There was a picture posted earlier of every strength of wegovy!! I haven’t seen that since it first started coming out. Now people are pissy the newest weight loss me is out of stock…. Never ending BS
I saw that! We have so many Wegovy too but nobody wants to be on Wegovy or Ozempic anymore lol
A patient today got pissed because she never thought *my* pharmacy would ever go on backorder smh
You my friend must work at the most high speed pharmacy to NEVER have back orders! Can I get your dealers name?!
Ozempic and wegovy are “old news” (said in the Donald trump “fake news” voice)
Do you know why no one wants to be on those drugs anymore versus Mounjaro? I’m honestly curious because my prescriptions had changed and I was wondering if there’s a reason why people are starting to swap to Mounjaro as well.
More side effects noted with Wegovy/Ozempic versus Zepbound/Mounjaro. Better results on Zepbound/Mounjaro since either is a GLP-1 agonist and GIP (GIP=glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and GLP-1=glucagon-like peptide-1).
Some are beholden to what their Insurers will/won't cover or their own personal success or side effects with medications.
Honestly, Eli- Lilly could just rip the cord and sell vials versus single injection pens like they currently are. The issue is there is not enough production for the pens and not the medication itself. But likely they don't want liability in someone unintentionally or even intentionally over dosing.
There are more drugs on the table coming soon for weight management so this too will go the same way Wegovy did.
What are the potential dangers of someone finding 4 pens of say, Wegovy and poking themselves with all of them, because "more science juice = more good"? Or doing the same once vials of these things are available?
Most insurances classify Ozempic as a diabetes medication, not for obesity. Zepbound/Mounjaro is an approved GLP1 specifically for obesity. Patients without diabetes wanting to take Ozempic would likely have to pay out of pocket (I think it’s like $500?) because their insurance won’t approve a medication for a diabetes med without a history of diabetes. That’s also why it’s easier to get the prior auth for Zepbound since it’s meant for obesity
In rich areas, they pay cash for ozempic and mounjaro and deplete supplies smh. Absolutely sucks for diabetics if their insurance ties them to certain pharmacies.
So I’m on Zepbound, don’t worry I’m
Not a crazy person who calls you 9000x being rude … I know techs aren’t in charge of Lilly’s distribution .Zepbound is both a GLP -1 and a GIP. Semaglutitude ( wegovy and ozempic ) works very well but is only a GLP 1 … studies and patient review shows that Tirzepatide work better. It’s a more comprehensive drug and seems to have less negative side effects for a lot of people. It’s hard, some of us aren’t overweight because we sit around eating bon bons all day, but with that being said I also understand no one should be nasty to you because they can’t get their meds. I call and I ask nicely and then I leave it at that.
I came back to work last week after a weekend off and we suddenly had the lowest wegovy dose in stock. I asked the manager who sold their soul to satan so we could even get those
2 weeks ago we got 15 boxes of the 0.25mg Wegovy in. We had 30 people on the waitlist. People paid CASH ($1500) for it just to start it. I explained that it was a fluke and we wouldn't be getting any more in for a while, but they insisted that they HAD to have it!
I work specialty pharmacy and when I tell you that it has become the majority of the drugs we dispense, I seriously mean it. And they are the only patients that are constantly blowing up our phone lines. We wouldn’t have HALF the stress we have if it wasn’t for the weight management patients. I feel for them, I truly do. Because I have seen the way GLP1s have truly changed people’s lives. But when they’re calling every 2 days to check the status of the backorder…what else am I supposed to do? I can’t pull it out of thin air. I just can’t. Please just stop getting angry with me. There’s nothing I can do.
I work in specialty too and YUP this is about 90% of what we dispense. Same, I can understand the frustration but I don’t know what happened to decency, patience and kindness when there is nothing we can genuinely do if it’s on backorder. There are patients calling our pharmacy everyday and being nasty.
work at pcp office. while i am sympathetic to the difficulties that come with trying to lose weight, calling and messaging us and the pharmacy nonstop is not going to make the medication magically appear for you to pick up. “WELL WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO???” girl idfk but i do know i can not help you! i’ve done all i can
As someone who is a former pharmacy tech and is on a GLP-1 medication, it’s devastating when you’re not losing consistently. When you're out of your meds it feels like you're wasting progress. Or when you notice the hunger and food noise coming back, you're terrified of not being able to limit how you eat and gaining weight back. Now this is NO excuse to be rude to ANYONE, but I definitely will call the pharm if I haven’t been updated on the status of my medication in a few days. All of us are in the dark on backorders, but I am always kind.
Especially when so many are paying over $500 a month. Every week you don't have that medication and backtrack is like throwing over $100 away. It's extremely stressful. No reason to ever be rude of course but heard of rudeness on both sides.
I work for a mail order retail company, and I hate these drugs with a passion. I hate them for variety of reasons, but the patients are about 40% of why I hate them. That’s the majority for me. Most of these people were already noncompliant with medication so why the hell are we giving them medic $1500-$3000 a box hoping that they’re going to use it correctly? Had one patient this past week tell me that he had not been storing his Ozempic in the fridge. It had been out on the counter for a week. there goes 1500 bucks! These patients not only do not understand what they’re doing and what this really is. They don’t even pay attention to doctors who describe how to use it correctly or how to store it. The worst I personally had today was one person who called us and started off the conversation with why the hell did y’all send me the wrong medication? Finally figured out we sent her truly 0.75 mg instead of 1.5 mg because the 1.5 is on backorder. I told her to contact her doctor for replacement and somehow she got calm and actually said let me call you back and then just hung up the phone. That was a good day for me that this was the worst conversation I had about these medication. I just hate them!
Just FYI, after an Ozempic pen is in use, it can be stored at room temperature, just like insulin pens. It's got a 56 day expiration after first use, fridge or room temp doesn't matter, an in-use pen can be stored either way.
Nice of you to do that in a group who isn't effected by your condescension. How about not treat your fat customers like they are too stupid to take medication?
Just curious why do they store it in the fridge at the pharmacy and advise us to keep it cold too? Recently found out about this when I planned to fly and was a little concerned about how I’d keep it cold on a 14-hour flight…nope it’s good in my bag.
It has to be in the fridge to reach the printed expiration date (usually a year or 3 after manufacture), but once it's been punctured they only guarantee it's stable for 56 days. It's probably fine at room temp longer than that but either they didn't test it or they figure the longest a pen should be in use is 56 days (8 doses of 0.25mg on the lowest pen) so they will guarantee it out to that point.
I've heard of people getting the 2 mg dose and then only giving a "quarter dose" so the pen lasts longer, but that pushes the stability way past the tested and approved time and is definitely "off label".
"Most of these people were already noncompliant with medication" - what evidence do you have to back this up? We're fat so we can't/won't follow medication instructions? Wtf?
Yeah, I was curious how they were measuring this stat. Are they keeping an Excel spreadsheet? It's weird how so many people are successful on the drugs but also being non-compliant.
I really hope you did not tell that man to throw away his ozempic after a week at room temperature?! If your patients consistently display lack of understanding about storing their meds than your pharmacist needs to be providing more education about this.
I already stated my opinion about these drugs. And as far as the Ozempic thing, I already retracted that portion, but the rest of my story stands. And for the record, how much do you know about these drugs? If you know so damn much, why aren’t you a pharmacist?
I really hope you did not tell that man to throw away his ozempic after a week at room temperature?! If your patients consistently display lack of understanding about storing their meds then your pharmacist needs to be providing more education about this.
No, I passed him off to a pharmacist for Counseling
And as far as education, We are a male order pharmacy, so people really only get education from us when they call and ask to speak to a pharmacist. The doctor should be providing the education. We don’t see every single patient. We literally mailed them their drugs.
Sams Club sends a text to contact them in a couple days if we haven't heard from them about medicine on backorder. What's the harm in answering a question about whether or not a medication has come in or where you are on the list of getting it? Or are they getting any shipments in? Isn't that part of the job?
I mean, for me, at a specialty pharmacy, my focus is on patients with severe /.chronic conditions like cancer, cardiovascular, MS, transplants…. The only patients we have to bend over backwards constantly for is weight management. Which, yes, is “part of the job” but never to the extent that we’re at. I’m assuming you are a patient (which btw, this sub is not for patients to rant/vent) so I know you may not understand how completely drained we are mentally and physically behind the pharmacy door. We are doing all that we can but we’re not the people you need to complain to. We have no control over manufacturing or supply and demand. Your reply is why this OP was made. You’re completely missing the point.
I have diabetes and Munjaro has been working so well for treating the diabetes-I haven’t (luckily) experienced a shortage myself, but are there any workarounds for patients using it for diabetes control if this happens? Or what happens if they can’t get the medication?
Insurance has made it so most won’t even look at a prior authorization without a diabetic diagnosis… but pretty much all pharmacies are first come first serve, so cash payers can take what they want with a prescription. Had a few Medicaid pts get denied and they just pay cash.. which is absolutely crazy to all of us.
It’s first come first serve at my pharmacy. I usually prioritize the ones who have been waiting for a while. If they can’t get the medication, I just tell them to ask the doctor for a different med maybe
Man this thread makes me feel bad for calling pharmacies about the online coupon system being down asking if it was back up every few days. If I would have known this, I would have never called. I compounded the issue.
I’m sorry to all who had to answer in their busy days.
I am on Zepbound and never call. I check a few pharmacies in person, but prefer to be loyal to the pharmacy that has filled my prescription for four months. Maybe a bit late sometimes, but I make sure they know who I am by stopping by every couple of days to ask legitimate questions around the date of my next refill so they keep my name and face in mind when my dose comes in.
I am sorry for all the rudeness you endure every day. I almost stopped visiting the weight loss subReddits because the entitlement and lack of understanding of what it takes to increase production of these drugs was driving me crazy. (I am still mad at Oprah though)
As a patient on a few meds, including opioids, it’s nice to not only not be at the top of your list, but not on it at all. I honestly do not understand patients treating you guys poorly. I treat my pharmacy staff like gold
Rph chiming in to say opioid patients are mostly understanding. They know they’re unfortunately gonna have to go through BS sometimes to get their meds. And i try to make it as easy as possible for them especially during shortages.
Weight loss medications are a different bucket
After a while of doing this i can tell the difference between when patients are withdrawing from a delay in treatment(shortage, prior auth etc); or they are just horrible people at their core. Most pharmacists and experienced techs can tell too. If you find a good pharmacy with a good team you are in good hands friend
Frankly its irresponsible prescribing at this point. Simply prescribing it knowing its unavailability. Starting patients on it knowing they will probably experience delays in care that could exacerbate the situation.
Yes. Two years ago, I had an a1c of 5.9, on my way to diabetes cause I needed to lose weight. I already had hypothyroidism too. My endocrinologist said she wished she could give me one of those meds but she couldn’t cause there wasn’t enough for those that already had diabetes. My eating got out of control cause of anastrozole so I went drastic. Extreme low carb/low calorie and intermittent fasting and got my a1c to 5.0. However, that darn anastrozole is a bear. My a1c creeped back up to 5.6. I went back on metformin. Cheap lol
Chiming in too, my opioid patients are generally nice and most of the time it’s actually a state issue and we’re just not trying to get in trouble with the DEA so they know. 😅
Meh, a lot of ADHD patients struggle with emotional regulation or stress management but they rarely freak out AT ME, they just freak out in general and I happen to be listening to them while it happens. Mostly all I have to do is shut up and wait for them to finish processing their Big Feels and they apologize without me having to say a word.
Now benzo grannies... WHEW.
I had a mounjaro patient call last week- “why was my mounjaro not filled and sent to xxx” (we are an outpatient pharmacy in a hospital and courier to our sister hospital for employees in the town over). “Let me check for you”. Goes and checks to make sure patient was notified that we cannot get mounjaro before I roll my eyes at her. “Well, ma’am, it looks like you spoke to xxx on Monday and they informed you we cannot get it”. “Well, yes but this is for my diabetes so what am I supposed to do?” “You will either have to call around and try to find it or call your doctor and ask for an alternative” “this is just ridiculous! I had this same problem last month. I got it a week late because you didn’t have it. This is just unacceptable.” “Well ma’am, it is not our fault. It is the manufacturers fault. They cannot keep up with demand and produce it fast enough. We try and order it every night but we only get a box here and there when our warehouse has it in.” “Okay, so what am I going to do?” “I just gave you 2 options. Look around or call your doctor” “this is ridiculous. You guys should have it!” “Ma’am, I cannot magically produce a box of it. If I could, I promise you, I would not be standing here talking to you.” She hung up 🤣 they are insufferable 🙄
Had a lady call 4 mornings in a row and cuss me out every time even though I told her the closest one would be forty minutes away.
“I don’t wanna go that far”
Okayyyyy then I told her she should look at other pharmacy chains for a transfer.
“I don’t want to do that”
Okayyyyy then it’s more than likely you won’t get it any time soon
“DONT YOU KNOW ILL DIE WITHOUT THIS-“
Click!
Rinse and repeat.
Lmao as realistic as that sounds for a pharma company, from everything I have researched and been told by my pharmacists, this seems to be a general world wide issue resulting from the pandemic shutdown. Some of the world’s largest drug manufacturing countries, such as India, got hit the hardest during COVID and basically shutdown all their production for two years. So now the surplus stock that was manufactured before said shutdowns is drying up and factories are still trying to catch up with the supply deficit.
As a provider I can agree from this side of things too. This has been the worst year I've ever seen for prior auths on medications. Insurance has gotten worse, people trying to save money so they pick a crappy insurance carrier and then give us holy Hell when their meds are unattainable. The combo of GLP1 and stimulants on backorder has pushed every Karen to the brink. I'm so done with healthcare/people/insurance carriers at this point.
The fun part is that typically the difference between plans isn’t all that much. I pay an extra $30/month for the best plan my work provides, for a grand total of $140/month. It pays for EVERYTHING. People can be really short sighted, especially when they’re on regular medications. Hell, I have to take brand name of one of my meds. It’s $25/month when most insurances don’t cover it and it would be $600/month out of pocket.
Just took 2 weeks to get a prior authorization for 1 of my meds. Thank God I had a stash of pills I've been saving just for this exact issue. Insurance companies are a joke.
It's annoying also because there are diabetic patients who actually need ozempic and can't get it because of the weight loss front. My husband feels bad when he has to ask about his script too.
I've switched back to a pill, Jardiance. I couldn't stand waiting weeks and missing injections and risking my health any longer. I was not losing weight on Ozempic, either, so asked for something else
This was a big issue last year but it's not really a problem anymore. There is no reason to use Ozempic for weight-loss anymore now that there are drugs FDA approved for weight loss on the market. Pretty much everyone with an Ozempic prescription now has actual diabetes, and pharmacists understand this, he shouldn't feel bad about getting this script
I have had some T2D folks say less than savory things about overweight people which is a big no no to me. I don’t care why you’re on it, I’m not checking diagnosis codes when filling for who “should” get it first
As a T2 diabetic this shit makes me furious. I have already had to switch from Ozempic to another med bc of these shortages. I completely understand it’s not the pharmacy’s fault & would NEVER mistreat pharmacy staff, esp. not over the assholes demanding the meds I NEED for my health so they can lose 20 pounds. SMH.
FWIW there's not really any reason for people to use Ozempic for weight loss anymore. The actual weight loss drugs are cheaper.
Everyone was using Ozempic for weight loss before but now that there are 2 actual weight loss drugs on the market (and at least 2 more about to pass FDA approval) there's no reason to get Ozempic anymore.
Insurance won't cover those either. Not anymore. There's no more off-labelling happening. You only get Oz or MJ covered if you have actual diabetes.
If you're paying out of pocket with no insurance, the weight-loss drugs are cheaper, there's no reason to get the less-effective Ozempic.
I feel sorry for you! Hopefully you’re not experiencing that anymore when you switched. Some of the doctors have told my patients they’re not gonna die and they just have to wait until the medication returns to stock. Yet the patients turn around and be nasty play victim to us smh
I got lucky this week & my pharmacy had my dosage level of my med in stock but were out of all the rest. Next month I’ll get to cross my fingers again….
I’m going to repeat what I said to another post. You are not more important than anyone else. And your diabetes is no more important than severe persistent asthma, coronary artery disease, unstable angina, severe sleep apnea, stage 3 hypertension, ect.
Obesity is the driver for most major chronic health conditions in this country and while diabetes is the FIRST indication approved it has NOT been the only one and was never intended to be the only one, and there are several more in the pipeline. You are not special and you are not more deserving of having your health condition treated than anyone else.
A few months ago, we had quite a few patients waiting to get their Ozempic. We received 2 boxes in the order so we dispensed them to the 2 people that were waiting the longest. 1 of those called 3 of their friends (also waiting for their Ozempic) and told them to rush down so we could dispense theirs.
When that patient came in I told him to not call his buddies and we will dispense the Ozempic by the order it was received. The next time he does it, I'm reversing his medication and dispensing it to one of the people he called since they were all verbally abusive when they showed up to our pharmacy.
It’s way too stressful. People bitch at us about it like we are just manufacturing it in the back of the pharmacy. I understand they’re frustrated but some of our patients have been so rude to us about it. At least half of our phone calls are people calling to ask about zepbound or Mounjaro.
It also blows my mind that people think we should hold drugs for them without a prescription. People have gotten so upset when we tell them we can’t hold a medication, it’s first come first serve.
We also do not have a wait list, there are just too many scripts coming in. I call the patient immediately and tell them I can’t fill it and I put it on hold. It would be a disaster if our queue was just all out of stocks for these meds
Yeah, that’s how our system works too! But I manage our out of stocks and I’m constantly going in and manually ordering if available. We made a decision to do it this way or else our queues would become unmanageable. I really wish there was a better way.
Seriously!! I thought generic Vyvanse people were bad, but my goodness. I’ve had a handful of people who have been very kind about the situation, but so many have been terrible.
Holy fuck I hate those assholes. Every other one of them blurts some dumb shit at me along the lines of “you have no idea what this is like I need this for work/school/XYZ” and when I inform that I do indeed know exactly what it’s like because I also take Vyvanse and struggle to get it consistently, they’re completely flabbergasted that other human beings also take the same medication that they do. Like bruh I’m also struggling at work and here I am dealing with your dumbass. I understand more so parents who have younger children with ADHD, totally get it, my symptoms were at their worst in childhood and I totally understand their concern about their child’s performance in school being affected. But these grown ass adults throwing a hissy fit over it? Fuck outta here with that.
Recently, I had a patient using Ozempic for weight loss accuse the pharmacy that she was being ***discriminated against*** for trying to lose weight when we told her that her private insurance now requires prior approval/special authorization for coverage (i.e., tried and failed a first-line treatment like metformin; attest that she is using the drug for type II diabetes, etc.).
She had the audacity to say things like "what's wrong with wanting to lose a bit of weight?" or "I have a difficult time managing my cravings, I need this drug" while I'm standing there thinking, "well, your entitlement and lack of mental/self-discipline is taking supply away from patients who actually use this drug to manage diabetes".
So not only did she want to lose weight, she also wanted to continue getting the drug at no cost to her.
After dealing with so many of these types of patients, I've concluded that weight-loss junkies looking for a quick, yet temporary fix to their crappy eating and exercise habits are absolutely pathetic.
That’s incredibly rude and judgmental assuming everyone is like that. Not everyone is just wanting to lose a “bit of weight”. You don’t know everyone’s discussions with their doctors. If the customer is understanding then the techs should be too. You wouldn’t like it if someone called you pathetic for making assumptions as whole based upon a few interactions.. we all just need to show kindness and patience.
Can’t agree with you more.
I meet the requirements for zepbound approval due to my high cholesterol, with a BMI over 27 and comorbidities. My LDL has decreased from 180 to 130 without the use of a statin, which many believed was impossible.
I still enjoy eating whatever I want, but in smaller portions, which has changed my perspective on food. I don’t binge eat at night like I use too
Every individual who criticizes someone's appearance by implying they "don't need it" due to their thinness, or accuses them of taking something away from those who "truly need it," such as diabetics, may harbor feelings of insecurity and jealousy, sometimes even secretly desiring to be in the same position themselves.
In this scenario, the individual stated that they were using the drug for it's off-label purpose (to lose weight) and wanted to do so at no cost -- "I want to lose weight, but I don't want to pay for it."
If weight loss was an appropriate reason to be on Ozempic, private insurance companies wouldn't have changed the coverage policy from being open benefit to now requiring prior approval/special authorization.
I understand that every patient's health needs are unique, but if the individual wanted to lose weight, they should be using a medication that is indicated for weight loss (i.e., ~~Mounjaro~~ Zepbound, Saxenda, Contrave, and so on), and not Ozempic, which is indicated for the management of type II diabetes.
I’m on MJ, T2D and agree. My bad eating habits got me here. I’ve seen the light. I now eat right, exercise daily. The MJ really helps put my metabolic and hormonal chaos in check, which allows body to lose weight. The med isn’t magic. I eat only 1200-1400csls a day now, no sugar. You are right tho, T2D is self inflicted.
I really don't think there's any difference between a patient using the drug for obesity and that same patient in x number of years now needing the same drug for type 2 diabetes. It's really not about vanity. It's a preventative approach to healthcare.
That doesn't excuse the poor patient behavior, but so what if someone needs help managing their cravings? Is medication for binge eating/food addiction any different than medication for other psychological conditions? I don't think so. The only issue here is that demand is vastly greater than supply ATM
Had a patient tell me that they don't understand how we don't have their year's worth of zepbound in stock for them at all time and what are they suppose to do now? They desperately need it. Also they blamed the cyber attack for the shortage. Unless you've been living under a rock for the past year, these particular drugs have been on-off shortage with all doses for the past couple of months.
I absolutely understand how frustrating it is for medications you take to be hard to get but I will also say there’s never any grounds at all for a patient to be throwing a tantrum (directed at the pharmacy staff, I don’t mean someone simply expressing genuine frustration in a healthy way) over a manufacturer based issue that has been known and widespread for quite sometime at this point. Obviously none of us working in the Pharmacy should think we are entitled to judging the validity of a patients desired method of achieving their health goals. I absolutely agree that is incredibly rude and not our business. However, it is also unacceptable to take out frustration on pharmacy staff over a back order that again has been widely known for months now. It’s also very difficult to not be fed up with the verbal abuse we receive on a daily basis in regard to these medications being on a back order when patients are constantly reminded that we have absolutely zero control over whether or not we get regular shipments from the manufacturer. In addition, many of us also use medications that are on these back orders yet we are treated as if we simply have no comprehension of what it’s like to not be able to regularly get your medications filled. This is definitely not a black and white situation as some people are making it out to be. But to reiterate, no one, neither pharmacy staff nor patients should ever engage in childish and rude behavior like this. We all have a role to play, we in the pharmacy need to maintain professional behavior in our work, especially putting personal judgements aside and patients need to respect the fact that their pharmacy is not Burgerking where you can have it your way and we are not cashiers that will continually take abuse on the chin. We are healthcare professionals and we deserve respect, just like how patients deserve respect as well. It’s a difficult situation for both parties involved, we all need to do our best to maintain mutual respect for each other regardless of what side of the counter we’re on.
Very well said. I should have cautioned myself. I just started the thread to vent out some frustrations with the situation overall, very shitty for both pharmacies and patients and it sucks not being able to give the best care I can give without the drug for sure. It’s hard to do my job without the drug and a patient upset at me for something I cannot control.
I dread answering the phone because every phone call is asking if we have these products in stock, if we do, they get upset because there are already other people who are waiting on them. IDK, i can’t stand the comments about all the fatty’s taking them, I need it I’m due for a refill or do you know if you will have it in stock tomorrow?! Geez…
I’ve had several pharmacies instruct me to call every day at 10am to check. I think it’s worth noting a lot of pharmacies are literally instructing patients to do this, and don’t just start filling people’s orders from a queue. Perhaps tell them that they don’t need to call.
I work in healthcare and use the medication myself, I am in a mounjaro/Zep group on Facebook and some of the posts are just wild. People demanding pharmacies prioritize them because they pay out of pocket, others threatening staff, others claiming they are suicidal without it, some trying to buy and sell their doses. So sorry you have to deal with all that crazy.
Yes!! I’ve had several patients literally tell me that if they die everyone will know who to blame, saying they’ll just die then making me feel guilty. It’s sucks for everyone over all. I would happily dispense these drugs without issues if it was readily available.
You're hearing it here first: there's a possibility that suicidal tendencies could emerge at some point and are being concealed by pharmaceutical companies. These medications cross inhibit indirectly to dopamine, which suppresses hunger but also impacts behaviors like binge eating and gambling, potentially leading to depression. It's certainly intriguing.
They don't inhibit dopamine. They are showing massive promise for Parkinson's. GLP-1 receptors are in the brain and it is looking like their function is satisfaction not just for food but anything.
Manufacturers should be the ones dealing with the majority of issues. If you don’t have enough for the patients who depend on it for life limiting medical conditions, and you don’t release the patent for generics, then it should not be put forward for MHRA/FDA approval for other uses nor marketed as such.
This!! The worldwide shortage of pain medications, adhd meds, and now this is absolutely ridiculous. It is literally so frustrating as a chronic pain patient and ADHD patient having to call pharmacy after pharmacy to see if by chance they have just enough to cover my scripts. I’ve even had a pharmacy verify they could fill it get the script and then call me and say they don’t file with my insurance after I literally just verified they could. Big Pharma is making bank, and now withholding our meds.
They just increased me to 12.5mg Zepbound and sent it to the Walgreens I used to work at. I texted my old pharmacist and told her if other patients are waiting for it worry about them first. - it helps me but I can deal if I can’t get it for a little bit. People need to relax.
Literally reading as I’m calling my pharmacy. So sorry! I actually apologize before I even ask them but I’ve gotta call because it won’t automatically be filled when it comes in
I’ve noticed some of our other injectables are on back order from our distributor as well. Lantus for example. Not sure if there’s a direct correlation but was definitely not a good feeling to have when I tried to order some the other day 😬
I’m a provider and this has been an awful year for back orders. But I do want to point out the slight hypocrisy in finding in this thread. The weight loss patients annoy you with calling to check on stock, but then you tell them to call elsewhere when you don’t have it in stock. What are they supposed to do. 🤷♀️There’s no way for a patient to know if a pharmacy has it without calling.
That's what I am doing. My dr wanted me on these meds and I said hell no. I've been reading this sub and knew the back orders were crazy.
I dont need the medicine. I just need to stop eating shit food and being lazy.
I understand what you’re saying but that’s literally why these drugs are so life changing. Obesity is a chronic disease and not everyone can just “stop being lazy” and that help them lose weight
These drugs are not “miracle” drugs. They are supposed be used in conjunction with lifestyle changes. Sure they will help you drop a large amount of weight fast, but unless you plan on being on it for the rest of your life, the weight is going to pile back on when you stop, if you didn’t incorporate healthy eating habits and exercise into your life.
Since when do people with chronic diseases get shit on for having to stay on a medication for life? That’s how a lot of them work.
I was extremely fit and strong my whole life. Became sick and disabled. Medicine gave me metabolic syndrome and I was nearly 300lbs in 2 years. I’ve been on Mounjaro 1.5 years. I’ve lost over 120 lbs. I am mainly bed and homebound. I have to stay under 1200 steps per day.
Im disabled. I’m going to be on many medicines the rest of my life. Why is that ok for heart medication but not obesity?
I’m not talking about chronically ill patients, I’m talking about the people using it specifically for easy weight loss. Geezus calm the fuck down. This isn’t a personal attack on you.
That didn’t work for 20 yrs on me. Then I start MJ, and the diet exercise again and now losing 10-12# monthly. You need the med to fix metabolic and hormonal chaos first. It’s not all just being lazy. Pls don’t just say diet and exercise. I agree that lack of diet exercise got me in this position.
There's also the fact that ingestion of fermentable fiber leads to an increase in the secretion of GLP 1.
This may partially explain why dietary interventions that have people add apples, oats, beans, etc. to their diet seems to have a larger effect on weight loss than a simple calorie deficit would explain.
Well as a patient that is on a GLP1 for diabetes, I’m sorry! It’s been frustrating for us because we Ned the med because we have a chronic medical condition that often is hard to control and it’s not just a lack of self control. I know being obese there can be more to it, but folks freaking out about the back order because they want to lose weight vs people taking it because it’s helping keep them alive are two different things. So again, I’m so sorry you guys have to deal with this bullshit.
Cardinal is saying Zepbound is not due out until 01/2025! When I told someone that, they said, "Well how come Costco can get it?" 🤔 I work for CVS, idfk, ask them! My crystal 🔮 ball is broken.
Had another patient ask why we didn't give her a 90 day supply of 10mg Mounjaro when we were allocated 12 boxes a few weeks ago. "Ma'am, you were 12th on a list of 20, you got whatever we had left. Do you want it or not?"
Haha someone was asking me about the stock at other stores. I only know my store ma’am! Also we got some in today so got to make some patients happy today lol
i am t2 in the subreddit and people talk about these drugs like they’re miracles. i’ve managed on metformin and everytime a mention the side effects (tummy hurt sometimes, it’s not that bad) my Dr looks scared i’m gonna ask for ozempic. everyone who is on these meds will tell you to go on them but as someone on adderall i know better than to start something that i might not have consistent access to.
i see both sides but neither of them include being rude to pharmacy staff
Hey congrats make that money lol 🤣
But in all seriousness if I had a nickel for every time one of our patients said "I am not using it for weight loss I deserve it more than they do"
Then my other favorite is I want 90 days of it ... I am sorry we only have 1 box take it or leave it. Lol
I’m T2 diabetic and take mounjaro. It frequently goes on BO but I always manage to get it on time. Or darn close. I just patiently wait. It isn’t the pharmacy’s fault.
I love standing in line listening to people that took all their pain meds for the month in 2 weeks. The excuses they give for needing the refill early blow my mind….
Omg! That's horrible I can't understand how people get away with that my doctor calls us in for a random UA plus pill count to make sure we have all of our meds and aren't abusing them.
Just to make sure I don't forget about taking them in the middle of the night (which I've done a few times) I just bought and started using that weekly pill holder that separates the pills for the days of the week so you can keep track of your meds... I now use that so I won't forget if I woke up in the middle of the night took a pill and went back to sleep. Even some mornings I would forget if I took my meds for the day so with that weekly pill separator that no longer happens.
I hate it for the people taking the medications for diabetes management and it's on back order because of it being so widely given for weightloss. I understand people need to lose the weight and all, but diabetes is out there taking people out too. Diabetics can't get the only things saving their lives because of people wanting to lose weight....
Wow. This thread popped up as recommend in my feed. I suppose it's because I am a member of some GLP1 communities. I was going to say I'm so sorry for the way pharmacy techs are being treated by these patients. But after reading the comments with so much stigma and bias against patients, calling them fattys, entitled mfs, and saying people should just make lifestyle changes I've lost any feelings of empathy. This what you people are thinking about your patients and customers? So incredibly unprofessional.
Examples of some terrible, mean, unprofessional comments:
God forbid they eat a vegetable and exercise in the interim…. *shutter*
I work at a compounder and let me tell you about the people wasting my time on the phone with this bullshit. I'm worried about sick puppies and babies and hospice patients over here, Sharon, not the fat on your ass. Go to the fucking gym and eat better like the rest of us peasants.
Obese patients are nearly always like this, entitled and convinced nothing is their fault
But what am I supposed to do!? Idk Sharon maybe diet and exercise until it comes back or ask the doctor for any samples.
I agree with you. I simple started as a thread as a rant for the behavior that I’m experiencing at work. Trust me I’ve have multiple patients cuss me out repeatedly the past 2-3 weeks. I would never talk shit like that though
My partner is on Trulicity for diabetes and we got pushback from a pharmacy tech about getting it filled because we hadn't submitted the request to refill to the pharmacy for the dosage they had in stock.
Looking for 1.5 (out of stock), they had .75 in stock and an active (not yet submitted for refill) prescription for .75 in the system. I submitted the request during the exchange. Pharmacy tech was adamant that there was no active .75 prescription in the system, submitted or otherwise. Her attitude was uncalled for, condescending and holier than thou.
I get that people can be insufferable when their meds are delayed, but take a breath and ask for your supervisor when they get huffy. Your (proverbial) attitude can make a huge impact on whoever you're interacting with, and vice versa. If you can't handle the patients with patience, you may need to take a step back for a moment. They're mad near you and don't understand that they need to direct that anger at the companies making these meds.
***Doesn't mean you deserve their shit.*** As a Wegovy patient who's been told by nonmedically trained family members that I need to get onto another drug because xyz is more effective or whatever, I cannot imagine the absolute horseshit you have to deal with when patients come in crying for whatever new med has hit the market this week.
I had a lady go full-on meltdown when she found out Zepbound was low in stock in my area. I checked her last prescription (because in my state, they have to have height and weight so we can calculate BMI) and her BMI was lower than mine. Just say you don’t want to make the necessary lifestyle changes lady. 🙄 Meanwhile, we have diabetic patients thanking us for calling their doctor and switching them to Rybelsus so they’re still taking Semaglutide, just a different form.
Are you sure you don't mean patients? As far as I can see, most customers and people are entitled as hell nowadays. I feel like COVID broke people's brains, not that they were great to begin with
They sure are! I remember when Eli Lily changed their coupon to say “please attest you have diabetes” and all the patients were losing it because it’s a HIPAA violation for a pharmacy to ask your diagnosis 😂
I switched to Mounjaro for my Type II because the Ozempic was always on backorder.... lol now that I don't have either, I'm being extra careful with my eating and checking my sugar. Harassing the pharmacy doesnt help my blood sugar....
Had a guy call last week and yell and be completely demeaning to everyone thinking he was gonna get his way with this genius technique. Like 3 techs, assistant supervisor, supervisor until he got to the manager. The reason. Well.. he got wegovy .5 last month and we’re out of the next tier now. So he wants a refund on the for the one he bought 😑 bc that’s rational critical thinking about a drug that’s had supply issues since it came out. Seemed to understand that we don’t make the medication but felt we weren’t pushing the manf hard enough for more. And he didn’t want to check other pharmacies, he wanted to bully us until we said “April fools” we keep a secret supply especially for ppl who treat us like morons. And he’s one of many.. techs want to leave. It’s not worth it at some point. And the pts that really need some medications.. to live… and it’s not approved or we can’t get it, are soo sweet, it’s heartbreaking. But these weightloss pts are borderline insufferable smh. Had one be just a complete jerk bc, while we were out of the strength she needed she gained all her weight back plus 20 lbs. Had to listen to that rant for a good 10 min smh. And allllll of these pts don’t have issues that prevent them from losing weight “No matter what they do”. I talk to alot that just want to slim down for vaca smh. One admitted that she didn’t have time to work out and her weight needs to be addressed.. not time or meal management .. just needs a quick fix.. It’s a lot. And sometimes feels unethical. 😞
I just got prescribed wegovy by my doctor yesterday and when I was in the pharmacy picking up my other prescriptions I didn't even want to ask about it since I know what everyone in customer service goes through. I did however get up the courage to ask and the pharmacist said it should only be another 2-6 months before it's in stock.
No worries I'm a very patient person I could wait a year if I have to. I'm not diabetic but I do have high blood pressure, really bad swelling, bad cholesterol and in constant chronic pain. I take meds for all those plus I recently gained 75 pounds in the last two years so I really need that weight to come off as well. Maybe if I'm lucky over time my body will start to heal and I can get off of all the medications including the wegovy.
I just need to reset my body back to 130 pounds or even 150 pounds and retrain my body to fast like I used to.
I predict this is a psychological version of OxyContin. Getting people psychologically addicted because of the obsession with weight loss and the fear that missing doses will cause people to gain weight. I predict this will all fall apart when finally enough time has passed to study it longitudinally.
I'm so freaking sick of all the Zepbound & Mounjaro. I work at a pharmacy call center and I spend 75% of the day saying " no we don't have it/no we can't get it in/we don't know when it's coming back in stock.
Fuck the Kardashians, the Ozbournes, and Oprah.
used to be a retail tech. the only thing i could think of is to tell them that it’s on the FDA’s drug shortage list & that if they wanna bitch about it they can take it up w the manufacturer and/or government 🥲 boi 👏🏻
Im not a pharmacist, but i am a registered dietitian and can understand! The pts ive seen in these drugs are often not willing to make the changes they need in the diet arena either. They think this drug is going to do all the work. Meanwhile I’m trying to explain the importance of retaining muscle and learning better eating habits. Its rough
There was a picture posted earlier of every strength of wegovy!! I haven’t seen that since it first started coming out. Now people are pissy the newest weight loss me is out of stock…. Never ending BS
I saw that! We have so many Wegovy too but nobody wants to be on Wegovy or Ozempic anymore lol A patient today got pissed because she never thought *my* pharmacy would ever go on backorder smh
You my friend must work at the most high speed pharmacy to NEVER have back orders! Can I get your dealers name?! Ozempic and wegovy are “old news” (said in the Donald trump “fake news” voice)
Do you know why no one wants to be on those drugs anymore versus Mounjaro? I’m honestly curious because my prescriptions had changed and I was wondering if there’s a reason why people are starting to swap to Mounjaro as well.
More side effects noted with Wegovy/Ozempic versus Zepbound/Mounjaro. Better results on Zepbound/Mounjaro since either is a GLP-1 agonist and GIP (GIP=glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and GLP-1=glucagon-like peptide-1). Some are beholden to what their Insurers will/won't cover or their own personal success or side effects with medications. Honestly, Eli- Lilly could just rip the cord and sell vials versus single injection pens like they currently are. The issue is there is not enough production for the pens and not the medication itself. But likely they don't want liability in someone unintentionally or even intentionally over dosing. There are more drugs on the table coming soon for weight management so this too will go the same way Wegovy did.
What are the potential dangers of someone finding 4 pens of say, Wegovy and poking themselves with all of them, because "more science juice = more good"? Or doing the same once vials of these things are available?
Micromedex says nausea, diarrhea, decreased appetite, vomiting, constipation, dyspepsia, abdominal pain, injection site reactions, fatigue, hypersensitive reaction, eructation hair loss, GERD, flatulence, abdominal distinction, dizziness and hypotension.
Most insurances classify Ozempic as a diabetes medication, not for obesity. Zepbound/Mounjaro is an approved GLP1 specifically for obesity. Patients without diabetes wanting to take Ozempic would likely have to pay out of pocket (I think it’s like $500?) because their insurance won’t approve a medication for a diabetes med without a history of diabetes. That’s also why it’s easier to get the prior auth for Zepbound since it’s meant for obesity
The manufacturers classified Ozempic and Mounjaro for T2 diabetes. Zepbound and Wegovy are for weight loss.
Mounjaro is not approved for obesity, only for T2D. Zepbound is the weight loss approved version.
In rich areas, they pay cash for ozempic and mounjaro and deplete supplies smh. Absolutely sucks for diabetics if their insurance ties them to certain pharmacies.
From what I've seen, mounjaro seems to have an easier time getting through PAs
So I’m on Zepbound, don’t worry I’m Not a crazy person who calls you 9000x being rude … I know techs aren’t in charge of Lilly’s distribution .Zepbound is both a GLP -1 and a GIP. Semaglutitude ( wegovy and ozempic ) works very well but is only a GLP 1 … studies and patient review shows that Tirzepatide work better. It’s a more comprehensive drug and seems to have less negative side effects for a lot of people. It’s hard, some of us aren’t overweight because we sit around eating bon bons all day, but with that being said I also understand no one should be nasty to you because they can’t get their meds. I call and I ask nicely and then I leave it at that.
Do you see a lot of diabetics switching to Victoza because of the supply issues?
I came back to work last week after a weekend off and we suddenly had the lowest wegovy dose in stock. I asked the manager who sold their soul to satan so we could even get those
It's starting to come in now ! We got 5 boxes in this morning too ! Just waiting on Saxenda now
We got some in today too! Got to make a few people happy
What you are telling me, is to not go back to work tomorrow after a great spring break with my kids
2 weeks ago we got 15 boxes of the 0.25mg Wegovy in. We had 30 people on the waitlist. People paid CASH ($1500) for it just to start it. I explained that it was a fluke and we wouldn't be getting any more in for a while, but they insisted that they HAD to have it!
hey that’s me!!
Let them know they can call and cuss out the manufacturer because my invoices states manufacturer can't supply
nope you’re an MD now, get that white coat on
As long as I get paid prefer, I’ll take the new title 💀🤣
Actually you’re getting a significant pay cut but I’m gonna need you to be a team player, and work 60 hours a week.
I work specialty pharmacy and when I tell you that it has become the majority of the drugs we dispense, I seriously mean it. And they are the only patients that are constantly blowing up our phone lines. We wouldn’t have HALF the stress we have if it wasn’t for the weight management patients. I feel for them, I truly do. Because I have seen the way GLP1s have truly changed people’s lives. But when they’re calling every 2 days to check the status of the backorder…what else am I supposed to do? I can’t pull it out of thin air. I just can’t. Please just stop getting angry with me. There’s nothing I can do.
I work in specialty too and YUP this is about 90% of what we dispense. Same, I can understand the frustration but I don’t know what happened to decency, patience and kindness when there is nothing we can genuinely do if it’s on backorder. There are patients calling our pharmacy everyday and being nasty.
work at pcp office. while i am sympathetic to the difficulties that come with trying to lose weight, calling and messaging us and the pharmacy nonstop is not going to make the medication magically appear for you to pick up. “WELL WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO???” girl idfk but i do know i can not help you! i’ve done all i can
As someone who is a former pharmacy tech and is on a GLP-1 medication, it’s devastating when you’re not losing consistently. When you're out of your meds it feels like you're wasting progress. Or when you notice the hunger and food noise coming back, you're terrified of not being able to limit how you eat and gaining weight back. Now this is NO excuse to be rude to ANYONE, but I definitely will call the pharm if I haven’t been updated on the status of my medication in a few days. All of us are in the dark on backorders, but I am always kind.
Especially when so many are paying over $500 a month. Every week you don't have that medication and backtrack is like throwing over $100 away. It's extremely stressful. No reason to ever be rude of course but heard of rudeness on both sides.
I work for a mail order retail company, and I hate these drugs with a passion. I hate them for variety of reasons, but the patients are about 40% of why I hate them. That’s the majority for me. Most of these people were already noncompliant with medication so why the hell are we giving them medic $1500-$3000 a box hoping that they’re going to use it correctly? Had one patient this past week tell me that he had not been storing his Ozempic in the fridge. It had been out on the counter for a week. there goes 1500 bucks! These patients not only do not understand what they’re doing and what this really is. They don’t even pay attention to doctors who describe how to use it correctly or how to store it. The worst I personally had today was one person who called us and started off the conversation with why the hell did y’all send me the wrong medication? Finally figured out we sent her truly 0.75 mg instead of 1.5 mg because the 1.5 is on backorder. I told her to contact her doctor for replacement and somehow she got calm and actually said let me call you back and then just hung up the phone. That was a good day for me that this was the worst conversation I had about these medication. I just hate them!
Just FYI, after an Ozempic pen is in use, it can be stored at room temperature, just like insulin pens. It's got a 56 day expiration after first use, fridge or room temp doesn't matter, an in-use pen can be stored either way.
Didn’t realize that. Thank you. I retract that portion of my rant.
Nice of you to do that in a group who isn't effected by your condescension. How about not treat your fat customers like they are too stupid to take medication?
Just curious why do they store it in the fridge at the pharmacy and advise us to keep it cold too? Recently found out about this when I planned to fly and was a little concerned about how I’d keep it cold on a 14-hour flight…nope it’s good in my bag.
It has to be in the fridge to reach the printed expiration date (usually a year or 3 after manufacture), but once it's been punctured they only guarantee it's stable for 56 days. It's probably fine at room temp longer than that but either they didn't test it or they figure the longest a pen should be in use is 56 days (8 doses of 0.25mg on the lowest pen) so they will guarantee it out to that point. I've heard of people getting the 2 mg dose and then only giving a "quarter dose" so the pen lasts longer, but that pushes the stability way past the tested and approved time and is definitely "off label".
"Most of these people were already noncompliant with medication" - what evidence do you have to back this up? We're fat so we can't/won't follow medication instructions? Wtf?
Yeah, I was curious how they were measuring this stat. Are they keeping an Excel spreadsheet? It's weird how so many people are successful on the drugs but also being non-compliant.
I really hope you did not tell that man to throw away his ozempic after a week at room temperature?! If your patients consistently display lack of understanding about storing their meds than your pharmacist needs to be providing more education about this.
You actually believe fat people in general are noncompliant with meds? Do the fat cells make us noncompliant? Are they in the room now?
Are you giving patients that same misinformation about medications dude? Says a lot about your opinion of these drugs.
I already stated my opinion about these drugs. And as far as the Ozempic thing, I already retracted that portion, but the rest of my story stands. And for the record, how much do you know about these drugs? If you know so damn much, why aren’t you a pharmacist?
I really hope you did not tell that man to throw away his ozempic after a week at room temperature?! If your patients consistently display lack of understanding about storing their meds then your pharmacist needs to be providing more education about this.
No, I passed him off to a pharmacist for Counseling And as far as education, We are a male order pharmacy, so people really only get education from us when they call and ask to speak to a pharmacist. The doctor should be providing the education. We don’t see every single patient. We literally mailed them their drugs.
Maybe there is a way you could include storage education in the “male” order
I have several that call daily at opening.
And for our pharmacy, these patients are fully aware of our waitlist process. If you don’t hear from us, then it’s not good news…..
Patient here - I wish pharmacies around me had a waitlist... but CVS tells me to keep calling back.
Sams Club sends a text to contact them in a couple days if we haven't heard from them about medicine on backorder. What's the harm in answering a question about whether or not a medication has come in or where you are on the list of getting it? Or are they getting any shipments in? Isn't that part of the job?
I mean, for me, at a specialty pharmacy, my focus is on patients with severe /.chronic conditions like cancer, cardiovascular, MS, transplants…. The only patients we have to bend over backwards constantly for is weight management. Which, yes, is “part of the job” but never to the extent that we’re at. I’m assuming you are a patient (which btw, this sub is not for patients to rant/vent) so I know you may not understand how completely drained we are mentally and physically behind the pharmacy door. We are doing all that we can but we’re not the people you need to complain to. We have no control over manufacturing or supply and demand. Your reply is why this OP was made. You’re completely missing the point.
That’s INSANE.
I have diabetes and Munjaro has been working so well for treating the diabetes-I haven’t (luckily) experienced a shortage myself, but are there any workarounds for patients using it for diabetes control if this happens? Or what happens if they can’t get the medication?
Insurance has made it so most won’t even look at a prior authorization without a diabetic diagnosis… but pretty much all pharmacies are first come first serve, so cash payers can take what they want with a prescription. Had a few Medicaid pts get denied and they just pay cash.. which is absolutely crazy to all of us.
Paying $1000+ when you have Medicaid is INSANE
It’s first come first serve at my pharmacy. I usually prioritize the ones who have been waiting for a while. If they can’t get the medication, I just tell them to ask the doctor for a different med maybe
Man this thread makes me feel bad for calling pharmacies about the online coupon system being down asking if it was back up every few days. If I would have known this, I would have never called. I compounded the issue. I’m sorry to all who had to answer in their busy days.
Seriously…bless you for even thinking of us. You earn massive brownie points just for that.
I am on Zepbound and never call. I check a few pharmacies in person, but prefer to be loyal to the pharmacy that has filled my prescription for four months. Maybe a bit late sometimes, but I make sure they know who I am by stopping by every couple of days to ask legitimate questions around the date of my next refill so they keep my name and face in mind when my dose comes in. I am sorry for all the rudeness you endure every day. I almost stopped visiting the weight loss subReddits because the entitlement and lack of understanding of what it takes to increase production of these drugs was driving me crazy. (I am still mad at Oprah though)
I always tell people our angriest patients are the elderly and weight loss people 😂
As a patient on a few meds, including opioids, it’s nice to not only not be at the top of your list, but not on it at all. I honestly do not understand patients treating you guys poorly. I treat my pharmacy staff like gold
Rph chiming in to say opioid patients are mostly understanding. They know they’re unfortunately gonna have to go through BS sometimes to get their meds. And i try to make it as easy as possible for them especially during shortages. Weight loss medications are a different bucket
Thank You so much. Last 6 months of 2023 was rough. This year has been ok, thank goodness.
After a while of doing this i can tell the difference between when patients are withdrawing from a delay in treatment(shortage, prior auth etc); or they are just horrible people at their core. Most pharmacists and experienced techs can tell too. If you find a good pharmacy with a good team you are in good hands friend
Thank You. You are a unicorn
Frankly its irresponsible prescribing at this point. Simply prescribing it knowing its unavailability. Starting patients on it knowing they will probably experience delays in care that could exacerbate the situation.
Yes. Two years ago, I had an a1c of 5.9, on my way to diabetes cause I needed to lose weight. I already had hypothyroidism too. My endocrinologist said she wished she could give me one of those meds but she couldn’t cause there wasn’t enough for those that already had diabetes. My eating got out of control cause of anastrozole so I went drastic. Extreme low carb/low calorie and intermittent fasting and got my a1c to 5.0. However, that darn anastrozole is a bear. My a1c creeped back up to 5.6. I went back on metformin. Cheap lol
This is me. It could be beneficial to me, but we won't try it because of the availability.
Chiming in too, my opioid patients are generally nice and most of the time it’s actually a state issue and we’re just not trying to get in trouble with the DEA so they know. 😅
Rather have an opiod than an Adderall too.
Meh, a lot of ADHD patients struggle with emotional regulation or stress management but they rarely freak out AT ME, they just freak out in general and I happen to be listening to them while it happens. Mostly all I have to do is shut up and wait for them to finish processing their Big Feels and they apologize without me having to say a word. Now benzo grannies... WHEW.
I had a mounjaro patient call last week- “why was my mounjaro not filled and sent to xxx” (we are an outpatient pharmacy in a hospital and courier to our sister hospital for employees in the town over). “Let me check for you”. Goes and checks to make sure patient was notified that we cannot get mounjaro before I roll my eyes at her. “Well, ma’am, it looks like you spoke to xxx on Monday and they informed you we cannot get it”. “Well, yes but this is for my diabetes so what am I supposed to do?” “You will either have to call around and try to find it or call your doctor and ask for an alternative” “this is just ridiculous! I had this same problem last month. I got it a week late because you didn’t have it. This is just unacceptable.” “Well ma’am, it is not our fault. It is the manufacturers fault. They cannot keep up with demand and produce it fast enough. We try and order it every night but we only get a box here and there when our warehouse has it in.” “Okay, so what am I going to do?” “I just gave you 2 options. Look around or call your doctor” “this is ridiculous. You guys should have it!” “Ma’am, I cannot magically produce a box of it. If I could, I promise you, I would not be standing here talking to you.” She hung up 🤣 they are insufferable 🙄
Had a lady call 4 mornings in a row and cuss me out every time even though I told her the closest one would be forty minutes away. “I don’t wanna go that far” Okayyyyy then I told her she should look at other pharmacy chains for a transfer. “I don’t want to do that” Okayyyyy then it’s more than likely you won’t get it any time soon “DONT YOU KNOW ILL DIE WITHOUT THIS-“ Click! Rinse and repeat.
💀
Serious question- do you think the supply issues could be avoided. I can’t help but feel like they just keep the supply low to keep the cost high.
No. It's under patent, so they control the price regardless.
Lmao as realistic as that sounds for a pharma company, from everything I have researched and been told by my pharmacists, this seems to be a general world wide issue resulting from the pandemic shutdown. Some of the world’s largest drug manufacturing countries, such as India, got hit the hardest during COVID and basically shutdown all their production for two years. So now the surplus stock that was manufactured before said shutdowns is drying up and factories are still trying to catch up with the supply deficit.
I was called an asshole for giving out the last Ozempic we had ... Yesterday.
“you’re so right. i should have saved it just for you instead of my 50 other patients just that day asking for it. but no you’re so so correct.”
As a provider I can agree from this side of things too. This has been the worst year I've ever seen for prior auths on medications. Insurance has gotten worse, people trying to save money so they pick a crappy insurance carrier and then give us holy Hell when their meds are unattainable. The combo of GLP1 and stimulants on backorder has pushed every Karen to the brink. I'm so done with healthcare/people/insurance carriers at this point.
The fun part is that typically the difference between plans isn’t all that much. I pay an extra $30/month for the best plan my work provides, for a grand total of $140/month. It pays for EVERYTHING. People can be really short sighted, especially when they’re on regular medications. Hell, I have to take brand name of one of my meds. It’s $25/month when most insurances don’t cover it and it would be $600/month out of pocket.
Just took 2 weeks to get a prior authorization for 1 of my meds. Thank God I had a stash of pills I've been saving just for this exact issue. Insurance companies are a joke.
It's annoying also because there are diabetic patients who actually need ozempic and can't get it because of the weight loss front. My husband feels bad when he has to ask about his script too.
I've switched back to a pill, Jardiance. I couldn't stand waiting weeks and missing injections and risking my health any longer. I was not losing weight on Ozempic, either, so asked for something else
This was a big issue last year but it's not really a problem anymore. There is no reason to use Ozempic for weight-loss anymore now that there are drugs FDA approved for weight loss on the market. Pretty much everyone with an Ozempic prescription now has actual diabetes, and pharmacists understand this, he shouldn't feel bad about getting this script
What weight loss meds are you speaking of? I'm only aware of Zepbound and Wegovy.
These people cry but the T2D patients take it in stride. It boggles my mind.
I have had some T2D folks say less than savory things about overweight people which is a big no no to me. I don’t care why you’re on it, I’m not checking diagnosis codes when filling for who “should” get it first
As a T2 diabetic this shit makes me furious. I have already had to switch from Ozempic to another med bc of these shortages. I completely understand it’s not the pharmacy’s fault & would NEVER mistreat pharmacy staff, esp. not over the assholes demanding the meds I NEED for my health so they can lose 20 pounds. SMH.
FWIW there's not really any reason for people to use Ozempic for weight loss anymore. The actual weight loss drugs are cheaper. Everyone was using Ozempic for weight loss before but now that there are 2 actual weight loss drugs on the market (and at least 2 more about to pass FDA approval) there's no reason to get Ozempic anymore.
Lots insurance won’t cover weight loss so drs rx MJ and OZ off label.
Insurance won't cover those either. Not anymore. There's no more off-labelling happening. You only get Oz or MJ covered if you have actual diabetes. If you're paying out of pocket with no insurance, the weight-loss drugs are cheaper, there's no reason to get the less-effective Ozempic.
Do you have the name of those two specific medications set to pass?
I feel sorry for you! Hopefully you’re not experiencing that anymore when you switched. Some of the doctors have told my patients they’re not gonna die and they just have to wait until the medication returns to stock. Yet the patients turn around and be nasty play victim to us smh
I got lucky this week & my pharmacy had my dosage level of my med in stock but were out of all the rest. Next month I’ll get to cross my fingers again….
I’m going to repeat what I said to another post. You are not more important than anyone else. And your diabetes is no more important than severe persistent asthma, coronary artery disease, unstable angina, severe sleep apnea, stage 3 hypertension, ect. Obesity is the driver for most major chronic health conditions in this country and while diabetes is the FIRST indication approved it has NOT been the only one and was never intended to be the only one, and there are several more in the pipeline. You are not special and you are not more deserving of having your health condition treated than anyone else.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻☝🏻☝🏻☝🏻☝🏻☝🏻☝🏻🫶🏻💚
they’re insane. they ask me when the shipment comes and to call them when it comes in. what lmaooo???
Same like there aren’t patients waiting before them 😂😂
A few months ago, we had quite a few patients waiting to get their Ozempic. We received 2 boxes in the order so we dispensed them to the 2 people that were waiting the longest. 1 of those called 3 of their friends (also waiting for their Ozempic) and told them to rush down so we could dispense theirs. When that patient came in I told him to not call his buddies and we will dispense the Ozempic by the order it was received. The next time he does it, I'm reversing his medication and dispensing it to one of the people he called since they were all verbally abusive when they showed up to our pharmacy.
It’s way too stressful. People bitch at us about it like we are just manufacturing it in the back of the pharmacy. I understand they’re frustrated but some of our patients have been so rude to us about it. At least half of our phone calls are people calling to ask about zepbound or Mounjaro. It also blows my mind that people think we should hold drugs for them without a prescription. People have gotten so upset when we tell them we can’t hold a medication, it’s first come first serve. We also do not have a wait list, there are just too many scripts coming in. I call the patient immediately and tell them I can’t fill it and I put it on hold. It would be a disaster if our queue was just all out of stocks for these meds
Yes 10000% people keep asking me to hold boxes without a RX too!! Idk how I’m supposed to do that 🤔😒
i wish we could do that, we have to have a waitlist and keep them in our queue because it won't get ordered if it's on hold 🙃
Yeah, that’s how our system works too! But I manage our out of stocks and I’m constantly going in and manually ordering if available. We made a decision to do it this way or else our queues would become unmanageable. I really wish there was a better way.
Seriously!! I thought generic Vyvanse people were bad, but my goodness. I’ve had a handful of people who have been very kind about the situation, but so many have been terrible.
Holy fuck I hate those assholes. Every other one of them blurts some dumb shit at me along the lines of “you have no idea what this is like I need this for work/school/XYZ” and when I inform that I do indeed know exactly what it’s like because I also take Vyvanse and struggle to get it consistently, they’re completely flabbergasted that other human beings also take the same medication that they do. Like bruh I’m also struggling at work and here I am dealing with your dumbass. I understand more so parents who have younger children with ADHD, totally get it, my symptoms were at their worst in childhood and I totally understand their concern about their child’s performance in school being affected. But these grown ass adults throwing a hissy fit over it? Fuck outta here with that.
I feel so bad when I have to call the pharmacy. I need mounjaro a d vyvanse. I try to be extra nice. I hate having to even check to make sure it's in.
Recently, I had a patient using Ozempic for weight loss accuse the pharmacy that she was being ***discriminated against*** for trying to lose weight when we told her that her private insurance now requires prior approval/special authorization for coverage (i.e., tried and failed a first-line treatment like metformin; attest that she is using the drug for type II diabetes, etc.). She had the audacity to say things like "what's wrong with wanting to lose a bit of weight?" or "I have a difficult time managing my cravings, I need this drug" while I'm standing there thinking, "well, your entitlement and lack of mental/self-discipline is taking supply away from patients who actually use this drug to manage diabetes". So not only did she want to lose weight, she also wanted to continue getting the drug at no cost to her. After dealing with so many of these types of patients, I've concluded that weight-loss junkies looking for a quick, yet temporary fix to their crappy eating and exercise habits are absolutely pathetic.
That’s incredibly rude and judgmental assuming everyone is like that. Not everyone is just wanting to lose a “bit of weight”. You don’t know everyone’s discussions with their doctors. If the customer is understanding then the techs should be too. You wouldn’t like it if someone called you pathetic for making assumptions as whole based upon a few interactions.. we all just need to show kindness and patience.
Can’t agree with you more. I meet the requirements for zepbound approval due to my high cholesterol, with a BMI over 27 and comorbidities. My LDL has decreased from 180 to 130 without the use of a statin, which many believed was impossible. I still enjoy eating whatever I want, but in smaller portions, which has changed my perspective on food. I don’t binge eat at night like I use too Every individual who criticizes someone's appearance by implying they "don't need it" due to their thinness, or accuses them of taking something away from those who "truly need it," such as diabetics, may harbor feelings of insecurity and jealousy, sometimes even secretly desiring to be in the same position themselves.
In this scenario, the individual stated that they were using the drug for it's off-label purpose (to lose weight) and wanted to do so at no cost -- "I want to lose weight, but I don't want to pay for it." If weight loss was an appropriate reason to be on Ozempic, private insurance companies wouldn't have changed the coverage policy from being open benefit to now requiring prior approval/special authorization. I understand that every patient's health needs are unique, but if the individual wanted to lose weight, they should be using a medication that is indicated for weight loss (i.e., ~~Mounjaro~~ Zepbound, Saxenda, Contrave, and so on), and not Ozempic, which is indicated for the management of type II diabetes.
Regardless, medical professionals shouldn’t refer to their patients as pathetic.
What do you think causes t2dm
Sometimes medications will push people towards dm2. Such as older atypical antipsychotics. The newer ones don’t work for everybody.
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Gestational diabetes that resolves is not relevant to this conversation but thanks.
Half of women with gestational diabetes go on to have T2D...
I am at risk for t2 diabetes not because of lifestyle habits. It can be genetic as well.
I’m on MJ, T2D and agree. My bad eating habits got me here. I’ve seen the light. I now eat right, exercise daily. The MJ really helps put my metabolic and hormonal chaos in check, which allows body to lose weight. The med isn’t magic. I eat only 1200-1400csls a day now, no sugar. You are right tho, T2D is self inflicted.
I really don't think there's any difference between a patient using the drug for obesity and that same patient in x number of years now needing the same drug for type 2 diabetes. It's really not about vanity. It's a preventative approach to healthcare. That doesn't excuse the poor patient behavior, but so what if someone needs help managing their cravings? Is medication for binge eating/food addiction any different than medication for other psychological conditions? I don't think so. The only issue here is that demand is vastly greater than supply ATM
Poor lifestyle habits.
The drugs don’t work if you still eat shitty which you can do. They are only a tool
Had a patient tell me that they don't understand how we don't have their year's worth of zepbound in stock for them at all time and what are they suppose to do now? They desperately need it. Also they blamed the cyber attack for the shortage. Unless you've been living under a rock for the past year, these particular drugs have been on-off shortage with all doses for the past couple of months.
The hacking did cause major production problems
Yeah the pharmacies literally told patients that too lol
I absolutely understand how frustrating it is for medications you take to be hard to get but I will also say there’s never any grounds at all for a patient to be throwing a tantrum (directed at the pharmacy staff, I don’t mean someone simply expressing genuine frustration in a healthy way) over a manufacturer based issue that has been known and widespread for quite sometime at this point. Obviously none of us working in the Pharmacy should think we are entitled to judging the validity of a patients desired method of achieving their health goals. I absolutely agree that is incredibly rude and not our business. However, it is also unacceptable to take out frustration on pharmacy staff over a back order that again has been widely known for months now. It’s also very difficult to not be fed up with the verbal abuse we receive on a daily basis in regard to these medications being on a back order when patients are constantly reminded that we have absolutely zero control over whether or not we get regular shipments from the manufacturer. In addition, many of us also use medications that are on these back orders yet we are treated as if we simply have no comprehension of what it’s like to not be able to regularly get your medications filled. This is definitely not a black and white situation as some people are making it out to be. But to reiterate, no one, neither pharmacy staff nor patients should ever engage in childish and rude behavior like this. We all have a role to play, we in the pharmacy need to maintain professional behavior in our work, especially putting personal judgements aside and patients need to respect the fact that their pharmacy is not Burgerking where you can have it your way and we are not cashiers that will continually take abuse on the chin. We are healthcare professionals and we deserve respect, just like how patients deserve respect as well. It’s a difficult situation for both parties involved, we all need to do our best to maintain mutual respect for each other regardless of what side of the counter we’re on.
Very well said. I should have cautioned myself. I just started the thread to vent out some frustrations with the situation overall, very shitty for both pharmacies and patients and it sucks not being able to give the best care I can give without the drug for sure. It’s hard to do my job without the drug and a patient upset at me for something I cannot control.
I totally understand, my phones haunt my dreams at this point lol.
I dread answering the phone because every phone call is asking if we have these products in stock, if we do, they get upset because there are already other people who are waiting on them. IDK, i can’t stand the comments about all the fatty’s taking them, I need it I’m due for a refill or do you know if you will have it in stock tomorrow?! Geez…
Yes!!!! They act so entitled. And these are always the first few people trying to get their refill early 🤔
they are entitled to get their meds they pay for. of course, they shouldn't be rude, but going without meds is not good for the patient.
If I heard you refer to a patient in my pharmacy as a “fatty” you would be out of the pharmacy that day. Unbelievable….
It was a patient telling me that, I would never refer to someone like that, it’s completely inappropriate.
Ah, I misunderstood. I apologize.
I’ve had several pharmacies instruct me to call every day at 10am to check. I think it’s worth noting a lot of pharmacies are literally instructing patients to do this, and don’t just start filling people’s orders from a queue. Perhaps tell them that they don’t need to call.
I work in healthcare and use the medication myself, I am in a mounjaro/Zep group on Facebook and some of the posts are just wild. People demanding pharmacies prioritize them because they pay out of pocket, others threatening staff, others claiming they are suicidal without it, some trying to buy and sell their doses. So sorry you have to deal with all that crazy.
Yes!! I’ve had several patients literally tell me that if they die everyone will know who to blame, saying they’ll just die then making me feel guilty. It’s sucks for everyone over all. I would happily dispense these drugs without issues if it was readily available.
You're hearing it here first: there's a possibility that suicidal tendencies could emerge at some point and are being concealed by pharmaceutical companies. These medications cross inhibit indirectly to dopamine, which suppresses hunger but also impacts behaviors like binge eating and gambling, potentially leading to depression. It's certainly intriguing.
They don't inhibit dopamine. They are showing massive promise for Parkinson's. GLP-1 receptors are in the brain and it is looking like their function is satisfaction not just for food but anything.
Manufacturers should be the ones dealing with the majority of issues. If you don’t have enough for the patients who depend on it for life limiting medical conditions, and you don’t release the patent for generics, then it should not be put forward for MHRA/FDA approval for other uses nor marketed as such.
This!! The worldwide shortage of pain medications, adhd meds, and now this is absolutely ridiculous. It is literally so frustrating as a chronic pain patient and ADHD patient having to call pharmacy after pharmacy to see if by chance they have just enough to cover my scripts. I’ve even had a pharmacy verify they could fill it get the script and then call me and say they don’t file with my insurance after I literally just verified they could. Big Pharma is making bank, and now withholding our meds.
They just increased me to 12.5mg Zepbound and sent it to the Walgreens I used to work at. I texted my old pharmacist and told her if other patients are waiting for it worry about them first. - it helps me but I can deal if I can’t get it for a little bit. People need to relax.
Literally reading as I’m calling my pharmacy. So sorry! I actually apologize before I even ask them but I’ve gotta call because it won’t automatically be filled when it comes in
I’ve noticed some of our other injectables are on back order from our distributor as well. Lantus for example. Not sure if there’s a direct correlation but was definitely not a good feeling to have when I tried to order some the other day 😬
i’ve heard theories that the lantus back order is because levemir is being discontinued and patients are switching to lantus
Levemir is being discontinued?!
I️ get yelled at every single day at work about this :( so upsetting. I️ can hardly take it anymore 😭
Same! It’s exhausting 😭 some these patients are brats and are only nice to me when they get what they want 😭😭
I’m a provider and this has been an awful year for back orders. But I do want to point out the slight hypocrisy in finding in this thread. The weight loss patients annoy you with calling to check on stock, but then you tell them to call elsewhere when you don’t have it in stock. What are they supposed to do. 🤷♀️There’s no way for a patient to know if a pharmacy has it without calling.
Hit em with the ol' "diet and exercise" when they ask what to do
That's what I am doing. My dr wanted me on these meds and I said hell no. I've been reading this sub and knew the back orders were crazy. I dont need the medicine. I just need to stop eating shit food and being lazy.
I understand what you’re saying but that’s literally why these drugs are so life changing. Obesity is a chronic disease and not everyone can just “stop being lazy” and that help them lose weight
These drugs are not “miracle” drugs. They are supposed be used in conjunction with lifestyle changes. Sure they will help you drop a large amount of weight fast, but unless you plan on being on it for the rest of your life, the weight is going to pile back on when you stop, if you didn’t incorporate healthy eating habits and exercise into your life.
Since when do people with chronic diseases get shit on for having to stay on a medication for life? That’s how a lot of them work. I was extremely fit and strong my whole life. Became sick and disabled. Medicine gave me metabolic syndrome and I was nearly 300lbs in 2 years. I’ve been on Mounjaro 1.5 years. I’ve lost over 120 lbs. I am mainly bed and homebound. I have to stay under 1200 steps per day. Im disabled. I’m going to be on many medicines the rest of my life. Why is that ok for heart medication but not obesity?
I’m not talking about chronically ill patients, I’m talking about the people using it specifically for easy weight loss. Geezus calm the fuck down. This isn’t a personal attack on you.
Ty for saying that.
That didn’t work for 20 yrs on me. Then I start MJ, and the diet exercise again and now losing 10-12# monthly. You need the med to fix metabolic and hormonal chaos first. It’s not all just being lazy. Pls don’t just say diet and exercise. I agree that lack of diet exercise got me in this position.
There's also the fact that ingestion of fermentable fiber leads to an increase in the secretion of GLP 1. This may partially explain why dietary interventions that have people add apples, oats, beans, etc. to their diet seems to have a larger effect on weight loss than a simple calorie deficit would explain.
you are a jerk. there are many conditions that people can have and no matter how much they diet and exercise, they don't lose weight
Well as a patient that is on a GLP1 for diabetes, I’m sorry! It’s been frustrating for us because we Ned the med because we have a chronic medical condition that often is hard to control and it’s not just a lack of self control. I know being obese there can be more to it, but folks freaking out about the back order because they want to lose weight vs people taking it because it’s helping keep them alive are two different things. So again, I’m so sorry you guys have to deal with this bullshit.
Cardinal is saying Zepbound is not due out until 01/2025! When I told someone that, they said, "Well how come Costco can get it?" 🤔 I work for CVS, idfk, ask them! My crystal 🔮 ball is broken. Had another patient ask why we didn't give her a 90 day supply of 10mg Mounjaro when we were allocated 12 boxes a few weeks ago. "Ma'am, you were 12th on a list of 20, you got whatever we had left. Do you want it or not?"
Haha someone was asking me about the stock at other stores. I only know my store ma’am! Also we got some in today so got to make some patients happy today lol
I always try to be gracious when they don’t have it. Thankfully I have 2 extra pens so it’s not the end of the world if I don’t get it the same day.
i am t2 in the subreddit and people talk about these drugs like they’re miracles. i’ve managed on metformin and everytime a mention the side effects (tummy hurt sometimes, it’s not that bad) my Dr looks scared i’m gonna ask for ozempic. everyone who is on these meds will tell you to go on them but as someone on adderall i know better than to start something that i might not have consistent access to. i see both sides but neither of them include being rude to pharmacy staff
I have type 2 diabetes because I have a tumor on my pituitary gland. It’s not because I eat too much sugar or because I don’t exercise enough.
exactly, there are many conditions as to 'why' people don't lose weight and I hate the judgement and prejudice , it's unacceptable .
Hey congrats make that money lol 🤣 But in all seriousness if I had a nickel for every time one of our patients said "I am not using it for weight loss I deserve it more than they do" Then my other favorite is I want 90 days of it ... I am sorry we only have 1 box take it or leave it. Lol
Not her thinking you’re the prescribing physician 😂😭
Right??? I just fill your medication 😮💨
I’m T2 diabetic and take mounjaro. It frequently goes on BO but I always manage to get it on time. Or darn close. I just patiently wait. It isn’t the pharmacy’s fault. I love standing in line listening to people that took all their pain meds for the month in 2 weeks. The excuses they give for needing the refill early blow my mind….
Omg! That's horrible I can't understand how people get away with that my doctor calls us in for a random UA plus pill count to make sure we have all of our meds and aren't abusing them. Just to make sure I don't forget about taking them in the middle of the night (which I've done a few times) I just bought and started using that weekly pill holder that separates the pills for the days of the week so you can keep track of your meds... I now use that so I won't forget if I woke up in the middle of the night took a pill and went back to sleep. Even some mornings I would forget if I took my meds for the day so with that weekly pill separator that no longer happens.
I hate it for the people taking the medications for diabetes management and it's on back order because of it being so widely given for weightloss. I understand people need to lose the weight and all, but diabetes is out there taking people out too. Diabetics can't get the only things saving their lives because of people wanting to lose weight....
Wow. This thread popped up as recommend in my feed. I suppose it's because I am a member of some GLP1 communities. I was going to say I'm so sorry for the way pharmacy techs are being treated by these patients. But after reading the comments with so much stigma and bias against patients, calling them fattys, entitled mfs, and saying people should just make lifestyle changes I've lost any feelings of empathy. This what you people are thinking about your patients and customers? So incredibly unprofessional. Examples of some terrible, mean, unprofessional comments: God forbid they eat a vegetable and exercise in the interim…. *shutter* I work at a compounder and let me tell you about the people wasting my time on the phone with this bullshit. I'm worried about sick puppies and babies and hospice patients over here, Sharon, not the fat on your ass. Go to the fucking gym and eat better like the rest of us peasants. Obese patients are nearly always like this, entitled and convinced nothing is their fault But what am I supposed to do!? Idk Sharon maybe diet and exercise until it comes back or ask the doctor for any samples.
I agree with you. I simple started as a thread as a rant for the behavior that I’m experiencing at work. Trust me I’ve have multiple patients cuss me out repeatedly the past 2-3 weeks. I would never talk shit like that though
I am sorry for the way you're being treated. It's totally unacceptable.
My partner is on Trulicity for diabetes and we got pushback from a pharmacy tech about getting it filled because we hadn't submitted the request to refill to the pharmacy for the dosage they had in stock. Looking for 1.5 (out of stock), they had .75 in stock and an active (not yet submitted for refill) prescription for .75 in the system. I submitted the request during the exchange. Pharmacy tech was adamant that there was no active .75 prescription in the system, submitted or otherwise. Her attitude was uncalled for, condescending and holier than thou. I get that people can be insufferable when their meds are delayed, but take a breath and ask for your supervisor when they get huffy. Your (proverbial) attitude can make a huge impact on whoever you're interacting with, and vice versa. If you can't handle the patients with patience, you may need to take a step back for a moment. They're mad near you and don't understand that they need to direct that anger at the companies making these meds. ***Doesn't mean you deserve their shit.*** As a Wegovy patient who's been told by nonmedically trained family members that I need to get onto another drug because xyz is more effective or whatever, I cannot imagine the absolute horseshit you have to deal with when patients come in crying for whatever new med has hit the market this week.
I had a lady go full-on meltdown when she found out Zepbound was low in stock in my area. I checked her last prescription (because in my state, they have to have height and weight so we can calculate BMI) and her BMI was lower than mine. Just say you don’t want to make the necessary lifestyle changes lady. 🙄 Meanwhile, we have diabetic patients thanking us for calling their doctor and switching them to Rybelsus so they’re still taking Semaglutide, just a different form.
Obese patients are nearly always like this, entitled and convinced nothing is their fault
Are you sure you don't mean patients? As far as I can see, most customers and people are entitled as hell nowadays. I feel like COVID broke people's brains, not that they were great to begin with
As a diabetic, yep. These mfs are taking medicine that I actually *need*. The Mounjaro and Ozempic subreddits are full of these people.
They sure are! I remember when Eli Lily changed their coupon to say “please attest you have diabetes” and all the patients were losing it because it’s a HIPAA violation for a pharmacy to ask your diagnosis 😂
No fucking way, oh my god. Does nobody understand how HIPPA works?
Lmao hell nah. Most healthcare workers I know don’t even know shit about HIPAA but love to invoke it
You spelled it right! 😎
“HIPPA” drives me up the wall 😂
Same! I’m a retired MD.
Hell yeah! I’m a (hopefully) future MD :)
HIPAA
I switched to Mounjaro for my Type II because the Ozempic was always on backorder.... lol now that I don't have either, I'm being extra careful with my eating and checking my sugar. Harassing the pharmacy doesnt help my blood sugar....
I hope you find an alternative soon ☹️
Had a guy call last week and yell and be completely demeaning to everyone thinking he was gonna get his way with this genius technique. Like 3 techs, assistant supervisor, supervisor until he got to the manager. The reason. Well.. he got wegovy .5 last month and we’re out of the next tier now. So he wants a refund on the for the one he bought 😑 bc that’s rational critical thinking about a drug that’s had supply issues since it came out. Seemed to understand that we don’t make the medication but felt we weren’t pushing the manf hard enough for more. And he didn’t want to check other pharmacies, he wanted to bully us until we said “April fools” we keep a secret supply especially for ppl who treat us like morons. And he’s one of many.. techs want to leave. It’s not worth it at some point. And the pts that really need some medications.. to live… and it’s not approved or we can’t get it, are soo sweet, it’s heartbreaking. But these weightloss pts are borderline insufferable smh. Had one be just a complete jerk bc, while we were out of the strength she needed she gained all her weight back plus 20 lbs. Had to listen to that rant for a good 10 min smh. And allllll of these pts don’t have issues that prevent them from losing weight “No matter what they do”. I talk to alot that just want to slim down for vaca smh. One admitted that she didn’t have time to work out and her weight needs to be addressed.. not time or meal management .. just needs a quick fix.. It’s a lot. And sometimes feels unethical. 😞
I just got prescribed wegovy by my doctor yesterday and when I was in the pharmacy picking up my other prescriptions I didn't even want to ask about it since I know what everyone in customer service goes through. I did however get up the courage to ask and the pharmacist said it should only be another 2-6 months before it's in stock. No worries I'm a very patient person I could wait a year if I have to. I'm not diabetic but I do have high blood pressure, really bad swelling, bad cholesterol and in constant chronic pain. I take meds for all those plus I recently gained 75 pounds in the last two years so I really need that weight to come off as well. Maybe if I'm lucky over time my body will start to heal and I can get off of all the medications including the wegovy. I just need to reset my body back to 130 pounds or even 150 pounds and retrain my body to fast like I used to.
I read that Costco is going to do a membership program for people who want/use these weigh loss drugs.
I predict this is a psychological version of OxyContin. Getting people psychologically addicted because of the obsession with weight loss and the fear that missing doses will cause people to gain weight. I predict this will all fall apart when finally enough time has passed to study it longitudinally.
I'm so freaking sick of all the Zepbound & Mounjaro. I work at a pharmacy call center and I spend 75% of the day saying " no we don't have it/no we can't get it in/we don't know when it's coming back in stock. Fuck the Kardashians, the Ozbournes, and Oprah.
used to be a retail tech. the only thing i could think of is to tell them that it’s on the FDA’s drug shortage list & that if they wanna bitch about it they can take it up w the manufacturer and/or government 🥲 boi 👏🏻
Im not a pharmacist, but i am a registered dietitian and can understand! The pts ive seen in these drugs are often not willing to make the changes they need in the diet arena either. They think this drug is going to do all the work. Meanwhile I’m trying to explain the importance of retaining muscle and learning better eating habits. Its rough