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Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk facing pressure as study finds $1,000 appetite suppressant can be made for just $5

fortune.com Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk facing pressure as study finds $1,000 appetite suppressant can be made for just $5

A joint study between Yale University, King’s College Hospital in London and Doctors Without Borders found a single shot could be made for just 89 cents.

Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk facing pressure as study finds $1,000 appetite suppressant can be made for just $5
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  • CAD$650/month in Canada. I've lost 36 Kg (80 lbs) and I'm still losing weight. My blood work shows no signs of diabetes, my cardiac indicators are also excellent, but my hemoglobin is low because I don't eat beef anymore (not because of the Ozempic, I haven't been able to digest it for about six years.) I'm taking an iron supplement to build it back up.

    Ozempic sucks until you stop fighting it. After that it's an easy ride.

    I'm wearing an XL t-shirt and large sweat pants today down from 3XL in both eight months ago.

    • Any side effects?

      • It acts by slowing down the emptying of your stomach. That means that whatever you eat stays in your stomach for many hours. If you eat too much at night or something that is acidy or spicy it causes terrible heart burn and reflux/regurgitation. I take an omeprazole with sodium bicarbonate at bedtime to relieve the acid.

        I eat a granola bar or a couple of eggs for breakfast then a small bowl of whatever is on offer for dinner and that's it. My stomach is never empty. Sometimes, if I want to have something spicy or acidy I will have it for breakfast. I've had a fajita for breakfast and I once had chicken parm for breakfast. Then I eat something easy for dinner.

        The most upsetting side effect was the fact that I went from a daily bathroom guy to every three or four days. I was eating so much less and my body was making such good use of what I ate that I just didn't produce much. It can cause constipation but you need to avoid taking laxatives because you can become dependant. Just drink lots of water, eat lots of fiber, and walk a lot and you will be fine.

        If you fight it it's going to make you miserable. If you lean in you will lose a lot of weight fast. I've lost so much weight so quickly that my body freaks me out a bit. When I'm sitting on the edge of the bed and look down at my legs I don't recognize them. I told someone a few weeks ago that I just wanted a little candy because I'm fat and she said, "No you're not."

        On the plus side I mentioned to my doctor that I was getting shorter (in in my late 50s and went from 5' 10 1/2" to 5' 9 1/2" and he asked, "Your penis?" I said, "No, that's getting longer!" He laughed and said, "It was hiding." I've actually gained an inch and a half of useable penis. (That's a happy side effect.)

    • Ozempic sucks until you stop fighting it. After that it’s an easy ride.

      Are there plateaus like with other weight loss?

      I'm not eating any solid food due to a medical issue (long story) and I have lost 80 pounds as well. My weight can drop very quickly sometimes, as much as a pound every few days. Other times, like recently, it takes a long time to go down. It's taken me a good two months to go from 190 to 180, whereas I was 260 at the start of January 2023.

      If not eating enough period causes plateaus, I would think Ozempic would as well.

      • I plateaued in the low 220s for a month or so then the weight fell off me to the low 200s. I'm creeping down now at about half a pound per week. My ultimate goal was to get to 200 lbs but I'm now thinking that I may go to 190 lbs since the weight is continuing to come off. I don't want to go lower than that. I don't want to be a thin person. I just want to be less fat.

      • My husband plateaued with it and had to go to a higher dose. No idea how common that is.

        • I'm definitely no expert on this, but it's my understanding that weight loss plateaus are pretty common. I'm not sure why though.

        • If you're on 1mg you will plateau, weight loss was a side effect of Ozempic, 2.5mg was the magic number for consistent weight loss. I heard they had people on 3mg during trials but the side effects outweighed the benefits.

    • I think you mean Wegovy, because I pay $220 for Ozempic at Costco, coworker pays $280 at SDM (Loblaws gotta take their cut)

      Rybelsus the pill form of Ozempic is more expensive but I heard it's in the $400 range similar in price to Mounjaro.

      You've gotta be on Wegovy

      Edit: Also based on your replies below you're losing too much weight for it to be 1mg of Ozempic. Sure you lose some weight at 1mg but after a couple months you plateau and some of the side effects you describe are more inline with Wegovy. I've been on Ozempic 3 years and it affects my life absolutely zero at this point. It keeps my blood sugar in the optimal range and helps me avoid the snack food aisle but that's about it

      • I'm on 1mg off Ozempic. Wegovy isn't approved in Canada. There are typical weight loss numbers but I've really leaned in to the Ozempic and have done very well.

        • It's been approved since 2021 just not available, much like Mounjaro is approved but only available in vial form. Mounjaro is the superior drug but since you have to inject via syringe less people are opting for it.

          • Ok...so not available...so how is it that you think I must be on Wegovy?

            What defect of personality is it that makes you think is appropriate to tell a complete stranger that they are mistaken about the drug that they are taking (have been taking for eight months, and took last night before bed), about the dose (Ozempic is only available as 1mg), or that they have lost too much weight?

            Seriously, what is wrong with you. Have you considered seeking professional help?

            I started out at 283. I got an to 265 then my doctor started me on Ozempic. I'm not some lazy fuck who just lies around waiting for the drug to make me thin. I've dramatically changed my eating habits and I live an active lifestyle for someone my age and weight. I leaned into the drug and did better than most people. (Look up the medical definition of "typical".)

            It was the extra inch and a half of penis that triggered you, wasn't it? Sorry, dude. Not everyone is cutout for porn.

            • Woah, that was alot. It wasn't my intention to downplay your efforts. I was just trying to figure out how you were paying $650/month in a Country where it costs $220-280 depending on the pharmacy. There is no place in this country where you should be paying that much, my questions were asked so I could figure out if you were taking an off label dosage.

              I don't give a fuck about your small dick, or your exercise routine I was just interested in your dosage and why you were paying so much.

              Congratulations on doing well on Ozempic, very few stick with it over the side effects. Friend of mine just got put on it, 4 weeks of 0.25, 4 weeks of 0.50 4 weeks of 0.75 and only then will he get 1mg. Alot of people don't do well on the drug. I'm sorry I came off as a dick I just didn't want you to be scammed. $650 is inline with what Wegovy will sell for in Canada when available this spring. So I thought maybe you got it early. My apologies for any offense I caused

              • I don't pay a penny for Ozempic. My insurance covers the entire cost with no deductible. It's cheaper to have me lighter and healthy than it is to have me fat and diabetic with high blood pressure or dead. The $650 is what my pharmacist told me that it cost without insurance. I don't know if that's true and I honestly don't care.

                I suspect that the people who are failing on Ozempic expected it to be a miracle drug that suddenly and effortlessly made them skinny. That isn't me. I worked hard to get to where I am and I'm still working hard. I'm the lightest I've been since my late teens at 201 lbs as of 5 minutes ago.

    • That's pricey. Here in the UK, I think it's like..hmm... $256 CAD. Still expensive though which puts it out of reach for a lot of people to keep it up regularly.

      • 76.58€, here. 30% reimbursed by social security, probably another 30% by your work insurance.

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