Ozempic took the world by storm as one of the most powerful medications for reducing both blood sugar and body weight. It was FDA-approved in 2017 as a type 2 diabetes medication, but its massive success at weight loss triggered a global phenomenon. 

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It’s not approved for chronic weight management, even though it’s often talked about as a weight-loss medication. Its impact on appetite leads to weight loss, but it’s specifically made for those with type 2 diabetes. 

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Now, it’s also shown to help prevent major heart attacks and strokes in type 2 diabetes patients with heart disease. Plus, it can help protect against the progression of chronic kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes. 

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Thanks to its widespread and off-label weight-loss use, it’s now becoming more available online through telehealth providers.

Sometimes, we can feel like a slave to our appetite. There are days when it feels easier to eat healthier, but others when it feels like we have zero control. Those days also tend to be the ones that make us feel worse about ourselves. We question our willpower and sense of self-efficacy (our belief that we can do the things we set out to do). 

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Except, changing our eating habits isn’t usually about willpower. It’s about very slowly building in healthier habits — so slowly that it doesn’t feel restrictive or overwhelming. It’s a process that takes time, understanding, education, mental health care, and nutrition support — which is part of why medications that lead to fast weight loss are so popular. 

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These medications impact our appetite, making us feel less hungry. The internal battle of how much and when to eat can die down, since food just seems less important. 

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Ozempic does this with a lab-made ingredient, semaglutide. It mimics a natural hormone that regulates your appetite, GLP-1. This is the hormone your gut releases when you eat, telling your brain you’re full. It also keeps food in your stomach for longer, making you feel physically full for longer, too. 

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However, it comes with its risks, and appetite returns once the medication stops.

The cost of Ozempic depends on your insurance plan. Otherwise, without insurance, it’s up to the manufacturer and your eligibility for their savings programs.

The medication comes in pen form, injected weekly in either your abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. Ask to be shown how to use it by your healthcare provider. 

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You’ll likely start at the lowest dose and gradually increase over time (a process called titration). This gives your body a chance to adjust so the side effects aren’t as severe. 

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The initial dose is usually 0.25 mg once weekly for four weeks, then increases to 0.5 mg. If more blood sugar control is needed, your provider might increase you to 1 mg and later 2 mg, with four weeks between every increase. 

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Always take your medication as prescribed and update your provider on your results or any issues.