Does Ozempic permanently reduce a1c?

Well done on your weight loss. I think stopping Ozempic is something to discuss with your GP or diabetic nurse. However I would expect your HbA1c to increase. Are you taking any other measures to control it such as diet and exercise?

I was on Victoza, but had to change to Rybelsus tablets when the injections became unavailable. During the time between finishing the injections and building up to a therapeutic dose of Rybelsus, my blood sugars rose a little even eating less than 40g carbs per day.
I still think that you’ll have to take some other measures to keep control if you stop the injections. Do you check your blood sugars at home? Also do you have a plan what to do should you be unable to get more Ozempic due to the shortages?

Talya2022 said:

How does counting carbs work if you don’t mind explaining? Could it be as simple as not eating as big a portion of carbs ad you usually do? Just cutting back on carbs and not eliminating them?

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I don’t eat obvious carbs routinely, potatoes, pasta, bread, rice, cereals, unless they are low carb versions. I have one small roast potato with a roast as I know from testing that I can tolerate one occasionally. I eat low carb ‘treats’ such as chocolate, cakes etc… from low carb companies. I favour low carb fruits such as berries and avoid too much root veg, sticking to above ground veggies such as cauliflower and broccoli.
Have you read the low carb guide that one of our members @JoKalsbeek wrote, it explains the low carb way of eating in a very clear way:
https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html

Hi @Talya2022 .

Great results on weight loss.

I'd second @Rachox opinion, that BG would rise.
And maybe even put the weight back on.

Might now be a good time to research low carb while you're still on ozempic ?

I found this a valuable guide to less obvious swaps early on in my journey...(Lower numbers better )


As @EllieM says, for type 2, the best advice is test before meal & 2 hours after to see how we handle the meals & carbs.

Admittedly ozempic will muddy that water.

But if you were able to experiment & make some small inroads into dietary changes now, IF you ever wanted or needed to lower your BG without drugs or medications, you'd have some good grounding in how to and how difficult you might find it .

I have to say, I don't think you'll find big changes happen overnight if you do try it, I think my records showed visible improvements over a month or two.
(BG trending down & trousers began needing tighter belts )

Hope some of that helps.

Yes both my a1c went up and so did the weight I lost!

Talya2022 said:

The only way I can see me moving forward is by cutting back on quantity per meal as opposed to complete elimination

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Why do you think that?
Lots of us on here have found good ways of cutting carbs. It's very doable

If you come off it and continue eating like you were prior to being on it.. yes you will gain weight and you hba1c will go up.. and quite quickly.. this happened to my ex with a short period of time


If you eat sensible and keep active you may only see small fluctuations in hba1c, but everyone is different but ozempic is not ‘permanent’

What was your A1C before and what is it now?

There is a lot of evidence showing that losing weight very much helps with insulin resistance, which could mean you can tolerate more carbohydrates without your blood sugars staying high for too long after eating them. Everyone is different though.

You may consider getting a CGM - you can get a free trial of the LIbre 2 CGM from Abbott (assuming you are in the UK). You can then monitor what your blood glucose is doing 24/7 before and after meals.

The thing with Ozempic and other GLP-1 agonist's - you lose weight because it stunts your appetite. Basically, you are eating less, go into a calorie deficit, and your body does the rest using up energy stores to continue to function. I know people who have gone off it (due to supply issues) and literally the next day after they were due their injection, their appetite soared. Like, they were ravenous. Some people have the self control and managed to change their eating habits while on the drug, others cannot. YMMV.

You may well be able to go off it, but there is no cure for T2 diabetes - you can only keep it under control either through medication, diet, or both.

Whatever you decide to do - you must consult with your doctor. Don't take decisions on what some random internet people say as gospel. Other peoples experiences can be helpful - but what your doctor tells you should be based on science and best practice rather than individual anecdote. Don't ignore it as some sort of 'big pharma' conspiracy.