About a month ago, I called Rite Aid for a refill on my Trulicity. My monthly injectors were all used up and I needed more for my weekly shot. I had been on Trulicity for over a year with few side-effects. But Rite Aid couldn’t get any Trulicity for me…or anybody else.
I called a dozen other pharmacies in my area. No one had Trulicity. After three weeks of striking out, I called my doctor to inform him that I couldn’t find Trulicity anywhere. “I’m switching you to Ozempic,” my doctor told me.
A couple hours later, Rite Aid called me to say my Ozempic was waiting for me at their Pharmacy. I drove over, picked it up, brought it home, and injected Ozempic. So far, so good. No side-effects yet. Are you on Ozempic? Do you want to be?
I’ve been on Ozempic for a few years now. My doctor is happy with my A1C numbers, and I don’t have any problematic side effects. Except the weight loss. Most people have some, but I’ve lost 50 pounds, which is unusual. I’ve already had my dosage reduced once; my doctor says if I don’t plateau soon, he’s going to have to reduce it again.
I can’t remember which injection I used to be on, whether it was Trulicity or something else, but it made me extremely nauseous. It got so bad that I occasionally threw up even before the injection, in a Pavlovian reaction.
Yikes! Throwing up EVERY time would definitely be a “time to change the medication” sign for me. 50 pounds is definitely an unusual amount, but as long as you’re healthy, thinner is good, right?
No need or interest in Ozempic for me. Jackie has discussed it, but that’s all, so far at least. I’d like to see longer term studies, because so far it certainly looks good, but other “miracle” drugs have started out that way too, only to have disturbing side effects later on.
Good luck with it.
Jeff, I’m hoping Ozempic works for me. My A1C is under 7 and I’d like to lose another 20 pounds.
Jeff, I lost 20 pounds on Truclity, but after a month of not being able to find anyone who could supply it. my doctor moved me to Ozempic. So far, no side-effects, but it’s still a little early for any definitive pronouncement on that.
As long as your skin doesn’t turn green and you break out in pustules, with your hair falling out in clumps, I’d say you were good. Stay healthy, George. We need you around.
Jerry, I’m still suffering with Covid-19. Diane is improving while I seem stuck in Low Energy Land.
Thanks to comparatively good genes, I only need two meds–amlodipine bensylate for moderately high BP, and allopurinol for gout. God help those who don’t have insurance to offset the cost of drugs, among other medical needs.
Fred, fortunately, I have good Health Insurance and my co-pay for Ozempic is $10. Some of my friends would like to be on Ozempic but can’t afford it.
Yeah, if you aren’t diabetic, you shouldn’t be taking Ozempic, in all likelihood.
Jeff, rumors swirl that many Hollywood types are on Ozempic for weight-loss.
Not they alone. Hence the runs on all these drugs.
(My insurance recently decided they didn’t want to pay for Jardience, so now I take Farxiga in its place. We’ll see which cancer outpaces the diabetes eventually, with my cocktail, including daily multivitamins).
Todd, a friend of mine had to switch from Farxiga to Jardience because his Health Insurance said so. I love how insurance companies control our medications.
Good luck with the new medication, George; and I also hope you’ve fully recovered from your bout with Covid. When my A1C crossed over into diabetic territory (I had been “on the bubble” and dancing around 6.3 for several years), my doctor initially prescribed Metformin (which made me sick as a dog) and the Invokana (which worked beautifully, but then my insurance company removed it from their coverage formulary, go figure), and finally Jardiance (which gave me such awful leg cramps, I was having nightmares that I was getting my legs chopped off). Finally, because my A1C wasn’t too high (for a diabetic), with my doctor’s agreement, I decided to forgo medication and focus on following a low-carb/low-fat diet that I developed in conjunction with a nutritionist who works with diabetics and WAS covered by my insurance. It’s been working so far: I’ve lost 50 lbs. over the past three years and brought my A1C down to 5.4. I hope I can keep everything on an even keel and not have to take any diabetes meds in the future, but only time will tell.
Deb, I was on Invokana, too, but my Health Insurance decided it wouldn’t pay for it anymore. Congratulations on losing 50 lbs! Impressive! An A1C of 5.4 is very good! I’m still struggling with Covid-19’s energy sucking lethargy. I have friends who are on Wegovy and Mounjaro who have lost weight and reduced their A1C.
Further congratulations! And further condolences, too, George, that your C19 hasn’t let you go yet…soon.
Another reason Invokana was suddenly disappeared (I took it for a while, as well): “In early 2017, results from two large clinical trials indicated that patients taking Invokana were roughly twice as likely to experience amputation injuries as patients on a placebo, causing the FDA to require a black box warning in July 2017: WARNING: LOWER LIMB AMPUTATION.”
This tends to put everyone off, after all.
Todd, Covid-19 still saps my strength. I’m coughing less, but my energy is low. Diane is way more perky that I am at this point. I did not know the Invokana story. Thanks for filling us in on that tidbit!
I have no problems with Metformin and Glipizide! I was taking a statin for cholesterol but when I saw that it might be causing the muscle weakness in my legs I stopped taking it last week! Lo and behold my legs are stronger! I hope that when I get my infusion on July 10 I have a significant gain in my mobility! It sucks being Tiny Tim Cratchit!
Bob, good luck with your infusion! Many of my friends have switched statins because of leg pains.
My father found they caused notable weakness in his upper body, so when I noted something similar beginning, I discontinued their use in consultation with doctors…my reactions to some meds often seem to mirror what his were, not so oddly. (Happily, my problem they were meant to solve was transitory and borderline to begin with.)