New to semaglutide (Ozempic)

[CES]

I’d love some advice / feedback on taking semaglutide. I’ve just started to take semaglutide, currently 0.25ml a week. I also take 1 x Metformin 500mg three times a day.

I’ve only been diagnosed as diabetic just over a year ago and originally I was diagnosed as Type 1 or Lada just as lockdown 1 began because my HbA1c shot up to 135. It was assumed my pancreas had stopped working and I was put on insulin. Eventually, last October, a long awaited phone consultation with a diabetes consultant led to a C-Peptide test that showed my pancreas is alive & well so I was taken off insulin & put on Metformin. I can only tolerate 3 tablets a day, otherwise I get dreadful tummy problems.

Since starting semaglutide I’ve already started to lose weight after just two doses (2lbs) and my fasting blood sugar has already come down. But I’ve gone off food, have tummy ache & occasional loose tummy plus my body feels a bit flu-like (I’m one of the shielded so haven‘t been out anywhere, I check my temperature and oxygen levels every day & am fine). I’d be really pleased to hear from those of you on semaglutide - what side effects you’ve had, how long they last, how successful it’s been with reducing your blood sugar and weight, and any tips you can pass on.

 

[Lucyr]

Hello and welcome. I take semaglutide at 0.5 dose. After only two weeks on the lower dose you’re still very much building up the dose and so you should find the effect increases over time. It takes a month at each dose to reach a steady level. Do you have weight to lose? Going off food or a feeling of fullness is how it helps you to lose weight. Unfortunately for me this side effect hasn’t really lasted but I was advised to reduce portion sizes if feeling tummy upsets, though you may have done that already with the going off food.

 

[CES]

Hello and welcome. I take semaglutide at 0.5 dose. After only two weeks on the lower dose you’re still very much building up the dose and so you should find the effect increases over time. It takes a month at each dose to reach a steady level. Do you have weight to lose? Going off food or a feeling of fullness is how it helps you to lose weight. Unfortunately for me this side effect hasn’t really lasted but I was advised to reduce portion sizes if feeling tummy upsets, though you may have done that already with the going off food.

Hi Lucyr, thank you for that information. I wasn’t aware that the dose builds up over time (I’ve had no guidance from my diabetes nurse at my local surgery, everything I’ve found out about it has come from Dr Google). I do have weight to lose - quite a lot. I should aim to lose 3 stone to get to the government’s recommended upper weight so I’m hoping that the semaglutide does help me to do that. Loss of appetite is a strange sensation and I have already reduced my portion sizes quite dramatically because I just don’t feel hungry.

 

[goodybags]

Hi @CES
I've been taking Ozempic for around 6 months now, as others were advised the first 4 initiallweekly doses of .25
then once weekly of .50 to maintain
the only side effect I have had is I can’t really eat a full meal,
a few times I’ve been enjoying some lovely food and I suddenly get what feels like stomach cramps, but I find if I limit my portion size I’m fine, for example if I have a slice of toast for breakfast I can only eat one slice (not a second slice) I’m watching my carbs also so when I say toast obviously it’s not white bread

I’m sure you will soon get to your target weight (sounds like you’ve already lost some in just the first few weeks) then I’m sure your HbA1c results will also reduce

I’ve found the combination of a more healthy lower carb diet & Ozempic a real help

 

[CES]

Hi @CES
I've been taking Ozempic for around 6 months now, as others were advised the first 4 initiallweekly doses of .25
then once weekly of .50 to maintain
the only side effect I have had is I can’t really eat a full meal,
a few times I’ve been enjoying some lovely food and I suddenly get what feels like stomach cramps, but I find if I limit my portion size I’m fine, for example if I have a slice of toast for breakfast I can only eat one slice (not a second slice) I’m watching my carbs also so when I say toast obviously it’s not white bread

I’m sure you will soon get to your target weight (sounds like you’ve already lost some in just the first few weeks) then I’m sure your HbA1c results will also reduce

I’ve found the combination of a more healthy lower carb diet & Ozempic a real help

Thank you for your reply. Interesting that you get tummy ache when eating because I’m getting that too & I have to stop eating. I’m just trying to eat a sandwich for lunch but can only manage half (I watch my carbs very carefully anyway). Hopefully after 4 weeks on 0.25 & then 4 weeks on 0.5 I’ll settle down. I’m hoping the tummy ache & occasional loose tummy wears off soon.