Episode 6: Wresting with Wegovy

TL; DR (Too Long; Don’t Read)

Aetna — my insurance carrier — denied my recent Wegovy prescription.

Since last September, I have been taking the Glucagon-like peptide 1 (or GLP-1) — a drug that the manages blood sugar and food cravings. The results of Lady Wee (Wegovy) are shocking: I lost 40 pounds in 4 months!

But shit happens. All. The. Time. So I regained about 15-20 pounds this year.

I am now ready to start my weight loss journey again. (Holla at ya girl if you know weight loss is the funniest game of see-saw you could ever play.) Aetna gave me a big fat ass “NO!” because my weight loss in February 2025 compared to an examination this past week did not provide substantial evidence that Wegovy has been effective.

However, I can not tell a lie: while watching Auntie Dee die, I ate horribly. Since January, I probably have eaten my weight — and yours — in Snickers with Pepsis on the side. Food doesn’t talk back so I used it to manage my grief and depression. Whenever we traveled to see my aunt, we ate greasy chicken, fish, and French fries. After her funeral. I spent about 20 days straight in bed and carbs and I started a love thang that I still can’t let go.

While I was depending on my GLP-1 Wizard (GI nurse practitioner) to report my health narrative to Aetna, he was recording very little information on me and my battle with Long Covid. He noted that I was ill from a Covid infection but not much else. He did mention a joke I made about my husband being a better driver than me. (What in the entire…you know the rest.) He didn’t ask why I gained the weight back or discuss a treatment plan with me.

And I let that slide because sometimes, I hate advocating for my health all the time. It’s exhausting. People should just get it. I want to believe that people will do the right thing.

I know what some of y’all are thinking, “Well, you just have to eat better.”

You’re right but sometimes shit just happens. Who knew I’d lose my Auntie Dee, end relationships with estranged family members, and feel like a loser this year? All of my best habits went out the window the minute funeral directors closed Dee’s casket.

Moreover, insurance companies don’t give a damn if we grieve or need additional support. They just want to keep all the money they make from us each day, week, or month. It’s easier for them to accuse us of not trying to lose weight than pay $2,000 for medicine that will keep many of us healthy and alive.

If you’re experiencing a GLP-1 denial, you have the right to ask your provider to appeal the decision on your behalf. Follow my advice and you will be better prepared to change their minds.

1. DO you own research on GLP-1s. Choose which one is right for you. You can listen to others’ experiences but trust your own mind and body.

2. READ what your medical provider details in your medical records. Ask them to explain your condition as explicitly as possible so insurance comapnies know why the medication is essential to your overall symptom and condition management. Drugs like Wegovy may aid in treating Long Covid, MCAS, diabetes, and ME/CFS simply by instituting healthier eating habits and lowering your weight so you can won’t experience as much joint and muscle pain.

3. ALWAYS ask why your insurance company denied your GLP-1 prescription. They must share with you the reason. Most times, they believe if you’ve only lost a small amount of weight while taking the medication, the drug isn’t working. If you’ve seen impressive results in the past, remind your provider to indicate that in the appeal process. Write a letter to yor provider and follow up with your insurance company for a reverse in their decision. Explain any traumatic life occurences that thwarted your weight loss.

4. BE flexible about other options to accommodate your desire to lose weight. There are oral medications and other resources to explore. Tell your medical provider if you experience any abdominal pain, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, or other serious side effects.

5. TRY to remember some of the healthier habits you developed while previously on a GLP-1. Even without my injection this week, I’ve tried not to eat past 10pm; I eat vegetables about 3-4 times a week; and I don’t lie down as soon after I eat.

Losing weight while living with a chronic illness and disabled is not easy but GLP-1s can be motivating and lifesavers for our community. Give yourself a chance despite prescription denials. You deserve to do this for you — and you alone. Delays aren’t always denials.