Narrator: Steve is a real patient taking Wegovy^® pen and has been compensated by Novo Nordisk for his participation in this video. Individual results may vary.

Steve: One of the scariest things ever is wondering if you're having a heart attack.

A little over 10 years ago, I woke up in the middle of the night, out of a deep sleep, and had crushing, crushing chest pain. The cardiologist ran some tests and they discovered that I had a 98% blockage in one of my arteries and I needed to have a stint put into my heart. They said it was called a “widow-maker,” that blockage, and that if I'd waited another day or two, I wouldn't be here. I was scared. I was scared of what's next and what does this mean in terms of lifestyle and my kids and my family.

When I was in college, I was in a major car accident, and I was never really physically the same after that. I started putting on weight and that continued through my 20’s, 30’s, and 40's. The awkward part for me is I work for a large fitness organization. I can’t count how many times I’ve heard somebody make a remark like, “Hey Steve, you really could use your own gym.” Hearing those comments while I was at work was really difficult for me. It was embarrassing. And I did make an effort to work out, but I can't say I was consistent. I really was kind of having a hard time.

I was always thinking about the risk that I had of another issue with my heart. Honestly, it all felt hopeless. My wife, Beth, and my daughters, all of us were dealing with issues with our weight and struggling with that. It impacted us a lot to the point where Beth and I kind of reached a low point. And we even separated for a period of time.

Fortunately, we realized that we needed to do some work, reconcile, make some changes, and at that point we actually picked up, moved the family from New York to California and really kind of started over here about 10 years ago. Things were looking really, really good except for our physical health. Our obesity was still a big issue for all four of us. And then the pandemic comes. So that's when my weight actually got to be its highest. I weighed 258 pounds.

Beth and our daughters were in a similar spot, and it was like we all kind of hit that same low at the same time. Beth started seeing a nurse practitioner and they started talking about treatments for managing weight. In fact, my older daughter, Annie, started seeing this nurse practitioner as well and started on Wegovy^®.

Beth convinced me that I should make an appointment with this nurse practitioner as well. So I did. Went and saw her. That's when I learned more about Wegovy^® as an option to lose weight, along with the reduced diet and exercise.

Narrator: Wegovy^® (semaglutide) injection is a prescription medicine used with reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight; help adults with obesity, or some adults with excess weight (overweight) who also have weight-related medical problems to lose weight and keep the weight off.

Wegovy^® contains semaglutide and should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.

It is not known if Wegovy^® injection is safe and effective to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events (death, heart attack, or stroke) in people under 18 years; to help children under 12 years of age lose weight and keep the weight off.

Do not take Wegovy^® if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you are allergic to Wegovy^®.

Steve: My initial conversations with my nurse practitioner really kind of reviewed the history of my struggles with my weight. And that's when we started talking about treatment options, some of which were surgical, another option was Wegovy^®. My nurse practitioner and I put together a plan that included, you know, reduced diet, regular exercise, drinking plenty of water, along with Wegovy^® to address my weight.

I was a little nervous initially about self-injecting. I didn't like needles all that much, especially after my experience from my car accident and being a pin cushion in the hospital. After my first injection, I realized, “Oh, I can do this.” 

Narrator: Stop taking Wegovy^® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck or an allergic reaction.

Serious side effects may happen, including pancreatitis. Stop taking Wegovy^® and get medical help right away if you get severe stomach pain. 

Steve: I've been taking Wegovy^® since 2023, and I'm happy to say that I've lost weight and I've kept it off.

These days I use my own fitness facility on a regular basis. I go on a lot of walks. I've reduced my portions and I'm able to manage my appetite better. I'm keeping the weight off and that's something I couldn't do before.

My nurse practitioner and I have also been monitoring my heart health. That's important to me because I'm still concerned about my heart health. It's good to know that Wegovy^® helps reduce the risk of future cardiovascular events like a heart attack, in addition to managing my weight.

My family recently attended my niece's wedding and we were taking pictures. And when we were looking at the pictures later, you know, we were sort of thinking back, wow, like, look at the progress we've made. We were so excited and so inspired by our own journey.

Looking back, maybe if I'd heard my story when I was at my lowest point and my highest weight, it would have motivated me and inspired me to keep looking and find something that worked.

Narrator: Gallbladder or severe stomach problems may occur. Call your provider if you have symptoms such as stomach pain, fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or clay-colored stools.

Tell your provider if you have type two diabetes and experience vision problems; if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding; or if you feel your heart racing while at rest.

In those with diabetes, taking Wegovy^® with insulin or a sulfonylurea can increase the risk of low blood sugar. This can be a serious side effect.

Talk to your provider about how to recognize and treat low blood sugar and check your blood sugar before starting and while taking Wegovy^®.

Wegovy^® may increase the chance of food or liquid getting into your lungs during surgery, or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness. Tell all your healthcare providers that you are taking Wegovy^® before you are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures.

Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach pain, changes in skin sensations, headache, tiredness, upset stomach, dizziness, feeling bloated, belching, low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, gas, stomach flu, heartburn, and hair loss. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.

Some side effects may lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. Drinking plenty of fluids may reduce your chances of dehydration.

Narrator: Sally is a real patient taking Wegovy^® pen and has been compensated by Novo Nordisk for her participation in this video. Individual results may vary.

Sally: My name is Sally. I live in New York. I'm married, have two children, and I work at a hospital. In the building I currently live in, I have my husband's family, and then my mom and my grandfather also lives nearby. So, there's a lot of us. I'm Puerto Rican and Dominican. I think they're both spicy. So, I inherited a very spicy background. We talk a lot, lots of eating. Everything becomes a get-together. It's very fun.

Growing up, most of my family members were all pretty small and I was more on the bigger, thicker side. I remember one pediatrician saying that I was just overweight and I needed to lose weight. So my parents, my mom especially, I think she reacted okay.

In the beginning she would be like, “Oh yeah, you need to start eating differently.” We still were expected to eat the food that was cooked at home.

I did lose weight during puberty. I thought I was normal during puberty. When I had my first child. After that delivery, that’s where I started to gain weight back. Food was comfort. I definitely did like junk food. At that time, I think I did eat out a lot because it was easier.

My turning point I think was when my grandmother passed away. When she passed away, just—it just hit. I remember being at the funeral home and, actually, her sister came up to me and was like, “Oh my god, you're just so fat.” And that just kind of put me down, especially at my grandmother’s funeral.

I joined this program that, you know, I just had like meal replacements, shakes and minimizing the food I ate. And I also did some high-intensity cardio workouts. I don’t think I was seeing the results I wanted. I would do okay, lose the 10 pounds, lose 15, and then all of a sudden a month later I’m back at the weight I was before.

Hitting 211 and being five feet tall—I didn't feel good, like I could feel the weight on me. It wasn't nice being that weight. Going to the endocrinologist, she was awesome. She was relatable. She had a starting point, knowing that there is a family history of diabetes. So obviously that went into my testing to make sure that I was okay. The doctor did help me create a plan to manage my weight.

She told me about Wegovy^® as a way to lose weight and keep it off. I didn't hear about Wegovy^® before. She was the first one to introduce me to it. She explained that it was an injection I would give myself once a week and I would need to follow a reduced calorie diet with increased physical activity. I did talk to my doctor about it. She would ask questions at each visit, like how I was doing, especially when I was changing doses. I was excited. You know, I was trying something new. I wasn't scared, but I was ready.

Narrator: Wegovy^® (semaglutide) injection is a prescription medicine used with reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight; help adults with obesity, or some adults with excess weight (overweight) who also have weight-related medical problems to lose weight and keep the weight off.

Wegovy^® contains semaglutide and should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.

It is not known if Wegovy^® injection is safe and effective to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events (death, heart attack, or stroke) in people under 18 years; to help children under 12 years of age lose weight and keep the weight off.

Do not take Wegovy^® if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you are allergic to Wegovy^®.

Sally: Since starting Wegovy^®, I felt like I wasn't as hungry as I used to be. I still worked out three, four times a week. I paid attention to what I was eating. I think I've still maintained the balance of going out and cooking at home. It was just my portions were smaller. My cooking at home did change. I found a better way to make my sofritos different.

My husband has been very encouraging. He's number one, which is great. When I have a doubt, he's like, “Look how far you've come, you're doing very well.”

Narrator: Stop taking Wegovy^® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck or an allergic reaction.

Serious side effects may happen, including pancreatitis. Stop taking Wegovy^® and get medical help right away if you get severe stomach pain. 

Sally: Talking about side effects, you have to consider the benefits and risks. Some people experience side effects like I did—vomiting, nausea, diarrhea. I did talk to my doctor about it. She did help me manage through the side effects.

I'm still able to hang out with my family, still able to cook with them. I don't have to get rid of my cultural food. I can continue to eat it. I know there are people out there just like me, being of Dominican/Puerto Rican background and still being able to eat, I think I can share that you don't have to stop doing that. Still keeping an active lifestyle and eating differently has helped me really succeed in keeping this off.

If you're concerned about your weight and looking for help, talk to your healthcare professional to see if Wegovy^® could be right for you.

Narrator: Gallbladder or severe stomach problems may occur. Call your provider if you have symptoms such as stomach pain, fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or clay-colored stools.

Tell your provider if you have type two diabetes and experience vision problems; if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding; or if you feel your heart racing while at rest.

In those with diabetes, taking Wegovy^® with insulin or a sulfonylurea can increase the risk of low blood sugar. This can be a serious side effect.

Talk to your provider about how to recognize and treat low blood sugar and check your blood sugar before starting and while taking Wegovy^®.

Wegovy^® may increase the chance of food or liquid getting into your lungs during surgery, or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness. Tell all your healthcare providers that you are taking Wegovy^® before you are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures.

Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach pain, changes in skin sensations, headache, tiredness, upset stomach, dizziness, feeling bloated, belching, low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, gas, stomach flu, heartburn, and hair loss. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.

Some side effects may lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. Drinking plenty of fluids may reduce your chances of dehydration.

Narrator: Terry is a real patient taking Wegovy^® pen and has been compensated by Novo Nordisk for his participation in this video. Individual results may vary.

Terry: I didn't think my weight was that big of a problem at first. I tried not to think about it. But as time went on, I was eating more and exercising less. Before I knew it, I gained like 70 pounds over a stretch of about 10 years. But now I'm doing something about it. Right now, my weight is my number one priority. I'm motivated to keep going, and it's been so worth it.

For most of my adult life, I was very active, I was in good shape. I was at a really comfortable, about 215 pounds. I was playing basketball four to five times a week. Golf when it was summertime, you know, chasing my kids around, staying active, coaching their sports, and doing things with them. Starting in my late forties, uh, I became a lot less active, but I continued to eat the way I used to eat. Like six slices of pizza. You know, I could knock off a tray of nachos on a football Sunday. I put on a lot of weight. It all caught up to me. In my fifties, I was closing in on 300 pounds. When I looked at the scale and saw that number, I felt despair. I felt shame. I felt embarrassed. I, you know, but I also felt a little bit hopeless, like I've let it go too far and I have nothing I'm gonna be able to do about this.

When I was carrying all that weight, I was getting winded going up a flight of stairs. I mean, I didn't want to go and get the mail. Eventually I got to the point where I gave in and I had to, you know, go up two sizes in my shirts, three sizes in my pants. My doctor started expressing concerns about my excess weight and its impact on things like my blood pressure.
When I was at my heaviest, uh, I, I really tried to, um, avoid seeing people I hadn't seen in a long time. I could see it in their eyes that they're saying to themselves, “what happened to this guy?”
One night I was talking with my neighbor about my weight. He's a good friend. He asked me if I had ever heard about Wegovy^® and I hadn't, but I was curious. I finally spoke to my primary care doctor and suggested Wegovy^®, and he did a lot of research on it. He looked at my history and at my next appointment and he said, you know, I think Wegovy^® might be right for you, and he agreed to put me on it.
We went over the potential benefits and the risks of treatment. We talked about how I would also need to stick to an exercise plan and a reduced calorie diet.
Narrator: Wegovy^® is a prescription medicine used with reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight; help adults with obesity, or some adults with excess weight (overweight) who also have weight-related medical problems to lose weight and keep the weight off.

Wegovy^® contains semaglutide and should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines. 

It is not known if Wegovy^® injection is safe and effective to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events (death, heart attack, or stroke) in people under 18 years; to help children under 12 years of age lose weight and keep the weight off.

Do not take Wegovy^® if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer. Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you are allergic to Wegovy^®.
Terry: I started taking Wegovy^® a little over two years ago to help me lose weight and keep it off.
Something that I've noticed is that I'm no longer hungry all the time. Well, I used to eat a lot of snacks in between meals and make a large late-night snacks. But with changes in my appetite, I'm waiting until it's time for my next meal. My doctor told me I may experience common side effects like nausea, and we've discussed what to do if I experience any of those side effects.
Since starting Wegovy^®, I've lost about 50 pounds over two years, and that's about 17% of my starting body weight. You know, when I started to take Wegovy^®, I started a weight log and uh, over time, man, you could really see those results. And I used to take screenshots on my phone and send it to my kids and I'd get back a “whoop, whoop dad, go!” you know, kind of thing. And it was just really motivating. Everyone's experience with Wegovy^® may be different. This is just my experience.
Narrator: Stop taking Wegovy^® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck or an allergic reaction. Serious side effects may happen, including pancreatitis. Stop taking Wegovy^® and get medical help right away if you get severe stomach pain.
Terry: I'd say I've been chipping away at my weight a little bit at a time. I actually appreciate that I'm making slow and steady progress with Wegovy^®.
I love it when people see me today and they're like, “whoa, what happened to Terry?” Because now they're noticing the changes I've made with the work I've been putting in to manage my weight.
Taking Wegovy^® is not like waving a magic wand. I've had to do my part. I've been more mindful about what I put in my body since I started, and I've made a point to be more active and I've made an effort to stick to a reduced calorie diet. When I see that I'm making progress, it feels good, like I'm moving in the right direction.
I want other people out there, especially people my age, to know that there's help. It's not easy taking that first step, and you shouldn't be embarrassed to ask for help. Talk to your healthcare professional and ask them if Wegovy^® may be right for you.
Narrator: Gallbladder or severe stomach problems may occur. Call your provider if you have symptoms such as stomach pain, fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or clay-colored stools.

Tell your provider if you have type two diabetes and experience vision problems; if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding; or if you feel your heart racing while at rest.
In those with diabetes, taking Wegovy^® with insulin or sulfonylurea can increase the risk of low blood sugar. This can be a serious side effect.

Talk to your provider about how to recognize and treat low blood sugar and check your blood sugar before starting and while taking Wegovy^®.
Wegovy^® may increase the chance of food or liquid, getting into your lungs during surgery, or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness. Tell all your healthcare providers that you are taking Wegovy^® before you are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures.
Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach pain, changes in skin sensations, headache, tiredness, upset stomach, dizziness, feeling bloated, belching, low blood sugar in people with type two diabetes, gas, stomach flu, heartburn and hair loss. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.

Some side effects may lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. Drinking plenty of fluids may reduce your chances of dehydration.