quote:

This stuff has the potential to decimate insurance prices if insurance is forced to pay for it since you have to be on it your entire life.

An observation and a question. I don't think decimate is the right word. And am I to understand that once started you're essentially addicted to it? What happens if you stop? I can see somebody using it just for the weight loss, achieving their weight goal and deciding they don't need it any more. Yes, the commercials, accompanying literature (if any) and even the doctor probably say not to do that, but who listens?

I'm beginning to think big pharma is one of the most evil/destructive forces ever unleashed on humanity.

quote:

quote:
This stuff has the potential to decimate insurance prices if insurance is forced to pay for it since you have to be on it your entire life.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I doubt insurance companies will go broke. They are in the business of DENYING care. Prior authorization and requests for additional information are some of their tools. Insurance companies deny life saving care all the time.

There are large groups of people suffering the side effects of this class of drugs.

Most of those reports involved gallbladder issues, but a new group is suffering from stomach paralysis.

Among other things, there is a group that can no longer have a solid bowel movement.

We should see the lawyers any day advertising on TV for people to join their class action.

quote:

Originally posted by sig2392:

We should see the lawyers any day advertising on TV for people to join their class action.

I’ve been noticing class action lawsuit commercials for several weeks around here for users of Ozempic, and Wegovy (identical drug to Ozempic, just labeled as for treatment of obesity).

Makes one wonder who will be sued? Novo Nordisk, a Danish company, for making it? The FDA for approving its use in the US? Your doctor for prescribing it? Is the suit for Ozempic for diabetes management, Wegovy for weight loss, or both?

My guess is the FDA will give you the finger and the lawyers go after the big bucks, Novo Nordisk.

Typically everyone is sued and names removed later if needed.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:

quote:

This stuff has the potential to decimate insurance prices if insurance is forced to pay for it since you have to be on it your entire life.

An observation and a question. I don't think decimate is the right word. And am I to understand that once started you're essentially addicted to it? What happens if you stop? I can see somebody using it just for the weight loss, achieving their weight goal and deciding they don't need it any more. Yes, the commercials, accompanying literature (if any) and even the doctor probably say not to do that, but who listens?

You can stop it but the vast majority of people who do gain the weight back and then some. One of the other problems is that with a lot of people the stomach paralysis that kills your digestive system so you lose weight doesn’t always come back to normal function.


A problem that is just starting to surface is the fact that most of your sense of well being and good feelings (forgot the name) are created in the gut and without the gut functioning properly you don’t get those good feelings and there’s a growing number of suicides that are just now being tied to that.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
I doubt insurance companies will go broke. They are in the business of DENYING care. Prior authorization and requests for additional information are some of their tools. Insurance companies deny life saving care all the time.

They have a massive lobbying arm of their business that is now working on politicians to get this drug covered for weight loss and if that happens it’s game over. Our government already sets aside mor money for healthcare than it does for the military and some of the numbers that people are talking about this one drug are just staggering.

It’s already the most valuable company in the EU and they are in the infant stages.

I dont feel sorry for insurance companies. When the CEO makes enough to pay for medical care for every child in Minnesota something is broken. The insurance companies have more lobbyists making sure the profits continue with Medicare Advantage. MA programs have been their cash cow.

quote:

Originally posted by 229DAK:
Makes one wonder who will be sued? Novo Nordisk, a Danish company, for making it? The FDA for approving its use in the US? Your doctor for prescribing it? Is the suit for Ozempic for diabetes management, Wegovy for weight loss, or both?

My guess is the FDA will give you the finger and the lawyers go after the big bucks, Novo Nordisk.

Not sure whom they’re targeting, I honestly haven’t really paid close attention to the commercials. I just remember hearing Wegovy specifically, which is what kind of caught my attention somewhat.

IMO it is a little too early for lawsuits. Mostly anecdotal reports. Gastoparesis has been mentioned but there are no longer term studies. If the side effects are horrendous they pull the drug off the market. Obesity is a huge factor in healthcare and if it is successful there will huge profits and improvement in the health of our nation.

quote:

Originally posted by sse:
I'm beginning to think big pharma is one of the most evil/destructive forces ever unleashed on humanity.

Not evil, just unrestrained capitalism. The almighty dollar.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by sse:
I'm beginning to think big pharma is one of the most evil/destructive forces ever unleashed on humanity.

Not evil, just unrestrained capitalism. The almighty dollar.

What they did with the covid "vaccines" is evil.

I know numerous people on this or some semi glutide. This stuff works. Everyone I know has lost a ton of weight. They lose weight mostly because they don't eat as much. They tell me that if they overeat they end up feeling bad, stomach and bowel issues so mostly they eat much smaller portions.
The biggest comment I hear is change in bowel movements. Over time if people truly are having horrible side effects it will be readily apparent because it seems like every other person is on it in some form.

Since I had the colon cancer I asked my Dr about it to see if it would help me be more "regular". He basically said he wouldn't recommend it for me for that but he went on to say how effective it is with very few side effects other than what I mentioned above.

I agree that losing weight without meds is preferable. However, I suspect that for an obese society, the loss of large amounts of weight is way more beneficial than the side effects unless those anecdotal really bad ones are true. No one I know has had anything like what you describe.

You also are completely incorrect that you have to take this for life. Not true. You get to your goal weight and you can come off the drug. Whether you maintain or not is up to you.

I am not going to join your hate club on this one yet. Every single person I know on semi glutides are completely happy with them and have lost a ton of weight which is a healthy outcome regardless of the use of the drug.

Let us wait and see if those doom and gloom side effects are the reality before condemning this drug. As for killing the insurance market, it isn't covered generally for weight loss so people are paying out of pocket. That won't kill anything.

FWIW, my doc and I discussed it and he gave me a Rx for Wegovy (the GLP-1 actually authorized by FDA for weight loss). Joke is on me anyway. Can’t get it anywhere (at least the starting doses). BC/BS authorized it. No pharmacies have it.

NovoNordisk says they’re manufacturing and shipping it on their website, but the pharmacies all say it’s been backordered for months and if you actually call ND, they confirm that. So… no miracle weight loss for me. Just have to keep up with the diet and exercise thing (which I was doing anyway).

-Rob

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by sse:
I'm beginning to think big pharma is one of the most evil/destructive forces ever unleashed on humanity.

Not evil, just unrestrained capitalism. The almighty dollar.

What they did with the covid "vaccines" is evil.

I agree. Then there's the pill, more recently transition drugs, to name a few, then the drugs to allegedly cope with the other drugs. A vicious evolution that has turned the populace into a psychotherapy nightmare.

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:
You also are completely incorrect that you have to take this for life. Not true. You get to your goal weight and you can come off the drug. Whether you maintain or not is up to you.

Don't you see: This is exactly the problem. (Aside from whatever damage the drug may do to your system.)

If somebody is artificially discouraged from over-eating, rather than developing discipline and making necessary lifestyle changes, when that crutch is removed they'll likely go right back to what got them fat in the first place.

Saw this, first hand, with a woman with whom I used to work. Grossly obese. Turned to a belly band. (Because "nothing else worked," right?) While the belly band was in place she was obliged to be on a highly-restrictive diet. Her body simply wouldn't tolerate the kind of diet that got her obese. She also joined a gym and started working out.

It worked. She lost a bunch of weight, was looking much better, and her mobility was much improved.

Then the belly band was removed.

Next thing you know she's back to snacking on crap all day long at her desk. Had stopped working out. By the time I retired, a year or so later, she was as obese as ever and back to waddle-hobbling around again.

quote:

If somebody is artificially discouraged from over-eating, rather than developing discipline and making necessary lifestyle changes, when that crutch is removed they'll likely go right back to what got them fat in the first place.

^^^^^^^^
Excellent point.Americans are like that. Better living through chemistry. Does not work in mental health, People believe they have"chemical imbalances" as opposed to problems in living.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:
You also are completely incorrect that you have to take this for life. Not true. You get to your goal weight and you can come off the drug. Whether you maintain or not is up to you.

Don't you see: This is exactly the problem. (Aside from whatever damage the drug may do to your system.)

If somebody is artificially discouraged from over-eating, rather than developing discipline and making necessary lifestyle changes, when that crutch is removed they'll likely go right back to what got them fat in the first place.

Saw this, first hand, with a woman with whom I used to work. Grossly obese. Turned to a belly band. (Because "nothing else worked," right?) While the belly band was in place she was obliged to be on a highly-restrictive diet. Her body simply wouldn't tolerate the kind of diet that got her obese. She also joined a gym and started working out.

It worked. She lost a bunch of weight, was looking much better, and her mobility was much improved.

Then the belly band was removed.

Next thing you know she's back to snacking on crap all day long at her desk. Had stopped working out. By the time I retired, a year or so later, she was as obese as ever and back to waddle-hobbling around again.

I agree. I don’t understand people who clearly didn’t watch the video argue with those about the video. It’s one thing to watch with a closed mind and have an opinion on your own biases but to not even watch it and then have big opinions is kind of silly.