Meet the PatientPatty Nece is the former chair of the Obesity Action Coalition.

Meet the Patient

Patty Nece is the former chair of the Obesity Action Coalition.

Since childhood, Patty Nece was told that diet and exercise were the keys to managing her weight. It wasn’t until after years of learning aboutobesityas a chronic condition that she came to recognize how weight bias had affected the way she understood her health care.

Now, as a former chair of the Obesity Action Coalition, Nece is advocating for people with obesity to get full access to weight loss medications without guilt and shame.

“There’s this constant drumbeat that weight is totally controllable. It’s your personal responsibility and your fault when you don’t control it—it’s all on you. That permeates media, entertainment media, news media—that message is everywhere,” Nece told Verywell.

About 42% of American adults have abody mass index(BMI) that falls within the range of obesity (30 or higher).

BMI is a dated, flawed measure. It does not take into account factors such asbody composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age. Even though it is abiased measure, BMI is still widely used in the medical community because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a person’s potential health status and outcomes.

For decades, obesity specialists have used medications to help patients control their weight, but those drugs were only minimally effective. In the last few years, new medications have entered the market, ushering in a revolution in pharmacotherapy for obesity and diabetes.

GLP-1 receptor agonist drugsincludingOzempic, Wegovy, and Mounjarocan help patients lose between 15% and 20% of their body weight.While Wegovy is the only drug approved for weight management—the others are indicated only for diabetes treatment—providers are using all of the new tools to support their patients with obesity, especiallyas drug shortages continue.

What Are GLP-1 Drugs?

However, patients must wade through a deluge of information online, deal with side effects, and make sense of which medication best suits their individual needs.

“It’s hard for patients out there right now. We’re still subject to all what we would call snake oil—these quick weight loss solutions,” Nece said. “Trying to work through all that noise as a patient is really hard.”

Nece said she sees a lot of conversation online shaming people for not being able to control their weight on their own and claiming thatbariatric surgeryand obesity medications provide an “easy way out.”

“What if itisan easy way out? If we had an easy way out of hypertension or cancer, wouldn’t we embrace that? Why is it a bad thing when it comes to weight and obesity?” Nece said. “It doesn’t make sense when you think about it. We like easy ways out of medical issues. They should be celebrated, not as a way to demean people.”

Weight Loss Drug vs. Bariatric Surgery: Which One Is Better?

Finding the Right Medication Through Trial and Error

Nece tried Ozempic in 2021. As with all patients, she was started on a low dose. But she experienced side effects that were uncomfortable and persistent to the point where her provider advised her to stop taking it after a month and a half.

“It was frustrating because I could tell I was a responder to it,” Nece said. “Even though I started at an incredibly low dose, I didn’t think I could live with the side effects.”

A year and a half later, she tested outMounjaro,which has a slightly different formulation from Ozempic and Wegovy. Like Ozempic, Mounjaro mimics GLP-1, but it also targets a gut hormone called glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). Nece responded well to Mounjaro with significant weight loss and far fewer side effects.

Mounjaro is meant to be taken once a week. But Nece’s doctor recommended taking it every 10 days to minimize the side effects. Now, weeks later, she’s sticking with that cadence because it’s working well for her.

Patty NeceIf we had an easy way out of hypertension or cancer, wouldn’t we embrace that? Why is it a bad thing when it comes to weight and obesity?

Patty Nece

If we had an easy way out of hypertension or cancer, wouldn’t we embrace that? Why is it a bad thing when it comes to weight and obesity?

Nece said her appetite has decreased and she isn’t thinking about food so constantly. She also has less desire for certain food groups, particularly fried foods. “It’s like something I’ve been missing has been fixed,” she said.

Nece said she is hoping that losing weight will help lower her blood pressure, improve her breathing, and reduce stress on her joints. Also diagnosed withcongenital scoliosis, Nece said it’s easier for her to move when she’s at a lower weight.

“I have already lost some weight. But for me, success is about how I feel and about health. It’s not about the number on the scale. It’s really about my other markers of health, and my mobility is a big piece of the puzzle for me,” Nece said. “I’d love to be able to walk a mile. My goals are pretty simple.”

Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, is still a great option for many people even though it didn’t work for her, Nece added. Working with a provider who is well-versed in the GLP-1 drugs and can provide a thoughtful personalized care plan is key, she said.

“I don’t want to negate semaglutide. It’s a good drug for some people, it just wasn’t a good one for me,” Nece said. “We’re all different and we all respond differently to medications.”

Can You Switch Between Ozempic and Mounjaro?

Getting Insurance Coverage for Mounjaro

As a retired federal employee, Nece has special coverage for obesity medications. By next year, she may be able to choose between insurance plans based on their coverage of obesity medications. She said she’ll likely choose the one that has the best coverage for tirzepatide.

But Nece said she’s an exception to the rule. Without insurance coverage, the drugs can cost more than $900 per month. Medicare currently doesn’t cover weight loss medications and private insurers may offer only limited coverage. Many employers have canceled their coverage of obesity medications in recent months, leaving patients without financial support.

Patients taking the GLP-1 drugs have also had to deal with persistent drug shortages. This might lead patients to seek prescriptions from questionable online clinics or compounded pharmacies, which offer drug formulations different from the approved versions. It may also prompt patients to stop their medications, potentially hampering their treatment.

Ways to Save on Mounjaro and Ozempic

Overcoming Weight Stigma

The GLP-1 drugs must be taken indefinitely to be effective. That prospect doesn’t bother Nece. She said she also expects to be on medication for the rest of her life to control her blood pressure, unless herhypertensionimproves while taking Mounjaro.

Plus, Nece said that because GLP-1s have been used for a decade, she feels comfortable with their safety.

“Now, I could be proven wrong in two years or five years or 10 years. I don’t know. But I think for me, weighing the risks versus the benefits. I’m willing to take whatever risk happens to be there,” Nece said.

Tending to one’s mental health can be as important as caring for their physical health when seeking obesity treatment, Nece said.

“I had faced so much weight bias and stigma my entire life that I essentially turned inward and became my own worst bully,” she said. “When it came to my weight, I was my worst inner critic. I would say incredibly nasty things to myself that I wouldn’t say to anyone else in this world, even enemies.”

Nece said working with providers who are trained in obesity and stigma reduction helped her understand obesity as a multi-factorial condition. Connecting with psychologists who focus on patients with obesity also helped her untangle the ways that negative weight bias affected her.

“That made me realize that it was time to speak out. And once I started speaking, they couldn’t shut me up,” Nece said.

Weight Loss Drugs and Your Heart

What This Means For YouGLP-1 drugs are effective weight loss treatments, but you might experience side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. It’s best to work with a provider who’s well-versed in obesity care, and you can search for a qualified obesity healthcare provider in your areahere.

What This Means For You

GLP-1 drugs are effective weight loss treatments, but you might experience side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. It’s best to work with a provider who’s well-versed in obesity care, and you can search for a qualified obesity healthcare provider in your areahere.

1 SourceVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Overweight and Obesity.

1 Source

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Overweight and Obesity.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Overweight and Obesity.

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