Ozempic Updates and Random Thoughts

Forgive any typos you see here. I am typing from my recliner while icing my knees. I am recovering for two knee replacements. These surgeries were necessary to give me mobility as I age. It has been very difficult, but it will be worth it, I am certain. The arthritis was not going to get better. Surgery pain will improve. Years of carrying more weight than my knees were designed for took a toll. I used to feel such guilt, and even felt stupid for allowing myself to come to that point. But now that I understand the disease of obesity, the guilt is gone and I am moving forward with hope.

That leads me to think that I need to write a separate post about aging and how it impacts the body, mind, and soul (and what that has to do with health, weight, GLP-1 and bariatric medicine.)  I will work on that for next time!

There is a lot of buzz in the news right now regarding GLP-1 medication I need to mention. It’s good news, too! Oh, there will always be the naysayers, the accusers, and the anti-medication people who don’t understand the science and for some reason are mad about people finding success in their weight loss and health journeys. 

There will also always be those who think it is only about sin, failure, disobedience to God, and lack of willpower. I am weary of all that in certain circles I have been in (or adjacent to) in my years of Christian ministry, and I want to now portray a different message to people who struggle as I have with obesity. It is time for kindness and understanding, not blame and condemnation. I think that kindness and understanding is what Jesus offers us, and what we should offer one another, don’t you? It is also time to accept the scientific facts, which is not anti-Christian at all. God created a mystery-filled world and we DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING. I am saying that loudly on purpose, because I hear or read too many people calling obesity a sin, blaming the person for their suffering, and showing preference to thinner people based solely on their opinions about why someone looks the way they look.

If you are a naysayer and a doubter, there is plenty of trustworthy research available. If you only read the pseudo-science or opinion pieces, you are not really doing actual research. Read the people who have given their lives to the study of obesity medicine. They are the real scientists, and they are in the trenches with evidence about these medications. The media is a mixed bag, sometimes getting this right and sometimes getting it wrong. That is nothing new, and it is on you to do your own due diligence if you are interested in GLP-1 information. One thing for sure - these medications are not going away. 

So, what is the good news? First of all, the evidence continues to prove the effectiveness of GLP-1 use for many, many people. Is it for everyone? Of course not. Every medication has pros and cons, and every body responds uniquely to medicine. This is something your physician should monitor. If a medical provider isn’t monitoring you well, find one who will. If they don’t have a strong knowledge about how and why these medications work, and if they don’t have expertise in obesity care as a disease, find another one who does understand. 

The other good news is that there is now a pill version of the weight loss medication. This is not for diabetes, although it is the same active ingredient. It is for obesity. There are some pros and cons to using a pill form, and again your provider should be able to understand and explain this to you to see if it is a good fit and if you qualify for its use. Like any medication, there are likely to be those who don’t meet the obesity guidelines and will use it anyway, but the vast majority of people who do qualify for it will be able to see if it is effective in helping them to improve their health. It will be less expensive in pill form, which is a game-changer for many people, too. If someone can take this BEFORE they develop common obesity-related diseases (diabetes and heart disease primarily, inflamation in general, and more), this is a very good bit of news! Had I had that option as a younger woman, my life could have been drastically different in some important ways. 

I will be 69 years old this Spring, and am getting closer to my goal of making my 70’s a great decade with renewed health. I am proof that it can be done and that you are never too old to change, with God’s help. Nobody needs to give up. I have been there. I was certain that I would die before I could grow truly ‘old’. True, I am not in control of that, only God knows how much time I have. But He has also given me this body, mind, and soul to steward and that is exactly what I am doing. Could I have done it without going on medication? No, I know for a fact that I couldn’t. How do I know? I tried for decades without medical help, to no avail, and my health suffered greatly. I don’t expect my health to be perfect in this aging body, but I am doing what is within my control to improve things. And for the things I cannot control, I am trusting God’s plan for me.

I am using my voice to process my journey, hopefully help some along the way, and challenge anyone who thinks that Ozempic is cheating, sinful, a bad idea, ruining people’s health, or whatever else they think that makes GLP1 use so controversial in some people’s minds. I am also using my voice to bring to light the fact that true obesity is a disease, not someone’s fault. And there is HELP if you go to an educated medical professional.

I hope this random collection of thoughts helps you to be kinder, more understanding, do some research, and accept that not everyone who is overweight is to blame for it. I think that bears repeating a few more times:

Not everyone who is overweight is to blame for it.
Not everyone who is overweight is to blame for it.
​Not everyone who is overweight is to blame for it.

Do this: be kind to someone who suffers with obesity. Show them preference. It will surprise them, because they are not used to that.

As always, feel free to reach out to me here, or on my social media, and I’m happy to discuss these things or answer questions any time.
​Ellen