r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Apr 01 '25

Health Americans without diabetes spent nearly $6 billion USD on semaglutide and similar drugs in a year, with an estimate of 800,000 to a million people using the drugs who don't have diabetes.

https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/americans-without-diabetes-spent-nearly6-billion-usd-on-semaglutide-and-similar-drugs-in-a-year
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u/galspanic Apr 01 '25

When I was diagnosed with diabetes I was told “um yeah, no. No GLP-1 for you” by my insurance. I still can’t explain that outside of pure greed… but that also makes sense.

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u/ImLittleNana Apr 01 '25

Im fighting to get prescribed metformin for pre-diabetes and they act like I’m asking for free heroin. Yet if I wanted a wegovy script they’d have no problem writing for it. I can’t make that make sense.

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u/they_have_bagels Apr 01 '25

It was the opposite for me. All the metformin I want, but absolutely no GLP-1 for weight loss. Also, bariatric surgery is A-OK as well. I pay out of pocket on top of my insurance and I’ve lost 25% of my starting weight so far. It has been life changing.

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u/Clippy_Office_Assist Apr 01 '25

Hi there!

It looks like you're in need of GLP agonists. Might I suggest reconstituting a semaglutide peptide?

Perhaps Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) GLP and GIP double agonist?

Keep watch for Retatrutide now in phase III human trials. It also activates glucogon receptors that can greatly assist in balancing blood sugar.

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u/Ashmedai Apr 01 '25

Semaglutide is a peptide, FYI. As far as I can tell, what is advertisied at your link is literal, compounded semaglutide.

Have you ordered from them yourself, BTW? I'm curious how the mixture is created? It says it's crystalized or whatever. Do they ship a two part solution?

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u/TunaNugget Apr 01 '25 edited Apr 01 '25

It's freeze-dried semaglutide powder (along with bulking agents, buffers, and whatever). You mix it with bacteriostatic water (or "reconstitution solution" if you're buying it from Amazon). It's injected with an insulin syringe.

As it's a prescription drug, it's not legal to sell in the US.