Using Saxenda

Amy Mendoza81 said:Hi there,
my endocrinologist turned me down for Ozempic. According to him, I’m not a candidate despite having a high BMI, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and prediabetes. He basically told me I just need to eat less, and all those pounds will eventually melt away. 🤦
I can't even begin to comment on that logic. 😲

Right now, I'm staying on my regular blood pressure medication and metformin (they actually bumped up my dose because it wasn't doing anything over the last 10 months).

Could you please DM me and let me know which endocrinologist you saw? I’m looking for a second opinion from someone a bit more "level-headed" who will take my situation seriously.
Thanks! 🙂

Well, your doctor gave you some solid advice.
It comes down to portion control, choosing better food options, and watching how you prepare meals.
Staying active through regular exercise—or even just walking daily—makes a huge difference.
And maybe look into specific treatments for insulin resistance.
At the end of the day, weight doesn't just appear out of thin air; it usually happens because we're overeating and staying too sedentary.

Brenda Alvarez24 said:Well, your doctor gave you perfectly fine advice.
Eat smaller portions, watch what you eat, and change how you cook.
Get some regular exercise in, or even just walk every single day.
Maybe try some therapy for insulin resistance.
Nobody gains weight out of thin air; it happens because people overeat and don't move enough.

Forgive me, troll, but do you honestly believe people turn to Saxenda because they haven't tried everything else or simply can't lose weight any other way?
Anyone struggling with weight issues got there by eating too much. Eating disorders are real, even if you refuse to understand them. People aren't just stuffing themselves because food is sitting on the table; they do it because they are hungry. At least, those who are actually aware of their weight struggle.
Please, go find somewhere else to dump your "expert" advice.

Brenda Alvarez24 said:Well, your doctor gave you standard advice.
Eat smaller portions, watch what you eat, and change how you cook.
Get regular exercise, or at least walk every single day.
Maybe try some insulin resistance therapy.
Nobody gains weight out of thin air... it’s usually just overeating combined with a sedentary lifestyle.

Thanks for the input, but I've already tried all that. ☕

I've been an athlete my whole life, training intensely five times a week for the last two years.
I am already on medication for insulin resistance, as I mentioned in my first post.
I haven't touched sugar or white flour in years.
I know glycemic indices and nutrition inside and out.
I have metabolic syndrome... losing weight is nearly impossible under these conditions.

Before you comment on things like that, consider that everyone's body is different. Just because losing weight is easy for you doesn't mean it's easy for everyone.

Oh, please!

I have a checkup coming up soon—we'll see how things go—but until then, I’m staying patient and holding steady. 🙂

User74, did you end up going to your checkup? How’d everything go?

I’m already down 26 pounds after just 9 weeks on Ozempic! It’s been such a wild ride, but honestly, it's super hard to find any in stock right now since everyone's waiting on the big suppliers to restock the shelves.

That sounds like a solid result to me—not sure how you feel about it though?
How are you feeling right now, in this moment?

I can't believe you ran out of medication—will you have enough to last until your next refill?

I have my physical this Saturday, so I'm eating nothing but junk just to make sure my bloodwork is actually realistic 🙂 I even realized I might be overdoing it, but I’ve decided to just let loose until Easter. After that, we go hard—doctors be damned!

I've noticed I always get anxious leading up to Easter, so I start some diet, then inevitably blow it during the holiday—it's been the same cycle for twenty years 🙂 Well, this time we're starting after Easter. And I've decided to get serious and see an endocrinologist if necessary.

I’m feeling pretty good about where I’m at! I mean, I still get a little bit jealous seeing people drop 10 pounds a month like it’s nothing, but honestly, taking it slow feels way more sustainable so you don't just gain it all back immediately, you know? It’s worth the steady progress.
Since I bumped up to my highest dose, I haven't really dealt with any side effects at all. Everything has just felt super consistent for the last few weeks.

When I found out they were totally out of Saxenda, I decided to scale back my dose a bit just to see if I could stretch it out, and oh man, I swear I felt way hungrier than usual! Maybe it’s just all in my head since people say it takes a minute for Saxenda to actually leave your system, but my body was definitely telling me something different.

I managed to grab some Victoza to use as a substitute, so I'm going to roll with that until I finish off this last Saxenda pen.

Haha, and hey, it is totally normal to feel a little crazy when the holidays roll around—I totally get what you're going through! I'm crossing my fingers that you have a killer fresh start once Easter is over.

Let me know how things went at your checkup, if you don't mind sharing!

Vicotza?

Man, I’ve lost track of how many of these new medications have been hitting the market lately—there's Ozempic, Wegovy, and whatever else is out there.

You probably just had a momentary panic when you realized it was out of stock, but nothing just vanishes from your system overnight. Even with harder stuff—like narcotics—they say it takes about two weeks for the body to fully clear out, so I suspect this is mostly just subconscious anxiety.

Personally, work and life obligations have me stressed, so I tend to turn to food for comfort. It’s fine for now since my weight stays relatively stable—which, honestly, I consider a win. I didn't even pack on the pounds during the lockdowns, which was a genuine success. Some of my coworkers came back to the office looking twice their size. 🙂 I walk a lot, so I think that helps keep things in check. Still, I’m starting to worry about diabetes; what I’m doing isn't exactly "healthy." 🙂 I'll keep you posted.

Hey there,

It’s honestly such a relief to see I’m not alone in this 🙂 and seeing everyone else hitting such amazing milestones is so encouraging 🎉!

So, I had my final checkup at the Mayo Clinic yesterday... after all the tests and bloodwork came back, my endocrinologist basically told me it was time to start on Ozempic and some Vitamin D.
I've been dealing with PCOS, insulin resistance, high cholesterol, and a vitamin deficiency.

I spent all last night calling every single pharmacy in town, but Ozempic is nowhere to be found.

Does anyone have any leads on where or how I can actually track some down?

I used to take metformin, but it just made me feel terrible and, frankly, it wasn't doing anything for me.
On top of everything else, I'm being incredibly strict with my diet—zero sugar and almost no carbs—but my weight is just stuck. Not a single pound lost. I'm trying to drop about 20 pounds.

Please, if you have any advice on where to find Ozempic, let me know. The only place that says they have it is the specialty pharmacy near Pike Place Market, but they want to charge me double through some special procurement thing. They quoted me $355 for a pack of 3 Ozempic pens 🙂, and then $560 for 5 pens!

Thanks so much, and good luck to everyone else out there!

Hey there, welcome to the group! 🙂 I’m totally convinced Wegovy is going to be a total game-changer for you.

It’s super hard to find anywhere right now, but honestly, it’s less about the local pharmacies and more about what the big distributors have in stock. From what the folks at CVS told me when I called to check, it should be back on the shelves in a few weeks.

You should definitely check in with your doctor about trying Victoza instead. It’s basically the twin sister of Wegovy, just with a different name on the box! It runs about $105 for a pack of two pens if you can snag it.

Sending you all the good vibes—please let us know how it goes! 🙂

Hi Isabella! Which clinic did you visit for your consultation? I’m gearing up for my first appointment, so I’m soaking up all the advice I can get. 🙂 Can you actually book an appointment through email?

Did they handle all those blood tests right there on-site? Nice—they don't cut corners.

Look, just take it easy. It’ll all work out. If you could manage the wait this long, you can handle one more week. No need to panic; just stay calm.

Thanks 👍 George and hey TaylorSwift13!

George are those two drugs actually identical... is Victoza a legit alternative for Saxenda? You think that would work?

TaylorSwift13 I ordered mine through email at skvv.narucivanje@kb-merkur.hr, but obviously you need that referral from your OB-GYN entered into the system first. I had a referral for a full endocrine workup. They just booked me for the first available slot with any doctor, which ended up being a three-week wait to see Dr. Bill. At my first appointment, he sent me off to the lab for everything: a CBC, metabolic panel, insulin levels, Vitamin D, thyroid hormones, and liver function tests.

Ashley Walker56 said:Thanks 👍 Megan Anderson5 and hey Charli D'Amelio!

Megan Anderson5 are those two drugs basically the same thing, and could Pfizer be used instead of Saxenda? You think that might work?

Totally, they're both just liraglutide, it's just a different manufacturer making them! With Pfizer, the dosing is a bit different too—like, the actual amounts are the same, but they don't go up to 3mg, I think it maxes out at 1.8mg. I haven't actually tried my own batch yet since I was still using my last Saxenda pen, so you should definitely check with your doctor to be safe. But honestly, you could probably hang tight for a few more weeks, I'm super sure the Sax will show up soon!

Thanks, Elizabeth—you’ve been a huge help. I have my checkup this Saturday, and according to the instructions, I’m supposed to avoid anything that causes bloating because of the ultrasound. Honestly? I’ve been eating like a teenager today—just grazing constantly. It’s a personal flaw: whenever someone tells me not to eat something, I end up craving it twice as much. 🙂

I can't wait to get this checkup over with so I can finally relax. 🙂

I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but there is food on screen every single second lately. Whether it’s a commercial or a movie, everyone is always eating, cooking, or snacking. Is there anything on TV that doesn't revolve around food? Even those reality shows where people just sit around eating desserts—it's constant. At this rate, the only thing left that isn't about eating is the weather report, though I'm sure they'll find a way to work a snack into the forecast soon.

Olivia Jackson64 said:I don't know if anyone else has picked up on this—it feels like there's constant footage of food on TV lately. Whether it’s a commercial or just some random scene in a movie, everyone is always eating, cooking, or snacking away. Seriously, is there anything on television where people *aren't* eating? It's either a cooking competition show or some cheesy reality dating show where they're all sitting around devouring cheesecakes (I mean, why?). Even the weather report seems to be the only thing safe from it right now—though I wouldn't bet on it, they'll probably start snacking during the forecast soon too! :-)

🤣🤣🤣

Well, that explains it!

Anyway, George, tell us—how many meals are you having a day? What’s the diet looking like? Are you doing any snacks too?

I’ve got my checkup tomorrow; I honestly can’t wait to get this over with. I’m definitely going to ask for a referral to the Mayo Clinic—if they tell me I showed up for nothing, so be it.

I’m eating totally normally, just definitely not as much as I used to!

Usually, breakfast is something like oatmeal or maybe a protein pudding loaded with blueberries or cherries.

For lunch, I go for the classic combo—some meat, a side, and veggies or a salad. If I’m doing pasta, I always grab the whole grain stuff because it works way better for insulin resistance. I try to follow what my nutritionist suggested, which is basically keeping my plate half veggies, a quarter protein like chicken or fish, and a quarter carbs.

Dinner is usually pretty chill, like one slice of whole grain toast topped with some deli meat, cheese, and a little salad—mostly cucumbers or beets. Sometimes I'll just do toast with an egg, or if I'm feeling fancy, I'll whip up a tuna salad or toss some meat and veggies in the oven (though I keep the portions small).

I’ve cut out all the sugar, pastries, white bread, and soda. When I make meat, veggies, or potatoes, I mostly use my Air Fryer so I can keep the oil to a minimum.

Of course, I don't stay perfect 100% of the time, but I probably slip up about once every two weeks.

I don't bother weighing my food or counting calories anymore. I did that for so long that I have a pretty good mental map of what things are, and honestly, I don't want to get obsessed again—that’s just not good for my headspace.

Someone else should share what they're eating! Maybe we can all find some new inspiration xd

xd

Your diet looks incredible 🙂 With a menu like that, you’d expect faster progress—but insulin resistance usually has other plans... honestly, kudos to you. Much respect.

I won't bore you with my own food logs; there isn't much to brag about :-) I have a daily sweet tooth, so I'll spare you the details... though things will change once I start Ozempic!

On another note, I just had my physical. All the standard results came back fine—blood sugar, cholesterol, the usual suspects. They didn't run an insulin resistance test since it wasn't covered by my insurance. I think I’m going to ask for a referral to the Mayo Clinic so we can figure out if I actually have a diagnosis or not. I need to know if I should be genuinely worried about diabetes or if I can stop stressing. Let's settle that once and for all. 🙂

Olivia Jackson64 said:Man, you are eating so good! 🙂 With a meal plan like that, the weight should be dropping even faster, but I bet insulin resistance is just slowing things down... seriously, kudos to you! Major respect!

I'm not gonna list out my meals because, honestly, there's nothing to brag about here :-) I'm basically snacking on sweets every single day, so I won't even go there... but once I get started on Ozempic, I'm definitely changing my ways!

Anyway, I just finished my physical and all my results came back looking great—at least the basic stuff they checked. My blood sugar and cholesterol are totally fine. They didn't run an insulin resistance test since it wasn't part of the standard package. I think I’m actually going to ask for a referral to the Mayo Clinic so we can figure out if I officially have a diagnosis or what. I really want to know if I need to be stressing about diabetes or if I'm in the clear, just so we can settle that debate once and for all. 🙂

thanks Olivia Jackson64. I have to watch my budget since Ozempic isn't exactly cheap.

That's awesome, I'm so glad your labs are looking solid!
Just head over to the Mayo Clinic, you've got nothing to lose. Even if everything turns out perfectly, at least you'll have that peace of mind and probably some solid advice to go along with it. 😉

Olivia Jackson64 said:Your diet looks incredible. 🙂 With that kind of meal plan, things should be moving faster, though insulin resistance probably has other plans... impressive work. Respect.

I won't bore you with my food logs; there isn't much to brag about :-) I eat sweets every single day, so let's not get into the specifics... but after I deal with User, I plan on changing that.

On another note, I just had my physical. All the basic results came back fine—blood sugar, cholesterol, everything seems normal. They didn't run an insulin resistance test, though; it wasn't covered by my insurance. I think I'll ask for a referral to the Mayo Clinic to see if I actually have a diagnosis or not. I need to know if I should be worried about diabetes or if I can stop stressing. Let's settle that once and for all. 🙂

A private doctor diagnosed me with IR using the HOMA index. I saw there's a calculator available for download, but I haven't tried running it myself yet.
For me, glucose and insulin were within the normal range, but that HOMA index ratio pointed directly toward significant IR.