Getting Ozempic knockoffs from compounding pharmacies with a prescription from an online doctor

OP, good for you, if you can afford it. I'm with Bernie on this one. You shouldn't have to pay that much to get a drug that has the potential to dramatically impact your health and well being.

I'm in a different boat. I'm a Type 1 diabetic -- diagnosed late in life in my early early 40s -- sometimes colloquially known as "Type 1.5". And my doctor thinks I may be becoming insulin resistant -- having to take ever increasing amounts of insulin every day to diminished results, despite doing everything else (diet, exercise, rest) correctly. He's had a lot of success adding GLP-1's (like Ozempic) to the regimens of patients with similar profiles as mine, as they can reduce your A1C and reduce the amount of insulin you need, but it is always a battle with insurance to get it covered since they're only FDA approved for use on Type 2 patients. And, the drugmakers aren't rushing out to do trials with Type 1 patients because we're apparently a less profitable pool than those with Type 2 and/or obesity sufferers. So frustrating.

But, still, happy for you! Let us know how it goes for you!

Ignoring the doctor and designing your own treatment protocol, dosing, etc, seems like the best way to go! 🤡👍

I just can't with these until there's more long-term data.

"Ignoring the doctor and designing your own treatment protocol, dosing, etc, seems like the best way to go!"

Grandma used a pill splitter and lived to her early 90s with fantastic mobility and mental sharpness. I'm kind of ok with a DIY approach, since the actual approach - same treatment plan for everyone - isn't really thought out well to start with.

Grandma also went to church every Sunday, so she was in God's good graces. Do *you* go to church every Sunday, whore?

[quote] was supposed to take increasing doses of semaglutide every week in 4 week tranches: 2.5 units for weeks, then 5, then 10, then 20.

That’s an overdose, OP

I'm sure that's what my online Nigerian doctor prescribed, R6.

I think the doctor was in Indiana, R7. Illinois, maybe? But an "I" state for sure.

R3 there is plenty of data. Ozempic has been around for qb years.

Ugh haven’t had my morning coffee. I meant 10 years at r9.

I found a grub under a rock this morning..

OP, that's about 1.4 lb a week weight loss. You need expensive drugs to lose that little?

I’ll no longer be able to hear about semaglutides without thinking of this…

I watched that episode yesterday R13. It was very good.

Trey Parker could use some Ozempic.

r12 not the OP but if they are insulin resistant then yes.

Are you still shovelling MacDonald's down your gob OP?

R2 is spot on.

It's definitely possible to do this, because when a drug is in shortage, companies are allowed to make a compounded version. I've been fighting with my insurance company to try and get them to cover Wegovy but they deny it - I guess their CEO needs another boat or something. So because of this I've gone to Hims and they have it for $200/month (if you buy a 12 month supply).

Good for you, OP.

what is "Hims", please?

Hims.com is a website that started out giving erectile dysfunction pills via Telehealth visits. Now they've grown and have started multiple healthcare lines including weight loss, hair loss, and the like.

I used ro.com

I have a prescription for Mounjaro but can’t find it at any reputable pharmacy near me!

I did find a place near me but I don’t know anything about the place. They charge $45 for a 30-minute telemedicine appointment and sell Mounjaro at $550 for a 5 week prescription. Even with Goodrx, it will cost me $1000+/4 week dosage, IF it’s ever available.

"Mounjaro!" (1954)- A dashing explorer (Charlton Heston) travels to Africa with a team to scale Mt. Rybelsus and find the mythic Novo-Nor Disc for Sheik Wegovi (Edward G. Robinson). But he gets sidetracked by the beautiful temptress Zepbound (Ava Gardner). Queen Ozempia: Agnes Moorehead. And introducing Tony Curtis.

Your doctor should be able to send the scrip to any compounding factory, but just be careful, if you can find a lab that does injections check the FDA site first to see if it's nasty, a lot of them are. California has laws making it expensive or hard to get from a compounding factory, but other states make it a lot easier. In AZ I pay $200 (not covered by insurance) for a little vial; although they say it expires my doctor was like "yeah it's still good" and it is, it lasted about 3 months, I'm on my second vial. I started in Dec at 220 because I'm a fat pig and I'm at 165 today, goal is to get to "not overweight" on the BMI. I'm super responsive to it though, I'm still at 1.25 (or 12.5) and 1.5's side effects are too strong.

i was able to fill my prescription at Walmart. The pharmacy tech was really helpful. She called the pharmacy my doctor sent the prescription to originally and had them send it over. She also told me about the discount offered through the manufacturer.

My first month's prescription was only $25. My insurance company is covering this first month and then I have to have my doctor submit for prior authorization, which I'm pretty sure will be turned down. If I understood the pharma tech correctly, with the coupon, it should only cost me $35 a month through the end of this year. If not, I'm prepared to pay for it out of pocket.

Injected myself yesterday for my first dose. I'll provide an update as I get through the month.

Putting the dose up every week seems like a lot. My doctor wanted me on 0.25 for a month before seeing me again to discuss whether to put the dose up. You'd be risking a lot of side effects to increase it so sharply (assuming you're not diabetic and there was a medical reason). I don't know anyone, even diabetic, who is on more than 1.0.

Has OP died yet?

R25 - only $35? Is there an income requirement to get such a low monthly cost?

My cardiac specialist prescribed Ozempic for me, because I have been gaining weight. However insurance turned it down because you need a BMI of 27 to qualify. Makes me wonder if I should splurge for the $600 a month price tag

R27, alive and kicking!

Being down 25 pounds is amazing. My lower back hurts much less, I sleep so much better, I don’t huff and puff going upstairs.

R28, I thought there was but, apparently not. I make a very low 6 figure salary. I applied for the coupon and was approved, from what I could tell. When I refill it next month, I’ll let you know. Remember to go to GoodRX.

I asked my Dr. for a prescription for Ozempic but he said no. He said I should lose weight but he would be a bad Dr. if he prescribed me anything. I’d like to lose about 20 lbs.

Your doctor is right, r32, he’s a bad doctor, but it’s for not prescribing Ozempic.

Cosmo here; aka R31. I just picked up my second month's prescription and paid only $35 at Walmart.

For those getting their injectables from a compounding pharmacy, do you take the prescription from your doctor to the CP or is there another way to do it? Just asking because, after 12/31/24, I won't be able to use the maunfacturer's coupon for the discount. GoodRx shows a price of about $1100 per month at Walmart with their discount. My local Shop Rite would be $1035/month with GoodRx but they seldom have it.

I tried this shit and felt AWFUL on it, even after the first dose. I felt hypoglycemic…lightheaded and in a brain fog that wouldn’t go away. I don’t think non-diabetics should be taking this shit that fucks with glucose metabolism. And plus it’s a weekly injection, so if you have side effects…it takes at least a week or more to get out of your system.

R26. I’m on 3.0mg (am a Type II diabetic). I’d been on 1.5 for a few years, but my A1C wasn’t budging. I’ve been on 3.0 for about three months. A1C is still at 7.4, but I lost another 15 lbs in the three months. Now the weather is warm, I’m trying to walk 2 miles several times a week. And the Trulicity does curb my appetite. Three pounds from being merely overweight instead of obese.

R35, it affects everyone differently. Before I stated MJ, I asked my doctor about the complaint of nausea and she said to make sure I eat something before I take my shot. I have a light breakfast and then take my shot around 10 am on Mondays. i've experienced no side effect.

I wasn't really paying attentiont to my diet so I'm only down about 5 pounds but I'm working on diet and exercise this time around.

OP and others: I've lost 27 pounds since May 1st, and I'm doing it the old-fashioned way: diet and exercise and no drugs.

I'm up to 50 minutes of cardio 5 days a week.

I'm 71.

I was born with thin genes, I'm grateful I don't need to worry about my weight. Ozempic is not approved by the FDA which would give me pause.

WTF are you saying R39? Ozempic *is* approved by the FDA. Otherwise it wouldn't be available in the United States.

Ozempic is approved by the FDA. Wegovy and Mounjaro are also FDA approved.

Semaglutide and Tirzepatide are the active ingredient of Ozempic and Mounjaro. You can get Semaglutide and Tirzepatide that are made in a compounding pharmacy. They are “not FDA approved.” .

But they are legal.

Because there is a shortage of Ozempic and Mounjaro.

If there is a shortage of an FDA approved drug, then it can be made in a compound pharmacy. You need a prescription. Of your doctor won5 give you one you can look for a weight loss clinic nearby or online. Online they will give you a video visit.

My GP runs a weight loss clinic on the side. She lost a lot of weight I’ve the years, I just thought she’d had lots of liposuction but she’s been using GLP 1 for years for weight loss herself.

You need a zofran prescription. They cost me $2 for a month’s supply on Medicare. They are for nausea and I needed them for the first few months on Sema. You should start sema at 0.25 mg. Most probably you’ll be nauseous. I ate one slice of pizza and puked it right up. Not because it’s “fatty,” but because it was too much food. I found myself unable to eat much. That’s hiwnyi7 lose weight. You’re not hungry. In fact I had to force myself to eat and drink.

Dont panic Your body gets used to it. Do not increase your dosage more than once a month. The zofran stops nausea. Take it about 40 minutes you take your injection. Eat small portions. Protein - turkey, chicken, eggs, cheese (those small squares of cheddar or Gouda). Some people eat protein bars or have protein drinks but I hate them because they taste like chemicals.

I didn’t lose weight for 2 months. Then I started losing slowly after about 5 months my weight loss sped up. I needed to lose 40 lbs and it took me about 10 months.

Now I’m on Tirzepatide for maintenance but it has no effect on me.

I don’t understand why after being on the market for several years now these fda drugs are still in shortage. These companies didn’t expect a high demand?

I’ve been using FuturHealth, which is much like Ro. You do video visits and the compounded semaglutides are UPS’d from various pharmacies. I’ve lost 40 lbs since March with no significant side effects. The important thing is to eat lots of veggies and fruit to stay regular.

R42 it's not the drug itself that is in short supply, it's the drug makers patented "delivery systems" which are injectable "pens" that make injecting it dummy-proof. They cannot make the pens fast enough.

Personally I think the pens are a waste of plastic which ends up in landfills. I don't mind filling my own syringes if it means not living in worry that I won't be able to get my meds. Lots cheaper, too.

R44 You are correct. My pharmacy charges over $1000 more a month if you chose the “pen” instead of a vial of the serum and four syringes. My husband is a nurse so it’s no big deal for him to inject me. But I know people who do it themselves with no problem.

Thanks for the info r44. I had no idea it was the pens that were holding up production.

I inject myself with no problem. But I was a nurse and I took IVF drugs which involved subcutaneous and intramuscular injections. SubQ injections are no problem. Also my cat has diabetes so I’m used to injecting her and have plenty of syringes.

I use a sharps container from Amazon and drop it off at police precinct when it’s full.

I like that I can determine my own dose. 1mg was too much for me. So I let it wear off for a few weeks. Then I restarted at 0.25mg. The following month I went up to 0.5 mg. Then 0.75mg.

Then tried 1 mg again….same thing. Too much. So I went back down again.

It’s harder to do that with automatic pens.

My doctor increased prices. $350/month Semaglutide, $450/month Tirzepatide. Anywhere online cheaper?

R48 I use Emerge and have been extremely pleased with them.

my friend was taking the ozempic knockoffs in the beginning but she ran out after a few months. So another friend who stopped doing ozempic gave her the pens and my friend is taking those instead but she is not losing weight on them. she still feels like shit. so I don't even see what the fucking point is. However, she's the lazy type who likes short cuts, she doesn't like to do hard work of exercising etc, she would rather take a pill. she's just a fucking pig.

R48 I pay $95 a month for the medical referral and $229 a month for the semaglutide compound with syringes through FuturHealth.

[R34] What? Do you mean physically take a prescription into a location? I don't think I've ever had a paper prescription, the doctors office calls it into the pharmacy/lab for you, you just give the doctor the name and address of the pharmacy

Thanks, R52. I wasn’t sure how compound pharmacies worked.

I've lost 100 lbs by eating less and exercising. I refuse to give big pharma anymore money

[r53] The way I did it was look for compound pharmacies in my area (I just googled), then checked the FDA list, then called the ones I was comfortable with and asked them and ask if they do injections, if they did, I asked if they fill smeglutide, then if they did, I asked how much they put in a vial and how much it is. I got to three in the Phoenix area that seemed okay, did a reddit/review search, picked one, and have not died from anything yet. I've lost 60 lbs :)

R48, OP here. I got a 3 month supply for $900.

The place I actually “went” to was henrymeds. The name sounds ridiculous but they prescribed semaglutide from a compounding pharmacy that sent it to me.

Everything was online and pretty simple.

I’m down about 28 pounds now.

For what it's worth, OP, I was told that there is no need to increase the dosage as long as you are getting results. I've lost about 100 pounds in a little more than a year and have never gone over .25.

My doctor said I should stay at the initial dosage of MJ. She wants me to focus on healthy eating and exercise. I’m fine with that. I’m following the GLP-1 plan with WW.

Let’s say one changes their eating habits for better—whole foods, portion control, etc. and also incorporates an excercise regime and reaches their ideal weight. The new lifestyle changes have stuck and the weight has been kept off for 6 months.

If the person goes off Ozempic will they gain the weight back? Has the drug altered the gut in a way that it needs the drug in order to maintain the desired weight or will the new eating habits suffice?

Whenever I've been a day or two late taking my weekly dose my hunger comes roaring back.

For those on semaglutide, the two side effects I had to find out about firsthand were the higher resting heart rate and the VIVID dreams. While I have thoroughly enjoyed the dreams (except the one nightmare I had), I have hated my high resting heart rate. Before taking the med it was in the high 50s or low 60s every night. Now? I'm lucky if it's below 75. Low resting heart rate is an indicator of good heart health and I can't help but think that the higher mine goes, the more unhealthy I am.

I'm really considering going off the medication because of this.

Vanity Fair June 2024 has article about counterfeit Ozempic (and similar).

[R61] Vivid dreams sounds like a way cooler side effect than nausea. I'm kind of jealous. My heart rate is up, it used to be very low and sometimes the nurses would look at it and check me to make sure I'm wasn't in trouble. But not since Smeglutide! The internet says it raises it about 10 beats a minute. It's okay for me because I'd rather die thin than keep living fat.

Too bad they can't make vaccine to stop obesity, then no more semiglutides!

Just stop eating so much, weight problem solved!

It's very hard to lose weight, it's a social condition now, I also lost my my weight naturally, thru stress and disease!!! There's a pill for that now, along with a pill not to get HIV, so you can bareback like your skank mommy!

I got semaglutide through Henrymed 4 weeks ago. I have felt nothing-no nausea-no change in appetite-nothing! I contacted them today to get another online appointment. The one thing I noticed was that the package it was sent in had a small bag of water in it-I assume it used to be frozen. Could getting warm or hot in the mail have destroyed the medicine?

It took you four months to lose 25 pounds? On this radical, expensive, illicit “diet” you’re on?

I’ve seen many people lose more weight than that in less time than that, and they didn’t inject any quack medicine. They just modified their diet, exercised, and took direct responsibility for their health.

Paying out the ass for miracle cures won’t get you where you truly need to be. Lasting weight loss comes from adjusting your relationship with food, and adjusting the choices you make every day. It’s no different than getting your stomach stapled so you can lose weight while still eating Ring-Dings for breakfast.

Can’t any of you hoes try a diet? Ketogenic? Intermittent fasting?

How addicted to snacks can you be that you can’t just eat 1800-2200 calories a day without a pill that might cause you all kinds of problems

[quote] If the person goes off Ozempic will they gain the weight back

If I stop taking my blood pressure medication, will my blood pressure go up?

If I stop taking my arthritis medication, will my pain come back?

Is the reason why my blood pressure is normal on blood pressure medication, and why I don’t get as bad pain when taking my arthritis medication…..is it because my medication works?

Hope you shut down before summer’s end

You're no longer allowed to sleep over at my house, OP.

As with PreP and viagra, the Indian generics will be along shortly.

Meanwhile, OP, I think that the reason for gradually escalating doses is to acclimate your body to the medication and minimise side effects, which I don't think you can do if you go week on, week off. But what do I know, ask the doctor you are presently ignoring.

What could possible go wrong?

R73 What? The postman bearing Mexican medications isn’t a doctor?

Has anyone tried the new oral Tirzepatide?

Surely it’s just easier to eat less, particularly carbs, and move more than go through all this carry on?

There's nothing wrong with Indian meds, they are approved by the FDA and they are there observing, my HIV drugs have come from India, also from Ireland and Israel, the three I's! I order Meloxicam for the dogs from India, if it's good enough me, it's good enough for my dogs. Your meds don't always come from America, check the label everytime.

None of these can have generics you cunt, busted you bitch, go fuck your retard child.

[quote][bold]People are overdosing on off-brand weight-loss drugs, FDA warns[/bold]

[quote]In an alert Friday, the FDA warned that people are overdosing on off-brand injections of semaglutide, which are dispensed from compounding pharmacies in a variety of concentrations, labeled with various units of measurement, administered with improperly sized syringes, and prescribed with bad dosage math. The errors are leading some patients to take up to 20 times the amount of intended semaglutide, the FDA reports.

I’d really like to understand how long this weight stays off after you cease taking these medications. I’d also like to see if behavioral changes happen and how long these endure, too.

I know a few people who take these medications, but only one who looks visibly thinner. Two colleagues, a female over 300 lbs and a male over 400 lbs, each have lost between 25 and 50 lbs, respectively. They look the same, but report they feel better.

A relative of mine, a female, went from about 215 lobs to maybe 145 through a combination of compounded GLP meds and extreme forms of circuit training (often two workouts per day). She eats abstemiously (tiny portions of shredded chicken, lettuce, small packets of pistachios or almonds, one egg, sometimes only the garnish on a plate of food), but drinks a lot of low carb alcohols like vodka in diet drinks and hard seltzers. She looks ok, but her affect is very blunted and her facial features have “drooped”. She never smiles and looks distracted and a little lost. She also holds onto ideas really tightly and she is quietly indignant when anyone disagrees with her.

She is probably healthier except for the alcohol, and her blank expression looks (to me) like brain fog. She looks and acts like a different (thinner but dour) person. I’m sad because I’m generally fond of her, but family members who live nearer to her and see her more often report that she is clearly a much more “removed” personality. It’s all a bit sad. But I understand her motivation to get and stay thin/fit. She’s newly retired with a lot of money, but seems really joyless and “put upon”. In the family, she treats me really nicely and always has, so I do wish her well. I’d like her to be (or maybe just act) happier. Yet it’s her own life, not mine.

R80 I've been on tirzepatide since January and have lost 25 lbs. I wasn't huge, but I was on the cusp of obesity (205 lbs and I'm 5'10"). The drug lasts about 7 days in your system, and for me, by that 7th day my hunger comes roaring back. Even though i consciously tried to avoid eating everything in sight, I was just so HUNGRY. So, I have some idea how the weight can come back on, even gradually.

I had only planned to stay on it til I hit my goal weight (165lb) but I've been so impressed with it -- and NO side effects other than decreased appetite -- it's totally worth to me to titrate down to a lower maintenance dose once I'm at my goal.

My blood pressure, sleep apnea, cholesterol, fatty liver, and A1C are all down to healthy levels now; most of that is due to losing the excess weight, which I was unable to do on my own, despite many attempts.

It truly is a miracle drug.

I am still working at 59 and have some money (honestly only because I didn’t raise and educate kids but have a big job). I could get and afford these meds pretty easily. I’m not too heavy but have a “prosperous “ look. I’m 6’ and weigh 210. I would definitely look and feel a whole lot better at 180, which I weighed when I was younger and a competitive athlete.

I’m skittish about using these meds and changing my appearance, specifically my face. I have friends who have used these meds exclusively to lose weight and it has worked for them, but other acquaintances comment derisively about these individuals. They smile, giggle and call them “peanut faces” (the expression comes from the cartoon advertisement Mr.Peanut, which has yellowish, rounded forms). I hear this secondhand, and I don’t want anyone to say that about me.

I probably should butch up, eat less and move more as many of you have posted above. While I’m sometimes tempted to jab myself and drop the weight faster and with less effort, I don’t want jowls and that “hangdog” look. I don’t want parts of my face to keep moving if I shake my head. I see that often with people my age and older who lose weight fast. Both men and women can look like Walter Matthau.

That’s the “outer” concern, and mere vanity. I also have an “inner” concern that if I begin an extremely restrictive diet made palatable with medication, maybe I’d have changes in my bones and muscles. I’d feel really bad if have dental issues in 20 years but also bone loss or gum issues from poor nutrition now. That sounds vain, too, but healthy teeth are pretty important.

Essentially I don’t want to experiment with my health to improve my appearance, especially if the improvements go noticeably sideways. People can be so mean about that (“did you SEE so-and-so?! He looks really haggard!). Also, single guys like me who lose weight fast get an extra harsh layer of scrutiny. People can suspect methamphetamine or facial wasting related to HIV (though I suspect that’s less common now).

[quote]Just stop eating so much, weight problem solved!

Yeah! And alcoholics should just stop drinking.

Study just published in JAMA confirms that buying knockoff Ozempic is a bad, bad idea.

[quote]Upon quality testing, one sample had elevated presence of endotoxin (8.95 EU/mg) indicating possible contamination, although no viable microorganisms were detected. LC-MS revealed the presence of semaglutide in all samples, but with considerably lower purity levels (7%-14% vs advertised 99%). The measured semaglutide content substantially exceeded the labeled amount in each sample by 29% to 39%, meaning that users could receive up to 39% more semaglutide per injection. These risk factors indicate likely falsification that does not meet legitimate product quality standards.

The FDA has declared tirzepatide shortage over and so compounding pharmacies will no longer be allowed to produce knockoffs of Mounjaro and Zepbound. Semaglutide remains in short supply and so isn't affected.

Compounding pharmacies are now suing the FDA.