For years, we have had nothing to rely on for weight loss aids except stimulant medications, such as phentermine, that often cause intolerable side effects like racing heart, anxiety, and high blood pressure. This left providers with limited options to help their patients lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. Some patients were left with no options due to other health issues that made them poor candidates for stimulant medications.
Enter Semaglutide!
Semaglutide is an injectable GLP1 analog that helps regulate insulin levels, keeping them at a more steady level throughout the day This allows your body to burn fat rather than store it! GLP1’s have been around since 2005 and used primarily to treat Type 2 Diabetes. In June 2021, semaglutide was FDA approved for weight loss as well. In the clinical trials done for FDA approval, patients lost an average of 15% of their body weight and 35 lbs over a 68 week period, though most saw a 10% reduction in body weight in the first 20 weeks.
Semaglutide Benefits:
- Weight loss
- Improve Fertility
- Treatment of PCOS
- Neuroprotective
- Cardiovascular Benefits
- Smoking Cessation
- Reduces Hunger
- Increased Satiety
Semaglutide Side Effects:
The most commonly reported side effect is nausea – however, since the medication we offer is compounded with B12, most of the nausea is very mild and transient, and only lasts a day or two. Other less frequently reported side effects include: vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and constipation.
To mitigate the above mentioned side effects, we do what is referred to as “dose escalation,” meaning you will start off at a low dose, and every 4 weeks be stepped up to a higher dose until the maximal dose is achieved. It takes approximately 5 months to reach maximum dosing, however patients will begin seeing weight loss in the first month.