Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer once-weekly injection for Type 2 diabetes. It works on the same targets in the body as Ozempic, plus an additional target. This results in greater A1C reduction and weight loss compared to Ozempic.
Popular Ozempic alternatives for blood sugar control include Mounjaro (tirzepatide), Trulicity (dulaglutide), and Rybelsus (semaglutide). If you're looking for Ozempic alternatives with the goal of losing weight, Wegovy (semaglutide) and Saxenda (liraglutide) might be an option for you.
Many people also experience weight loss, although these medications are not FDA-approved for weight loss. When it comes to choosing GLP-1 agonist medications, there are several available alternatives to Ozempic, including Bydureon (exenatide), Victoza (liraglutide), and Trulicity (dulaglutide).
Zotrim provides a more affordable, natural option for weight management at around $50 for a month's supply. Zotrim works differently than Ozempic. Rather than altering your blood sugar hormones, Zotrim reduces your appetite and cravings to help you feel fuller faster and longer.
Mounjaro Australian Price
In Australia, the retail price for a 4-week supply of Mounjaro (tirzepatide) typically ranges from $870 to $980 AUD, depending on the dose strength prescribed (5 mg, 10 mg or 15 mg).
Mounjaro (tirzepatide) can help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce weight in people with type 2 diabetes. Doctors may also prescribe it off-label for obesity.
These medications, including Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy (semaglutide) and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro (tirzepatide), are not covered by Medicare when used for weight loss. The 2003 law that established the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefits prohibits Part D plans from covering drugs used for weight loss.
If you stop taking Ozempic, the weight you lost will likely return, fast. People who ceased use of semaglutide gained back, on average, a full two-thirds of the weight they had lost on the drug within one year, according to an August 2022 study, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Ozempic® is a more effective drug than Saxenda®. As demonstrated above, semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic®) leads to more clinically significant weight loss and blood sugar reductions than liraglutide (the active ingredient in Saxenda®).
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).
It says there are no approved generic versions of these drug. However, an off-brand version of the drug has been seen at compounding pharmacies across the U.S. The FDA received reports of adverse events after patients used "generic" versions of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy.
Metformin is a good, first-choice medication for most people. But people needing help managing their weight or heart disease risk could benefit from a medication like Ozempic. It's also possible to take Ozempic and metformin together. If you're considering diabetes treatment options, talk to your healthcare provider.
As there is concern that stock levels of semaglutide for the TGA-approved indication may not accommodate off-label prescribing for other health conditions, doctors treating patients with obesity should continue to consider alternatives to semaglutide until supply is expected to stabilise after 31 December 2023.
A 2022 study found that most individuals gain weight back a year after stopping the medication.
Some of the most effective prescription injectable weight loss medications available include: Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy - these are diabetes drugs originally and now used to treat obesity. Although these injectable drugs can help users lose weight there are some dangers and caveats!
Contrave has an average rating of 6.6 out of 10 from a total of 1968 ratings on Drugs.com. 55% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 26% reported a negative effect. Ozempic has an average rating of 6.0 out of 10 from a total of 1019 ratings on Drugs.com.
You may need a higher dosage of Ozempic
The same holds true for Ozempic's weight loss results. People taking higher doses of Ozempic tend to lose more weight. In the landmark study we cited above, people lost 7% of their body weight, on average, within a year and a half of taking 1mg of semaglutide.
Taking Saxenda and Ozempic together can result in a spike in serious side effects, and increase your risk of rare complications. If you are thinking about switching between medications, do so under the careful guidance of your doctor.
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.
“GLP-1 medications [like Ozempic] are designed to be taken long-term,” explains Dr. McGowan. “They are chronic medications for the treatment of chronic conditions (both diabetes and obesity).”
Ozempic and its sister medication, Wegovy — approved for weight loss for people who are obese or overweight with weight-related medical conditions — are considered long-term or lifelong treatments.
Tirzepatide may be more effective at boosting weight loss, but it depends on you. Share your thoughts and concerns with your health care provider and any side effects you experience on either medication.
But Medicare doesn't cover Ozempic for weight loss — only for diabetes. Nor does Medicare cover Wegovy, a weight loss drug that uses the same active ingredient as Ozempic. In fact, Medicare doesn't cover any prescription drugs for weight loss.
Studies show that tirzepatide may lead to more significant weight loss than semaglutide. However, there are some major limitations to these findings. First of all, the clinical studies on these two medications did not use comparable doses. The researchers studying semaglutide used 1 mg doses.