A Diary of A Foodie On Ozempic Part 1 | Vicki James
I’ve struggled with my weight ever since my daughter was born 30 years ago. I’ve lost 30 to 40 pounds twice on well-known weight loss programs. I’ve counted calories, counted carbs, but mostly I’ve counted the pounds that continued to creep on. Most weight loss methods, at least those I have tried, can’t be sustained over time. I could tread the straight and narrow for a while, but ultimately I would get off track due to holidays, vacations, or other distractions. Once off the track, it was often tough to get back on. Why? Because it’s fun to eat!
Most recently, I put on about 12 pounds when we had our house on the market. Due to a knee replacement that didn’t help much, I had to sell my beloved home built in 1930 because of the stairs. I was in pain all the time. All bedrooms and bathrooms were upstairs, so I climbed up and down dozens of times daily. Add that to the fact that the driveway and garage were built at a lower level than the house, requiring me to climb stairs outside and inside, and the situation had become untenable.
Nevertheless, it was a heart-wrenching decision to sell. Between being emotionally distraught and finding we were often displaced at mealtimes due to showings, my eating habits deteriorated. By the time we sold, went through a difficult move, and got settled in our new place, I had gained weight. Although I tried to get back in control, I found it challenging. Moreover, increasing exercise and decreasing food intake weren’t helping very much. I felt increasingly frustrated. My 70th birthday is coming up in December, and I was ready to commit to a healthier lifestyle, but I wasn’t prepared to commit to the same kinds of programs that had failed me in the past. Every day I saw articles about the dangers of visceral fat and inflammation. I was no longer concerned about my weight for vanity's sake. I began to worry about what might happen to my health if I couldn’t get my weight down.
Since it had become clear that I couldn’t do it alone, I sought help at the CHI Memorial Bariatric Clinic. After filling out sheaves of paper forms and returning them, I was contacted to set an appointment. First, I was weighed by sophisticated machinery that calculated my body fat percentage and the number of calories I could eat and still lose weight. Then I met with a nurse practitioner who suggested I take Ozempic.
You have probably already heard about Ozempic. It’s a diabetes medication that lowers blood sugar by changing how your body reacts to insulin. I had read articles about celebrities losing weight on Ozempic. Some articles stated that the supply of Ozempic had decreased to the point that diabetics had trouble accessing it because of all the people who were using it off-label for weight loss. Did I want to be someone contributing to the problems of people who were struggling to find the meds they needed for legitimate health concerns? But Amy told me that my evaluation suggested that because I was clinically obese (a horrible word that was hard to hear), I might also have insulin resistance. Insulin resistance makes it extremely difficult to lose weight. So, I shouldn’t feel bad about using Ozempic. Further research suggested the shortages were not entirely due to the Real Housewives. There were supply chain issues and other causes.
I’d heard Ozempic was extremely expensive, and that Medicare did not cover it. However, my Medicare supplement covered it, making it affordable. I was given my prescription. Amy suggested I come by the clinic after I got it filled, and they would show me how to inject myself.
Ozempic in hand, I returned to the clinic a few days later. The dosing implement looks like a ballpoint pen. It’s good for about a month. The kit provides clean needles for each weekly injection. I was a little worried about giving myself a shot, but it turns out there’s nothing to it. The needle is very short, and I hardly felt it. It was over in no time.
As it happens, I had seen my internist that morning for a routine follow-up before taking the first injection. Amy had suggested that I ask my doctor to order a fasting blood sugar test. My doctor was happy to oblige, and the report came to me in the mail a few days later. It turned out that I have prediabetes! So, I didn’t have to feel bad about straining the precious Ozempic supply after all.
In my initial evaluation session, Amy told me what to expect. I was starting on a very low dose, so I shouldn’t expect my appetite to diminish much at first. I would get a dose increase in four weeks when I came for my next appointment. I was told I might have some nausea at first, as well as constipation. The symptoms should diminish over the course of the next few weeks. Because of side effects, my dose would be increased slowly over the next few months.
I was disappointed to learn that I wouldn’t feel the appetite changes for a while, but since I hate nausea, I wanted to avoid side effects. It would also give me time to adjust to a new relationship with food.
I had read that Ozempic not only diminishes appetite but also changes how one feels about food. Patients no longer experience intrusive thoughts about food and cravings. They report that it’s a great relief to find they no longer dwell on eating. The energy that was invested in dealing with the desire to eat becomes available for other things.
As a self-confessed foodie, I was a little concerned. I even write food blogs. I have a trip to Italy coming up in the fall, including having dinner at a very special and expensive Michelin-starred restaurant. Would I feel like eating on the trip, or would the joy I find in food completely evaporate? I planned to food blog about restaurants in Rome and Florence. Would I lose interest in food completely?
I’ve now been on Ozempic for a week and a half. So far, it’s been very manageable. I think I’m less hungry, but I could be experiencing a placebo effect. I’ve not been nauseous, but I have been constipated and experienced some gas and stomach upset.
We had dinner at a favorite restaurant with friends last night. I was only able to finish about half of my food. I brought the rest home to eat today. But restaurant portions are huge anyway, and it was not unusual for me to bring home part of my meal pre-Ozempic. I did have some gastric issues in the night, including an insistent need to move my bowels. Okay, constipated no more! I enjoyed my leftovers for lunch today with no ill effects.
The bottom line: so far, I still enjoy my food. I still enjoy planning healthy meals but fantasize about unhealthy goodies far less. Side effects have not discouraged me from moving forward. I’ll be happy to start an increased dose in May to see if my appetite and food desires decrease further. I’ll keep you posted!