This carton containing 2 pens can last you a whole month. You would only need this pen if your doctor has prescribed you the higher dose of 1 mg per week of Ozempic injection. Your Ozempic pen should be stored in the refrigerator (between 36°F to 46°F or 2°C to 8°C) until the first time you use it.
Ozempic® is available in a carton of 1 disposable, pre-filled, multi-dose pen delivering only doses of 2 mg, including 4 NovoFine® Plus needles. This pack size is intended to be used for maintenance treatment at the 2 mg dose only. The pen contains 3 mL solution.
The pens for the 1mg and 2 mg doses of Ozempic each contain 4 doses. Note that once the Ozempic pen is opened and used, it should only be used for up to 56 days per the manufacturer's instructions.
Discard the Ozempic® pen you are using after 6 weeks even if there is still some medicine left in it. Dispose of used needles safely into a yellow plastic sharps container. If you no longer need to use this medicine or it is out of date, take it to any pharmacy for safe disposal.
If you qualify for insurance coverage, Ozempic can cost as little as $25 for a monthly supply. However, without insurance, Ozempic costs around $892.06 per month, on average (NovoCare-a, 2022). However, savings programs can sometimes help lower the cost of the medication if you qualify.
This pen is a device that is pre-filled with medication and makes it easier for you to give yourself the weekly injections. If you use the 0.5 mg, 1 mg or 2 mg maintenance dose per week, your pen will hold 4 doses and last for one month.
If you have private or commercial insurance, such as insurance you receive through an employer, you may be eligible to pay as little as $25 for a 1-, 2-, or 3-month prescription (maximum savings of $150 per 1-month prescription, $300 per 2-month prescription, or $450 per 3-month prescription).
A person can stay on Ozempic® so long as they are tolerating the medication and it is deemed appropriate by their treating provider. There is no specific time frame when someone should stop taking Ozempic as it is a medication that is intended for chronic (long-term) use.
An injectable pen that delivers doses of 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg.
The pen contains a total of 2 mg of Ozempic and can last between 1 and 2 months, depending on your dose.
To see how much solution is left, use the dose counter: Turn the dose selector until the dose counter stops. If it shows 0.5, at least 0.5 mg is left in your pen. If the dose counter stops before 0.5 mg, there is not enough solution left for a full dose of 0.5 mg.
So, on average, with the recommended starting Ozempic dose of 0.25 mg, a 500 to 1000 calorie reduced diet, and exercise 3 times a week, you can expect to lose 3-5 pounds in the first month of treatment, which works out to about 3% of body weight for most overweight or obese individuals.
Ozempic can cause nausea and vomiting if taken after eating foods high in fat or sugar. It is recommended that you take Ozempic before meals, rather than after, to minimise any potential side effects from eating high-fat or high-sugar foods.
A 2022 study found that most individuals gain weight back a year after stopping the medication.
To give yourself 0.5 mg turn the dosing dial to 38 clicks and administer! You will notice at around 38 clicks the notch on the dosing dial is subtly different. To give yourself the starting dose of 0.25 mg you will need to give yourself 19 clicks.
Your lost weight will probably pile back on
If you stop taking Ozempic, the weight you lost will likely return, fast.
“The active ingredient in Ozempic—semaglutide—will still work in the body in the same way, regardless of where it is injected,” Abelovska told Verywell. Semaglutide can be safely administered in the upper arms, the abdomen, or the front of the thigh area with the same level of efficacy.
Stopping Ozempic is not directly harmful, but you may begin to notice weight gain. That's why stopping Ozempic or other weight loss drugs should be an individual decision you should come to with the help of your healthcare provider.
The feelings of suppressed appetite will start to go away, and people will start to feel hungry much like they did before starting Ozempic, doctors explain. If you've lost a lot of weight quickly, you may feel even hungrier than before.
Stopping Ozempic
Meanwhile, these are “not medications that our body becomes addicted to, there are no significant withdrawals and no significant major rebound effects,” emphasized Dr. Warriner. In her patients with diabetes, Warriner has also observed a return of increased appetite over time.
But Medicare doesn't cover Ozempic for weight loss — only for diabetes. Nor does Medicare cover Wegovy, a weight loss drug that uses the same active ingredient as Ozempic. In fact, Medicare doesn't cover any prescription drugs for weight loss.
On the PBS, Ozempic costs Australians about $42 a month (four weekly injections). On a private prescription, the cost is about $132 a month. According to the medical news website WebMD, Ozempic can cost uninsured Americans more than a $US1000 a month and many flock to Canada to save $US700 a month.
Ozempic (semaglutide) is used to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. There are currently no generic alternatives for Ozempic. Ozempic is covered by most Medicare and insurance plans, but some pharmacy coupons or cash prices could help offset the cost.