Mum of 4 shares how Ozempic affected her health

Brooke shares with the Zing Wellbeing team how ongoing shortages of Ozempic drastically affected her health.   

2015 was the year I was diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic alongside PCOS.

I noticed after my fourth pregnancy that I was not ovulating, and when I did I would have periods they were not NORMAL.

I saw my GP and had tests done, and was finally diagnosed. I finally had answers as to what was happening to my body.

At the beginning I was only using metformin to support my sugar levels which is also used to support PCOS patients as well as it was used as a treatment plan for women who suffer with a diagnosis of PCOS who also have affected insulin levels or used to support blood sugars in pcos women to prevent type 2 diabetes and it has many benefits in supporting PCOS women. 

In 2020, my health went for a crazy spin as I had not ovulated in years, so no period for such a long time and one day I woke up in severe agony, suffering severe heavy menstrual bleeding and clotting, and this bleeding lasted 9 months straight with no break in between.

Of course, I had to suffer this during a pandemic outbreak. All I remember is that the doctors and hospital trips were strict in lockdown down and I suffered terribly trying to get the help I needed.

The bleeding was so severe near Christmas 2020 that I ended up in the Emergency Room, Doctors were convinced I had a miscarriage as the bleeding was so severe and wouldn't listen that this was a 9 month problem and most certainly wasn't a miscarriage and so I had to go many tests and I had a rather long wait.

Eventually, they sent me for ultrasounds and discovered that my uterine lining was thick and I could possibly have endometrial hyperplasia, and concerns of risks are that there could be pre-cancerous cells developing.

This rarely occurs, but does happen to women who suffer PCOS and don't ovulate, your uterus lining gets so thick that you can be at risk of developing cells that lead to uterine cancer.

I had a scheduled surgery for a curet, samples to be taken and the mirena to be inserted and a treatment plan of the mirena with extra progestine hormonal treatment that would then support the endometrial hyperplasia to prevent cells from developing into cancer over a 5 year treatment they were reluctant was the words the gynocolgist said incase i wanted more children down the track and this treatment would support the heavy bleeding. 

I was sent home with a treatment plan that I would also start to use Ozempic to support my blood sugars, as I couldn't control them with 2000mg of metformin alone, and my dosage of Ozempic was 1.5 mg injection for the month. 

Between the years 2022 and 2024  was the toughest times using ozempic as this medication that is used among many type 2 diabetics seemed to be a MAJOR SHORTAGE on the medication.

I would have to wait months on end not to mention the never ending calling up of many chemists and sometimes I would need to travel 50km and ask them to hold me some medication as I needed this to support my blood sugars, so to source my medication I desperately needed as a diabetic patient was IMPOSSIBLE and stressful.

It was because this medication was seen to be a MIRACLE CURE to assist people in weight loss and doctors have been prescribing this medication to any one needing to lose weight and then all of a sudden us diabetics were left with our health going down and struggling to source our much needed medication as it was been used to treat people been overweight.

Here I was a mother to four children who are all special needs and struggling to source my own medication and other diabetic medication that were offered on a script 

There were also shortages as doctors were trying to support other diabetics in other forms of medication due to the ozempic shortages, and so there has been a struggle ever since and other scripts I was given I couldn't even fill due to the shortages, so being a diabetic was very difficult during this time and I never want to experience this again ever in my life.

For years I had no choice but to call up or go in person and I would have to leave my name with every chemist that I could possibly get a hold of every month and then be on every wait list I possibly could be on as I was just hoping I could source my medication and sometimes I would be 3 months without my medication.

This is where my health went down. My sugar levels were always sitting at 9 to 15, and a  normal reading is around 4.5 to 5.5 then up to 6.9 after meals is considered your normal base range.  

My kidney functions then started going downhill and was at a  35% working capacity.

I was told if I got to 15% I would be on dialysis. I was then put on Jardiance as my kidneys were not improving, and this medication was the only thing keeping my kidneys functioning.

Sadly, I was in hospital because I got so sick in the end of 2023 and was in the emergency once again and on top of that, I had developed kidney stones and a nasty kidney infection that had caused severe trouble in my right kidney.

I was told I needed to lose weight and manage my sugar levels, and try to source my medication, so there for in 2023 I took out Private health insurance so I could undergo weight loss surgery in the hopes of beating obesity and the terrible health issues I was enduring.

My side effects were terrible, I suffered pain in the stomach where I suffered major diarrhea, I couldn't tolerate bigger meals and I would suffer with sulphur burps, I had severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, rapid heart rate, dizziness, and cold sweats, and was so sick. 

I didn't lose any weight at all, and if I did manage to lose any weight, sadly the weight would double when I stopped taking the medication. 

I don't wish anyone to need to use this medication, whether it's for diabetes or medically to support weight loss.

Although many people have had success using this medication, it also has nasty side effects that people need to be aware of.

I highly encourage anyone needing to lose weight to try Zing Wellbeing and use this program as a holistic approach to your health. 

Since I have made major diet changes and followed this program alongside my weight loss surgery, I no longer need to take my diabetic medications such as jardiance, ozempic or metformin. 

My fatty liver improved by 10%, and my kidney functions are working at an amazing 70% from 35% in 12 weeks and my sugars are stabilized

Plus I have lost 8kg in the months following this program, which brings my total loss to 44kg now, and my health has improved so much.  

As an obese person myself, I understand firsthand the difficulty in losing weight, hence the reason I had weight-loss surgery to use as a tool to assist in my weight loss.

THE TRUTH IS, no matter how you choose to lose weight, whether it's duromine, which in the past I have used before with nasty side effects, ozempic or weight loss surgery, or naturally even, there is NO MIRACLE. 

Everything is just a tool and you need knowledge and support along side a safe and good program. I highly encourage anyone to give Zing Wellbeing a try its an amazing program that is works in different areas and zones of health and I believe that Rhian has created something great.

Thank you so much for sharing your story Brooke and we are so honoured and proud to have you as part of the Zing Wellbeing program.

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