Fat Jab

It's a Sarah Vine article so didn't get past the headline. I get the gist of it however. I wasn't out of shape when diagnosed so for me, it's about keeping discipline. I appreciate that this is is not the same for others so, if there's a better solution for them to control their condition such as getting rid of fat around the liver & pancreas without any serious side effects, then it has to be good.

OTR

Ozempic is a blood glucose lowering medication, not a weight loss medication. To my mind calling it a ‘fat jab’ is just symptomatic of the misconceptions and negative portrayals of those with type 2 diabetes and perpetuates the unhelpful stereotypes.

I must say that your comment that

Andy_Warlow said:

when some comes off it they will go back to their old ways.

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plays into that somewhat. I would hope that those reading this forum would have some understanding of the interplay between insulin resistance, dietary intake, weight and blood sugar levels.

(Edited to add missing word).

I find it interesting that the drug has been NICE approved in the UK to treat obesity of over 35 BMI, but is available for £250 privately for those under that BMI

Also, the article author is hypothyroid and found it worked well. Since hypothyroidism (and PCOS) slow the metabolism, the body uses less food to do more, and many sufferers are already eating small amounts and not seeing weight loss. There must be many in the same situation who would grab this treatment with both hands. Yet to eat even less, with less appetite, may have long term consequences for nutrition and overall health. I hope someone in NICE recognises this and sees the need for education on nutrition alongside a drug that reduces appetite in this way.

I read an article about this on the BBC website.
BBC News - Obesity: Appetite drug could mark 'new era' in tackling condition
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56011979
Semaglutide is being used to reduce appetite, but with diabetes it is used to stimulate an increase in insulin. So how does this sit with the belief that insulin causes weight gain?

Mr_Pot said:

I read an article about this on the BBC website.
BBC News - Obesity: Appetite drug could mark 'new era' in tackling condition
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56011979
Semaglutide is being used to reduce appetite, but with diabetes it is used to stimulate an increase in insulin. So how does this sit with the belief that insulin causes weight gain?

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it suggests to me that combining the drug with low carbing would be helpful, but it would also make me consider long and hard before accepting a prescription. I can see how it would help some without too much insulin resistance, but for those with severe IR... could cause other problems.

Mr_Pot said:

I read an article about this on the BBC website.
BBC News - Obesity: Appetite drug could mark 'new era' in tackling condition
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56011979
Semaglutide is being used to reduce appetite, but with diabetes it is used to stimulate an increase in insulin. So how does this sit with the belief that insulin causes weight gain?

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Well, the belief that insulin causes weight gain is wrong. Insulin is a hormone that enables the body to metabolise carbs. Low carbs means low or no weight gain.

Daibell said:

Well, the belief that insulin causes weight gain is wrong. Insulin is a hormone that enables the body to metabolise carbs. Low carbs means low or no weight gain.

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True for T1's and LADA, but not necessarily true in the case of T2's Some T2s have massive insulin resistance, and adding even more will cause them to gain fat. After months of low carbing I did a fasting insulin test. The result was still very high, so high that I cried, no wonder the weight just doesn't go. I also don't eat huge amounts so I am not sure suppressing my appetite would be healthy.

I haven't read the article but my thoughts are we here know a dietary change that may(will) help those overweight with insulin resistance. I believe that mediation is useful when there is no other alternative, or to start a program or to aid a program rather than to replace a program. When I started I saw low carb as a horrible but hopefully short term necessary penance to 'make up for my badness in being overweight'. I had already bought into the stereotypes. I already felt like a failure because though I counted calories I could not lose weight unless I was eating practically nothing and exercising for hours a day.

I don't feel like a failure anymore that has been changed by this forum. I have stalled on my weight loss for the moment so will have to get back to that but am staying about the same so that's ok. my levels are controlled. Once I leave my very very stressful job I think more weight loss and lower levels will come as well.

I don't want to perpetuate the stereotypes as that doesn't help and you shouldn't blame yourself for acting on the advice the medical professionals give you. If I had tried low carb before- who knows where I would be. I'm not sorry to be on this site though.

zand said:

True for T1's and LADA, but not necessarily true in the case of T2's Some T2s have massive insulin resistance, and adding even more will cause them to gain fat. After months of low carbing I did a fasting insulin test. The result was still very high, so high that I cried, no wonder the weight just doesn't go. I also don't eat huge amounts so I am not sure suppressing my appetite would be healthy.

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Hi. I agree with what you are saying but my point was that it's not the insulin itself that is causing the weight gain but the carbs. The insulin is 'merely' an enabler for the body to use the carbs. Without the carbs the insulin would make the body go into ketosis to get energy and in the this case insulin would cause weight loss not gain and possibly death. The reason I made my original point is that I've seen posts where the poster doesn't accept that a carb reduction is needed and blames the insulin for the weight gain he/she is suffering and hence doesn't take the best action to break the insulin resistance loop.

Hi all. The debate on insulin and whether it causes weight gain is interesting, but is derailing this thread. Please take that discussion elsewhere.

Thanks!

Daibell said:

Well, the belief that insulin causes weight gain is wrong. Insulin is a hormone that enables the body to metabolise carbs. Low carbs means low or no weight gain.

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The drug is supposed to encourage the pancreas to only release small amounts of insulin at mealtimes which may modify blood sugar swings that then cause excessive appetite for carbs?
This suggests that lowering insulin levels overall leads to weight loss but we already know an easier way to do that don't we and without side effects.
Not noticed anyone on this forum discussing the amazing weight loss capabilities of this or any type of diabetes drugs other than that caused by stomach upsets when taking metformin or the newer SGLT 2 inhibitors which help you pee out glucose.

If it costs £1500.00 to achieve the results, and from that point on it looks like a re-bound can occur, this is a bandage with risks (side effects). My view may not be popular, but I see it as a means to continue eating the obesogenic foods that created the condition after the trial period.

An alternative use of the £1500.00 could be a course with support on meal creation and mental aspects surrounding food choices.

Mr_Pot said:

I read an article about this on the BBC website.
BBC News - Obesity: Appetite drug could mark 'new era' in tackling condition
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56011979
Semaglutide is being used to reduce appetite, but with diabetes it is used to stimulate an increase in insulin. So how does this sit with the belief that insulin causes weight gain?

Click to expand...

it has a special way to affect insuline spikes only when having a meal , at the same time it in general lowers the rate in which the liver produces adding glucose, and also raises the feeling of being full by slowing the speed the stomack sends foods further on into the intestines... Novo Nordic is trying to have it accepted as a banting medicine as well.. it is the medicine that makes people loose the most at the time being... in a trial of 66 weeks most in the trial lost 10% of body weight; https://www.medpagetoday.com/primar...aERCPR3k3l_OfTKX3eywX0IG4LjgNqbJKoq5qpnmjFu3s

I am trying it at the moment but have only just started( 0.25mg) and not at the 1 mg level yet but already my appetite is much lower than before, I have lost 3 kg till now in 6 weeks. only by that eating when I am hungry and also some carbs
here in DK we only pay around 20 £ a month and the state pays the rest of around 100 £

but I do worry that one has to be on it forever...to keep results