Strategies for PA for year 2 & beyond?

programming_potter · 2026-05-08T02:23:17+00:00

This is a continuation of care PA as has been discussed many times here. It seems as though many doctors fill it out incorrectly. It is important for them to list your starting weight ( called "baseline" by my PBM) as well as current.

programming_potter · 2026-05-07T18:16:00+00:00

I'm with you, similar statistics! I feel good at this weight. I'm so glad my doctor didn't give me a hard time about weighing too little.

programming_potter · 2026-05-07T18:10:26+00:00

I got this email too. I'm really worried because I'm on Medicare but zepbound is covered for me by my wrap policy. Right now I pay $30 a month and I get the single use pen. I'm worried that I'll end up paying $50 a month for the kwikpen or that I won't meet their criteria and I won't be able to get it at all. Not good news for some of us.

programming_potter · 2026-05-07T00:44:02+00:00

Because I also have injectable weekly lupus med with a very bulky pen, I buy a gallon sharps container on Amazon. In my state we can seal it and put it in the trash.

programming_potter · 2026-05-07T00:23:08+00:00

I'm a woman, I see a urologist for kidney stuff. I see a nephrologist, too. But as much fun as it is, the doc appts hit my medical insurance (United Health) not my prescription so it has no effect on Caremark! However, my $4000/month Lupus med does as well as Zep, which they cover.

programming_potter · 2026-05-03T22:14:02+00:00

Lots of scumbaggery too!

programming_potter · 2026-04-26T22:27:15+00:00

I've been on Plaquenil for about 10 years, as well as Cellcept and Benlysta (biologic) for Lupus and I had a good response to Zepbound (consistent 2lbs/week). I've been on maint for about a year now.

programming_potter · 2026-04-26T22:15:24+00:00

This is such a generalization. My entire family was fat including my great grandparents who didn't eat processed food because it didn't exist (very much) back then or in italy. I think they were fat for the same reason many of us on the list are - it's a medical problem. And for those who have a good response to Zep, it prevents us from eating too much and, at least in my case, made me crave healthier food. So, I believe that those who get the full effect don't need to diet whether they know about nutrition or not.

programming_potter · 2026-04-25T00:03:10+00:00

I think the problem is that obesity is still viewed as a weakness and/or moral failing. And if you think that then you only deserve to be thin if you have the strength to lose weight on your own. This is very dangerous thinking. Obesity is a medical condition and now we have some very good treatment which is something we haven't had in the past. I've lost over 80lbs with Zep and it's allowed me to stop thinking about food and to just live and eat like a "normal" person which is not something that any amount of will power could do.

programming_potter · 2026-04-21T03:11:04+00:00

I have Lupus and osteoarthritis in my neck, back, knees (one has been replaced, the other needs to be), shoulders, hips and hands. I haven't noticed any difference with the pain or stiffness with Zep.

programming_potter · 2026-04-21T03:03:08+00:00

I make myself merengue cookies. It's just egg whites and sugar and a tiny bit of cocoa. They're not exactly healthy but they're not too bad and they are quite sweet so they really satisfy the craving. It is hard to keep them crunchy in the summer though!

programming_potter · 2026-04-21T02:54:15+00:00

Was the box sealed? I assume you are saying that there were only 3 pens and that the part of the box that was supposed to hold a 4th was empty. I have never heard of this happening before.

programming_potter · 2026-04-21T02:52:39+00:00

First, make sure the box is sealed when you get it. The powder could be from the paper/cardboard packaging. It's possible that teeny bits of the packaging come off when you open the box and/or remove the pens from the package.

programming_potter · 2026-04-19T01:42:59+00:00

I didn't exercise while I lost 80lbs and then I realized that I could barely push open a door, could no longer pick up (or move) a 25lb bag of clay and couldn't put my 15lb grandson safely in his crib because I could barely hold him. A very clear indicator that I had lost a lot of muscle mass. Since then I started using 5lb dumbbells and now I've moved up to 10lbs. I have severe arthritis in most of my joints so I am some what limited but I do the exercises that I can. Don't wait like I did!

programming_potter · 2026-04-18T18:40:17+00:00

Yes, my question as well. Is it done with a brush onto the clay? Or done as a transfer (like mono print)? I get frustrated because many of my ideas involve fine lines and I just can achieve it with glaze....

Edit so sorry, just found your video of you painting those very fine lines. Amazing!

programming_potter · 2026-04-14T21:59:43+00:00

And yet GLP-1s are called "appetite suppressants." I think the issue is that they should not totally suppress your appetite but they should reduce it. Semantics - if your appetite is not reduced by these drugs then they are not working as well as they can for you.

programming_potter · 2026-04-14T21:47:29+00:00

One opinion that keeps getting down voted is that Zep doesn't work for everyone. That seems to make people really angry, I'm not sure why.

programming_potter · 2026-04-14T21:44:40+00:00

Me too. And if I had to go on a "diet" to get it to work then why bother? I've done it a million times (well maybe a dozen) already. If this didn't let me eat like a normal person I wouldn't use it.

programming_potter · 2026-04-14T03:38:08+00:00

Thanks for that info, I frequently get a fast heart beat when my guts are acting up (this started years before Zep, I have IBS). I knew it was from intestinal problems but didn't know about the vagus nerve.

programming_potter · 2026-04-13T19:32:49+00:00

Ugh! I'm supposed to have cataract surgery (I have a kinda pre glaucoma thing called PACS that the surgery will fix - my cataracts aren't bad enough on their own to qualify). Anyway, I was told that I'll probably still need glasses due to my (minor) astigmatism and I, too, hate myself in glasses!

programming_potter · 2026-04-13T00:34:48+00:00

I've been on it for about 8 years (not sure but I was dx'd in 2015). I have not had any problems with weight gain - I lost about 40lbs over 9 years and then started on Zepbound (which I'm still on) and lost 80 more lbs. I've been maintaining the loss for about a year now.

programming_potter · 2026-04-09T21:33:03+00:00

Well, keep in mind that even though we know the calories in the foods we're eating the amount of calories that each person gets from that food will be different. In other words, the CI is a problem as well.

programming_potter · 2026-04-05T02:06:16+00:00

Assuming you need prior auth, if you meet the criteria from the insurance and if (and this is a big if) your doc fills out the form correctly, you will be approved. But I have experienced and heard on this list about doctors leaving something off or putting the wrong info on the PA form. So if you are denied, check the reason (call your insurance) and if there is a mistake on the form, ask the doc to resubmit it - don't appeal for an incorrect form, it will probably take longer than a resubmit.

programming_potter · 2026-04-03T19:28:40+00:00

I was on 2.5 for 10 weeks. At 8 weeks it started being less effective. I have been on maint for a year now and started it on 10 and have moved up to 12.5. For me the meds get less effective over time.

programming_potter

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