Doctors really treat each other, with ozempice

When Dr. C. Michael Gibson, a cardiologist from Harvard Medical School, goes to heart disease meetings, he cannot fail to notice the change.

“We will sit at dinner in the middle of the meal, at the same time we will push our plates away,” said Dr. Gibson. “We look at each other and laugh and say:” You too? “

They divide what becomes an open secret: for years they have tried to control their weight, but now they are taking novel obesity drugs produced by Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk.

Dr. Robert Califf, former head of the administration for food and medicine, says that he hardly recognizes his colleagues. So many are so slender now.

“He looks good,” he says he tells other cardiologists at conferences and meetings.

There is no research documenting the percentage of doctors taking medicine. But doctors “are a good laconic test for drugs that are very effective,” said Dr. Califf. If doctors who read articles describing clinical results are rushing to get a novel medicine, indicates that it is really promising.

The exploit of his colleagues Wegova and Zepbound reminds him of the exploit of statins, lower cholesterol drugs in the early years. Cardiologists who knew the consequences of high cholesterol most were one of the first to take medication in a vast number.

Many novel slender cardiologists and diabetes specialists, like many of their patients, had risk factors for heart disease. Or their blood sugar was crawling. Or only the physical load on the transfer of excessive weight meant that everyday life is burdensome. They say they like their novel appearance, but also novel health and energy. In a sense, they feel like club members.

Four years ago, Dr. Darren McGuire, a cardiologist at the University of Texas Southwestern, fought with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Then he began to take ozmpic, Novo Nordisk Diabetes, which is sold under the name Wegova for obesity. Later he switched to Mounjaro from Eli Lilly, who is sold as Zepbound for obesity.

He lost 30 percent of his weight and controlled blood sugar levels. Now he said that he “feels better than ever.”

He is also hit by the number of colleagues who seem to exploit medicine.

“People look completely different,” said Dr. McGuire, who is on advisory advice for Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. “It’s amazing.” He described one of the outstanding diabetes specialists, Dr. John Buse of the University of North Carolina, who “decreased”.

Not really, said Dr. Buse. But he said, “I lost 25 percent of body weight and it completely changed my life.” From childhood, he fought his size, winning, losing, and then gaining weight again.

When the diets, “went crazy, would be hungry,” said Dr. Buse. He said that from Wegova his weight fell without effort until he achieved his goal. Then his appetite returned, which was terrifying. But instead of recovering pounds, he maintained a constant weight when he was still taking the medicine.

Like other patients, he said that taking drugs eliminated most of his desire to drink alcohol. Before he started Wegova, he often ate two or three drinks with dinner. Now it has one or none.

Dr. Buse, who is a consultant of Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, said that he often did not ask people at diabetes meetings, whether they accept one of the drugs, but “there are people who have changed a lot.” He said they “put dollars to donuts”, that they were on medicines with weight loss.

Some cardiologists are still “in the closet,” said Dr. Gibson.

One of them is a cardiologist in Boston. She said that the person who prescribed her ozmpic was also a cardiologist who took her. She asked not to be identified because she only said a few people in whom she was on the drug. She tried to keep the privacy of her medical information, although she suspected that her colleagues could guess. She added that she was quite sure that she knew who was taking one of the drugs.

“Yes, you can definitely say,” she said. “And when you go to dinner, you can definitely see. I eat the eighth of our meal. I know what’s going on here. “

Doctors know that they are privileged.

Initially, Dr. Buse’s health insurance paid for his Wegova. But soon North Carolina stopped paying for obesity drugs for state employees, so he paid from his pocket. At a catalog price of USD 1349 per month, it was a substantial expense.

Then, at a meeting in Europe, he asked a friend to rewrite Wegova for him and obtained a six -month supply. Dr. Buse was able to buy Wegova for a quarter of costs in the United States.

Doctors also know how to support and move around the medical system better than many of their patients.

Insurer Dr. McGuire initially refused to pay for drugs. “I had to appeal,” he said. “I have to do with a primary care doctor and I know when to continue emphasis.”

His insurer agreed to pay.

Dr. Gibson said that his insurer paid without a problem and that he wanted to discuss his decision to open Wegova. (He recently switched to Zepbound Lilly, also covered by his insurance, because he causes even more weight loss).

“Many people are thinking that they are shameful, that they are cheating about using a drug,” said Dr. Gibson.

But obesity drugs changed his life, said: “This is the greatest thing I’ve ever done.”

And even Zepbound, although powerful, is just the beginning, said Dr. Gibson.

“120 novel agents are coming,” he noted, referring to drugs in clinical trials. “I am looking forward to those that can have even better safety and effectiveness.”