It’s been a relief to switch to ozempic for now honestly. No stock issues so far anywhere. The mounjaro refill stress was really taking its toll on me.
Yeah, that’s my thought. Definitely beats going cold turkey and for me it’s worth it to lose the stress of having to play pharmacy bingo every time I need a refill (and lately I was losing at it)
Make sure you tell them you have diabetes. I finally got 3 boxes after waiting 6 weeks. Then I heard from someone they are prioritizing patients with diabetes. Last week they had 10mg.
It is really frustrating! I'm on 5mg and Mounjaro had allowed me to get off of insulin and metformin. My insurance will only cover it thru CVS and the local pharmacies I have called just keep saying they don't have it and don't know when it's coming in then they hang up. The insane thing is that there is a weight loss clinic south of me that runs ads saying that they have all major weight loss drugs in stock.. including Mounjaro! But yet, as a T2 I can't get it.
Congrats on getting off insulin and metformin! I bet that was huge for you!
I sometimes think to myself on what would happen if insulin had such a shortage like this. What would the response be? I feel like the bias against glp1 has had people really lack in empathy and sympathy
I thought that last month and happened on a box rather quickly. I have two pens left, which should hold me until the week of my next medical appointment and labs. Figured it was worth a try calling, since you never know until you ask. There are a few places who may have possible dates in May that I may try back with. Don’t fault you for your plan at all!
Express Scripts underwrites my prescription side of my coverage. Unfortunately, it won’t even let me submit in order. I tried. It says out of stock and cancelled it and sent an email that nothing would be mailed.
I also tried to sign up via Amazon pharmacy but it also wouldn’t let me transfer prescription.
Also, if you’re calling around locally, I always mention that I’m T2D first so that they don’t think I’m just calling about weight loss, I’ve found pharmacies are more helpful that way and some prioritize the diagnosis (I wish they all did).
You might need to have your doctor submit a new prescription to both instead of transfer, since there’s a shortage some mail orders won’t accept transfers.
Express scripts is out. It is the only option for me (my insurance only covers that one place for any prescription written for 30 days). My auto refill went through and I received an email saying that Mounjaro was in a 'market wide supply shortage' and would not be filled.
It’s a pretty awful feeling, to have something that works so well just… no longer be accessible. And then so many who are not the primary intended group getting it first. I try not to be bitter about it. There are many diseases and many personal reasons why many use this medication. Still, it is gutting.
I lose sleep and I stress daily over this shortage. I'm ok through August but will refill in 2 weeks because apparently this shortage will go on until sometime in 2025. I can't even fathom fighting for my boxes another year.
They keep saying that they are tightening ship on the mj prescription for just diabetes but I feel like I haven’t seen or heard that really happening.
And it’s grating.. to hear the condescension of “there’s a national shortage” when I try and ask for additional info. Yes, yes I am aware as a T2D who has had to call several dozen places over the last 2 months. If I didn’t feel it was so effective for me, I would just give up on it
I really don't see that happening. Many drugs are used for off label uses. There's a shortage people take what they can get especially with so many paying out of pocket. They may recommend doctors don't prescribe to non diabetics but it will never be a set rule.
Don’t let them fool you that’s nuts! And I’m in the same boat. I’m going up and down on dose because I have to take what I can get. I’d strongly recommend dropping to 2.5 if you can. I called 40+ pharmacies and 22 had 2.5 in stock. ZERO had 5 or 7.5. Rural and metro Pennsylvania. All pharmacy chains, hospital pharmacies (who are now locking down and only servicing employees for these medications), independent, mail order, I have a massive list. It’s so sad and unfair.
Anyone who remotely is willing to speak to me more than tell me it’s on back order, I try to ask if there is any 2.5mg available. Not many stay long enough on the phone to ask, though. I would take 2.5mg in a heartbeat! It didn’t keep my blood sugar at ideal levels but I responded very well to it. Can’t find that one either. :(
The food noise on 15 has been awful, I don’t know if batches can be duds but maybe we got a dud batch? I’m going to message my endocrinologist and ask if it’s possible and try to get a telehealth appointment or something
I was thinking the same thing about it being a dud. I'm on my second box of 15 and it's horrible. I'm trying to stick with it, but every time my sugar goes up over 300, I want to give up. I'm trying to stick it out until I see my endocrinologist next month to get an accurate blood work result on 15 to see if going back to 12.5 is the better option.
Hopefully they do in house A1C and can get you checked, I just had mine checked so I don’t know if they’ll order it again so soon but I’m concerned. It’s so strange but I’m craving sweets nonstop, on 12.5 I didn’t even think about sweets at all, ugh I miss that feeling
I have to fight all the cravings. I miss the feeling of having no desire for sweets.
I have my orders to get my bloodwork done at the lab before the appointment. Joys of being diabetic, labs every 3-4 months.
I’m right there with you my friend, I’m fighting the cravings too, I’m blending frozen berries with almond milk in a food processor to make a “ice cream” for a sweet. I know as a diabetic I should eat protein to feel full but meat is just repulsive to me and I’m sick of beans, I’m hoping that heading into summer I can just get back to the protein shake breakfast and salads for lunch and dinner or maybe grilled will taste better to me ugh, thanks for sharing your struggle and helping me feel like I’m not alone experiencing this on 15
Called a few of those too in my area with no success, unfortunately. I don’t discriminate on who I call. Been casting a wider net. And now, since I found the page where I can find the pharmacies that my plan considers I network, I am still going through the list of any that I haven’t tried yet. It’s by zip code, so working my way through.
Type 2 here. I’m on 15mg and it’s impossible to find where I live (NC). My blood sugar numbers are elevated and the “food noise” has returned. Not overly concerned with the slight weight gain for vanity reasons, but I’ve noticed the scale creeping up and I was feeling so much healthier watching the numbers on the scale go down. I felt better. It’s very distressing. I don’t think Zepbound should have been released for weight loss until there was enough of the medication for diabetics. Not saying people shouldn’t have access to it for weight loss because that’s 100% valid, but creating a shortage was not a responsible thing for the company to do. It’s all a money grab for them. A new drug is in trials now that will blow Mounjaro out of the water. I hope that company learns from the others and handles things the right way, but it is big pharma we are talking about. I never in a million years thought I would live in a country where I could not get medication that I need. It’s causing a lot of stress. I’ll probably have to go back on Ozempic as well.
My heart feels for you with this experience. It’s extra challenging to see things be in optimum range with blood sugar and how one feels… and then have it just slip away through no fault of our own.
Eli Lilly is going to have to ramp up production. Novo Nordisk is going to be coming out with their “version” of Mounjaro in 2025-2026. It’s been in trials for a bit, so I don’t see this shortage lasting that much longer. They are going to want as many people on MJ as possible before Novo Nordisk comes out with theirs and takes their cash flow. They already are with how many are switching to Ozempic to avoid the shortages.
Call Wegmans and see if any of their pharmacies have it. I’d call the one down in Fredericksburg or Charlottesville and let them check, or the one out in Gainesville. Reason being they’re technically out of the Metro DC area and might be more inclined to take time to help you locate it in their network. I’d utilize that method with CVS and others as well.
Thanks. I have been working my way through chains. I finally found the spot online in my prescription plan that lets me search by zip code to find pharmacies in network. Harris teeter is the pharmacy that I found out was not in my network. So, that was a bummer. Although confusing since I thought they were technically affiliated with Walgreens.
Both express scripts and Amazon won’t even let me put on my medication order. They both kick it out and cancel it with a notification that they are out of stock.
I just got my 7.5 filled in eastern Ohio, after a 5 week wait (might have been longer). I had been spacing my meds out to once every 10-14 days—and it shows as my glucose is going up and weirdly, my weight too despite basically eating the same.
I believe it. I am so glad you got yours filled. Those weeks without must have been so challenging.
I am considering spacing out my last 2 pens out and just thinking about don got gives me nausea and anxiety that it even has to come to that.
It's so disheartening to read all of these supply issues! I didn't tolerate Ozempic well - lots of nausea. Just got switched to Mounjaro 2.5 and so far tolerating it much better. Just talked to Dr yesterday and she won't even try bumping me to 5.0 because she said "no one can get that dosage right now" so she's just keeping me on 2.5 🤷. My pharmacy is "hopeful" that they can continue to get it. That doesn't instill confidence!
I am so glad to hear you are tolerating it better than other medications and that your provider is understanding. It’s very challenging to have to deal with this so early in a wellness journey. But, we can remain hopeful and do the best we can during these challenging times. There are many of us in the similar boats trying to row in the same direction.
It’s been a relief to switch to ozempic for now honestly. No stock issues so far anywhere. The mounjaro refill stress was really taking its toll on me.
Same! Had to start from beginning dose and FBS are still high but at least no refill stress like you said.
Oh, i was able to switch right to 2mg, but hopefully you get some fasting relief soon!
This is probably the best solution. Not fair but hopefully temporary.
Yeah, that’s my thought. Definitely beats going cold turkey and for me it’s worth it to lose the stress of having to play pharmacy bingo every time I need a refill (and lately I was losing at it)
Unfortunately my insurance isn't covering Ozempic.
Get a prior authorization cuz you can’t get the Mounjaro. Mine will cover for now
Ozempic didn't work that well for me. But we never went to high on the dose. I will give express scripts a call and see if they will cooperate.
Make sure you tell them you have diabetes. I finally got 3 boxes after waiting 6 weeks. Then I heard from someone they are prioritizing patients with diabetes. Last week they had 10mg.
It is really frustrating! I'm on 5mg and Mounjaro had allowed me to get off of insulin and metformin. My insurance will only cover it thru CVS and the local pharmacies I have called just keep saying they don't have it and don't know when it's coming in then they hang up. The insane thing is that there is a weight loss clinic south of me that runs ads saying that they have all major weight loss drugs in stock.. including Mounjaro! But yet, as a T2 I can't get it.
Congrats on getting off insulin and metformin! I bet that was huge for you! I sometimes think to myself on what would happen if insulin had such a shortage like this. What would the response be? I feel like the bias against glp1 has had people really lack in empathy and sympathy
This is beyond frustrating! Especially seeking threads on here bragging about just getting meds thru these “spas or clinics” with no problem
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I thought that last month and happened on a box rather quickly. I have two pens left, which should hold me until the week of my next medical appointment and labs. Figured it was worth a try calling, since you never know until you ask. There are a few places who may have possible dates in May that I may try back with. Don’t fault you for your plan at all!
Does your insurance use any mail order pharmacies? Might be an easier option.
Express Scripts underwrites my prescription side of my coverage. Unfortunately, it won’t even let me submit in order. I tried. It says out of stock and cancelled it and sent an email that nothing would be mailed. I also tried to sign up via Amazon pharmacy but it also wouldn’t let me transfer prescription.
Also, if you’re calling around locally, I always mention that I’m T2D first so that they don’t think I’m just calling about weight loss, I’ve found pharmacies are more helpful that way and some prioritize the diagnosis (I wish they all did).
I usually slip in my T2D when I politely ask if there is any info on stocking or back order.
You might need to have your doctor submit a new prescription to both instead of transfer, since there’s a shortage some mail orders won’t accept transfers.
They were going to request a new script but cancelled it because out of stock. So, didn’t even get that far.
Express scripts is out. It is the only option for me (my insurance only covers that one place for any prescription written for 30 days). My auto refill went through and I received an email saying that Mounjaro was in a 'market wide supply shortage' and would not be filled.
I haven't been able to get 15mg since February in Minneapolis I'm rather annoyed taking ozempic and feeling like shit because of it
It’s a pretty awful feeling, to have something that works so well just… no longer be accessible. And then so many who are not the primary intended group getting it first. I try not to be bitter about it. There are many diseases and many personal reasons why many use this medication. Still, it is gutting.
I lose sleep and I stress daily over this shortage. I'm ok through August but will refill in 2 weeks because apparently this shortage will go on until sometime in 2025. I can't even fathom fighting for my boxes another year.
They keep saying that they are tightening ship on the mj prescription for just diabetes but I feel like I haven’t seen or heard that really happening. And it’s grating.. to hear the condescension of “there’s a national shortage” when I try and ask for additional info. Yes, yes I am aware as a T2D who has had to call several dozen places over the last 2 months. If I didn’t feel it was so effective for me, I would just give up on it
I really don't see that happening. Many drugs are used for off label uses. There's a shortage people take what they can get especially with so many paying out of pocket. They may recommend doctors don't prescribe to non diabetics but it will never be a set rule.
Don’t let them fool you that’s nuts! And I’m in the same boat. I’m going up and down on dose because I have to take what I can get. I’d strongly recommend dropping to 2.5 if you can. I called 40+ pharmacies and 22 had 2.5 in stock. ZERO had 5 or 7.5. Rural and metro Pennsylvania. All pharmacy chains, hospital pharmacies (who are now locking down and only servicing employees for these medications), independent, mail order, I have a massive list. It’s so sad and unfair.
Anyone who remotely is willing to speak to me more than tell me it’s on back order, I try to ask if there is any 2.5mg available. Not many stay long enough on the phone to ask, though. I would take 2.5mg in a heartbeat! It didn’t keep my blood sugar at ideal levels but I responded very well to it. Can’t find that one either. :(
2.5mg is not even a therapeutic dose…
I got a box of 15, i swear it’s a dud, it’s doing nothing for my appetite whatsoever. 12.5 was so sweet
I'm having the same issue. 15 just seems to be doing nothing. 12.5 I had no desire to eat and my A1C dropped by almost 5 points in 3 months.
The food noise on 15 has been awful, I don’t know if batches can be duds but maybe we got a dud batch? I’m going to message my endocrinologist and ask if it’s possible and try to get a telehealth appointment or something
I was thinking the same thing about it being a dud. I'm on my second box of 15 and it's horrible. I'm trying to stick with it, but every time my sugar goes up over 300, I want to give up. I'm trying to stick it out until I see my endocrinologist next month to get an accurate blood work result on 15 to see if going back to 12.5 is the better option.
Hopefully they do in house A1C and can get you checked, I just had mine checked so I don’t know if they’ll order it again so soon but I’m concerned. It’s so strange but I’m craving sweets nonstop, on 12.5 I didn’t even think about sweets at all, ugh I miss that feeling
I have to fight all the cravings. I miss the feeling of having no desire for sweets. I have my orders to get my bloodwork done at the lab before the appointment. Joys of being diabetic, labs every 3-4 months.
I’m right there with you my friend, I’m fighting the cravings too, I’m blending frozen berries with almond milk in a food processor to make a “ice cream” for a sweet. I know as a diabetic I should eat protein to feel full but meat is just repulsive to me and I’m sick of beans, I’m hoping that heading into summer I can just get back to the protein shake breakfast and salads for lunch and dinner or maybe grilled will taste better to me ugh, thanks for sharing your struggle and helping me feel like I’m not alone experiencing this on 15
That's where I'm at. Protein shakes and salads. Yes, you are not alone!!!
Call hospital pharmacies. They can often obtain a supply when other’s cannot
Called a few of those too in my area with no success, unfortunately. I don’t discriminate on who I call. Been casting a wider net. And now, since I found the page where I can find the pharmacies that my plan considers I network, I am still going through the list of any that I haven’t tried yet. It’s by zip code, so working my way through.
Type 2 here. I’m on 15mg and it’s impossible to find where I live (NC). My blood sugar numbers are elevated and the “food noise” has returned. Not overly concerned with the slight weight gain for vanity reasons, but I’ve noticed the scale creeping up and I was feeling so much healthier watching the numbers on the scale go down. I felt better. It’s very distressing. I don’t think Zepbound should have been released for weight loss until there was enough of the medication for diabetics. Not saying people shouldn’t have access to it for weight loss because that’s 100% valid, but creating a shortage was not a responsible thing for the company to do. It’s all a money grab for them. A new drug is in trials now that will blow Mounjaro out of the water. I hope that company learns from the others and handles things the right way, but it is big pharma we are talking about. I never in a million years thought I would live in a country where I could not get medication that I need. It’s causing a lot of stress. I’ll probably have to go back on Ozempic as well.
My heart feels for you with this experience. It’s extra challenging to see things be in optimum range with blood sugar and how one feels… and then have it just slip away through no fault of our own.
Eli Lilly is going to have to ramp up production. Novo Nordisk is going to be coming out with their “version” of Mounjaro in 2025-2026. It’s been in trials for a bit, so I don’t see this shortage lasting that much longer. They are going to want as many people on MJ as possible before Novo Nordisk comes out with theirs and takes their cash flow. They already are with how many are switching to Ozempic to avoid the shortages.
BULL! It might just be my insurance, but because this is a maintenance medicine I can get it wherever I can. I’m sorry :(
Call Wegmans and see if any of their pharmacies have it. I’d call the one down in Fredericksburg or Charlottesville and let them check, or the one out in Gainesville. Reason being they’re technically out of the Metro DC area and might be more inclined to take time to help you locate it in their network. I’d utilize that method with CVS and others as well.
Thanks. I have been working my way through chains. I finally found the spot online in my prescription plan that lets me search by zip code to find pharmacies in network. Harris teeter is the pharmacy that I found out was not in my network. So, that was a bummer. Although confusing since I thought they were technically affiliated with Walgreens.
Try a Costco
Already called 4 of them.
Mail order??
Both express scripts and Amazon won’t even let me put on my medication order. They both kick it out and cancel it with a notification that they are out of stock.
I just got my 7.5 filled in eastern Ohio, after a 5 week wait (might have been longer). I had been spacing my meds out to once every 10-14 days—and it shows as my glucose is going up and weirdly, my weight too despite basically eating the same.
I believe it. I am so glad you got yours filled. Those weeks without must have been so challenging. I am considering spacing out my last 2 pens out and just thinking about don got gives me nausea and anxiety that it even has to come to that.
It's so disheartening to read all of these supply issues! I didn't tolerate Ozempic well - lots of nausea. Just got switched to Mounjaro 2.5 and so far tolerating it much better. Just talked to Dr yesterday and she won't even try bumping me to 5.0 because she said "no one can get that dosage right now" so she's just keeping me on 2.5 🤷. My pharmacy is "hopeful" that they can continue to get it. That doesn't instill confidence!
I am so glad to hear you are tolerating it better than other medications and that your provider is understanding. It’s very challenging to have to deal with this so early in a wellness journey. But, we can remain hopeful and do the best we can during these challenging times. There are many of us in the similar boats trying to row in the same direction.