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GLP-1s are breaking life insurance

glp1digest.com

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Re: GLP-1s are breaking life insurance

#221

Post by sroussey »

randallsquared wrote: post #166
ChadNauseam wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A once-weekly subcutaneous injection is not a big deal for most people I think, outside of those who are very afraid of needles. It's a tiny needle and you don't even feel it. I've given injections to people who are afraid of needles, and they sometimes close their eyes in fear and are begging me to "just get it over with" without even realizing that I'm already done. Anyway, all this to say that outside of needle-ph…

As someone who is mildly needle-phobic, I'll agree it's no big deal, but you definitely can feel it, and if you hit a blood vessel by accident, there's a (mostly painless) bump and 2-3 week bruise at the injection site, which might be a major issue for some.

Be sure to pull back on the plunger and ensure there the needle is not in a blood vessel (pulling back will draw blood into the thing and you will see).

You do not want the drug meant to subcutaneous to go into the blood steam. This is true for GPL-1s (all peptides for that matter), as well as insulin, and definitely mRNA vaccines.

Re: GLP-1s are breaking life insurance

#222

Post by arp242 »

Sparkle-san wrote: post #33
firesteelrain wrote: post #24

I was on Mounjaro for two months. I was also dieting and walking 10k steps a day. I lost 25 lb and my A1C went down to 5.0 from 5.7. All my cholesterol numbers were in range. I stopped taking it and lost 25 more. I haven’t regained the weight. People who gain it back did not learn the lesson and did not effectively change their habits. You need the discipline - and a good support system. But if you don’t have that an…

[flagged]

Depends on your circumstances. If you're a bit overweight and want to lose weight: it's perhaps not helpful. If you're obese and everything just seems hopeless: fuck it – do anything that will bring your weight down to a manageable level first, and then start working on habit and lifestyle changes. Energy levels, the motivation of seeing progress, and that type of thing are hugely important.

Re: GLP-1s are breaking life insurance

#223

Post by aredox »

Mortality slippage has also exploded since the COVID pandemic started... And again, nobody seems to wonder if somehow, a virus that invades the whole body (not just a respiratory virus), repeatedly, is causing death by a thousand cuts...

The blind spot related to COVID is huge. There are lots of health data going haywire since 2020 and everyone seems to find any other reason but COVID for it.

Re: GLP-1s are breaking life insurance

#224

Post by JoshTriplett »

mattmanser wrote: post #88
petesergeant wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> admittedly, it kind of sucks in the moment to be on I don’t think that’s a typical experience for most people, other than the price

There's often side effects, including nausea, diarrhea, headaches, bloating, discomfort, etc. As far as I can tell from forums, it's not like 5% have the side effects, it's like 80-90%. But for the first time in decades, I felt full. I didn't want to finish a meal, it was too much. My body regulated my food intake in what felt like a natural way. I hadn't even realized my body had somehow lost that fundamental mechan…

> As far as I can tell from forums, it's not like 5% have the side effects, it's like 80-90%.

Happy people with no issues are less likely to post, or post as often.

That said, much sympathy for the people who do experience particularly bad side effects.

Re: GLP-1s are breaking life insurance

#225

Post by OptionOfT »

jtrn wrote: post #204

Clinical psychologist here in Norway, and just my subjective experience: People stop GLP1 agonists for the following reasons, in descending order: - They want to enjoy eating again. - Medications are a hassle. - Worry about long-term effects, even if there is no alarming evidence for now. - Price (we are a spoiled/rich country). - Other (like hating needles, feeling bad for taking medications that others need more, b…

Did you see a decrease in people gambling / drinking when on the medication?

N=1, I'm on ZepBound and in general my brain is less likely to give in to things that give instant satisfaction.

Re: GLP-1s are breaking life insurance

#226

Post by jtrn »

k__ wrote: post #209
jtrn wrote: post #204

Clinical psychologist here in Norway, and just my subjective experience: People stop GLP1 agonists for the following reasons, in descending order: - They want to enjoy eating again. - Medications are a hassle. - Worry about long-term effects, even if there is no alarming evidence for now. - Price (we are a spoiled/rich country). - Other (like hating needles, feeling bad for taking medications that others need more, b…

How much does it cost right now? Are there any alternatives coming out soon or generics?

For semaglutide, the newest and most potent GLP1.

United States: The main patent is expected to expire around 2032. Monthly Price: $950 - $1,350+ (cash price without insurance)

Norway: The main patent is expected to expire around 2031. Monthly Price: $109 - $301 (cash price equivalent in USD)

Re: GLP-1s are breaking life insurance

#227

Post by arp242 »

_9ptr wrote: post #167
ChadNauseam wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with you. However, smoking rates have gone down, probably in part because of those pictures and awareness campaigns in general

I can't support this with data, but I'd think the increase in price and compounding effect of more and more people quitting, plus absence of smoking in the media, has had more of an effect

I knew several people for whom the pictures were the "final push" to really quit back when they were first introduced. Not sure if it's easy to get good data to separate out all the factors such as cost, in-your-face warnings, etc. because they all happened more or less at the same time.

As an aside, I watched Poor Things this afternoon, and it came with a "Contains Tobacco Depictions" warning at the start. Never seen that before. No warning for the nudity, sex, or profanity.

Re: GLP-1s are breaking life insurance

#228

Post by bananapub »

Aurornis wrote: post #201
Jach wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think GLP-1s are particularly expensive, so my top preference would be to just see them easily available. While not quite the same, it's a win that Rogaine/Minoxidil were once prescription-only but for a long time now can be bought at any grocery store and taken to the self-checkout. Still, I think the subsidy approach has been done for smoking problems via nicotine products before, and e.g. nicotine gum cost…

> I don't think GLP-1s are particularly expensive On-patent GLP-1s (all of them right now) are actually extremely expensive. Right around $1000 per month. I don’t want to discourage anyone who needs them from seeking treatment, but their discontinuation rate can be somewhat higher than you’d think from a life-changing drug because many people don’t like certain effects or even encounter side effects. Weight loss drug…

> On-patent GLP-1s (all of them right now) are actually extremely expensive. Right around $1000 per month.

what does that mean? in the UK it's for sale from numerous national-chain pharmacies on a private prescription (ie the pharmacy is selling it commercially and customers are paying cash, no insurance and no state subsidy) for less than $US270/month. it seems unlikely to me that the pharmacies or the manufacturers are taking a loss on this, and the UK has at least as strict drug quality standards as the US.

sounds like the US monopoly-holders are just charging a lot more because they can, because the insurance system obfuscates prices and gives everyone involved cover to rip off patients?

Re: GLP-1s are breaking life insurance

#229

Post by subscribed »

aetherson wrote: post #150
dragonwriter wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a maintenance medicine, not a cure, so if people stop taking it, they return to the same problems they had without it.

And it's under-commented upon because it's counterintuitive, but most people stop taking it. Like, two year continuation of use is about 25%. That's kinda wild, because it seems like holy shit if you're taking a drug that lets you drop 10-20% of your body weight from obese down to normal why would you stop taking it, but people do.

Because the pharmacy will refuse to sell it to you.

Source: UK based friend who says the pharmacy will refuse to sell them once they fall under BMI 25 (still overweight). They'd prefer to be on the tiny maintenance dose but it seems to be very hard to achieve (unless you're going off the market completely).

Re: GLP-1s are breaking life insurance

#230

Post by jtrn »

OptionOfT wrote: post #225
jtrn wrote: post #204

Clinical psychologist here in Norway, and just my subjective experience: People stop GLP1 agonists for the following reasons, in descending order: - They want to enjoy eating again. - Medications are a hassle. - Worry about long-term effects, even if there is no alarming evidence for now. - Price (we are a spoiled/rich country). - Other (like hating needles, feeling bad for taking medications that others need more, b…

Did you see a decrease in people gambling / drinking when on the medication? N=1, I'm on ZepBound and in general my brain is less likely to give in to things that give instant satisfaction.

Actually yes. Not as much as with ADHD medication, but obvious subset of addictive personalities that have relief from addictive behaviors (beyond eating addiction) with semiglutide.
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