Weight Loss and Psoriasis

About 6 months ago my doctor recommended I use a weight loss injectable to help me lose weight. The decision was made in large part to my comorbidities. Awhile back, I had a stent placed in my heart due to experiencing a heart attack in my lower artery. Another added weight to this decision was the fact that I am obese while being a type 2 diabetic.

Making the choice

Trying to decide if this is a good choice for myself, I considered the research. I asked my doctor about safety. How the drug is administered? What long term effects are there? Do you think it is more than a fad? My doctor assures me he feels confident in the drug. He warns me of the possibilities of ill effects and tells me that he believes that the drug does way more good then harm. As he talks, I feel more assured. I go ahead and decide to give it a try. I have lost some 30 pounds in the last several years but am seemingly stuck. Knowing this drug could help sounds like just the boost I need.

Upon starting the medication, I didn't notice much of a difference. The administration of the drug was not bothering me so far. It is once a week and is a shot. After one week, I start to notice I am not eating as much as I was. I still have no nausea or adverse effects. I continue with shot 2 which is also week 2, and again, have no effects. I feel like I am able to eat less but not feel hungry. Shot 3 and 4 continue in the same way. So far so good!

Increasing the dosage

The drug at shot 5 has changed to double the dose. I must say the shot is still administered fine. There is a lot of nausea with the medicine now. A new adverse effect is loose bowels. It only lasts a few days and disappears. I have talked to the doctor and he encourages me to keep going despite the effects. As I continue through shot 6, I am still experiencing nausea. At this point I am wondering if feeling like this will end. By shot 7 the adverse affects are starting to slow down. They do not go away but lessen. I am now feeling like I do not want to eat that much. I would say I am eating probably half of what I was eating. I have lost close to 10 pounds. I am liking that.

I went on to the 8th shot and was doing well. I went up to the next dose at shot 9 and, wow, that one knocked me off of my feet. The nausea was so bad. Stomach cramping and diarrhea was awful. I asked my doctor what to do. He told me to stick it out. I didn't hardly want food at all. I was so nauseated I didn't care if I ate or not. My bottom was so sore. I called the doctor at shot 10. He told me to stop and stay at that dose. I was surprised but he said some people can't go on from there.

Coasting along

We have kept my dose there. I feel pretty good. I eat two meals a day that are healthy and do a replacement shake for one meal. This plan was going great until this past week when I received a message that my state medical insurance will no longer cover my medications. Though the drug works well, it comes with a high price tag. That is the reason that the insurance company has decided to no longer cover the drug.

I have reached out to my doctor and am waiting to find out the new plan. He was very unhappy to hear that the ruling was made to stop the coverage. He told me he was going to look into it further. So now like so many others I wait to hear.

Have you had the same experience? What happened for you?