GLP1s Update
Important Updates on GLP1s
As you may know, the The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday 10/3/24 declared an end to the two-year shortage of Tirzepatide, the substance in the weight-loss drug Zepbound, and the diabetes drug Mounjaro.
DON’T WORRY, We have a plan in place to continue your TIrzepatide treatment moving forward.
Strive Compounding Pharmacy Tirzepatide is still available
Strive Compounding Pharmacy will continue providing their compounded combination of
Tirzepatide/Glycine/B12 10mg/5mg/500mcg/ml at this time – we are awaiting more information from Strive on the length this combination will be available, hopefully indefinitely! We should have more information to send out by the first of next week.
We are able to continue prescribing Tirzepatide with Strive Compounding Pharmacy as their Tirzepatide is not an exact replica of the Tirzepatide brands (Mounjaro & Zepbound). Strive combines Glycine to help prevent muscle loss and wasting with weight loss, and B12 to help prevent nausea.
We are also able to prescribe specific doses that differ from those available with the brands Mounjaro & Zepbound. This means that the prescriptions are PATIENT SPECIFIC uniquely prescribed for the patient’s needs.
The normal Zepbound dosing schedule increases rapidly, whereas with compounded Tirzepatide, we are able to slowly titrate doses to help prevent side effects.
Hallandale Compounding Pharmacy Tirzepatide no longer available at this time
Hallandale Compounding Pharmacy will no longer provide Tirzepatide 5mg/0.5ml, yet if any of you have orders that have already been placed as of 10/3/24, these will be processed and shipped to you as before.
No new orders starting 10/4/24 for Hallandale’s Injectable Tirzepatide will be placed due to the FDA-shortage lift.
Here are the current options and solutions moving forward:
Currently on Strive Tirzepatide/Glycine/B12
If you are currently prescribed Strive Compounding Pharmacy’s Tirzepatide/Glycine/B12 10mg/5mg/500mcg/ml, there is no change as of this time. You can continue your Tirzepatide/Glycine/B12 treatment!
Currently on Hallandale Tirzepatide
If you are currently prescribed the Hallandale Tirzepatide 5mg/0.5ml medication, this is no longer available as of 10/4/24. We will be switching these patients to Strive Compounding Pharmacy’s Tirzepatide/Glycine/B12 10mg/5mg/500mcg/ml.
Currently on Hallandale and you don’t want to switch to Strive
If you are currently prescribed the Hallandale Tirzepatide 5mg/0.5ml medication, but do not want to switch to Strive Compounding Pharmacy’s Tirzepatide/Glycine/B12 10mg/5mg/500mcg/ml, your options are:
Switch to Hallandale Compounding Pharmacy’s Semaglutide 2.5mg/ml as this drug is still on the FDA-shortage list and available at compounding pharmacies
Switch to an oral sublingual Semaglutide or Tirzepatide – we are currently setting up with compounding pharmacies to office these sublingual routes for our patients.
Switch to Berberine which is as natural supplement that can aid in insulin sensitivity and possibly help with appetite depending on dose. This option can be purchased over-the-counter or we can invite you to Nutrascriptives where you can purchase a compounded Berberine.
Switch to purely healthy lifestyle changes including: healthy high-protein low-carbohydrate diet, exercise including strength training, and possibly intermittent fasting. More on these fantastic lifestyle options below.
Insurance Coverage if you qualify
We anticipated these possible changes in August 2024, therefore will also be able to check for insurance coverage for Zepbound for the treatment of Obesity within the next week, if Zepbound can be covered, we will send the prior-authorization on your behalf. This process (from prior-auth to you receiving your medication) can take upwards of 4+ weeks. During this processing time, we can start/continue your Tirzepatide treatment with Strive’s Tirzepatide/Glycine/B12 combination.
Here are the stipulations:
Your insurance must approve Zepbound for the treatment of Obesity/Overweight
BMI: 30 kg/m2 or greater (obesity) or
BMI: 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition (e.g., hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea, or cardiovascular disease – must be documented by your primary care provider and provided to Verve Health if required by insurance).
Cost is $149 for Verve Health Fee, plus the cost of Zepbound with your specific insurance coverage at local pharmacies.
We are continuously planning for changes with GLP1 drugs along with our partnered compounding pharmacies to bring our patients the best solutions for their health and weight loss journeys.
We appreciate your patience during this time, and you have any specific questions related to these changes, don’t hesitate to reach out by email at patientsupport@vervehc.com or text us at (541) 696-3851. If you would like to schedule a follow-up weight loss telephone call with Monelle, let us know and we can help you schedule an appointment.