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Doctors Say You Need To Know This Before Buying Ozempic Online
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While plenty of people rave about the weight loss results you can get from drugs like Ozempic, there's also been a ton of chatter over the fact that these meds are really expensive. These drugs have also been in and out of shortage, making it tough to get your hands on Ozempic and similar medications—if you can afford it.
With that, some people have turned to telehealth and compounding pharmacies to get semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic). And, if you don't have a primary care physician or have one who feels comfortable prescribing these medications, it also makes sense to turn to telehealth.
This isn't perfect, though, and access to Ozempic through compounding pharmacies may be tough in the future. Similar medication tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound) just moved off the Food and Drug Administration's drug shortages list, which means that compounding pharmacies will no longer be able to make and sell them. (They can only create their own versions of these medications when they're in shortage.)
Semaglutide medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are also reportedly getting closer to moving off the shortages list, although they're not there yet. As a result, you can still snap up compounded versions of semaglutide via telehealth.
But is this a good idea? An obesity medicine physician weighs in.
Meet the expert: Alexandra Sowa, MD, is an internal medicine doctor specializing in preventative health, nutrition, and obesity medicine and the author of the forthcoming book The Ozempic Revolution
What are the benefits of getting Ozempic from a telehealth appointment or compounding pharmacy?There are a few potential perks of going this route. "Weight stigma still permeates many medical practices," which can make it difficult to find a general doctor who will prescribe Ozempic to you, says Alexandra Sowa, MD, an internal medicine doctor specializing in preventative health, nutrition, and obesity medicine and the author of the forthcoming book The Ozempic Revolution.
But a telehealth appointment or compounding pharmacy usually has a business model set up to prescribe and deliver these medications, she says. "It's a friendly and easy way to get the medications," Sowa says.
Cost can go either way when you go the compounding route, she says. While these medications are often cheaper at face value when you get them from a compounding pharmacy "many of the companies don't even offer the option of insurance," Sowa says.
If you don't have health insurance or your health insurance doesn't cover medications like Ozempic, getting medication from a compounding pharmacy may be a more affordable way to go. But that's not always the case (more on that in a sec).
What are the cons of getting Ozempic from a telehealth appointment or compounding pharmacy?There are a few potential downsides of going this route. The FDA has warned about potential cons and fake medications on the market, and taking one of these could be dangerous.
Most telehealth and compounding pharmacies also are simply focused on helping you to lose weight, but aren't looking at your health as a whole, Sowa says.
"These medications are for overall weight loss for health," she says. "Taking them just to be skinny is a problem."
The medications are also not FDA approved or regulated. "They're supposed to be copies, but it's hard to know what's in them," Sowa says. With that, it's difficult to know if they're safe or even effective.
It also may be more cost efficient to get real Ozempic through a doctor.
"I've had a lot of patients who paid for compounded medications for a long time, but they had obesity coverage in their insurance coverage that would have covered the real medication," Sowa says. "They paid much more than they needed to."
How does dosing differ from traditional Ozempic?Every compounding pharmacy is different and, with that, it's hard to make a blanket statement on how compounded Ozempic works. However, Sowa says that many will have you do the dosing through an injection as opposed to brand-name Ozempic, which comes in a pen.
"Medications in compounded pharmacies usually come in vials," she says. Meaning, you use a needle to draw out the amount of medication you need and then inject it into yourself.
How do side effects differ from traditional Ozempic?Again, it's hard to say. "We're not entirely sure what's in it or how it's diluted," Sowa says. "The biggest side effect I've seen in my practice is that people say it didn't work. It makes me wonder how active these compounded medications are."
Should you get Ozempic from a telehealth appointment or compounding pharmacy?Sowa isn't a fan of going this route.
"This is a big problem," she says. "It's best to go to a physician who is certified in obesity medicine."
At the very least, Sowa says that a doctor who specializes in obesity medicine can walk you through your options, and see if you're a good candidate for Ozempic. You can decide on next steps from there.
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Cold, Flu, Or COVID-19? Expert Guidance From An Internal Medicine Doctor
It can be difficult to determine whether you have a cold, flu or COVID-19, especially this time of year when illnesses begin to ramp up.
Dr. Sean Drake, an internal medicine doctor with Henry Ford Health, said while the flu can make someone very sick, COVID-19 can be more dangerous and is more contagious.
"While the flu may mutate from year to year, this year's flu is still a cousin to last year's flu," Drake said. "That means we have some natural immunity to it, along with effective therapy and vaccines to prevent and treat it."
We also have vaccines to help protect against COVID-19.
Drake said if you're showing symptoms or are concerned about contracting any illness, you can take preventative measures like wearing masks in public and frequently washing your hands. These steps will help reduce your chances of contracting COVID-19, as well as the flu, colds and other viruses.
Doctors also advise to get your flu shot this season, as it can protect both you and vulnerable individuals around you.
If you start feeling unwell, pay attention to your symptoms. While the severity of viruses like COVID-19 can vary among individuals, Drake highlighted the most common symptoms associated with COVID-19, influenza, the common cold and allergies:
Allergy symptomsItchy, watery eyes (a key indicator of allergies)
Runny nose
Plugged ears
Tickle in the back of the throat
Sneezing
Seasonal symptoms (if you experience the same symptoms every fall and spring, it's likely allergies rather than COVID-19)
Sinus congestion
Stuffy nose
Post-nasal drip
Sore throat
Sneezing
Coughing
A temperature (around 100 to 101 degrees)
High fever (around 102 or 103 degrees)
Cough (often dry)
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Fatigue
Headache and body aches
Loss of smell or taste
Sore throat
Congestion
Nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea
High fever (around 102 or 103 degrees)
Cough
Sore throat
Stuffy nose
Headache and/or body aches
Fatigue
Nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea
The symptoms listed are the most common, but they can differ widely.
"We've learned 'never to say never' when it comes to COVID-19," Drake said. "Some people have classic symptoms, some can remain asymptomatic the entire time, some can have mild cases."
Symptoms for COVID-19 typically appear between two to 14 days after exposure. If you're concerned about your health, the best course of action is to get tested and self-isolate until you receive your results.
"A combination swab test that goes to the back of the nose can test for both the flu and COVID-19," Drake said. "It's the best way to determine your illness."
If you exhibit symptoms, consult your health care provider about getting tested.
COVID-19 vaccines are available at Henry Ford Health primary care sites. Click or tap here to find a location near you.
To find a Henry Ford Same-Day Care location, visit henryford.Com/SameDay or call 1-800-436-7936.
Ozempic May Help With Your Knee Pain Too, According To New Research
Ozempic has been considered a wonder drug for managing blood sugar in people with type-2 diabetes, and it's built up a reputation for helping people lose significant amounts of weight. But a growing body of research has discovered Ozempic may help treat a range of other health conditions. The latest to add to the list is knee pain caused by osteoarthritis.
Meet the experts: Bert Mandelbaum, M.D., a sports medicine specialist and orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute and Co-Director of the Regenerative Orthobiologic Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles; Mir Ali, M.D., a general surgeon, bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA; Alexandra Sowa, M.D., an internal medicine doctor specializing in preventative health, nutrition, and obesity medicine and the author of the forthcoming book The Ozempic Revolution
New research published in the New England Journal of Medicine had 407 people with obesity and knee osteoarthritis take semaglutide (the active component of Ozempic and Wegovy) or a placebo over 68 weeks, along with exercise counseling and a reduced-calorie diet. At the start of the study, the average amount of pain the participants had on a 100-point scale was 70.9.
Those who took semaglutide lost an average of 13.7% of their starting body weight, while those who used the placebo lost 3.2% of their body weight. But the most significant improvement was in their knee pain.
People who took semaglutide had a shocking 41.7-point reduction in pain compared to those who took a placebo—their pain was reduced by 27.5 points. Ultimately, the researchers concluded that the semaglutide group had a "significantly greater" reduction in pain linked to knee osteoarthritis than the placebo group.
"This is a landmark finding," says Bert Mandelbaum, M.D., a sports medicine specialist and orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute and Co-Director of the Regenerative Orthobiologic Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Alexandra Sowa, M.D., an internal medicine doctor specializing in preventative health, nutrition, and obesity medicine and the author of the forthcoming book The Ozempic Revolution, agrees. "I was very excited to see the reduction in knee pain," she says.
Osteoarthritis impacts 33 million American adults, and obesity is a risk factor for developing the condition, Dr. Mandelbaum points out. (Extra weight can put added stress on your weight-bearing joints like your hips and knees, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).)
So, why might Ozempic help? "I believe it's primarily due to the weight loss," says Mir Ali, M.D., a general surgeon, bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. "We see the same improvements in our patients who have surgical weight loss and other weight loss."
Dr. Sowa says that doctors "theoretically know this to be true because, if we can help people lose weight, there is less weight bearing down on the joints."
But Dr. Mandelbaum points out that the link between obesity and osteoarthritis is "multifactorial."
"There are genetic aspects, physical aspects, and inflammatory aspects," he says. Ozempic can help people to lose weight, which addresses the physical link between obesity and osteoarthritis, but it may also help to tamp down on bodily inflammation, Dr. Mandelbaum says.
"That can help to reduce pain and improve symptoms," he says. "When people lose weight, they're also likely to do more exercise, too. That can help to reduce symptoms, reduce pain, and improve function."
Dr. Ali says it's hard to separate the weight loss from the semaglutide in this study. "If they had a study that compared people who lost the same amount of weight using semaglutide and not, I would say that maybe there is a secondary effect other than weight loss," he says. "But we need that data."
Currently, knee osteoarthritis is treated with anti-inflammatory medications, exercise, physical therapy, and braces, Dr. Mandelbaum says. If someone has obesity or overweight, doctors will usually recommend that they try to lose weight, too, he says. But if someone is really struggling, they may try cortisone injections or even surgery, Dr. Mandelbaum says.
If you're dealing with knee pain, Dr. Mandelbaum recommends getting an evaluation. "You need an X-ray and MRI to find out what exactly is going on so you can treat it accordingly," he says. "Weight loss and anti-inflammatories are almost always a part of treatment." If you're diagnosed with osteoarthritis and you have obesity, he says it's worth talking to your doctor to see if you're a good candidate for Ozempic or a similar medical intervention.
Dr. Ali says that the latest study findings are promising. "It's good for people to know that there are options out there," he says. "They should seek help if they're not able to lose weight on their own."
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