Taking OZEMPIC for TYPE II Diabetes

If you are a Type II diabetic taking daily pills to control your diabetes there is a once-a-week shot available.  The shot is not an insulin shot.  With insurance, the shot is around $25 a month.  The shot that I am featuring in this post is called Ozempic.  There are similar versions of the drug available.  The shot is administered in the fatty tissue area of the stomach. It is relatively painless, less than the feeling associated with pricking your finger.  The injection can be administered using .25mg, .5mg, or 1mg injections.  The good thing about the Ozempic option is that it can free diabetic patients from having to take a pill every day.  If your doctor prefers that you continue taking Metformin, for patients that take more than 500 mg, it reduces your Metformin dosages.  Some diabetics do not respond well to Metformin, feeling nausea, and weak each time they take large dosages. The shot is more expensive than the cost of Metformin and is sometimes taken in conjunction with Metformin – some doctors have their patients continue taking Metformin to provide additional protection for the kidneys.   

The question is does it work?  There is data listed on RXlist.com about the effectiveness of Ozempic.  I know people that stand by the drug.  I know people that have high sugar levels while taking it.  If you are taking Ozempic or another non-insulin, weekly shot for diabetes please leave a comment about the effectiveness of the drug.   A list of side effects for both Metformin and Ozempic are listed on RXlist.com.  I have included the information posted on the RXlist.com site in this post.  The content in this post is not meant to be interpreted as medical advice.  The information in this post is only for information purposes.  You should talk to a doctor about taking Ozempic and Metformin to determine if the drugs are right for you.  For me, I am starting my third week using Ozempic.  Today, my starving number is 215.  I am taking Ozempic weekly and a 500 mg Metformin pill daily. My average sugar readings run around 170.  I will update this post in a few weeks to share how Ozempic is working for me. 

SIDE EFFECTS (Cunha, 2017).

WHAT ARE SIDE EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH USING OZEMPIC?
The following serious adverse reactions are described below or elsewhere in the prescribing information for OZEMPIC:

Risk of Thyroid C-cell Tumors

[see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]

Pancreatitis [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS] Diabetic Retinopathy Complications

[see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]

Hypoglycemia with Concomitant Use of Insulin Secretagogues or Insulin

[see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]

Acute Kidney Injury [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS] Hypersensitivity [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS] (Cunha, 2017).

WHAT ARE SIDE EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH USING METFORMIN?

Side effects of metformin include:

• physical weakness (asthenia)
• diarrhea
• gas (flatulence)
• symptoms of weakness, muscle pain (myalgia)
• upper respiratory tract infection
• low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
• abdominal pain (GI complaints), lactic acidosis (rare)
• low blood levels of vitamin B-12
• nausea
• vomiting
• chest discomfort
• chills, dizziness
• bloating/abdominal distention
• constipation
• heartburn

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 (Cunha, 2017).

                               The above risk information is taken from www.RXlist.com

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References

Cunha, J. P. (2017, 12 18). OZEMPIC. Retrieved from RXlist.com: https://www.rxlist.com/ozempic-side-effects-drug-center.htm#overview