Get a prescription from your HCP: The first step is to get a prescription from your HCP. They will provide you with a prescription that you can take to your local pharmacy. Purchase from a local pharmacy: Once you have your prescription, you can purchase Ozempic® from your local pharmacy.
Currently, Ozempic is only approved for use in people with type 2 diabetes. However, doctors may prescribe Ozempic off-label for weight loss. For this purpose, they may prescribe the drug to someone who does not have type 2 diabetes.
There are natural alternatives and over-the-counter (OTC) diet pills that can help you to do this. PhenQ and Zotrim are two of the most notable examples. Zotrim is a herbal appetite suppressant that has outperformed prescription drugs in clinical trials. PhenQ is a powerful natural appetite suppressant too.
Advertising prescription medicines such as Ozempic is prohibited. If you see any Ozempic products being advertised online this is a clear warning sign that the advertisement could be a scam. You can report illegal or questionable practices online to the TGA.
How to Get Ozempic in Australia. Ozempic is a highly sought after drug for managing diabetes and weight management, but it is important to know that it is prescription only. In Australia, this means you will need to speak with your doctor and have a prescription written up before you can start taking Ozempic.
There has been a global shortage of Ozempic since early 2022 because of an unexpected increase in consumer demand because of off-label use of the drug for weight loss.
Liraglutide (Saxenda) – similar to ozempic but given as a once daily injection. Naltrexone/Buproprion (Contrave) – a medication that decreases both hunger and cravings. Orlistat (Xenical) – rarely used anymore due to unpleasant side effects. Phentermine (Duromine) – a mild stimulant, which suppresses appetite.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has advised that limited supplies of Ozempic have now arrived in Australia. It is expected that from late next week some pharmacies will have stock.
Metformin
Metformin is a widely used first-line medication for treating type 2 diabetes and can also be considered a lower-cost alternative to semaglutide (Ozempic).
Possible Ozempic alternatives include Bydureon (exenatide), Victoza (liraglutide), Mounjaro (tirzepatide), Tanzeum (Albiglutide), and Trulicity (dulaglutide).
Mounjaro is a more effective drug than Ozempic. As demonstrated above, tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Mounjaro) leads to more clinically significant weight loss and blood sugar reductions than semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic).
You need a prescription to buy Ozempic, which you can complete using a simple online form.
It's also approved for use in people with a BMI of 27 or greater, who have an accompanying overweight- or obesity-related condition, such as high blood pressure or sleep apnea,” Dr. Dominguez says. Ozempic is sometimes prescribed off-label for weight loss but is mostly used to treat people with diabetes, she says.
Medicare doesn't cover Ozempic (or Wegovy) for weight loss
Over 40% of U.S. adults age 60 and older are considered obese, according to 2017-2020 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite the prevalence of obesity among older adults, Medicare won't cover weight loss drugs, including Wegovy.
How Long Can You Stay on Ozempic (semaglutide)? A person can stay on Ozempic® so long as they are tolerating the medication and it is deemed appropriate by their treating provider. There is no specific time frame when someone should stop taking Ozempic as it is a medication that is intended for chronic (long-term) use.
If you have private or commercial insurance, such as insurance you receive through an employer, you may be eligible to pay as little as $25 for a 1-, 2-, or 3-month prescription (maximum savings of $150 per 1-month prescription, $300 per 2-month prescription, or $450 per 3-month prescription).
So, on average, with the recommended starting Ozempic dose of 0.25 mg, a 500 to 1000 calorie reduced diet, and exercise 3 times a week, you can expect to lose 3-5 pounds in the first month of treatment, which works out to about 3% of body weight for most overweight or obese individuals.
If you qualify for insurance coverage, Ozempic can cost as little as $25 for a monthly supply. However, without insurance, Ozempic costs around $892.06 per month, on average (NovoCare-a, 2022).
Following the DA communication, health professionals have now been asked to prescribe and dispense Ozempic for only those adults living with type 2 diabetes.
From 1 July the medicine Ozempic® (semaglutide) will be listed on the PBS as a new treatment option for type 2 diabetes. Ozempic® is a new once-weekly blood sugar (glucose) lowering treatment for the treatment of patients with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes.
On the PBS, Ozempic costs Australians about $42 a month (four weekly injections). On a private prescription, the cost is about $132 a month. According to the medical news website WebMD, Ozempic can cost uninsured Americans more than a $US1000 a month and many flock to Canada to save $US700 a month.
Ozempic stimulates the release of insulin and lowers blood sugar. When you abruptly stop using it, the amount of glucose in your body can spike, especially if you have diabetes. Some may end up in the ER due to sheer exhaustion from the blood sugar spikes and crashes.
Ozempic was developed to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels but it can also lead to significant weight loss of 15 to 20 per cent of body weight in some people.
Mounjaro has been studied head-to-head against Ozempic. After 40 weeks, people taking it saw a better reduction in hemoglobin A1C levels (average blood sugar over 3 months) compared to Ozempic. And they lost more weight, too. Mounjaro is only approved to treat Type 2 diabetes for now.
Its popularity for weight loss is hurting those who need it most. Telehealth and social media are playing a significant role in driving demand for Ozempic, a prescription drug that treats Type 2 diabetes, experts told CNN.