'6 things that happened to me on weight loss medication.'

Before the entire world was really aware of semaglutide, I went to my GP and had a conversation about my weight.

Along with seeing a dietitian and a physiotherapist, I was also initially prescribed the drug Ozempic. This is a drug that is specifically to treat type 2 diabetes here in Australia and that is what the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) still classifies it as in 2025, but some GPs are prescribing it off label for weight loss.

Listen to Well by Mamamia to learn more about the weight loss conversation. Post continues after audio.

The other brand of semaglutide and the tirzepatide version hadn't hit Australia yet, and so the options were limited.

But not long after I started on semaglutide, its popularity exploded.

So this brings me to the first thing I experienced when trying to get my original prescription refilled a few years ago.

Pharmacy shame.

For a while there, when you went to refill a private prescription for weight-loss medication (compared to the other type of prescription, one that is subsidised by the PBS and what those with type 2 diabetes would be given), the pharmacy would outright tell you "we can't give you that".

At the time, stocks were so low that those struggling to get their hands on it to treat their diabetes were in panic mode. That meant anyone trying to use it off-label for weight loss was subjected to a pretty hectic shame campaign.

I found myself constantly trying to justify how using it for weight loss was also important. That was met with a lot of raised eyebrows who felt that I should perhaps just try harder to do it the 'real way' through diet and exercise and stop stealing life-saving medication from Type 2 diabetes sufferers.

I found myself creeping into pharmacies further afield in the hopes that they would somehow fill my prescription, but it was to no avail, and so I found myself without it for nearly a year.

Which brings me to the second thing you may encounter while using semaglutide.

Weight regain.

Yes, this is a possibility and a HUGE fear for anyone who has struggled with weight. Knowing that you could just stack back on those kilos when you aren't using the medication made me constantly worry about what the number would be when I stepped back on the scales.

Here's what actually happened to me in that year off.

Yes, I put some weight back on. Five kilos to be precise. I had originally lost 20 kilos, so while it was a step back, it wasn't ALL the way back.

You see, I didn't only rely on medication to help me. I also changed my habits. I ate better, moved more, took better care of myself.

So while I did put on a few kilos, I was able to maintain it.

It was, however, near impossible to lose it. I stayed in a 3-kilo window almost that entire year. Gain 2, lose 2, gain 3, lose 2. It never went below a certain number.

Now in the year I was away from using the medications, the new ones came into play, so now there is WeGovy (the exact same semaglutide as Ozempic, made by the same company), which can be prescribed for weight-loss purposes, and Mounjaro, which is tirzepatide, and works slightly different but has a similar impact on weight loss.

I went back to my GP and had another discussion about how I had fared over the 12 months without the medication, and we talked through whether it would be good for me to try and use it again to get to a weight that is healthy for me.

This is important. Everyone is different and a healthy weight for me may not be healthy for you, but different body types mean we aren't all striving for the same number. It's about being as strong and healthy as you need to be at whatever stage of life you're at.

I was then prescribed the other type of semaglutide, but this time I struggled a bit more, which brings me to my third point.

Side effects.

Talk to anyone about their experience with semaglutide and you'll probably get a different story from each one.

Diarrhea and nausea are common, and it is well documented that semaglutide can cause stomach and bowel issues.

These are things that I have spoken to my GP about and have dealt with as they have arisen.

You may experience none or all of these things, and there are others that I haven't experienced too, so make sure you have a good chat with your doctor about it before you even think about it.

Watch: Semaglutide is opening bigger conversations. Post continues after video.

Opinions.

People will have opinions about you taking this medication.

There's a lot of stigma around being overweight and there's a lot of discussion around you when you lose it.

Be prepared for both people to be very happy for you and for those who will simply tell you'll put it all back on again.

You'll overhear conversations about how that celebrity is on it and how it's so obvious and what happened to their face, and you may feel like you have to stay quiet about your experience.

You'll hear people say that something bad is going to happen to all those people who are using these medications for weight loss. It's just a matter of time before the other shoe drops, and you'll have to hope they aren't right.

But for all the doubters and the haters, you'll also get those coming out of the woodwork to ask you about it because they've been too scared to have that conversation with their own GP, to which you might tell them about your experience, but with a healthy dose of "go speak to your doctor".

It's expensive.

If you are using semaglutide or tirzepatide for weight loss, be prepared, this sh*t ain't cheap.

And finally…

The world feels different.

When you have been overweight for a long time, and you have struggled with it every day, when that changes, so will you and so will the people around you.

Not having to deal with food noise (that constant conversation you have in your head about what to eat, how much food is enough and then feeling guilty when you eat too much) is a relief.

Not constantly berating yourself for poor food choices or not moving enough today is a relief.

Not having to navigate the world as a bigger person is a relief.

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Feeling better in your own body is exciting and people will see that change in you. You will feel both annoyed but also really excited that people will compliment you on your new look.

I wish it wasn't that way, but we're trained to see thin as better. Hopefully you also feel better about yourself, which is way more important.

When you feel better, you care more about yourself. I am now lifting heavy things and walking and being more active in my life. I have found my strength.

My experience with these medications will be different from yours. But if you are struggling, please speak to your doctor about it. This may not be the answer for you, but with a stack of other health professionals on board, you might just find your strength too.

This information is general in nature and is not medical advice. Always talk to your healthcare professional.

Read more about this topic:

• The little known effects of Ozempic that go beyond weight loss.

• 'I'm an A-list trainer, and there's one thing nobody is saying about weight-loss drugs.'

• 'After years taking Ozempic, here's what people aren't saying.'

Feature image: Claire Murphy.

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