Almost daily “miracle” weight loss from injections of Ozempic and Wegovy are reported. However, those miracles come at physical and financial costs.
Success Stories
Social media is filled with stories of weight loss using these drugs. However, there is also clinical data illustrating their success.
Results vary depending on the amount of the drugs issued and the length of the trials. However, UCHealth reports those using the drugs under a doctor’s care lose an average of about 12 percent body mass.
Wegovy or Ozempic Face
The success stories of weight loss using Ozempic and Wegovy have been followed by more cautionary tales.
The Times reports cosmetic surgeons in London are seeing an upsurge in patients wanting facelifts as a result of Ozempic or Wegovy treatments.
Those patients are experiencing what has come to be known as “Wegovy or Ozempic face”. That occurs when fat is lost from the face. Like a deflated balloon, the skin can wrinkle.
Ozempic and Wegovy Similarities
Both Ozempic and Wegovy are self-administered once a week.
Ozempic is prescribed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, Wegovy was developed for the treatment of obesity.
The two drugs are similar. The main difference between them is the amount of semaglutide they contain. For instance, Wegovy can have more than twice the semaglutide as Ozempic.
National Weight Loss Problem
Harvard University reports that one out of three Americans are obese. Add overweight people and the figure jumps to two out of three.
If your body mass index (BMI) is 25 to 29.9 – you are considered overweight. Furthermore, a BMI of 30 and is considered obese.
To calculate your BMI, you can use a mathematical formula. That formula is: weight divided by height squared times 703. However, you can also use a free BMI calculator, such as the one furnished by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Weight on Healthcare
Obesity costs the U. S. healthcare system almost $173 billion a year, according to the CDC.
The reason obesity is so costly is that it can lead to serious diseases and health conditions. Obesity is associated with poorer mental health outcomes and reduced quality of life, reports the CDC. In addition it is linked to diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease, and stroke.
Costly Proposition
Once you begin taking one of these drugs, you probably have to continue using them the rest of your life. Otherwise, you will regain the weight you lost.
A lifetime of using Ozempic or Wegovy will be expensive. Unfortunately, insurance plans do not currently cover the medications. Without insurance, the average cost is about $15,000 annually, reports UCHealth.
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Max K. Erkiletian began writing for newspapers while still in high school. He went on to become an award-winning journalist and co-founder of the print magazine Free Bird. He has written for a wide range of regional and national publications as well as many on-line publications. That has afforded him the opportunity to interview a variety of prominent figures from former Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank Paul Volker to Blues musicians Muddy Waters and B. B. King. Max lives in Springfield, MO with his wife Karen and their cat – Pudge. He spends as much time as possible with his kids, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
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