Posted on 01/15/2023 5:57:44 AM PST by fluorescence
Tammie Rachell Largent-Phillips, 52, has Type 2 diabetes. For the past two years, she's managed the condition using a drug called Ozempic, which helps people with diabetes keep blood sugar levels in check.
But in November, she was forced to switch to another medication, insulin. The Ozempic she needed was no longer available at her pharmacy.
In recent months, demand for the drug has soared, colliding with global supply issues. Together, it's led to a shortage of Ozempic.
But the popularity of Ozempic, or semaglutide, isn't because of rising rates of diabetes. Instead, it's because of its weight loss benefits, doctors say. At a higher dose, semaglutide is used for weight loss. Ozempic manufacturer Novo Nordisk sells that higher dose under a different brand name: Wegovy.
Shortages of Wegovy, also highly popular, were widespread last year. As a result, some people who had been taking Wegovy were instead prescribed Ozempic off-label for weight loss. That's causing problems for people like Largent-Phillips, who need the drug to manage their chronic illness.
"It's been very frustrating," Largent-Phillips, of Florida, said of the shortage, adding that her blood sugar levels have been fluctuating as she's had to change medications.
Ozempic works by mimicking a hormone in the body that regulates insulin levels. It's a type of drug called a GLP-1 agonist. The medication is self-administered weekly as an injection.
The supply shortages of Ozempic have meant that some patients have had to go to several pharmacies before they could find the medication, said Dr. Marcio Griebeler, an endocrinologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. In other cases, he said, patients have been forced to take a lower dose because it's all that was available.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
Yes they are and all on the cable channels.
It took me almost two years to work up to a full weekly dose of the stuff. Yeah, I lost weight, and it really helped keep my blood sugar down. Problem was, I spent much of that time sick to my stomach. I lost weight because I physically couldn’t eat much...I was utterly miserable much of the time.
Why can’t they use plain old metformin? Maybe a diabetic Freeper could explain.
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A common side effect of Metformin is diarrhea. My wife and I both found out from experience.
I’ve seen infomercials on late night tv for sex toys.
No fun, I was a big salad and veggie eater. Fell on AB damaged Vagus nerve. Idiots took 4 years to diagnose it. Doesn’t help to have a degenerative spine with Neuropathy.
Take lots of bone vits/mins with probiotics.
Or Nexium, Military took it off the Script list, and it’s the only 1 I can take, the rest are side effects H. So I have to pay for it. Gastro said even name-brand OTC is only 10 mg, not 20. I use 40 mg, of Barrett’s Esophagus. Can’t use store brands.
When Eldest was first told he had Diabetes, he ate mostly meat and lost 100 lbs. A son-in-law who is 6’4” and big-boned chose slow weight loss surgery, he was 400 lbs, lost 200 lbs, and kept it off, but there are drawbacks to the surgery. The type he had didn’t leave flabby skin hanging. But gives him issues with what he can eat. Still looks big, but that is bone structure and height. Lost a TON OF PILLS.
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