Wegovy

[Redbone55]

My Nephrologist suggested that I start taking Wegovy for obesity. No matter what I seemed to do eating healthy, exercise and smaller portion (it just not working for me) concerns of at some point this may not be healthy on my transplanted Kidney. Has anybody used the weight loss injection Wegovy, (i.e I did check with my Transplant team, they stated that it was okay for me to take). If so how long have you been on it and did you have any side effects?

[Tankjsl]

I do not have an answer for you, but I have thought about the same thing of asking my doctors the same question. One thing that I would ask you is are you on any type of steroid? steroids will increase appetite and weight. It will also cause you to retain fluid added to the weight.

Best of luck and again I will be very interested in see if anyone replies with the answers you are looking for.

[Redbone55 in reply to Tankjsl]

Yes I am on Prednisone 5mg that I take every day for the past 3 years.

[Bax509 in reply to Redbone55]

I am on same dose and about 3 years out. When asked, my transplant team and regular nephrologist both told me that dosage of Pred does not really affect weight/appetite.

[PostivelyJo in reply to Bax509]

I don’t agree eiyh this st all. I was on 5mg for 2 years and eventually persuaded my team to let me stop. I’m very glad I was able to . Of course it’s not always possible to do it but I benefitted hugely .

[Redbone55 in reply to PostivelyJo]

I wish that I could get off Prednisone, however my Doctor told me that I would probably be on it for it is a part of my transplant regiment medication. I have definitely gain some weight. My Primary Care Physician told me that YES Prednisone can put the weight on even if you are on a low dosage, because you are taking it everyday. So there are some draw back. I am just going to continue to PRAY for the best.

[littlelinda50]

I have not taken that but I am on phentermine it's a pill for weight loss. I started at 155lbs and so far I am down to 133 lbs. I still have another 15 to 30 pounds to loose. I am only 4 feet 9 inches tall so me only weighing 103 is okay. Have you checked on Reddit to see if anyone has taken it and the side effects? Or Tik Tok? Even Facebook? Once I get to the weight I need to be they have to come up with something else for me to be on because I have Addison disease and it causes my brain to think I am hungry when I am not and the steroids don't help me with weight either. Good luck.

[Redbone55 in reply to littlelinda50]

Thank you so much for your reply. Continued success on your weight loss journey!🙂

[redpanda67]

Hi Redbone 55.

Sorry in advance, my posts are always long - the bad part of living alone and working from home.

I have been taking Ozempic for about 18 months. I only take 1mg/ week and I've dropped about 50 lbs, my creatinine has gone from 2.0 - 1.5, my A1C went from 6.2 to 5.1, I'm off BP meds, and my lipid profiles have greatly improved. I've had a kidney transplant for almost 20 years and my weight has been a problem for most of that time. I hit 190 two years ago and my A1C was getting close to 6.2. I had a very good diet before starting Ozempic, but I had the typical prednisone issue of being hungry 24/7 and wanting to eat an entire cake after dinner. While I could control the hunger a lot of times it took an enormous amount of daily mental energy to deal with it. Ozempic helped to remove that burden.

My endocrinologist prescribed it for "transplant related steroid induced diabetes". Because I take prednisone, and have been for 20 years, I was classified as a type 2 diabetic based on different criteria than a typical TD2 diagnosis. This diagnosis was important because 1) the insurance company now covers my meds and 2) it opened up other resources through my insurance and medical providers.

My experience with Ozempic. - Side effects are real and they will get better with time, but they will come back with each higher dose. I was on the 0.5mg for 6 months before increasing to 1mg. I had daily nausea, sometimes so severe it would keep me awake. I had vomiting at least once a week. I have some food that I can never eat again for whatever reason. Mexican food from two different local restaurants has sent me to the ED twice because of severe dehydration. Constipation and diarrhea are other side effects and for some, it can be severe.

I've been on 1mg dose for over a year and the side effects have been gone for about 6 months. However, it probably has more to do with changing how and what I eat rather than the side effects disappearing. Most other people I talk to taking Ozempic know if you eat too much, or foods with too much salt, fat, or sugar in one sitting you will still get sick. If you are a foodie, you may have problems because food becomes more about sustaining your body rather than getting joy out or eating. I eat the same thing every day and I'm fine with it. I know a few people who stopped taking Ozempic because they lost the enjoyment they had of trying new foods and going to restaurants. The myth that you lose a ton of muscle with Ozempic is also not true, anyone who loses fat also loses muscle if you don't weight train and exercise at the same time.

Having a transplant you must be hyper-aware of your body and know if you are heading into a bout of diarrhea or vomiting because you can become dehydrated easily. My doctors also prescribed Zofran which prevents nausea and vomiting which I would take if I was having a really bad day. I found digestive supplements and teas that help calm the nausea - all approved by the transplant pharmacist. In order of least to most severe symptoms, I start with papaya enzyme tablets which help calm my digestive system, then I drink mint tea, followed by ginger tea. If I still feel bad I then take the Zofran. - please check with your transplant team. Ginger interacts with tacrolimus, I take rapamune so I don't have a problem.

The good - In addition to the increase in kidney function, better A1C, and overall health I also found that I had fewer intestinal issues than I used to. I would get bouts of diarrhea, gas, and bloating so severe I wouldn't want to leave the house. I will also say that I didn't lose any weight for the first 3 months. I was not concerned about weight loss, I was concerned about my blood sugars killing my kidney.

I started keeping a health diary years ago because I used to get bizarre symptoms from time to time and wanted to make sure it wasn't related to my transplant. I also use it to track other issues like gout, if I'm feeling a bit depressed, blood pressure ect. This helps a lot to see patterns and also know if side effects are getting better or worse. It helped a lot when starting Ozempic because I realized I had to be careful the 1-2 days after my injection and not eat a bunch of crap or I would get sick. I also noted the food I was eating when I had problems and stopped eating them. Like meat made me sick for about 3 months.

I hope this helps. Ozempic/Wegovy can be a great addition to your drug regime to help with not just weight control and to prevent/treat diabetes, but also kidney and heart health. It takes time to adjust and not all people will have the same side effects or the same intensity. Also remember, just like your transplant meds once you start you're on it for life.

[Redbone55 in reply to redpanda67]

Thank you so much and I definitely did not mind the long response. You definitely gave me a lot of insight of the weight loss management injection. My transplant would of never suggested Wegovy, and they knew each and every time I went to my appointment, my labs were good, but I struggle with trying to sustain a certain weight. I am 5"2 and my weight is 180 and I know that is on the obesity scale to the point I was getting very nervous that it would effect my kidney, (something that I definitely don't want to happen). It wasn't until I started going back to my local Nephrologist and he suggested it to me, and I am grateful because he saw the struggle. If I have to be on Wegovy for the rest of my life. I am fine with that, it is just another medication that I have to add to my regiment each day. Continue to strive each and every day!🙂 Many Blessings🙏

[ShyeLoverDoctor in reply to redpanda67]

Thank you so much for this post RedPanda. Honestly it makes me want to cry because I want ozempic but I don’t want to deal with the possibility of nausea and struggling with dehydration or constipation—I’ve taken so many drugs in my life and have battled to deal with side effects and I am just damn sick of it. I do not want to have to go through this ordeal. My life is hard enough as it is. I was doing mostly OK post transplant after the first 4 months, I was even exercising vigoriously for an hour three times per week! Then they decided to put me on beta blockers without telling me it can cause serious fatigue. Some days it’s all I can do to tidy some around the house.I had to stop exercising that way, all I can do is walk. I feel weak again. I thought it was just my hemoglobin dropping or low iron or something but - my nephrologist said “It’s your beta blocker.” My cardiologist never warned me and honestly I kind of hate him for doing this to me. I finally said I refuse to take this drug anymore you have to get me off it. I know it takes time to taper down because if you withdraw a beta blocker too fast you can get a heart attack. I just passed 11 months post transplant and I can’t really enjoy my life I am so so tired. I’ve also been in the hospital 3 times after my transplant. I’ve lost count of how many ER visits. Even my transplant coordinator says she feels bad for me and most patients do not have this much trouble.

So as much I want to lose weight, I just cry at the thought of having to endure this gauntlet of getting used to ozempic. I’m not ready to put myself through more suffering. My A1c is 5.4 right now, and my GFR is 80.

I’ve gained 20 pounds post transplant. I know eventually I’m just going to have to deal with this but…

[Bax509 in reply to ShyeLoverDoctor]

Bless your heart - I'm so sorry you've had such a rough go. I wonder if a different beta blocker or different dosage might have a better outcome?

[sugabear]

My husband used to take ozempic and now he takes mounjaro. He has not had much weight loss on either drug, but they do help with his A1c, especially the mounjaro. If you start any of this class of drugs, please make sure to discuss it with your transplant team and increase your water intake. When my husband started these drugs, his creatinine shot up and he had to increase his water intake. Doctors will tell you that these drugs don’t impact your kidneys, but what they can do is cause dehydration, which will impact your kidney numbers.

[Redbone55 in reply to sugabear]

Yes thank you for your reply. YES my transplant team (after they said it was okay for me to take but never prescribe it for me) and my Nephrologist said that I need to stay hydrated because you can definitely get dehydrated and I have to increase my labs more often to check my level. Blessings 🙏

[ShyeLoverDoctor]

Prednisone not only makes you hungry, it changes metabolic pathways in your body to make it prone to weight gain.

My nephrologist said he has quite a few transplant patients on it.

I just dread the side effects. I got a prescription for it, filled it, and it sat in my fridge for an entire year because I’m positive I’ll feel sick if I take it.

[Redbone55 in reply to ShyeLoverDoctor]

Thanks for your reply. I had the same apprehension about taking it myself. Right now I am on the lowest dose, I believe that it will go up on dosages at some point. Nephrologist want to see which one works better for me. Thanks goodness I have not had any side effects as of yet, I can't say that it won't happen once the dosage does go up. Right now I am willing to try I believe it would be beneficial for me at this time. My weight is just increasing by the day it seems like (LOL) which I know that not good for me or my new kidney. Good Luck on your journey. Stay healthy and Blessed!!🙏

[ShyeLoverDoctor in reply to Redbone55]

They usually try to increase your dose bit by bit until you get to one that is effective for you. If you’re still gaining at the lowest dose, you need to go up.

[Redbone55 in reply to ShyeLoverDoctor]

Yes my Nephrologist did go up on the dose, I have not taken it yet, but I will in about 2 more weeks. As far as side effects on the lowest dose have been fine, hope it is the same on the next dose, but whatever works for me. "I HOPE IT WORKS" Have a Happy Memorial Day! 🙂 Stay safe and healthy.

[HSV21]

I take Ozempic and am on the highest dose, 2.0 . I never got sick every day, but do have dry heaves or a little vomit usually at least once during the week after injection. The worst side effect for me is constipation, no matter how much water you drink (I drink 60-90 oz /day). My doctors say to take a capful of Miralax in my water, which I try to remember to do. Otherwise I end up with Dulcolax. I have slowly lost 35 lbs over 20 months and have plateaued now for 6 weeks. My dietician says that is normal and one day it will just suddenly drop off. I need to lose 20 more lbs for transplant, and would prefer to lose 50. So I will stay on it. What others said is true, if you eat too much at once, or too much fat, sugar, or wrong stuff, you will throw it up. But not everything you eat or every time you eat all the time. To me it is a miracle drug because I have tried everything for 20 years and only kept gaining weight. This is the first time I have lost weight. And I tried the phenterine drugs too. My nephrologist said I must have gastric bypass surgery, that is the only way I would lose weight. And that is when I found Ozempic instead. My A1C is perfect and has stayed below 6.2, my other vitals are doing well, lipids are good. I highly recommend Ozempic-type drugs.

[Redbone55]

Thank you so much for your input on this matter. I have been getting mixed opinions about this drug (Wegovy), but like you said for me it has been hard to loose weight, no matter what I do it just seems like the pounds won't come off or I constantly keep gaining weight and I am only 5"2. I have been on Wegovy now for a month at the lowest dose. I will be starting the next upgraded doses in a few weeks. I am kind of nervous about the side effects, but I think the outcome for me outweighs my option of continuous weight gain. I am really looking forward to loosing the weight. I know that I have to be patient and put in the work as well. Again Thank you! Stay healthy and be blessed!🙏