Regain and weight loss medications to lose it

About a year and a half ago I was working with a psychiatrist for binge eating and she put me on Contrave. She explained it as a medication that would just stop you long enough to consider what you were doing so you could stop yourself

When I went to pick it up, it was $250 for a single bottle. That's like, half my mortgage payment and I had to think about it for a while before committing. Obviously, it wasn't covered by insurance. The amount of pills I had to take was due to increase over time and end at 6 per day or so. I got to day three of increasing dosages and started having severe dizzy/pressure episodes so bad I had to sit down amd commune with the kitchen floor for a while. No more Contrave for me, and I'd personally never try it again.

One potential call out if you go that route and it's not covered is that she told me after the fact that it's possible to be prescribed the much cheaper components of the medication, rather than the brand name one.

Hope your doctor is able to find something for you that helps!

Thank you for your feedback. My dr did say that he would prescribe the off label meds for the contrave since my insurance would not cover it so that is a positive. The side effects he said are less with the off label but not sure if that is true. He also said that the meds can help with addictive behaviors so that was the main reason I was considering them along with the other meds for appetite control. I have decided to go back to my basic routine and I started meal prepping again so I am going to see how that goes then decide.

I was put on Ozempic for both uses it's used for. It has helped my A1c a lot...weight is exactly the same as it's been. The later part is my fault. I've been doing the emotional eating thing. I have been able to maintain a 50 pound loss since surgery but I've also gained back 50 from my lowest weight. I have had severe back issues along with a medical professional jacking with my depression meds. Not being able to fully function has been something I've struggled with.

I second the suggestion to post in the menu thread. It has helped me to not gain back alllll of the weight. It's great that you are staying on top of this. You can do this!

Im sorry you are having problems with your back that can really cause issues for those of us trying to lose weight I know mine is still an issue but that is from all the extra weight I had for so long. I wish there was a psychologist or someone who posted to the boards to answer questions or offer tips here. I can't really afford therapy but I know I need some for my bad habits. I will definitley be going to the daily thread I do think that will help me a bunch.

Medical weight loss medications are being used post-surgery for those who have had weight stalls or regain. There has been good success with the medications. However, similar to WLS, you have to make dedicated effort to change your diet, food choices, and make a lifestyle change to maintain your weight loss. DH has started taking Ozempic, which has significantly reduced his food intake since it makes him feel full quickly or depending on what he eats makes him feels slightly nauseous after eating. This medication is very expensive and unless you have a history of diabetes, insulin resistance, or elevated fasting blood sugars your insurance plan may not cover it. But DH has found a local compounding pharmacy (a pharmacy that mixes the medications themselves) who provides the medication as a significantly reduced cost, I think around $200/5mg vial.

Thank you for the information on your husbands experience with the meds. Everything is so expensive today it is crazy. For now I am going back to my basic routine and will start being more active here and on the daily thread but the good news is I started meal prepping again last night so I just need to keep that up and work on my head hunger issues and how I process stressful issues

Yep, head hunger is real and I feel it myself (almost 2 years post-WLS) especially when bored. I try to keep busy to prevent senseless eating. I have made strides in lifestyle modifications that I need to keep for the long-haul. Meal prep and logging nutrients is at the top of my list, even though I routinely eat the same thing daily. Keep us informed of your progress and I hope you join our thread.

I think you got a lot of good advice especially from Sheila.

I normally wouldn't give an opinion that contradicts a physician treating a patient, especially one in person.

I have wls peers/buds who are on Wegovy and Ozempic for regain and love it.

This is my concern about it, that goes beyond the shortages that are making it hard for diabetics to get their meds, because even if supply wasn't an issue or even cost, the side effects aren't great and usually the weight loss only lasts while on it, so if one has to go off of it they gain their weight back.

And that's not even my main concern, my concern is risk vs benefit as far as having a positive long term outcome.

I had a horrible experience with wls, but I'm not anti-wls at all, and while weight gain wouldn't be enough for me to ever entertain the thought even if I'd gain all my weight back which Ihave at some point and then lost half, more than once but if somehow I'd develop this rare condition that unless I lost a lot of weight, I'd somehow develop a scary memory issue where losing weight quickly was essential, I'd have another gastric bypass or a duodenal switch before I'd inject myself with Wegovy or Ozempic or any of the new school meds, and I had to have my gastric bypass reversed 12 1/2 years ago to save my life!

I'm very careful of putting my opinions out here, I think if regain brought back diabetic issues than those drugs are worth the risk, however in my case I have yet to have any of the comorbidities like diabetes, high bp and high cholesterol that is correlated w/ Obesity.

I think as Sheila has said it could help to post for support on a regular basis, therapy might help too, your surgeon's office might be able also to help with therapy and nutrition and working on the head stuff and you wouldn't be the first patient I know who had transfer addiction issues and are dealing with food addiction issues again.

But you know what you are dealing with and aren't denying it, that's the first step, it's possible without having to have another surgery or try any medications to follow modalities that are out there that aren't as invasive as meds or a revision and seeing how that works out.

I as a gramma grad talk about sometimes in various wls forums about 3 bs of wls in those patients who had the most success, they used their brain, bodies and their bariatric tool.

I even see with those of us who had to have our surgeries done that quite a bit of patients still can lose weight or maintain, in my case, I do have issues like hypothryoidism, am allergic to a lot of meds, have severe chronic pain so I cant work out like I did in the olden days which I started like 2 1/2 years post rny and the endorphin highs were terrific, the fact it made thinner and fitter than I could've dreamed of was just a secondary bonus.

And I also found out the hardest way getting fat again isn't the worst thing to happen to me either. It's not comfortable so while I am trying now again 21 years post rny and 12 years post reversal to keep some weight off without resorting to anything invasive, first working on my mental fitness, as while I do also try to be active, having severe chronic pain and inability with neuro issues now to get any kind of endorphin high makes intense exercise really difficult.

So again, use the good advice you've been given, maybe it is worth trying to do things with therapy, exercise and dietary planning before trying any thing more invasive, first.

Hope this helped and you should be proud of yourself for not only trying to help yourself but being honest about things that can be stigmatized, I'm sure you have helped others who are having the same struggle but are too embarrased (which they don't have to be, this is a very safe place) to ask for support.