Anyone on the Ascend Plus trial?

Start of week 6

Started my 2 month supply of 7mg tablets this week, gone back to mild queasiness, reduced appetite and still burping a lot, also noticed a reduction in bowel movements. I'm in no discomfort but can go 4 or 5 days without going to the loo, I'm not sure if this down to a reduction in food intake or the medication or a combination of both. What foods are good for increasing bowel movements?
I have lost a further 2 1/2 lbs and I'm now 13st 1lb from 14st when I started, I feel better for the weight loss, feet don't ache and seem to have more energy, the dog is now getting 2 x 3 to 4 mile walks a day.
Photo was taken on the set of a new Netflix film coming out shortly that was filmed locally to me this summer. Just added for cuteness

I'm hoping, as on the 3mg tablets after 3 weeks my appetite will return as the weight loss long term is unsustainable my goal weight is 12st 7lb anything under that and I start to look gaunt. Currently if I eat a sandwich at lunch time I struggle to eat an evening meal so I'm currently not eating a great deal through the day maybe just some olives and cherry tomatoes which enables me to take my other medication that should be taken alongside food, I know long term eating 1 meal a day cannot be healthy either.
My blood sugars are still remaining on average around 5 to 5.5 which I'm really pleased with and looking forward to my next Hba1c test.

minervaT2 said:

Hi all, I just wonder whether all of you got an invitation letter to join the trial. Is there a way to participate the trial without the invitation letter, please. It seems I am eligible (I am type2, living in the UK) but not received invitation letter.
Thanks.

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Not sure if you’ve had any replies but I think the answer to your question is no. I’ve been on the trial for about 6 months now and suggested to ascend they might want to contact my sister in law as she’s also diabetic. They said effectively it didn’t work like that, you have to be ‘invited‘. I think I’m on the trial because I’m registered on the NHS website as being available for medical trials. Funny but not long after I started the Ascend trial I had an invitation for another diabetes trial, obviously I had to turn it down.. age, and ‘diabetic‘ health or complications don’t seem to be a problem, I’m 77, so that wasn’t a problem. If you are not already registered on the NHS suggest you register for clinic trials, you don’t have to accept any you are offered!

Love the picture of your golden retriever @Scubastu We used to have them, they're beautiful dogs

Hopeful34 said:

Love the picture of your golden retriever @Scubastu We used to have them, they're beautiful dogs

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Thanks, He's the first one we have had, they are gorgeous and such loving dogs. Don't love the amount of hair they shed though

Scubastu said:

Thanks, He's the first one we have had, they are gorgeous and such loving dogs. Don't love the amount of hair they shed though

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No, that's very true. I don't miss that, or the vet bills.

Lilak said:

Had blood tests last week, HbA1C is now down to 34, so a massive drop, and confirms I am on Semaglutide and not the placebo.
Also, have lost just over 12kg since I started the trials, and wife says I am looking gaunt.
She's also worried because I have lost a lot of muscle tone.
I am constantly tired, with no energy, and have recently started yawning all the time, which isn't nice when in company.
In addition, I have really bad bouts of nausea, which is worrying especially when there is nothing else that could have caused it.
I may come off for a few months (enough time for next HbA1C test), see if anything changes.

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Try taking protein shakes in the morning...I've found them very helpful

lillypink said:

Try taking protein shakes in the morning...I've found them very helpful

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I have been on the Semaglutide tablets now for 3months started at 3mg (green box), now on the 7mg (red box) tablets, they are quiet new, and only made by one company in Demark (Rybelsus), so my doctor told me.
The 3mg tablets brought mine down to about 15, but was still a bit high, now getting average of about 7 taking the 7mg tablets. I find they really taste awfull, and it takes ages to get rid of the taste, and some nights I have been sick, and it's all I can taste in my mouth. I take one first thing in the morning, then 1hr later for food, and the others. I hope this stronger dose settles down.

jmj243 said:

Hi I think I am on the real stuff as the tablets taste awful and still have little appetite. On my 4th randomised bottle now and apart from losing initial weight this has plateaued somewhat but glucose readings still lower than they were before stating the trial.
The past 2 Mondays I have found myself vomiting all morning every 20 minutes until lunchtime. I cannot put my finger on the reason, not eaten anything different, has anyone else found this cyclic vomiting at all. Apart from the 'perhaps you are allergic to mondays' ha ha, I cannot think of what this can be. Puzzling....

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I'm wandering if it's maybe a roast or heavy Sunday dinner you might be eating?

Applecore1 said:

Hello,
I just registered on the site, came here looking for people’s experience of Semaglutide as I started the ascend plus trial.
Only day 8 for me at present but decided to make The most of this by starting changes to my diet - as I appreciate that it is not a miracle drug but if used properly it might help your own efforts. So far that is definitely the case, whilst I usually obsess about food and have a problem with snacking and sticking to my plan I am finding this week has been different - feels a lot easier this time, early days but I am hopeful that I can stick to my plan longer this time and achieve some results.
I have had some side effects, I think I describe it as queezy and rather than nauseous, some light headedness, feeling a bit tired, burping a lot.
I have found in last couple of days that ginger tea and occasional sip of non alcoholic ginger wine is helping.

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Hello, are you still doing the ascend plus clinical trial? I have been on it for 8 months. I have lost 7 kg and I am happy. However I am still having stomach pains, headaches and regular hypos. I intend to stick with it . Thanks

Start of Week 7
Appetite seems to be better but still not back to normal and feeling full after a meal is still persisting, if i have a sandwich or light lunch I do not want to have an evening meal. Which is resulting in further weight loss, now down to 12st 12lb this morning which is another 3lb lost.
I still feel full of energy so I am not too worried but do not want to go below 12 1/2st, has anyone spoken to their clinical team about dietary advice and how or what to eat to stop the weight loss?

Scubastu said:

Start of Week 7
Appetite seems to be better but still not back to normal and feeling full after a meal is still persisting, if i have a sandwich or light lunch I do not want to have an evening meal. Which is resulting in further weight loss, now down to 12st 12lb this morning which is another 3lb lost.
I still feel full of energy so I am not too worried but do not want to go below 12 1/2st, has anyone spoken to their clinical team about dietary advice and how or what to eat to stop the weight loss?

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Hello, I also had excess weight loss. I contacted Ascend Plus and the 14mg was reduced to 7mg. It’s been 3wks since this change and I have yet to weigh myself to find out whether this arrangement worked. However, I have noticed that my appetite has increased. The brutal after effects remain with me.
All the best

COCO26 said:

Hello, I also had excess weight loss. I contacted Ascend Plus and the 14mg was reduced to 7mg. It’s been 3wks since this change and I have yet to weigh myself to find out whether this arrangement worked. However, I have noticed that my appetite has increased. The brutal after effects remain with me.
All the best

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I may contact the Ascend+ team myself as I find the 14 mg pretty nauseating ( literally ) and constipating.
What has helped me is to take Fybogel morning and evening and that has eased my constipation - I will cut back to one sachet per day. when jhabits become more stable.

Start of week 8

My weight has continued to fall I'm now down to 12st 8lb if I loose 1lb that will be my goal weight. I need to figure out how to introduce more calories into my diet whilst still feeling like I don't want to eat due to the semaglutide. My blood sugars have gone up but I have had a water infection.

Same here im in the randomisation period, ist week but got a horrible feeling im on a placebo which does not help me at all for my health, will give it another week and keep a close eye on my BG levels, Thing is anyone with diabetes type 2 will probably think it is a waste of time taking a placebo.

Does anybody no for sure if the tasteless ones are placebo mine are tasteless and like others I’m gutted wanted the real thing

Kayrai said:

Does anybody no for sure if the tasteless ones are placebo mine are tasteless and like others I’m gutted wanted the real thing

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I don’t think anyone can be 100% certain but I’ve been on randomised for over a month and mine are tasteless too. Then again I never got much taste from the 3 & 7 mg either but I did glug them straight down! The telling thing for me since starting randomised is the lack of side effects constipation / diarrhoea), being more hungry and able to eat larger meals, weight starting to inch up again, BS going up and loss of that feeling of wellbeing I had on the 7mg.
I would give it a month and compare your feelings then to how you were in the lead in phase.
I understand that you feel gutted, me too.
I feel that the lead in phase gave me a look at what the normal me should have felt like all my life. Looks like we both might have drawn the short straw.
If you do end up feeling that you’re likely on placebo, the only option would be to come off the trial and see if you can qualify on NHS or go private. Hopefully things will change, let’s hope it doesn’t take 5 years! Good luck.

Hi I'm on my 3rd month on randomised pills....sometimes I can taste the bitterness and sometimes I can't and I know they don't mix the tablets once your on them......I feel I'm on the real thing as still constipated...Still losing weight...3 stone now since the very beginning.....can still be sick if I don't eat properly and I can only eat small amounts otherwise I pay the price.

Start of week 10

I have just completed the end of randomisation survey, so I guess I will be receiving my randomised tablets shortly. I like everyone else hope I am on the real tablets, although not looking forward to going up to 14mg and back to having side effects.
Some of the survey questions were quite strange and I would have thought should have been asked at the start of the trial like weight for example, given I have already lost 1st 7lbs. The 7mg tablets took some getting used to around 6 weeks for me, my appetite has returned a little and I feel good BS levels are as though I am non diabetic although do have to be very careful over my insulin intake and have several hypos. I have my annual diabetic check up booked for Friday so I am looking forward to seeing what my HBA1C readings are.

Sally66 said:

Just thought aid start a discussion here for anyone on the Ascend Plus trial by Oxford University.

Started my “Run In” phase yesterday and so far so good. No side affects other than fatigue. How are other folks doing?

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Hi I noticed you started a year ago, how are you doing now? I have only started this week.

Nan Ann said:

Hi I noticed you started a year ago, how are you doing now? I have only started this week.

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I found it took about a week or so to feel the effects of taking the tablets, then a couple of weeks to get used to it. Then the dose is doubled and it took me a few weeks to get used the higher dose.