Ozempic and Trulicity are both used to help improve blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Two well-known GLP-1 medications in the UK and U.S. are liraglutide (Saxenda®) and semaglutide (Ozempic® and Wegovy®).
Possible Ozempic alternatives include Bydureon (exenatide), Victoza (liraglutide), Mounjaro (tirzepatide), Tanzeum (Albiglutide), and Trulicity (dulaglutide).
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).
Extra supplies of the diabetes drug Ozempic, which is highly sought after for weight loss, should arrive in Australia by July, according to the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
Liraglutide, sold as Saxenda, and semaglutide, sold as Ozempic and Wegovy in Australia, are both glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, which means they act in the same way as a naturally occurring hormone that reduces appetite.
Saxenda is an approved weight loss medication, and is readily available in Australia. Cost is approximately $387 a month. The knock on effect from the Ozempic shortage, is that Trulicity which is manufactured by Ely-Lilly is now in short supply.
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.
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.
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.
As well as regulating medicines, the TGA also regulates the advertising of therapeutic goods to the public in Australia. Prescription-only medicines such as Ozempic can't be advertised to the public in Australia.
A worldwide shortage of semaglutide began to affect Australia in early 2022 when Novo Nordisk couldn't supply enough Ozempic to meet an unexpected increase in demand due to both high use in type 2 diabetes and off-label prescribing for weight loss.
Semaglutide supplies in Australia will be limited until at least June 2023.
So What's the Difference Between Ozempic and Saxenda? The key difference between these two types of weight loss injection is that Ozempic is injected once a week, whereas Saxenda must be administered daily. Ozempic (Semaglutide) acts for longer, which is why it doesn't need to be taken so often.
Semaglutide, which is taken as a weekly injection that is self-administered, helps people with type 2 diabetes to control their blood sugar and in many cases also lose weight.
On the PBS, Ozempic costs Australians about $42 a month (four weekly injections). On a private prescription, the cost is about $132 a month.
Experts said they consider Ozempic and Wegovy to be lifelong medications.
Some individuals may actually gain more weight after stopping an obesity drug than they initially lost, Conde-Knape added. Studies have similarly shown weight rebound in people who stop taking Ozempic.
“There's a warning here: You take this drug and you lose a lot of weight. But you need to stay on it for the rest of your life. Are you willing to do that? And if you get off of it, the chances are really good you're going to go right back to where you were,” Heymsfield told Verywell.
For most people, stopping Ozempic cold turkey is not recommended. When to stop Ozempic is an individual decision you should come to with the help of your healthcare provider. If your health provider agrees it's time to stop taking Ozempic, they will provide you with instructions for tapering off your dose.
“Ozempic face” is a term for common side effects of the type 2 diabetes medication semaglutide (Ozempic). It can cause sagging and aging of facial skin. A doctor may recommend lifestyle modifications or facial fillers to treat these effects.
You start feeling those usual hunger pangs again, and consequently, you may start eating more to satisfy that hunger. An increase in your consumption can lead to the regaining of weight that was lost. A 2022 study found that most individuals gain weight back a year after stopping the medication.
Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) can cause side effects that some people are unable to tolerate. Following dosing guidelines can help manage these side effects. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are the most common semaglutide side effects.