We're really headed into dangerous and uncharted waters with the rise of AI. Frankly, it has me scared. Not so much because I fear AI, but because I distrust the companies and industries that use it, which will be ALL industries soon.

Thanks Tamson!🥰

So, she had chemo and radiation but a follow up PET scan isn't medically necessary? That's nuts! I feel like reviving the Grey Panther movement! We'll have to band together and take care of ourselves because the insurance companies sure won't.

Hey Sweetie! I agree, my Ozempic journey and lifestyle choices have been a huge success. I need to drop down below 200 for the sake of my knees, but I'm confident that it's doable, with or without the Ozempic. It will be harder, far more uncomfortable, but still possible.

@ it’s so worth it! There is no food that can be eaten that compares to how good you’ll feel♥️ It’s empowering feeling strong and in balance 🥰 You are a winner, I believe in you ♥️♥️

Oh no, Kathy that's awful! Honestly, the more I learn about insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and all the rest of it, the less I understand! If you're only drawing your Social Security, have no 401(k), and no additional income. It just seems impossible that you wouldn't get any extra help. I don't know if this situation would look different from state to state? You will be on my mind and I'll keep you in the loop with video updates to my situation. Take care.😊

@cherylcoyote thanks honey 😊

@@JodisCreativeCorner Agreed.

@@denisegustafson Thanks Denise! I have already had a successful outcome, and any additional weight I lose now is icing on the cake, even though I am still obese. My focus immediately is to drop the holiday weight and maintain at 230. As I walk into the future, I hope to drop down below 200 pounds. That would be nothing but a win for my knees. But, if this is the best that I get for the rest of my life, I am eternally grateful. Feeling strong, stable, lighter on my feet, and more mobile is the biggest gift I ever could've received. I'm blessed.

This time the responsibility is in the lap of Medicare, not my insurance company itself, but the effect is the same. Again, I will be fine. I've had a bobble with holiday depression eating, but my regular lifestyle habits are pretty much ingrained after a year and a half. Ozempic bought me the time to do the work on my behavior, and for that I'm forever grateful. I suspect that people who use GLP-1 drugs simply for a little weight loss help have a high rate of recidivism. I'm in this for the long haul, and if I'm not longer able to access Ozempic to help me through, then I still have my ride-or-die bestie, Rachel, to be there daily as she's been throughout my journey, all my close friends and family, and all of you who listen and offer advice. I'm blessed.😊

Oh my gosh, I've heard this same thing from several friends who are on Trulicity. It hadn't occurred to me to call Senators or Representatives regarding the situation, but that's a great idea!🙂

Hi Sweetie! I'll update you as I move along in this situation. 🥰

Thanks, but even if it's not I'll be adding my voice to all the others who have had the same life-altering results as I have. Maybe, hopefully, there's still strength in numbers.😊

@@crowdedisolation Congratulations on your 50 pound loss! You get extra congrats for doing it without chemical help! I struggle with feeling a little guilty sometimes because I finally caved in to using medication and then -Bam!- I dropped 100 pounds in a year. Reaching a plateau in your weight loss journey is so difficult emotionally. Of course, we all know that plateaus happen and that they're something to be worked through, but that doesn't make it easier while you're going through it. I had an experience with taking phentermine back in the 1990s. I lost about 85 pounds and then put it all right back on, plus another 50 pounds. When I looked back on that experience, I realize that I was relying entirely on the drug to kill my appetite and not integrating healthy lifestyle choices that I would continue after my weight loss was over. This time is different. I wasn't a diagnosed diabetic back then and I am now. My reasons for wanting to lose weight when I was 40 had almost entirely to do with how I looked. Now it is almost entirely to do with longevity and feeling strong and capable in my aging body. At least as strong and capable as I can be. Now, lifestyle choices like eating correctly, exercising, and getting enough water and nutrients has become my guiding light. Although Ozempic works very differently than the amphetamine based diet pills from the past, it is a drug that many people don't tolerate. The gastro side effects are just too uncomfortable. For some reason, my body didn't reject the chemicals. After a few days of nausea and mild discomfort I was adjusted and feeling great. I have read that some people experience heightened anxiety as opposed to reduction in anxiety, like I have experienced. I also read recently that Ozempic and other drugs of that type are being tested with addictions, most interestingly alcoholism. It is still the wild wild west with GLP-1 inhibitor drugs. But, like I said in my previous video. If I can maintain my weight at 230, increase my muscle mass as I have been doing, and continue to live a healthier lifestyle as far as I'm concerned, I have won. Honestly, the change in my life has been worth all of the uncertainty about how this drug might adversely affect me. I'm feeling blessed and grateful!

Oh my gosh, this is a wealth of information! I'm so happy to have yet another expert opinion on this situation. So, as I understand it then, I would pay the $707 a month co-pay until I reach $2000 out-of-pocket, and then it would be covered? As a diabetic, my physician pre-authorizes each monthly prescription renewal. My Kaiser PCP literally saved my life, and she continues to work closely with me as I try to save my own through lifestyle choices, and weight loss. Since diabetes and obesity go hand-in-hand it's almost impossible to talk about Ozempic as a diabetic without also talking about weight loss. Thanks so much for this information and I will keep you in the loop.😊

@ as long as Ozempic is a covered drug under your plans drug formulary then yes it will count towards your $2,000 yearly out of pocket. But definitely call Kaiser and inquire more information about this

@ Drug formulary’s can change year to year so a drug you’ve been taking all of 2024 may not be covered for 2025 or they may have made it to where you need to get pre authorization with the plan before they will cover a certain drug

I am almost completely aligned with your eating suggestions. My fats come from butter and olive oil, I struggle to stay completely off sugar, and I keep my carbs very very low. My biggest problem is with animal protein due to my kidney disease. I'm able to eat quite a bit of it as long as I stay away from beef, turkey. I rely a little more heavily on chicken and fish, and I'm also keeping an eye on my kidney function. I also attempt to load up on fiber as much as possible. I've noticed that eating salad with chicken or fish, lots of vegetables, and a little bit of sunflower seeds sets me up very well for the day. Other than a few little tweaks for me personally, I agree with you that eating the way you suggest gives remarkable results. Excellent!

Wow! It's so great to hear that you've had this sort of success. Actually, my doctor recommended a book called Fiber Fueled, which has a food plan that sounds very much like what you're doing. One can never read too much on the subject, so I will definitely look into Dr. Westman's food list. You know, I hear a lot of complaints about how doctors don't concentrate on our health, they just want to give us drugs. I wish everyone in the world could have the doctor I have. She's absolutely remarkable in that. She's always suggesting reading matter, she monitors me and is taking me off medications as I have regained my health over time, and her focus has always been lifestyle over medicine. She is truly a treasure.

Agreed, type two diabetics, at least the ones who are able to tolerate this drug, are finding it to be life-saving. There are so many more GLP-1 drugs on the market now that it might help to free up the Ozempic supply, but I have no idea if that will be true. Ozempic itself will hold the exclusive patent for its formula until 2035 so we know that a generic is not on the horizon for almost all of us. Praying for everyone in my situation and feeling blessed that I have already completed most of the work I needed to do to bring myself back into the best health.

Thanks so much, Wanda! I know that I am going to be OK. The lifestyle changes I've put in place over the past year and a half are coming to my aid now and I am continuing ahead. I know I will drop the extra pounds I added over the holidays. What I have been doing is throwing myself into big projects, as well as working on new creative endeavors. I can't imagine how hard this would be for a person who is alone, has a very little resources, yet needs to struggle and claw her way up out of ill health, obesity, or whatever other health challenges she has. My heart goes out to everyone who is struggling with medical and health issues. I am blessed, and I know it. Stay safe.🥰

Hi Sweetie! I agree, now is the right time to get a hold of Kaiser and find out what your particular situation looks like. The only class of medication I read about that would be severely curtailed was the GLP-1 meds, although I have no idea if other classes have been impacted as of 1 January. I hope that by adding my voice to those of other people who have lodged a complaint that we will be heard and the people who truly need this medication will continue to be at least partially covered by Part D Medicare. You have been on my mind the past few days as a result of the Los Angeles fires. I remember what you went through and how devastating the forest fires in California were that year. Take care and be safe.🥰

Yes, each time I renew my prescription for Ozempic my doctor must authorize the renewal. As far as I understand it, this problem sits squarely in the lap of Medicare itself. If I hadn't turned 65 last year and started on Medicare, I would still have the lower co-pay. I will be fine, and one way or another I will work this out. I will be eternally grateful that I had a year and a half to learn new habits and lose over 31% of my body weight. I'm blessed.😊

Low carb, high fiber, no sugar, and a decent amount of protein is really the best way to eat, whether you're trying to lose weight or just maintain a healthy lifestyle. I'm actually wondering how much of my plateau was a result of starting to work out with weights. I am so very much more active now than I was two years ago. I can actually see and feel the muscle that I've put on over the past six or eight months. Although the scale is important, at this time as I go through a transition from sedentary to active lifestyle, I'm going to continue to focus more on how I feel than what the scale says about my weight loss. This isn't a short period of losing weight, rather it is a dedicated change in lifestyle for the rest of my life. Whether or not I'm able to continue with the Ozempic, I know that I'm going to be OK, even with the heightened hunger, anxiety, and food noise. I was just so hoping to be down below 200 pounds before I had to fight that battle.

Exciting! Please let me know how it goes!

I swear by magnesium. Thanks for the tip on L-Methylfolate!

Thanks Chris, you do the same!🥰

@@connielahman5725 Thanks, Connie - I'll be fine, but my heart goes out to people who have fewer resources than I do. For those of us who tolerate Ozempic well it can be a life saver.

I have a friend that has had wonderful results with her diabetes resolved and even her doctor took her off medication for high blood pressure.Due to her success Her labs were all in Normal range as of recent. Being on a fixed income with social security although she does have a 401 k I don’t think she will be able to continue.She lost almost 90lbs but was hoping to lose another 50 pounds. I hope you really take in just how far you have come in this weight loss journey .I’m sure ozempic or not you will finish your weight loss journey to your healthy and desired weight.I know it is very upsetting and maybe things will still work out with the copay situation but in the meantime try to focus on your achievements thus far and staying positive. Anxiety is very difficult to live with so give it your all to avoid that frame of mind.You will be added to my nightly prayers for peace of heart and success🙏🏻💞

Thanks for this lovely and encouraging comment, Connie! Your friend and I sound as if we're in nearly the exact same spot, with the same results. Please tell her that I'm proud to be in the sisterhood of success along with her.😊

@@prudiefox9235 Thanks, Sweetie. Love and hugs right back to you.

We do, from time to time. I'm shedding layers of things right now, physical and emotional, and it's difficult. But the more I shed, the better I feel.

This can be a challenging time of year. I thought about you yesterday when I noticed the pole inspectors out and about. I hope you're doing well and enjoying life. Take care.

You've endured so much this past year. Your depression has a cause and a meaning. I have nothing to point to and say, "Look! That's why I feel this way!" It simply decided to stop and sit on me, like a bully in a demented game of musical chairs. You've held up so well, and I'm proud of you.

Thanks, Robin. I have appreciated your comments over the years, and I continue to appreciate them now. I'm clawing my way out of this new bout of depression and it honestly helps to know you're on the other end of the video, watching and listening. Thanks for being there.

@cherylcoyote I think you have quite a few of us that are always thinking of you and are here to listen any time you need to talk. You got this hon. I'm snowed in here in ky. It's beautiful

@@robinturpin6823I've been watching the storms out your way. We've got family in Nebraska but snowmageddon bypassed them, thankfully. I hope your snow is gentle and magical. Winter is leaving us alone so far, with very little rain and relatively warm days. Praying for rain out here in central California.

I was feeling reflective today. It's the deep, dark winter, we've had almost no rain, and I'm uneasy about our immediate future. I needed a little fire magic to pry me out of it.

The early days of a new year are often the time I make assessments, and sometimes changes. Depression is like black mold in your house. It takes vigilance to identify those little black specs when they're still tiny, then Clorox the crap out of them before they grow. That's what I've been doing since Christmas, examining and disinfecting, both literally and figuratively.

I was thinking about you today when I found the desiccated pumpkin. You made a comment recently about having found my channel through my original depression video. I felt compelled to talk about it today because it has reared its ugly head again. I was so hoping you would see this video and know that you're in my thoughts.

Thanks, Wanda. I have been sifting through my life lately, plucking out the depressing bits and consigning them to the fire. The best part is when you leave a comment telling me that you understand, and that you felt the same things. Community is important medicine.

You know, thing are good with me, relatively speaking. I have shelter, food, water (sort of.) I'm on my feet, my car is functional, my bills are paid. Depression has a way of creeping up behind me. It squats on my shoulder, claws gripping my skin while whispering guttural threats into my ear in an unknown language.

Depression always leaves a few seeds. Keeping my life garden free of poisonous sprouts is a constant job.