Ozempic, a diabetes drug that became a weight-loss tool, has helped tens of thousands of Americans lose weight, but some people report that their prescription is not working as well as it should.
Now, experts have suggested a reason why the blockbuster drug might not be working as expected.
You may simply not be storing the medication properly, which decreases its potency and effectiveness.
While it’s common to keep prescriptions in the bathroom medicine cabinet, suppliers say Ozempic should be stored in the refrigerator, at a cool temperature of 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit.
Doctors also warned that the medicine should never be frozen or stored somewhere exposed to direct sunlight, because this can cause it to decompose.
Dr. Mir Ali, bariatric surgeon, saying:If Ozempic is not refrigerated, it is likely to lose its effectiveness over time. In some cases, it may cause more side effects.
Doctors say some Ozempic patients may not lose weight quickly on the drug because they don’t store it correctly (stock)
The instructions say to store all new, unopened Ozempic pens in the refrigerator. Once Ozempic is used for the first time, it can be stored inside or outside the refrigerator, but it should still not be exposed to extremely hot or cold temperatures.
Pharmacist Dr. HaVy Ngo-Hamilton said opened Ozempic should be kept between 59 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 56 days or until its expiration date, whichever comes first.
After that point, any leftover medication should be discarded.
Fort Worth-based health expert Dr. Jennifer Bourgeois said: parade:’Proper storage of medications guarantees their effectiveness and safety.
‘Even the slightest deviations in storage conditions can affect the stability of the medicine.’
Doctors recommend patients keep Ozempic in the refrigerator to ensure that it does not begin to degrade.
It is sensitive to changes in temperature because the medication it uses, semaglutide, is made of a protein that can begin to break down in warmer temperatures.
This means that when patients inject themselves the medication no longer mimics the body’s hunger-suppressing hormones and will not work.
Dr. Mir Ali, a bariatric surgeon in California, added: “If Ozempic is not refrigerated, it is likely to lose its effectiveness over time.”
Other similar weight loss drugs should also be kept in the refrigerator, including Wegovy, which can only be kept at room temperature for 28 days, as well as Mounjaro, which should be used within 21 days of opening.
Scott Disick’s haggard appearance sparked rumors that he was taking weight-loss medication.
Boxes of the weight-loss drug Mounjaro could be seen when Scott Disick opened his refrigerator door on an episode of The Kardashians.
Eagle-eyed viewers spotted the weight-loss drug Mounjaro stored inside Scott Disick’s refrigerator on an episode of The Kardashians
Experts who prescribe the drugs say patients can expect to lose up to 1 pound per week while using medications like Ozempic, WeGovy and Mounjaro.
Marlee Bruno, owner of Mind Body & Soul Medical Spa in Florida, previously told DailyMail.com: “After three months, patients can have lost at least 12 pounds of fat, which is a significant loss and makes patients feel much better.”
But if users don’t see any difference, they should check how they maintain their vaccinations.
Many doctors recommend those taking Ozempic use the medication along with a high-protein diet and exercise to prevent muscle loss and help maintain weight loss when they stop taking the medication.
The warning comes after some patients said the drugs were not working for them and some said they had “over-consumed” the medication.
They include comedian Tracy Morgan, 55, who revealed in March that he “gained 40 pounds” while taking the popular weight-loss drug Ozempic.
He said: ‘I have learned to eat more than Ozempic. I beat Ozempic. “I’ve gained 40 pounds.”
Prescriptions for Ozempic and similar weight-loss drugs have skyrocketed in the United States, and 39 million people (or 12 percent of the population) are now believed to have used them.
