Weight Log: 32 - Victoza® or bust?
Published: 2023-07-12 // Progress since last post: +2.0 kgLatest recorded weight:
192.2 kg - 423.7 lb - 30 stone and 3.7 lb - BMI: 59.3
Been a while huh? Well for good reason, stressful but good nonetheless. Lots of chasing doctors, senior nurses, pharmacists as well as just dealing with the mess that is the NHS right now (btw 🫶 the NHS). Weeks of waiting, months of stress, months of chasing, lots of unknowns but I got there. I got some help, something helpful that I’ve hinted at in past posts, this so called 💉 “skinny jab” .
Victoza® and Ozempic® are the brands offering this wonder medication and recently Ozempic® (sometimes called Wegovy®) is the drug that has been in the media recently. Liraglutide, sold under the brand name Victoza®, is an anti-diabetic medication used to treat type 2 diabetes, chronic obesity, as well as to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack or stroke in adults with known heart disease. The medication also slows down the process of the stomach emptying after you eat, which makes you feel full for longer. This is how the medication helps some people lose weight.
So why Victoza® and not Ozempic®? Simply, supply or lack of it. Ozempic® is impossible to get a hold of right now. I was suppose to go on Ozempic® back in the new year 2023, then again by end of spring but finally the company behind the drug (Novo Nordisk) have said 2024, maybe, so I pressed to have an alternative. Victoza® was an “available” alternative. I say “available” because I had so many troubles trying to get my 3 pens of Victoza®, let alone the needles for the pens. I won’t rant about that drama here, suffice to say I’m currently in the process of a formal complaint with my GP surgery regarding that mess. There has been positive communications since so I’m hopeful.
So what are the differences between the two “skinny jabs”? Ozempic® is a once-weekly injection who’s main ingredient is Semaglutide and is regarded as more desired or first choice. Victoza® is once-daily option which uses Liraglutide instead but the results should be the same, just more needles. That’s my understanding at least. Both Semaglutide and Liraglutide belong to a class of medications known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1 Analogues. As I’ve said already this GLP-1 Analogue will treat my type 2 diabetes, help lose weight, suppress appetite and help with the old ticker which I’m sure is looking forward to a break from my morbid obesity.
Am I excited? Yes.
I’ve fought for so long to get extra help from the weight clinic. It has been over a year since I was told by my GP that this was an option but neither my GP surgery or the weight clinic had the budget for this at the time. I’ve gone through many hoops with the weight clinic and been given the thumbs up by both the dietitian and clinical psychologist. I’m on the waiting list for gastric surgery but the pandemic and gutting of the NHS has caused the wait time to become 2 years plus just to get to the first steps. This could be the rocket that I need to make things easier. If it works very well, I could even leave the gastric surgery list and do it my way. Well I hope anyway. On top of starting Victoza®, I have focusing on walking more. Just little here and there but its already getting easier, sometimes. I am really pushing myself though. Hip is still giving me shit but I am going up and down stairs more. I’ve been parking at a far car park at work to force me to walk more to and from the office building I work in. Just little things.
Diet 🤷 / Mental willpower 😶 / Exercise 🚶♂️
So yeah, had my demonstration appointment with the senior nurse today and have had my first dose of Victoza®. After the struggle to get everything I need, I have enough for about 45 days at the current dose but this is set to go up in a week or two. Already set up to get the needles and pens on repeat prescription so that should be less friction. My GP surgery will be monitoring me for potential side effects so plenty of follow up appointments and calls. Victoza® side effects range from headache, nausea, diarrhoea/constipation etc up to serious side effects such as kidney problems and pancreatitis. With all that, this is still a good bet and could really be life changing for me. I guess we will see…
Anyway, here’s the gif:~
