Peanuts In My Pocket

It’s been over two months since I stopped taking Ozempic, and I thought it might be helpful to provide an update.

I’ve now lost a total of 157 pounds from my highest weight, 100 of those while on Ozempic. My biggest fear has been regaining weight after stopping the medication, but so far, that hasn’t happened. In fact, I’ve lost another four pounds, although some of that might be due to being down with COVID for nearly two weeks.

I wrote about losing 84 pounds in My Weight Loss Journey in 2024. Losing weight truly changed my life. I had high hopes for 2025, but given the complications I faced, I wouldn’t call it a successful year so far. I experienced most of the side effects one can have with Ozempic. I wrote about those in detail in My Ozempic Experience: A Life-Changing, Gut-Wrenching Journey.

Appetite, Or Lack Thereof

My appetite still hasn’t returned in full. I do get hungry, but my body’s “I’m full” signal is now very real. In my old life, I would clear the plate and then some. Now, even off the medication, I’ll eat half a sandwich and stop. Protein-heavy meals are the hardest; I’m done after five or six ounces of steak. Honestly, I rarely eat steak anymore. With today’s prices, that might be a good thing.

Digestive Issues: Fading Into Memory

The worst of the Ozempic-related stomach problems seem to be behind me. I still can’t eat fried or greasy food without consequences. And by “consequences,” I mean the worst possible reaction. You can use your imagination.

Can we talk about the farting like adults? Good lord, it was so embarrassing. I didn’t want to go out in public. Thankfully, my life has returned to that of a normal 64-year-old man. So basically… I fart less. And that’s a win.

I haven’t had gas or bloating in five weeks. I once watched a video of a veterinarian relieving a cow’s stomach gas with a needle and thought, “Do they have one of those for Ozempic patients?” I was desperate. The discomfort was barely tolerable. But the symptoms faded within two weeks of stopping and haven’t come back.

Food Intolerances Still Linger

My sour stomach mostly healed on its own, unless I eat fried or greasy food. Breakfast sausage? Fried chicken? Forget it. Even a hot dog hurts. More than one slice of pizza is a gamble, except for thin crusts. I can do two glorious pieces of that. I hate my life sometimes… and donuts? Donuts are poison.

Blood Sugar and Health Outlook

I was most concerned about what stopping the drug would do to my blood glucose readings. Surprisingly, they’ve improved. My daily averages are lower, and my A1C dropped by two full points, to 5.5.

I attribute that success to how I eat now: mostly low-carb, high-quality meats and vegetables, soups, tuna, and sardines. I’m working hard to keep things in check.

At my last appointment, my doctor suggested staying off Ozempic for another three months, followed by a full workup. I’m under strict rules: if my blood glucose or A1C go up, we take corrective action. I’m doing everything I can to avoid that.

Was I Afraid to Stop? Absolutely.

A lot of my (also overweight) friends ask if I was scared to stop treatment. Honestly, I was terrified. But the side effects were so severe, I had no choice. I needed to make a change just to survive a normal day. I was sick nearly every day. It was debilitating.

Now, I’m better. Or at least I’m better as long as I stay on top of my key health indicators.

Final Thoughts

Life is better. I feel better. So far, this is working.