Starting Wegovy: The Journey Begins Before the First Shot

First off, I want to say that this is not just about starting a medication. It is about fighting for my life. I have reached a point where I know something has to change. Not someday. Right now. I have carried the weight of chronic pain, exhaustion, and constant worry about my health for far too long…and honestly, I am scared. Scared of where this is all heading if I do not step in and do something. This is me doing something. This is me taking control.

Getting on Wegovy has not been quick or simple. It is not as easy as picking up a prescription and calling it a day. It takes paperwork, doctor visits, insurance delays, research, and a whole lot of mental energy. The process starts long before the first dose.

Because I am obese and have an under-active thyroid and a fatty liver, among other insane health conditions, I knew I met the criteria. But knowing that did not make it any less stressful. I had to get bloodwork done first and sit in that waiting period, holding my breath in case something in my results might throw a wrench into the plan. After that came the approval process. My doctor and I had to fill out official paperwork, which included my medical history and had to be signed and submitted directly to my insurance provider. Then I had to wait again.

If I did not get approved, it would have cost me just over four hundred dollars every single month. That is not a manageable number for me. That would have meant having to walk away from something I truly believed could change my life. That kind of stress sits with you. It was hard to feel excited when everything hinged on whether a faceless system said yes or no. And then it happened.

I did not get a phone call or anything dramatic. It was just a quiet notification sitting in my insurance provider’s inbox, letting me know I had been approved. Just like that, it became real. My coverage brought the cost down to ninety eight dollars per month. That one simple notification meant the door to this new chapter was finally open.

Even before the medication was ready for pick up, I started preparing myself. I swapped out regular pop for sugar free. I cut down on takeout and started paying more attention to what I was eating. I researched everything. I watched videos, read blogs, searched through forums, listened to people’s personal experiences, and learned as much as I possibly could. I did not want to go into this blind. I wanted to do it right.

I bought two kinds of Chimes ginger chews, peppermint tea, Tums, and Metamucil. I looked into vitamins and picked up B12, D3, and a multivitamin. I even got collapsible puke bags just in case. I bought a Wegovy journal and a Wegovy book with a full cookbook and meal planning section. And I read the entire thing from beginning to end, even though I hate reading. I prepared as much as I possibly could.

None of it has been easy, especially emotionally. There is a lot of fear under all of this. Fear that it will not work. Fear that the side effects will be too much. Fear that I will do everything right and still fail. But I refuse to give up this time!!! I’ve put in too much effort for this. There is no way I am letting this go! I already started making serious changes and have lost weight because of it and I am already showing up for myself in a way I have not in a long time. Every step in this journey counts for me and I plan to give it my all! 

Now the prescription is finally in my hands. The next chapter starts here. But this part…all of the waiting, preparing, researching, second guessing, and pushing through…this part mattered. I am not just starting Wegovy. I am starting over. Stay tuned and buckle your seat belts folks because we are in for a bumpy ride!