You're not suppose to admit to being on weight loss injectables. Especially not Ozempic.
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You're supposed to say things like "oh, you know I'm just eating less" or "no, no I haven't lost that much weight ..."
Only, I have lost a lot of weight, and in a short amount of time (23 kilos in five and a half months to be exact). Because I'm on off-script weight loss injectables. Right now, that's Ozempic.
And, if I'm completely honest I both love and hate them at the same time.
What am I going on about?
The love part is very predictable. When I went on them I was obese, I had two babies in two years and I felt like my body wasn't my own anymore. I'd gone to my doctor, exasperated and told her to just "sign me up for that sleeve surgery".
Luckily for me, my doctor is a very smart woman (and a mother) so she understood and got me into the Orange Health Weight Clinic, where Dr Catherine Crane and I decided weight loss injectables were the right fit for me.
My response to the drug was very quick. I started on a milder injectable during the Ozempic shortage (explained in the video in this story) and once I'd lost my first 20 kilos I moved on to the stronger Ozempic, which I remain on to this day. I still inject in my belly fat, once a week.
The kilos were dropping off me. It was extraordinary and I was starting to feel like me again. I had more energy for my kids. I wasn't so food focused. I started running again! Everyone was paying me compliments. All my old clothes fit. I hadn't been this trim since 2016.
What I didn't foresee is how my relationships would change. A lot of my social life was focused around food. I loved cooking for people and sharing recipes with people.
My husband and I bonded over a fancy dinner out or cooking something delicious and decadent on the weekend.
All of a sudden, I was nauseated or vomiting the instant I ate too much, and I didn't feel hungry anymore. The amount I ate was tiny, so I was no fun to eat with. What's more, I didn't think about food. I had to consciously think about feeding my kids for the first time.
And I miss that part of me, the fun foodie Grace. It's a loss of identity similar to the feeling you have when you have your first baby.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is THAT drug. The one that Amy Schumer and a certain Twitter owner have admitted to using and the one Khloe Kardashian and Jessica Simpson have denied using.
It was traditionally created for diabetics. It slows the metabolism down, keeps you feeling fuller for longer and changes your taste buds a bit. All helpful methods to stop eating "too many calories".
I asked my bariatric doctor, Dr Crane, founder of the Orange Healthy Weight Clinic, to explain it.
"There are two injectable medications that are approved for the treatment of overweight and obesity," she said.
"Liraglutide (Saxenda) and Semaglutide (Ozempic). Both have been around for a while."
Liraglutide was approved as a treatment in Australia for overweight and obesity around 2016 whereas Semaglutide (Ozempic) was approved for the treatment of type two diabetes in 2020.
"Semaglutide has been used around the world for many years to treat overweight and obesity but was only 'approved' by the Australian regulators in September 2022. Ozempic is being used 'off-label' for overweight and obese people," Dr Crane said.
Many people would have read about the shortage of the medication around the globe. With many diabetics complaining they were no longer able to get access to their preferred drug.
Dr Crane attributes the shortage to supply and demand issues. The demand is large because the medications can be "very helpful, but the Australian market is tiny and so not a priority for drug companies," she said.
"Also Australia has been slower than other countries in approving Semaglutide for the treatment of overweight and obesity and so this has also delayed supply."
The stigma around weight loss injectables
I've been quite open about my journey with weight loss injectables. Anytime anyone comments on my weight loss I attribute it to the injectables. Despite many other factors contributing including my change in diet and exercise regime (the stuff you'd probably expect).
There's still a bit of a stigma around the injectables, something I would liken to those who have had weight loss surgery. Some people view it as taking the "easy way out" and believe I must be afraid of hard work.
Dr Crane believes the stigma is around weight.
"For the longest time people have been blamed for being overweight or obese. That this is a lifestyle disease, the sufferers are lazy and should just eat less and move more," she said.
"But we now know that overweight and obesity are chronic health conditions much like high blood pressure and it requires lifelong care. The greater community would never expect somebody with high blood pressure to manage their condition purely with increased motivation and dreams."
The weight loss injectables have the potential to be lifechanging for the right person.
"Should we turn [patients looking to loose weight] away and say go away put on 20 more kilos and develop diabetes and then come back and we will help? That makes no sense," Dr Crane said.
"In the correct patient populations who meet criteria (a body mass index over 27) then guidelines would support the use of medications to treat overweight and obesity.
"We know that genetics determine 40 to 70 per cent of weight and obesity needs to be managed like any other medical condition," she said.
I should say I am grateful I have had the opportunity to take the drug and how it has changed my life. At the end of the day Ozempic doesn't care if I love it or hate it...
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Grace Ryan
Deputy Editor at the Central Western Daily, Orange. You'll mostly find me tinkering in social media and newsletters. Working hard to get our stories in front of your eyes.
Deputy Editor at the Central Western Daily, Orange. You'll mostly find me tinkering in social media and newsletters. Working hard to get our stories in front of your eyes.
