Hims compounded semaglutide worked, then a bad batch killed my appetite suppression.

Insurance denied Wegovy — my BMI was 33 and my plan only covered with established T2D or CVD. Couldn't afford $499/mo NovoCare direct. Started Hims compounded semaglutide at $199/mo as a bridge. First three months were genuinely transformative — lost 22 pounds, food noise gone, sleeping better. Month 4 shipment arrived in different packaging. Within a week of switching to that batch, my appetite suppression dropped to zero. Continued for three weeks thinking it was a tolerance shift. Lost no weight. Reported it to Hims customer service. They acknowledged a 503A pharmacy partner change had occurred. Sent a replacement batch — same problem. I requested a refund and stopped. Switched to NovoCare direct $499/mo for two months while my insurance re-reviewed PA based on month-6 BMI of 30. Got Wegovy approved on second attempt. Now at $25/month copay. Hims was useful as a bridge but I learned the hard way that compounded sterile injectables have batch quality variance that brand drugs don't. The cost savings (~$300/month) wasn't worth losing a month of progress.