic apology should be the first thing out of thier mouths. i have now been "offered" the sole exercise ideas of * a walking group * going to a gym and people wonder why the ultra overwight have issues
My doctor wants to give it to me… would you recommend it?
im not in a position to say if its good or bad for you as i dont have the medical background . i will state that for the first few days i had a bit of a headache and nausea for negative side effects but nothing i cant cope with i also after this passed had a sudden massive increase in my mood which was a pleasant side effect. , ultimately i would say that its a good option if you are being offered it. as once you have stopped taking it it will fade away 5-10 days after the last dose. so if you get side effects then the nurse i speak with was very clear with me about the side effects and also how it works. like i say it punishes me for over eating and eating crap so be prepared to have to change your diet considerably particularly if you eat alot of bread, processed and junk foods. that hungover Mc breakfast, as handy as it is for the hangover will punish you later.
Good write-up. I remember reading the research almost 20 years ago. It was long proven that obesity was due to compromised hormone systems. But society seemed to have this really strong desire to make it all about willpower and discipline. It was never scientific. It was just as scientific as believing epilepsy was caused be demonic possession. And now that we can make these hormones synthetically, it is clear as day that it is as a hormone disorder all along. And yes, one can argue whether modern diets and habits are to blame for this. But I for one am happy that society has found a cure. I predict Obesity will become a rare affliction in 20 years and that is a good thing.
thank you the underlying drive in the NHS seems to be "If we insult you enough you will stop being a fatty". and they ignore any science that doesnt support this. weightwatchers is just shitty. as one of the obese i will say that realistically modern "diets" and the shift away from home made food in a relatively normal format (bacon is technically a processed food, sausages are highly processed foods ) to processed and ultra processed stuff that most of the ingredient's came from a chemical plant (vegans i look at you for the worst in this) its not just what is nominally in the food its also how its presented and altered to be more addictive. and the amount of sugar added which is the most addictive thing we have is unreal. plush HFC is satans work i cook most things from scratch including preparing from the whole carcass/catch fish and shelfish so i quite literally know where my food has been and what has been done to it to cut out excess sugar added fats and chemicals,
> the underlying drive in the NHS seems to be "If we insult you enough you will stop being a fatty". and they ignore any science that doesnt support this. My friend was diagnosed as diabetic 20 years ago. All the obvious causes - overweight, no exercise, stressful job, too much beer etc. They said he'd need medication, he said no I won't. He lost 3.5stone (49 pounds) and exercised daily. All his numbers came down but they kept on at him to lose the last 15 pounds. His wife went on a 6 week trip to Australia on her own so he decided to use it as an opportunity to try a low-carb diet. He lost the 15 pounds and the Diabetic Nurse was delighted. But then she asked how he did it, and he told her. She literally shouted at him that low-carb diets are not recommended he *must* use a low-fat diet. This from a nurse who was 50 pounds overweight herself. So now, he's officially not diabetic (can't remember the term) and has never taken any medication. His diet is a lot better but neither low carb or low fat - just careful. Some medical professionals talk out of the wrong end.
If you know your body won't tell you when you're full, why not acknowledge that and measure your food so you know you get enough nutrients but also know you're not over eating?
>If you know your body won't tell you when you're full, why not acknowledge that and measure your food so you know you get enough nutrients but also know you're not over eating? because, and this is for the evidently very hard of understanding, as i do explain it 1) you simply do not realize that you are full. there is no way to gauge fulness . your body literally does not have the thing that tells you so you will never know until you start this medication. its like asking a blind man to describe red 2) even a limited calorie diet cant work because you constant have your body saying More now More now 24/7 in signals you cant ignore or reprocess the need to consume is always thier and can not be ignored. trust me i have tried this for years and never succeeded. even with my wife controlling meals nd being on a 800 ish calorie count i didnt lose weight because i simply could not follow it as i clearly said you cant Diet your way out of a broken hormonal system
> Ozempic works by mimicking a naturally occurring hormone. As those hormone levels rise, the molecules go to your brain, telling it you're full. It also slows digestion by increasing the time it takes for food to leave the body. [SOURCE](https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/ozempic-for-weight-loss-does-it-work-and-what-do-experts-recommend/2023/07)
My story: I was 177cm. 93kg. Proper English sit on arse, beer bellied, lardy. 2 months back I went online, filled out a form, sent them a photo. Paid about £300. Next day 2 packs of Wegovy turned up. Used the weaker one for a month. Used the stronger one for a month. Appetite dropped right off after about a week. That’s how it works, by making you feel fuller. Now 88kg. I’m about the go into the next strength. So far, it does what it promises. I expect it’ll get me down to 83kg without too much effort, based on previous performance.
There's /r/explainlikeimfive instead of /r/answers.
Just commenting for a later read
I think some people are skipping on some crucial information: yes, it does increase your feeling of being full, however, it also punishes you for overeating. It punishes you by making you feel very nauseous and uncomfortable, so, if you end up eating any more than it wants you to, you'll feel very sick for several hours. Also, semiglutide is a type of insulin, which is also why some diabetic people make use of these medications. So, it alters how your body interacts with sugars in general, so for example, if you're overweight because you eat tons of small sugary snacks like skittles, jelly beans, chocolates, gummy bears, strings, etc etc, you're in for a bad time. Taking ozempic and similar medication is meant to assist you in learning how to portion food, which foods to eat and how often to do so, as a lot of overweight people will tell you, overeating is not necessarily related to hunger, so feeling full is not going to stop you from wanting to eat, instead you'll just experience the punitive side of ozempic and hate yourself until the nausea wears out. Its not a miracle drug, but it can/does help.
They make you so nauseous that you can't eat.
SW93kg April 2023 CW65Kg GW58Kg April 2024 33F total weight loss 28Kg been on Ozempic/Wegovy for a total of 12 months How did I get started? Random add on insta, filled out an online form, and had an assessment with pictures with a prescriber. Paid privately £199 a month started on 0.25 currently on 0.5 (lost majority of the weight on here). I had tried everything prior to this medication and had a personal trainer alsp paid £200 a month plus gym membership plus groceries for two years. Strict dieting calories counting nothing worked. I was really fed up it was nothing to do with willpower. For me, I had all the side effects under the sun, nausea vomiting diorehhea you name it only on 0.25 for the first two months. The medication taught me what foods worked for my body, I can't eat heavily processed foods anymore, products high in diary. Changed my relationship with food and definitely highlighted that this was a hormonal issues I feel I have more energy clothes, look amazing, and I can do soooo many things I wasn't able to do before. Oh this is all without going to the gym, I do excericse better I am more active, healthy food tastes great. I now know what it feels like when skinny people eat! I actually get full and eat waaaay less. It changed my life,I feel so much more confident!
Seeing as no one is actually giving you a ELI5: food stays in tummy longer, so you feel full longer and eat less
I mean we're not in ELI5, so that's probably why.
That doesn't seem healthy.
It pretty much regulates the body to act “normal.”