3 semaglutide before and after stories from real patients

As the active ingredient in the GLP-1 drugs Rybelsus, Ozempic, and Wegovy, semaglutide can produce transformational results. In clinical trials, patients experienced nearly 15% weight loss. 

Semaglutide before and after stories aren’t hard to find, whether you’re scrolling social media or reading reviews of Ozempic or Wegovy. But if you’re interested in losing weight on semaglutide through Ro, you may want to hear from people who went through the very process you’re now considering. 

Below, you’ll find semaglutide before and after stories from three women — all of whom are Ro patients. Read on to learn about their experiences on the medication and see real results in their semaglutide before and after pictures.

At 80 years old, Pepper Schwartz has tried countless approaches to weight loss. But when she started Ozempic, she noticed something different: Her thoughts about food got a lot quieter. So did her feelings of guilt and shame around her body. 

“Emotionally, you feel like you just discovered a miracle,” she says. “Is this what people feel like when they’re not hungry all the time?”

It’s not that Pepper suddenly lost her appetite or stopped liking her culinary favorites. Rather, she just doesn’t crave them as much, and she’s happy with a small amount when she does eat them. 

“I once had a colleague who was thin but ate so much, and all I wanted was to have some of what she had,” she says. “Then, once I started semaglutide, there it was.”

For Pepper, weight loss wasn’t just about chasing a smaller size. It was also about the health benefits of losing belly fat, which can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and various types of heart disease. 

“We all know that extra weight isn’t good for you,” she says. “I don’t need to be a size 2, but I don’t want to carry extra fat, and I had been for a while.” 

Pepper didn’t experience any side effects and found that semaglutide made it easier to follow other healthier habits, as well. She made a point to get out every day and do some exercise. And now, she’s starting a morning stretching practice. Once she started making these changes on semaglutide, she found her momentum. 

“Lord knows anyone who’s tried to lose weight knows what eating healthy is,” she says. “We all know we should exercise more and eat small meals to avoid getting hungry.” 

But, Pepper says, the difference with semaglutide is that it’s finally easier to follow those guidelines. 

In addition to the physical changes, Pepper’s grateful for the calm semaglutide has brought to her relationship with food. She no longer obsesses about food or her body. And she feels a lot more comfortable with herself — something she attributes to the knowledge that she’s steadily working toward her goal every day. 

“I don’t beat myself up if I have a piece of chocolate or something because that doesn’t trigger a cascade of eating,” she says. “It’s just one thing I’ve done. Semaglutide has allowed me to transition to this really positive mental state — and that’s a gift.”

Living with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), Marissa had tried just about everything to manage her weight. She knew weight management was important for managing PCOS symptoms like insulin resistance, excess hair growth, acne, and irregular periods. But, like many women with PCOS, she found it difficult to lose weight and keep it off — no matter how many diets or supplements she tried. 

Feeling stuck but hopeful, Marissa decided to try Ozempic for PCOS (an off-label use of the medication). 

“I had heard of semaglutide helping women like me lose weight, and I was willing to give it a try,” she says, adding that she hoped it would boost her confidence as well. 

What happened next was life-changing.

“The first thing I noticed was all the food noise was gone,” she says. 

Food noise refers to the intrusive ruminating thoughts people may have about food. They could include worrying that you’re eating too much, shaming yourself for what you just ate, or constantly planning your next meal, perhaps even while eating your current one.

After the food noise quieted, Marissa started to notice other positive changes. She wasn’t of breath when going up and down stairs or taking her dog for a long walk anymore. Her clothes began fitting better. And her mood “improved a lot,” she says. 

Since starting Ozempic, Marissa has lost 30 pounds. The first 10 pounds came off quickly, followed by more gradual weight loss over time. 

With less fixation on eating, Marissa finally felt more in control. And it didn’t hurt that she didn’t experience any side effects on Ozempic. “I was one of the lucky ones,” she says. 

Marissa credits her progress in part to new habits like meal prepping and daily movement. “I love being outside, so in the summer I usually will go for long walks with my dog,” she says. 

Even if she doesn’t have time for a whole workout, Marissa makes sure to get some movement in, now knowing that consistency is key on (and off) semaglutide.

Perhaps the biggest change Marissa’s experienced has been her confidence. 

“Before starting the medication, I was at my heaviest I’ve ever been,” she says. “I felt so unmotivated, depressed, and overall gross. [Now] I actually want to leave the house, dress up, and be social again.”

Some people refer to semaglutide as “the easy way out” — a phrase Marissa wishes people would drop. It ignores her years of struggling to lose weight, trying all the PCOS-friendly diets possible, and working out. But then she finally found something that worked: semaglutide. 

“Some people just need a little extra help, but this journey was still important and I’m still so proud of myself,” she says.

When Whittnie got engaged, the excitement and joy of planning her wedding were overshadowed by how she felt in her body: uncomfortable and disconnected. 

“I was at the heaviest I had ever been, and I just felt really unhappy with my lifestyle and how I looked heading into wedding season,” she says. 

Around this time, she also started looking toward her future. Whittnie realized she wanted to feel healthier — both physically and emotionally — before she began family planning.

“I wanted to feel like myself on my wedding day and in the life that followed,” she says.

Whittnie started with Zepbound (tirzepatide) through Ro, but didn’t respond well to the medication. So, her provider switched her from tirzepatide to semaglutide, specifically Wegovy. 

The change made all the difference. Her appetite shrank, her portion sizes got smaller, and the weight loss results started to show. 

“Emotionally, I began to feel more like myself again,” Whittnie says. 

The main side effect she experienced was occasional nausea, typically during a dosage increase. She was able to manage this with an anti-nausea pill or a ginger candy. Otherwise, Whittnie says she “tolerated the medication well.” 

Over the course of a year, Whittnie lost 30 pounds. To avoid major alterations to her wedding dress, she stayed on a lower dose in the weeks leading up to the big day. This is something she did with the guidance and support of her Ro-affiliated provider. (Remember: You should never alter your dosage without first consulting your prescriber.) 

“My tailor had already taken the dress down two to three sizes from what I originally ordered, so I intentionally slowed my progress to make sure everything fit just right,” she says.

The changes were subtle at first. But looking back at pictures six months in, Whittnie could see the transformation. 

“When we got our wedding photos back, I was ecstatic,” she says. “I wasn’t even ‘done’ with my journey, but I looked and felt so much more confident, and that joy was clearly captured in every photo from that day.”

Whittnie has since tapered off the medication as she prepares for pregnancy. Today, she’s focused on maintaining the healthy habits she developed during her time on semaglutide, such as staying active and eating smaller portion sizes.  

“Day to day, my life looks pretty similar to when I was taking semaglutide, but my mindset and confidence are on a whole new level,” Whittnie says. “My perspective has shifted, and I feel more in control and aligned with myself.”

Clinical trials show semaglutide starts working quickly, producing weight loss in just four weeks. In one trial, participants lost about 2% of their body weight after the first month of taking semaglutide. That figure is an average, however, and how much weight you can lose in a month on semaglutide can depend on several factors, including your:

• Dosage of semaglutide

• Starting body weight

• Other health conditions, such as diabetes or PCOS

• Consistency with weekly injections

• Adherence to lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise

Foods to avoid on semaglutide include anything that is especially fatty, fried, spicy, or processed. These foods can worsen several semaglutide side effects, including nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and vomiting. 

Instead, you’ll want to eat more whole foods, lean proteins, and plenty of fruits, vegetables, and grains. Together, these foods create an overall balanced diet that supports weight loss and minimizes side effects. For example, following a semaglutide diet plan may include:

• Adding a dash of extra virgin olive oil to your meals as a source of healthy fat

• Getting protein from lean fish, poultry, and legumes

• Eating vegetables at every meal

• Enjoying fruits for a healthy morning or afternoon snack

Yes, semaglutide can kickstart weight loss and help you keep it off long-term. 

Studies show people eat significantly less — between 16% and 40% fewer calories daily — when taking drugs like semaglutide. As a result, people taking semaglutide lose about 2% of their body weight in the first month, 6% at three months, and nearly 11% at six months. 

Most weight loss occurs during the first year of taking semaglutide. But taking it past that point can help people maintain the weight loss, as studies that lasted for two and four years show. 

Ro makes GLP-1s simple, from coverage to care

Get started

The Ro Body membership offers access to prescription weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy (both semaglutide drugs), if appropriate. The program also includes ongoing support to help you stay on track. 

Here’s how it works:

1. Complete your online visit. To get started, you’ll answer a few questions about your health history and weight loss goals. A Ro-affiliated provider will review your responses and get back to you within a few days. If needed, they may order a metabolic lab test to better understand your hormone and metabolic health or support insurance coverage. 

2. Get your prescription and plan. If eligible, a Ro-affiliated provider will write you a prescription for a GLP-1 medication. They’ll also help with your dosing and titration schedule based on your health profile and body’s response to treatment. 

3. Explore insurance or cash-pay options. If you’d like to use insurance, Ro’s dedicated insurance concierge will step in to help. They’ll communicate with your insurance provider directly, manage the paperwork for prior authorizations, and explore every possible option to get your medication covered. If insurance doesn’t come through, they’ll explain other savings opportunities, such as cash-pay options. Thanks to Ro’s partnerships with NovoCare and LillyDirect, you can get FDA-approved cash-pay options at half the retail price. For example, a month’s worth of Wegovy for $499.

4. Receive your medication. Depending on your prescription and payment method, your medication can be filled at your preferred pharmacy or shipped directly to you in 1–4 days. 

Get ongoing support. Moving forward, you’ll have on-demand access to Ro’s clinical team for prescription management, dose adjustments, and the kind of care that helps you stay consistent — and feel supported — every step of the way.