Regardless of its reputation, listening to in regards to the lived expertise of somebody taking Ozempic continues to be fairly uncommon.
Stevie Cook dinner, a authorized assistant in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, has lived with diabetes for the previous 23 years. Recognized with kind 1 diabetes on the age of 10, they’ve been utilizing Ozempic for the previous 15 months for diabetes administration, along with insulin pump remedy.
Cook dinner sat down with us to share their story.
Ozempic is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) treatment that’s generally prescribed for individuals with kind 2 diabetes to assist handle blood glucose (sugar) and A1c ranges and to handle insulin resistance.
Whereas accredited for kind 2 diabetes, Ozempic has additionally seen off-label use in kind 1 diabetes instances to handle related points, resembling insulin resistance.
This off-label utility has contributed to its rising reputation amongst a broader vary of individuals with diabetes, though such use is just not formally accredited by the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA).
How did you get began taking Ozempic?
Cook dinner was occupied with exploring Ozempic for managing insulin resistance — a situation the place the physique requires extra insulin to take care of regular blood sugar ranges — and consulted their pharmacist, who believed it may very well be useful. Inspired by this, Cook dinner remarks,
“So I approached my physician to start the dialogue.”
Many individuals with kind 1 diabetes develop a stage of insulin resistance much like that seen in kind 2 diabetes, particularly after managing the situation for a few years.
Ozempic and different GLP-1 drugs mimic the motion of hormones which are naturally concerned in regulating starvation, emotions of fullness, insulin sensitivity, blood sugar ranges, and abdomen emptying. These hormones are usually poor in individuals with each kinds of diabetes, which might complicate administration of the illness.
Learn extra about this treatment in: Every thing You Have to Know About Ozempic.
This deficiency is why drugs like Ozempic will be helpful. They assist deal with insulin resistance and enhance blood sugar and A1c ranges (a measure of glucose management over the earlier 2 to three months).
Be taught extra about blood sugar ranges and A1c in: Blood Sugar Chart: Blood Sugar and A1c Targets.
Why did your physician need you to take Ozempic?
Overcoming doctor hesitancy is a major barrier for individuals with diabetes, particularly these with kind 1 diabetes, in accessing drugs like Ozempic. This hesitancy stems from the truth that Ozempic is formally accredited by the FDA just for managing blood sugar ranges in individuals with kind 2 diabetes.
Nonetheless, the underlying mechanism of motion of Ozempic — the way in which it impacts insulin secretion and blood glucose ranges — is analogous in each kinds of diabetes.
Consequently, many docs contemplate prescribing the treatment “off-label” (with out FDA approval). That is significantly widespread for individuals with kind 1 diabetes who’re coping with insulin resistance and protracted excessive blood sugar ranges.
Analysis is ongoing to judge the effectiveness of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic for treating kind 1 diabetes, with the hope that these research will result in FDA approval for this use. Such approval would simplify entry to those drugs for everybody with diabetes.
Cook dinner recounts,
“My physician wasn’t too eager on prescribing it at first, however agreed we must always strive it for insulin resistance and gave me a 3-month prescription to start out. That was 15 months in the past.”
Did you expertise any unwanted side effects? Do you continue to?
Ozempic may cause quite a lot of opposed unwanted side effects, particularly when first beginning the treatment. Cook dinner skilled a few of these results, noting,
“I had a whole lot of nausea and vomiting for the primary three to 4 weeks, however that has since dissipated.”
It is not uncommon for individuals to expertise unwanted side effects initially after they start taking the drug. These unwanted side effects of Ozempic can embody:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Decreased urge for food
- Low blood sugar (particularly in case you additionally take insulin)
Sometimes, because the physique adjusts to the treatment, these unwanted side effects usually subside on their very own. Nonetheless, it’s necessary to pay attention to uncommon however severe unwanted side effects, resembling extreme gastrointestinal issues, and talk about any persistent or worsening signs along with your healthcare supplier.
Be taught extra about potential unwanted side effects in: Ozempic Facet Results: What You Have to Know.
Has your diabetes administration improved since taking Ozempic?
Ozempic has been efficient for Cook dinner in not solely reducing blood sugar and A1c ranges but additionally in curbing blood sugar spikes.
Cook dinner shares their expertise:
“I don’t expertise vicious excessive blood sugars as usually now, and once I do, they’re much less ‘sticky’ — they don’t keep excessive for as lengthy, and the crash down isn’t as extreme.”
Thanks to those enhancements, they’ve continued utilizing Ozempic for over 15 months, demonstrating the treatment’s long-term effectiveness in bettering each blood sugar ranges and total diabetes administration.
Did something shock you about taking Ozempic?
Whereas Cook dinner anticipated some opposed unwanted side effects from Ozempic, they have been pleasantly shocked by how efficient it’s for managing their blood sugar ranges.
Regardless of a nationwide scarcity of the treatment in the USA, Cook dinner reviews that they didn’t encounter any difficulties acquiring Ozempic in Canada. They plan on taking the treatment for the foreseeable future.
Is the treatment reasonably priced for you?
One of many more difficult features of managing diabetes with drugs like Ozempic is their price. Cook dinner notes that with out insurance coverage, the treatment could be unaffordable. In the USA, for instance, the record worth is $935.77 monthly.
They are saying,
“I’ve an important advantages plan by way of my employer, however at first they might not cowl Ozempic as a result of I’m a sort 1 diabetic. My physician supplied a word, which they nonetheless denied. I then spoke to my insurer instantly and defined the scenario, they usually accredited it underneath my protection.”
Navigating the complicated prior-authorization course of to safe mandatory drugs will be irritating. Luckily, by way of persistent negotiation and clear communication, Cook dinner efficiently secured protection for his or her Ozempic prescription.
Do you may have any suggestions or recommendation for individuals trying to take Ozempic?
Cook dinner gives an important piece of recommendation:
“If price protection is a matter for you, I like to recommend being pushy about it along with your insurer. In case you are a long-time kind 1 diabetic and expertise insulin resistance, advocate for your self! Inform your physician you suppose it’s value making an attempt, and word your unwanted side effects and advantages totally in your physician’s assessment.
Be constant along with your injections. And don’t let anybody inform you that you simply’re ‘simply taking it to shed weight.’ Individuals don’t need to hear that it may very well be useful, they simply suppose we’re being useless. Self-advocacy will be difficult, however it was value it for me!”
Last ideas
Navigating the complexities of diabetes administration requires extra than simply following a prescribed medical routine.
Cook dinner’s expertise with Ozempic underscores the necessary function of self-advocacy and customized care in managing power situations like diabetes. Regardless of the hurdles, Cook dinner’s persistence in overcoming doctor hesitancy and insurance coverage limitations highlights the significance of advocating for your self within the healthcare system.
Cook dinner’s journey additionally highlights the evolving panorama of diabetes therapy. With the off-label use of the drug in individuals with kind 1 diabetes, there’s hope for extra individuals to entry this efficient medication.
