It’s been about two months since I started Ozempic.
I had mixed feelings even trying the medication. You can read more about that immediately below.
Ordinarily, new patients on Ozempic start at a 0.25 mg dose and stay on it for four weeks. Then, the dosage goes up to .50 mg.
Life dictated that I take a slower path. With all of the stress I’ve been dealing with regarding the unexpected new house overhaul, related financial concerns, getting my daughter home from Florida and then off to her summer job, and my husband traveling again…let’s just say I didn’t want to worry about the possible side effects of a higher dose.
What are Ozempic’s side effects really like?
So far, my experience with side effects has been tolerable.
Yes, I’ve had some mild nausea. No, I have not had to make unexpected visits to the porcelain god in my bathroom. And mostly, the discomfort happens within the first 24 hours of taking the medication or if I overeat.
Speaking of the bathroom, without getting into too much detail, I will say that staying well-hydrated is essential. Otherwise, things tend to get slightly backed up and/or uncomfortable. Or, just for a fun change of pace, the plumbing suddenly decides to do a switcheroo, and things move a little too quickly.
When they say to drink the water, THEY ARE NOT KIDDING. It will be your best friend.
Remember, I’ve been on the lowest dose. I’m unsure what to expect when dialing up my dose tonight. One of the reasons I give myself the injection on Friday nights is so I have some down time over the weekend to head things off at the pass.
My doctor wants to touch base in 4 weeks to determine if I’m ready to go up another dose. That’s standard procedure, I guess.
Have I started losing weight yet on Ozempic?
I may be one of the few people on the planet who managed to gain some weight in my first weeks on Ozempic. I never do things the easy way.
Now, my doc’s scale said I gained 13 pounds. My scale said 4. Fortunately, my doc for once believed there was something wrong with her scale because everything else looked excellent, including my blood pressure. 114/71, baby!
She also said that not everyone loses on the lowest dose. I must be one of those exceptional cases.
There are likely a few reasons for this. No food tracking, not enough water, lots of travel, stress, and lack of sleep. Even though I felt like I was making excuses, I got support from my primary doctor and therapist. That doesn’t happen often, so I know it’s time for a bit of grace.
I hadn’t been on a scale since April. That’s a topic for another day.
But, this morning, I faced the beastly box, synched it to my phone, and committed to getting on it every Friday morning. I need to track it as I move forward on this journey, especially with the medication.
I’ve also dialed up my tracking game. In other words, I’m actually being accountable for what I’m eating. I’m not counting calories or measuring everything. Right now, my objective is honesty in my choices and documenting them.
The ultimate goal, I believe, is to get back to making progress with less judgment.
Judgment is the gasoline on the dumpster fire that is my lower brain and inner voice.
I’ll stay in the slow lane for the foreseeable future. At least I feel like I have the car pointed in the right direction now.
I’ll keep the updates coming. Things should start getting more interesting in the near future.
I love the way you write! Keep up the good work. Slow and steady is the winner!
I love your honesty