[Australia/NZ] Australia - supply and PBS questions

Australia and NZ folks, supply has been all over the place. What's your current access looking like, and any PBS updates?

Chemist near me in Melbourne keeps saying stock comes in waves, so I grab my script the day it lands. Staying on the PBS route here and it's been fine once I actually get a slot. Down 36 lbs and hoping these shortages don't derail the momentum.

Down 31 lbs despite the gaps here in Melbourne, but the chemist said call ahead a week early because stock lands sporadically. No PBS movement that I've heard of yet either, which is frustrating.

Sydney here, pharmacy had to order mine in last month instead of having it on the shelf, first time that's happened. Still no movement on PBS from what I've seen, which stings when you've built momentum like I have down 80-odd pounds and can't risk a gap. Keen to hear if anyone up north is seeing the same.

Brisbane pharmacy has been okay lately but they also told me to ring a few days early now, so seems the wave thing is nationwide. Early days for me at 14 lbs down and the thought of a gap mid-run is the part that keeps me checking stock constantly. Nothing on the PBS front from my end either.

Brisbane chemist told me the same thing about ringing ahead, seems like the sporadic stock thing is everywhere. Watching from the US side where we've had similar gaps, and the call-a-week-early trick is what got me through my last shortage too. Hope the PBS situation sorts itself out for you all soon.

Sydney has been hit or miss too, my chemist keeps a waitlist which helps a bit. I got through a two week gap earlier this year and the scale barely moved, so try not to spiral if stock dries up mid-run. Nothing new on the PBS front from anyone I've asked either.

Melbourne's been fine for me the last couple of months but I still ring ahead a week like everyone else here. Down 31 lbs now and the idea of a gap still makes me nervous even though my two-week hiccup earlier this year barely showed on the scale, so that Sydney poster's experience matches mine. Nothing PBS-wise from my chemist either, he just shrugs when I ask.

Canberra is decent at the moment, but I ring ahead like everyone else too. My one gap stretched closer to three weeks and I came out the other side still trending down, sitting around 26 lbs lost now, so a blip doesn't undo the work. No PBS whispers from any chemist here either.

Brisbane here, ringing ahead has become second nature for me too, and my chemist offered to text me when stock lands which saved me a couple of drives. I'm down 18 lbs and the thought of a gap used to stress me out, but my own short shortage barely registered on the scale either. Same story on the PBS side, nobody I've asked has heard anything concrete.

Say, Following this closely, good to not feel alone on it. What helped you push through the plateau?

The plateau question - honestly mine broke once I stopped panicking during a gap and just kept protein up and moved like normal, the trend picked back up after. Perth side here, still calling ahead every refill and zero PBS news from any pharmacy I've asked, so seems quiet everywhere.

Melbourne checking in - my pharmacy now holds a box under my name when it arrives, which beat the ring-around routine I was doing. had a two week gap earlier this year and the stall I dreaded never really showed up, just some appetite creep that settled once I got a pen again. Nothing new on the PBS front from my chemist either, still all compounding or full price channels.

The ask-your-pharmacy-to-hold-a-box trick is what saved me too, wish I'd thought of it after my first gap instead of doing the frantic call-around. Also seconding the gap not being a disaster - mine just came with a week of louder food noise that faded once back on. No PBS insight from me since I'm stateside, but supply here got way easier once my pharmacy set up that standing order.

Sydney here and the hold-a-box arrangement worked for me too, my chemist texts the day stock lands so I stopped wasting lunch breaks phoning around. Had a similar short gap late last year and the scale barely noticed, appetite came back a bit but settled fast. No PBS chatter from anyone on my end either.

Brisbane here, been down 14 lbs since starting and derailed once by an empty shelf in autumn. Asked my chemist to flag me the day a shipment lands and it's been smooth since. Heaps of pharmacies here are also steering people toward compounding while the PBS situation stays quiet.

US-based Ozempic user chiming in, but the standing arrangement with my pharmacy has been the only thing keeping me gap-free too. Knoxville stock got shaky for a stretch and I lost a couple weeks to it before setting that up. Curious whether the PBS question ever gets answered here, seems like the quietest part of the thread.

Adelaide here, my chemist keeps a box behind the counter under my name and texts me, that setup got me through two dry spells without missing a dose. Down over 80 lbs now and I'm not risking that rhythm on pharmacy roulette. Still zero PBS movement that I've heard of either.

Melbourne mate of mine went through the same thing last year and ended up on compounded after months of empty shelves, so I get why so many over there are doing it. I'm on compounded semaglutide myself here in the States and it's kept me steady while branded stock bounced around. The PBS silence doesn't surprise me, that kind of listing decision tends to drag with no word until it just suddenly lands.

Sydney here and same story, my local chemist holds a pen aside for me each month and that's the only reason I haven't had a gap. Nothing on the PBS front from my GP either, he just said don't count on it changing anytime soon.