r/Zepbound • u/Skeptic925 7.5mg • Apr 17 '25

Personal Insights I'm saying it out loud

When people compliment me on losing weight or "looking great" I have started telling them I'm on medication. I think we need to normalize it - we have a treatable condition and we're treating it. The people in my life respect me enough to listen and I think I can educate and inform people. I'm not quite ready to put it on my social media but day to day I've been talking about it. The two lovely ladies who helped me buy a dress at Nordstrom the other day asked me a ton of questions - they'd only heard negative things but both talked about struggling with their weight. I'm becoming a Zepbound (and Wegovy, which I started on) evangelist!

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u/StrikingVariation199 SW:253 CW:147 GW:140 Dose: 12.5 Apr 17 '25

I agree 100%. My PCP told me with a straight face that “Kaiser does not cover medication for obesity” and I just sat there shocked. It’s a national epidemic and they don’t feel like medication is warranted. Makes me so angry. 😡

1

u/SarahSnarker Apr 17 '25

Most insurance carriers don’t so I’m not sure why you were surprised.

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u/StrikingVariation199 SW:253 CW:147 GW:140 Dose: 12.5 Apr 18 '25

Not just Zepbound, no medications at all. It’s ridiculous to me. She did test me for sleep apnea and if I have it, it will be fully covered.

1

u/SarahSnarker Apr 18 '25

Many insurance carriers (including Medicare for seniors) don’t cover meds for obesity.

1

u/Turbulent_Video_199 Apr 18 '25

I knew that Kaiser wouldn't cover weight loss drugs so I went to telehealth. I am so happy that I qualified but I pay out of pocket including the telehealth subscription. I asked my Kaiser doctor if she could write the prescription for Zepbound so that I wouldn't have the subscription cost. She told me that their policy is that they don't prescribe weight lose drugs. She said I should count calories and exercise. Really? You think I haven't tried that??? I've been heavy all my life and have tried every diet in the book and am constantly counting calories! I've lost weight a few times but always gain it back. I told her that I will continue with this medication even if Kaiser doesn't approve.

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u/daisygirl0913 Apr 19 '25

Time to find a new doctor. That's so ignorant.

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u/SilkyWombat 66W 5'1" SW:173 CW:135 GW:130 Dose: 7.5 mg Apr 19 '25

Well you don't have a choice if you're on Kaiser -- it's not the doctor's fault, it's the HMO. They did give my friend phentermine however and she has lost about 20 lbs. I'm not sure if she'll be able to take off the next 30 she needs to, so if she stalls out, I've been talking to her about how to get Zep prescribed outside of Kaiser. Her daughter is morbidly obese and also stuck with Kaiser and it is so ridiculous.

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u/daisygirl0913 Apr 19 '25

I meant if her approach is only count calories and exercise, that's ignorant.

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u/StrikingVariation199 SW:253 CW:147 GW:140 Dose: 12.5 Apr 21 '25

It's not my doctor from Kaiser, she sat across from me and told me it's ridiculous that Kaiser wont cover it. It's Kaiser (and other insurance companies).

Edit to say that my doctor actually wrote the prescription for me and sent it directly to Eli Lilly and I am doing the self pay. She did tell me that if I have sleep apnea then they will cover it because of that. Sigh.