The trendy way to shed pounds these days is by taking weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. But while a lot of people are trying these GLP-1 drugs out - 1.7% of Americans were prescribed one of these medications last year - they’re making a major mistake after dropping some weight.
New research from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association finds that many weight-loss drug users stop taking them too soon. A lot of them aren’t staying on their prescribed treatment for a minimum of 12 weeks as they should and according to the report, more than 30% of patients quit after just four weeks. People between 18 and 34 are more likely to drop out of treatment sooner, as are those in underserved health areas.
So why are they quitting early? Because they’re seeing results. The medications work and people start losing weight, then decide they don’t need the drugs anymore, but studies show those who quit tend to regain two-thirds of the weight they lost on the meds. Cost can also be an issue, as the new research finds those who pay less than $60 a month for it are significantly more likely to stay on the drug, but the average monthly price is over $1,000. Still, study authors stress that it’s “critical” for people to take the drugs “long enough to achieve clinical success.”
Source: NY Post
Scott's Thoughts:
- Who can afford an extra thousand bucks a month for a prescription? No wonder they quit! I take it for my diabetes and my copay is much less than described in this article. Thankfully.
- I wonder if there is a way to slowly wean off of these drugs?
- Medications such as this can be very expensive even with insurance.