Tell me about Ozempic (Wegovy, etc)

[TwiceHorn 31,429]

2 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

https://www.empowerpharmacy.com/about/our-story/
 

Houston based compounder also selling it

This is where I think patent infringement litigation is going to come into play.  It doesn't actually usually come into play in the sense of taking products off the market, because under Bayh-Dole (I think, this gets a little hairy). the act of filing a new drug application (NDA) triggers infringement litigation between big pharmas, so the product hasn't even been approved for sale, yet.

But I suspect these compounders are about to be hit with some litigation.

[Bevo 13,557]

14 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Bayh-Dole

 

That's regulation I haven't thought about in a long, long time. And yes, they will be hit with litigation. I would be surprised if they haven't already received letters.

 

[chainsaw 9,850]

What is Bayh Dole

[TwiceHorn 31,429]

3 hours ago, chainsaw said:

What is Bayh Dole

It's an intersection of the Patent Act and the Food and Drug Act.  Except I'm wrong, it's Hatch-Waxman.  Named after a couple of old fools, anyway.

What people often don't realize is that the FDA grants a lot of exclusivity by virtue of approval processes, before the patent system even comes into play.  One instance where they come together is that the filing of a new drug application, more commonly an amended new drug application as for a generic medication, gives a patent owner the right to sue for infringement before a product is commercially made, used, or sold, the normal conditions under which a patent suit can be filed.

So it's actually rare for a generic or competitor to bring a product to market and have it taken off the market because of a patent infringement injunction.  They usually get hit before they even start making or selling.

 

 

[Bevo 13,557]

1 hour ago, TwiceHorn said:

It's an intersection of the Patent Act and the Food and Drug Act.  Except I'm wrong, it's Hatch-Waxman.  Named after a couple of old fools, anyway.

What people often don't realize is that the FDA grants a lot of exclusivity by virtue of approval processes, before the patent system even comes into play.  One instance where they come together is that the filing of a new drug application, more commonly an amended new drug application as for a generic medication, gives a patent owner the right to sue for infringement before a product is commercially made, used, or sold, the normal conditions under which a patent suit can be filed.

So it's actually rare for a generic or competitor to bring a product to market and have it taken off the market because of a patent infringement injunction.  They usually get hit before they even start making or selling.

 

 

Bayh-Dole is the Act that started tech transfer and kick started the biotech industry. It was Evan Bayh a Dem and Bob Dole a Pub. The Act allows university to gain control and profit from inventions even when federal money was used in the research.

[Bevo 13,557]

What You Need to Know About Compounded Versions of Popular Weight Loss Drugs

10 minute read

Illustration By Taylor Callery for TIME

By Alice Park

November 20, 2023 12:36 PM EST

With social media fueling the huge demand for drugs like Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, which are helping people to lose more weight than any previous weight loss medications, it’s no surprise that manufacturers have had trouble keeping up. And the recent approval of Eli Lilly's Zepbound, which is the same drug, Mounjaro, approved already for diabetes, but renamed specifically for weight management, will only add to that demand. Novo Nordisk, which makes Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus, for example, has intentionally held back the release of new starter doses of Wegovy to ensure that those who have already started on the weight loss drug can continue getting their injections despite the current limited availability and manufacturing schedules.

But as with many situations in which supply far exceeds demand, questionable versions of these drugs are making their way into desperate patients’ hands, and doctors are concerned about what exactly these versions contain. Some online sellers are exploiting the opportunity to cash in, selling knockoffs of Wegovy, whose active ingredient is semaglutide, that may not even contain semaglutide. Novo Nordisk, which still holds the patent on Ozempic and Wegovy, has also stepped in to address illicit versions of these drugs, suing medical spas, weight loss clinics, and compounding pharmacies in the U.S. that the company alleges are selling unapproved versions of its brand-name drugs, made with versions of semaglutide that the FDA does not sanction. (TIME reached out to the compounding pharmacies named in the suits, in Florida and Tennessee, and did not receive responses.)

Compounding pharmacies occupy a gray area in the current market for weight loss drugs. These pharmacies are licensed and regulated by state boards of pharmacy, and are legally allowed to make tailored versions of drugs that are customized to fit individual patients’ needs. For example, they can remove or substitute ingredients that might cause an allergic reaction. Or they might create a more palatable tasting medicine, reformulate a drug from a pill or tablet to a liquid for those who have difficulty swallowing, or mix up different doses of a drug that aren’t available with the branded version.

These drugs can be prescribed, made, and dispensed under Section 503A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which permits compounding pharmacies to come up with their own recipes for copies of brand name drugs, much like the original apothecary pharmacists of centuries ago. But because they are producing customized versions of approved drugs, compounding pharmacists do not have to notify or receive authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make them, and the FDA does not review them for safety and efficacy. Compounding pharmacies are also allowed to produce more-or-less exact versions of branded drugs that are on the FDA’s drug shortage list, in order to address supply constraints. Semaglutide currently falls into that category, and Novo Nordisk says supplies of both semaglutide and the auto-injector pen device can’t keep up with the surge in demand for its drugs. While tirzepatide, the main ingredient in Mounjaro and Zepbound, is also listed in short supply for people with diabetes, Lilly executives say it’s now available, for people who need it for either diabetes or weight management, although it may take the FDA some time to verify how that supply compares to demand and remove it from the list.

Read more: Should We End Obesity?

While the practice of compounding is legal, some health experts, including the FDA, have raised concerns about how some compounding pharmacists are producing semaglutide. The branded—and FDA-approved—versions of Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus contain semaglutide made from a specific form of the compound, known as its base. But some compounding pharmacies have used the salt forms of semaglutide to meet the surge in demand, prompting the FDA to issue a warning on May 31. In its statement, the FDA said that compounders should only be using the base form of semaglutide, and that “the salt forms are different active ingredients than is used in the approved drugs.” In addition, the FDA said it is “not aware of any basis for compounding using the salt forms that would meet the [Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act] requirements for active ingredients that can be compounded.” Following the FDA’s lead, several state pharmacy boards of pharmacy, including those in Mississippi, Louisiana, and North Carolina have issued similar warnings to their pharmacies.

Some compounding pharmacists are pushing back, arguing that if the final product made with semaglutide salts does meet the FDA’s criteria for potency, sterility, and lack of endotoxins, it should be considered a legitimately compounded product. They point out that if semaglutide salts are dissolved, they form semaglutide base, so the end product is the same. They are also finding enough supply of both semaglutide base and salts from FDA-sanctioned facilities for compounding, which in their view means that the constrained supply of the branded drug may be more related to the availability of the sterile syringe in which the drug is given. They maintain that using the salt forms are a valid way to compound semaglutide. “I do think there is nuance there,” says one compounding pharmacist who asked not to be named. “The package insert [for the name-brand drug], which is where we start, says [it includes] semaglutide and two normal buffers that are commonly used in injectable medications.” In theory, that means a semaglutide salt-based version would match the FDA-approved drug.

More From TIME

 

The explosive demand for semaglutide-based weight loss drugs, fueled by their ability to help people shed 15% or more of body weight—more than any previously approved medication—has raised the visibility of compounding pharmacies and how they operate. It’s also placed an additional burden on patients of vetting the facilities that they turn to in order to fill prescriptions. 

---

How does compounding work without a recipe for the drug

To make something like Wegovy, a compounding pharmacist begins by looking at the ingredient list on the drug’s package insert. All ingredients must come from FDA-registered manufacturers, which ensures their quality. From there, things become a little less rote, as the pharmacists come up with their own formula for reaching the right concentration of active ingredient to achieve the drug’s potency. ”It’s a lot like cooking,” says the compounding pharmacist who asked to not be identified. “You look at recipes but often don’t have every ingredient in the recipe, so you make modifications based on experience. It’s hard for people not in the industry to understand—it’s the old school way of making medicine where everything is customized. It’s not black and white.”

For semaglutide, the formula is relatively simple: “It’s semaglutide, the active ingredient, dissolved in solution,” says Scott Brunner, CEO of the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding. “It’s not hard for a compounding pharmacist to make.”

In addition to potency, since semaglutide is an injected drug, the pharmacist must also ensure that it’s sterile and does not contain any contaminants such as bacteria-produced toxins. Once they come up with a product, compounding pharmacists then send their formulations to an independent lab—which generally follow similar standards for testing—to verify the potency, sterility, and safety of the drug. 

Most compounded versions are legitimate copies of the branded drugs. “Compounding pharmacists are not a bunch of people making sketchy substances in their garage,” says Brunner. 

But for now, much of the burden of ensuring that these compounded drugs are legitimate still rests on patients, with a system that relies too heavily on caveat emptor. Patients can ask compounding pharmacies for results of the testing from independent labs verifying the safety, sterility, and quality of the product they are purchasing. But compounding pharmacies don’t have to proactively report testing results of each product to their state boards; they are only required to keep logs of the sources of their raw ingredients and the process they used to make the drug.

States have varying levels of oversight over these pharmacies, so some may conduct more rigorous and frequent inspections of these records, while others perform them more sporadically. In addition, “inspections and investigations are typically done after the fact, after someone reports an adverse reaction or files a complaint,” says David Margraf, pharmaceutical research scientist at the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. “And state boards of pharmacy are typically not well-funded so they don’t have time to investigate everything.” Several pharmacy boards, including Nevada’s have launched investigations into products made by compounding pharmacies in their state. The Nevada board of pharmacy did not immediately respond to requests about the status of the investigation.

When Jess Holmes, a digital marketing entrepreneur living in Gilbert, Ariz., went to her naturopath to discuss using semaglutide to help with liver issues and other health concerns that could be alleviated with weight loss, he suggested getting a compounded version of the drug. Because access to branded versions of the drug was limited, he felt submitting a claim through Holmes’ insurance would take too long. “I had no idea what a compounding pharmacy was, or how it worked,” she says. Her naturopath recommended a specific compounding pharmacy, Strive, that he had used regularly. Holmes educated herself a little more about compounding and did some research on the facility herself, and “didn’t see anything shady that raised a red flag.”

When she went to pick up her first set of injections a few days later, she asked the pharmacist about the controversy over how compounded semaglutide is made, and asked him to confirm that the drug she was getting was indeed semaglutide. “They reassured me that it was, and I can only go by what they say,” she says. “For me that was all I needed.” Holmes has been injecting herself with compounded semaglutide for several months now, and only experienced side effects of nausea, diarrhea, and a headache the day after her first shot. Since then, she hasn’t had many adverse reactions to the drug, and it seems to be working; so far, she’s lost more than 23 pounds.

---

Compounding pharmacies are only one alternative source of branded semaglutide. Online retailers, many without proper licenses or any oversight at all, may be selling what they claim to be semaglutide, but are actually something else, says Al Carter, executive director of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. These sites often don’t even require a prescription—legitimate compounding pharmacies will require a prescription written specifically for compounded semaglutide. Carter says there are some other warning signs of illegitimate sites including promises of 24 hour delivery and enticingly lower prices. The FDA suggests patients consult BeSafeRx before purchasing medications from an online pharmacy, medical spa, wellness clinic, or other purported sellers. Patients can also find legitimate local compounding pharmacies through referrals from their prescriber, or by using resources such as the Alliance for Compounding Pharmacy.

Meanwhile, the demand for compounded forms of Wegovy and Ozempic has grown so much that it’s become exhausting, says the anonymous compounding pharmacist, noting that they dispense about 1,000 vials of semaglutide a week. “I honestly don’t know how doctors and patients find us. I understand that there is a lot of demand in the marketplace for patients with health problems like diabetes, and I want to help those people. But TikTok and Instagram ruined it for us. You can’t differentiate what the patients are using it for. We want to help the patients who need [the drug], but now it seems the majority of patients who are coming with prescriptions are moms who want to lose 10 pounds.”

[Chewbacca 7,764]

On 5/5/2024 at 7:16 AM, Zone Read said:

I'll address the "etc." part of the title of this thread.  My wife and I both exercise 6 times a week doing High Intensity Interval Training weight and cardio workouts.  We eat a pretty clean diet, high in protein and try to stay away from simple carbs and processed food.  Both of us have been struggling with weight gain for 25 years.  Even with diet and exercise, we couldn't get back down to a healthy weight/body fat %.  My cardiologist has said I'm "very fit overweight guy."  

We started Zepbound last month, the weight loss version of the diabetes drug Mounjaro.  Of the current obesity drugs, it is the most effective by a slight margin.  My results have been pretty amazing.  My wife as well.  At $550 a month for each of us it is taking a slight financial toll on us but honestly I can't think of a better thing to spend money on.  While it has a definite physical effect on improving weight loss, the fact that it convinces your brain that you are full on much smaller portions of food and quiets the "food noise" cravings is what makes this so incredible.  

Problem is that you can't find this or the other obesity drugs anywhere.  My last dose from my previous prescription was friday and I can't source my next 7.5 dose from any pharmacy.  I've had CVS, Walmart, HEB search out to 450 miles away and nothing.  Eli Lilly, the manufacturer, is pumping out the starter dose of 2.5 and it's available, but none of the doses you titrate up to can be found.  I guess they want to maximize profits by getting you started and force you to stay at lower available dose so it slows down your weight loss from and keeps the $550 a month coming in for a longer period of time.  But, the stuff does work.  If you can find it.

This is me as well and my Dr. has said similar things to me.  Have you done any body scans to see what this has done to your muscle mass?  My big concern going on this would be losing more muscle (or as much) as fat.  Can you still get enough protein in your diet?

[Zone Read 299]

3 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

This is me as well and my Dr. has said similar things to me.  Have you done any body scans to see what this has done to your muscle mass?  My big concern going on this would be losing more muscle (or as much) as fat.  Can you still get enough protein in your diet?

I've been meaning to get a Dexa scan but haven't done it yet.  I'm getting about 120 grams of protein a day, but it's probably not enough.

[chainsaw 9,850]

I've read that muscle mass reduction is common on these drugs. Perhaps it can be avoided with time in the gym and hitting nutritional macros.

[UT_OB1 2,213]

Finally got my second bottle yesterday. As long as it took, I almost need to ask for another next week. 

Haven’t lost any more weight since first bottle ran out, but have gotten a little stronger and pants fit better.  

Was off for over a 6 weeks I think and doctor told me to just go ahead straight back to the 0.5 dose. Didn’t listen and went half way back to 0.375. Wish I’d started at 0.25. The heartburn/indigestion/nausea was pretty bad last night. 

[Herbie Hancock 7,341]

I've read that muscle mass reduction is common on these drugs. Perhaps it can be avoided with time in the gym and hitting nutritional macros.

You guys are wildly overthinking this muscle atrophy. When you lose weight, regardless of if these medicines are involved or not, some of that weight loss is muscle. You can’t build muscle in a caloric deficit. The top bodybuilders in the world, with the world class nutritional guidance and pumped full of the best drugs on the market, haven’t figured out how to lose weight and not lose muscle. Accept that you’re going to lose some muscle and strength.

[cabowabo 4,484]

58 minutes ago, Herbie Hancock said:

You guys are wildly overthinking this muscle atrophy. When you lose weight, regardless of if these medicines are involved or not, some of that weight loss is muscle. You can’t build muscle in a caloric deficit. The top bodybuilders in the world, with the world class nutritional guidance and pumped full of the best drugs on the market, haven’t figured out how to lose weight and not lose muscle. Accept that you’re going to lose some muscle and strength.

Agreed.  The trade off is worth it too.  Keep in mind, for most of you fat fucks it will be the first time you've seen your cock without the use of a mirror in decades.

[UT_OB1 2,213]

1 hour ago, Herbie Hancock said:

You guys are wildly overthinking this muscle atrophy. When you lose weight, regardless of if these medicines are involved or not, some of that weight loss is muscle. You can’t build muscle in a caloric deficit. The top bodybuilders in the world, with the world class nutritional guidance and pumped full of the best drugs on the market, haven’t figured out how to lose weight and not lose muscle. Accept that you’re going to lose some muscle and strength.

Correct. And you have to try a little harder taking ozempic because you just don’t want to eat as much, so you’re likely to lose it faster 

57 minutes ago, cabowabo said:

Agreed.  The trade off is worth it too.  Keep in mind, for most of you fat fucks it will be the first time you've seen your cock without the use of a mirror in decades.

[Deej 76,747]

There's three guys on this shit at my office who still eat three breakfast tacos a day and a full lunch.

"I'm going to see if my doctor will up my dosage."

Stop fucking eating, you pigs.

[Zone Read 299]

I've been on Zepbound for 4 weeks this Friday, down exactly 20 lbs.  I've been working out the same as before (Six 30 minute HIIT workouts a week, upper body and lower body 2 X a week and spin cycle cardio 2 X a week) but I'm definitely seeing some loss in muscle mass.  At age 62 I'm not sure how I'm going to regain that.  But my blood pressure is the lowest it's been in 30 years, so I guess it's a worthwhile trade off.

[UT_OB1 2,213]

19 hours ago, Deej said:

There's three guys on this shit at my office who still eat three breakfast tacos a day and a full lunch.

"I'm going to see if my doctor will up my dosage."

Stop fucking eating, you pigs.

I’m on a relatively low dose and I can’t imagine eating that much. 

[Js1 85,257]

20 hours ago, Deej said:

There's three guys on this shit at my office who still eat three breakfast tacos a day and a full lunch.

"I'm going to see if my doctor will up my dosage."

Stop fucking eating, you pigs.

And uh, would that work? Asking for a friend 

[Deej 76,747]

I have no idea. I'm just stunned at how much they all still eat. 

[Zone Read 299]

7 hours ago, Deej said:

I have no idea. I'm just stunned at how much they all still eat. 

That just sucks.  There are shortages of this medication for people who have legitimate obesity issues like me that work out, watch what they eat, etc.  It's not for pigs to continue to be pigs or to get down a dress size for your high school reunion.  Fuck these shitbags.  I hate humans.

[Deej 76,747]

Well, they are the biggest assholes in our office. 

[BurntOrange&White 39,929]

On 5/7/2024 at 7:34 AM, chainsaw said:

I've read that muscle mass reduction is common on these drugs. Perhaps it can be avoided with time in the gym and hitting nutritional macros.

I think the best strategy is to get down to desired weight and the medication helping that is overall better for your health. Maybe go 5-10 lbs lower than your target weight and once you reach, continue good diet practice and start to incorporate more weight training to build the muscle back up. This could also be dependent on your age as well.... Look at it as a process, not a quick remedy. 

 

I started my weight loss journey on Wegovy a little over a month and half ago. My dr prescribed it at .25 dose with 3 month supply because supply is hard to come by. It definitely helps curb my appetite but I have done a great job of trying to eat in a calorie deficit. IDK how true it was but I had a relative that told me her Dr told her that if you want to truly lose weight operate in the deficit. Take your target weight and multiply by 10 and that is the calories you should have per day. I may go 1500 calories a day to 1750 but weekends I probably get to 1750-2200 calories.

I've cut soda(even diet), most all fast food(If I do eat fast food I just be sure to stay under 500 calories. For instance if we get Whataburger I'll just get a 1 patty cheeseburger and only eat 1 side of the bun and that's my meal, no fries. I'm also not trying to go too strict on diet so that way I don't get burned out on diet and such but I do low carb options if available or try and limit the amount.

So far I am down 15 lbs(I'm not trying to lose too much too fast). So I went from 230 > 215, My goal is to be below 200 lbs by July or so....my ultimate goal is to be at 175.

This is my go to breakfast 18g protein, 150 calories, and 3g carbs. 
 

Spoiler

 

Edited May 10 by BurntOrange&White

[chainsaw 9,850]

26 minutes ago, BurntOrange&White said:

I think the best strategy is to get down to desired weight and the medication helping that is overall better for your health. Maybe go 5-10 lbs lower than your target weight and once you reach, continue good diet practice and start to incorporate more weight training to build the muscle back up. This could also be dependent on your age as well.... Look at it as a process, not a quick remedy. 

 

I started my weight loss journey on Wegovy a little over a month and half ago. My dr prescribed it at .25 dose with 3 month supply because supply is hard to come by. It definitely helps curb my appetite but I have done a great job of trying to eat in a calorie deficit. IDK how true it was but I had a relative that told me her Dr told her that if you want to truly lose weight operate in the deficit. Take your target weight and multiply by 10 and that is the calories you should have per day. I may go 1500 calories a day to 1750 but weekends I probably get to 1750-2200 calories.

I've cut soda(even diet), most all fast food(If I do eat fast food I just be sure to stay under 500 calories. For instance if we get Whataburger I'll just get a 1 patty cheeseburger and only eat 1 side of the bun and that's my meal, no fries. I'm also not trying to go too strict on diet so that way I don't get burned out on diet and such but I do low carb options if available or try and limit the amount.

So far I am down 15 lbs(I'm not trying to lose too much too fast). So I went from 230 > 215, My goal is to be below 200 lbs by July or so....my ultimate goal is to be at 175.

This is my go to breakfast 18g protein, 150 calories, and 3g carbs. 
 

  Hide contents

 

I haven't taken the plunge but over the past month there have been six people from different parts of my family/work network who have revealed to me that they're on one of these drugs. They all have only good things to say about it (so far). It also helps put into perspective how sneakily all those empty calories find their way into your mouth over the course of the day. At the end of the day they really add up, and it says a lot about how busy and distracted the average person is that we need a pharmaceutical intervention because our brains on autopilot will steer us toward obesity.

[BurntOrange&White 39,929]

12 minutes ago, chainsaw said:

I haven't taken the plunge but over the past month there have been six people from different parts of my family/work network who have revealed to me that they're on one of these drugs. They all have only good things to say about it (so far). It also helps put into perspective how sneakily all those empty calories find their way into your mouth over the course of the day. At the end of the day they really add up, and it says a lot about how busy and distracted the average person is that we need a pharmaceutical intervention because our brains on autopilot will steer us toward obesity.

I tend to agree....my biggest issue with dieting in the past is always feeling hungry and this medication has done wonders in helping curb the appetite enough to where if I feel hungry I can chug some water and get a "full" feeling. My snacks are generally a small handful of almonds, GOOD culture flavored cottage cheese, sugar free flavored greek yogurt, etc. Avoiding fast food and soda I think has been the biggest upgrade. I also highly recommend the Fairlife Protein shakes....

My BP before I started using this and the diet was around 140/90 and I'm on BP medicine as well as cholesterol. With my BP medicine my BP would be like 125/85ish but I recently had it taken yesterday afternoon where it would normally be higher but it was 115/75. 

 

I am hoping with the weight loss and dieting I am able to get off both of those low dosage medications and to have much more energy especially with my son on the way this July(the real true reason I want to lose weight).

Edited May 10 by BurntOrange&White

[Parliament 14,224]

Friend of mine in his 50’s has struggled with weight for his whole life.  Tried diet and exercise but just couldn’t maintain the discipline.

Got on one of these drugs. Few months back.  Made sure that the food he cut was anything but protein and veggies. Started a vitamin regimen just to be sure.

Lost 10 pounds, restarted a weight/cardio regimen and found it way easier to stay disciplined on.  He’s down quite a bit more now, but is likely up on muscle.  He loves it all.  He’ll tell you your discipline needs to go up, not down when you start Ozzy and worries he’s gonna bwcktrack.  Worries he’ll quit the S&C and go back to eating whatever he wants and ignoring macros.

So yeah I’m sure there are many (most?) people who will just take the pill, shrink and end up skinny fat.  And likely they’ll still be better off than when they were fat fat.

[Bullneck 2.0 43]

11 hours ago, Deej said:

Well, they are the biggest assholes in our office. 

[Deej 76,747]

9 minutes ago, Bullneck 2.0 said:

[Jerry Callo 8,694]

1 hour ago, Parliament said:

bwcktrack

*backtwack

[Chewbacca 7,764]

On 5/8/2024 at 7:10 AM, Herbie Hancock said:

You guys are wildly overthinking this muscle atrophy. When you lose weight, regardless of if these medicines are involved or not, some of that weight loss is muscle. You can’t build muscle in a caloric deficit. The top bodybuilders in the world, with the world class nutritional guidance and pumped full of the best drugs on the market, haven’t figured out how to lose weight and not lose muscle. Accept that you’re going to lose some muscle and strength.

I get all that, but I also understand how critical muscle mass is to living a longer, healthier life.  I've put in a lot of work at the gym to get my muscle mass up.  I want to keep as much of it as possible while dropping the fat.

[Parliament 14,224]

34 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

I get all that, but I also understand how critical muscle mass is to living a longer, healthier life.  I've put in a lot of work at the gym to get my muscle mass up.  I want to keep as much of it as possible while dropping the fat.

 

[MonkeyDoughnut 10,226]

Saw this today:

"Hims & Hers will provide patients with compounded GLP-1 drugs that start at $199 a month, or about 85% less than brand-name versions like Ozempic and Wegovy. The injectables use the same active ingredients as the branded versions, which currently are in short supply in some doses."

[chainsaw 9,850]

2 hours ago, MonkeyDoughnut said:

Saw this today:

"Hims & Hers will provide patients with compounded GLP-1 drugs that start at $199 a month, or about 85% less than brand-name versions like Ozempic and Wegovy. The injectables use the same active ingredients as the branded versions, which currently are in short supply in some doses."

Are they reputable?

[Sbbruin 21,824]

10 minutes ago, chainsaw said:

Are they reputable?

They do all sorts of knockoff ED drugs and I think hair loss drugs.  I think they're legit.

[MonkeyDoughnut 10,226]

2 hours ago, chainsaw said:

Are they reputable?

I'd say so, their market cap is $4B

[Buzzrock 14,901]

Henry Meds is another popular online option.

If I’m reading my health insurance website right, they now cover Zepbpund at $250 per month (if you can find it). Henry Meds offers compounded Zep for $350 (oral) or $450 (injection).

[chainsaw 9,850]

$3k per year I wonder if that's offset by reduced food costs.

[Chewbacca 7,764]

18 hours ago, MonkeyDoughnut said:

I'd say so, their market cap is $4B

There's a Theranos joke here somewhere.

[Buzzrock 14,901]

18 hours ago, chainsaw said:

$3k per year I wonder if that's offset by reduced food costs.

Story on CNBC this morning about food companies starting to make smaller portioned food with better macros (higher protein) to cater to Americans on these drugs. Projections of 10% could be taking these drugs by 2030. Seems low. 24% are on statins, which I suppose could drop as these weight loss drugs are more widely adopted. 

[Buzzrock 14,901]

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2024/05/21/nestle-to-launch-vital-pursuit-frozen-food-for-glp-1-users.html

[chainsaw 9,850]

27 minutes ago, Buzzrock said:

smaller portioned food

I want smaller portioned prices but I bet we won't see that

[UTGrad98 2,271]

What are all these people on questionable diagnoses going to do when the drug companies finish ramping production and the FDA takes semaglutide and tirzepatide off the shortage list? Is this how crack dealers work? 

[tigol 2,395]

Story on CNBC this morning about food companies starting to make smaller portioned food with better macros (higher protein) to cater to Americans on these drugs. Projections of 10% could be taking these drugs by 2030. Seems low. 24% are on statins, which I suppose could drop as these weight loss drugs are more widely adopted. 

This is extremely positive news for everyone.

Empty calories suck.

[Buzzrock 14,901]

2 hours ago, chainsaw said:

I want smaller portioned prices but I bet we won't see that

Bingo. I’m sure it will be marketed as premium. 

[crimsonlonghorn 2,306]

I haven't seen this thread before because I don't come to Surly as regularly as I used to... but... 

My personal story is that my doctor started me on Mounjaro last June and in the last 11 months I have lost 85 lbs.

I am 6-5 and have always been "big" but it was starting to get out of control as I got older and got further away from my football career. Was up to 360 and the doctor said I needed to do something about it. My goal is to get down to below 260, so I have another ~20 lbs to go.

In my late 20's after I was done with football I went on a big fitness kick and got down to 220 at one point and that was less than 10% body fat and very difficult to live with, so the doctor thinks "somewhere in the 250's" is a good place for me to be - somewhere just under 20% body fat - hence my goal. 

Have never been diabetic, so this has solely been for weight loss. The main issue was my blood pressure with the increasing weight. Now my doctor thinks I can get off the blood pressure medicine within the next month or so. 

As far as the cost, I am self-employed and have shitty health insurance, so this has been entirely out of pocket. $720 per month at Costco and entirely worth every penny. Luckily the money isn't an issue for me personally so I don't care if I take it for the rest of my life.

As far as the "secret", I lost weight as soon as I started on it, but the real secret, at least for me, is that I was able to regularly start fasting rather easily. Then the weight really started falling off. I now eat only between 4:00 and 8:00 most days, with a snack and then however big a dinner I want, which usually isn't very big because I get full easily. I also am able to completely fast 1-2 days per week and just don't eat at all for 36-48 hours. 

The drug also has some anti-inflammatory properties, so combine that with the weight loss and all of my old knee and shoulder pain has mostly gone away, too. 

It's a miracle of modern medicine.

[chainsaw 9,850]

4 hours ago, crimsonlonghorn said:

drug also has some anti-inflammatory properties

didn't know this. that's amazing! love to hear you're doing better

[pearlandhorn 3,269]

My dad got this stuff prescribed to him and he's been on it for a few months now.  He was about 300 lbs before and is now around 275.  He's 73 with high BP, type 2 diabetes, etc.  He lives about 4 hours away so I only see him about once every 3 weeks or so and I can tell it's working.  He has more energy, eats less (when I see him), but still doesn't exercise.  For some reason, he's embarrassed about it and hasn't officially told me he's on it (my mom told me he's on it).  No real side effects other than some pain at the site of injections.

[BurntOrange&White 39,929]

Officially down 20lbs after 2.5 months

[CleverNickname 1,308]

I'm going to try Hims compounded oral (or another telemetry outfit) when it's available in Texas. I'm out at >$300/mo, but if it's more like $100 I will try it. I'm 5-11, weighed 227. Just enough to put me into obesity. Nothing special to my story. Weighed maybe 190 when I got married. Kids and the usual +0.5 lb per year caught up with me. BP controlled with men's, hypertriglyceridemia (meds), and now just too fat, outting me into pre-diabetic. Thats 3 reasons to try it. My GP wants me to try and diet first, but said a semaglutide was not out of the question. Basically implied with my insirance out of pocket telemed probably cheaper than going through a conventional pharmacy. 

https://support.hims.com/hc/en-us/articles/25901088679707-Where-do-you-offer-your-Compounded-Semaglutide-GLP-1-treatment

[Zone Read 299]

32 lbs in 8 weeks.   1 shot and 6 HIIT workouts a week (weights and cardio). This stuff is amazing.  

[markstanco 12,570]

32 lbs in 8 weeks.   1 shot and 6 HIIT workouts a week (weights and cardio). This stuff is amazing.  

Is that okay/safe? Seems like a lot of weight in a short amount of time unless you were really large to start.

[chainsaw 9,850]

35 minutes ago, markstanco said:

Is that okay/safe? Seems like a lot of weight in a short amount of time unless you were really large to start.

I had the same thought