Semaglutide is a medication that is similar to a natural hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist.
What is GLP-1?
Your body naturally produces a number of substances that affect your appetite.
One of these is called GLP-1.
GLP-1 is a hormone that is produced when you eat.
It stops you from feeling hungry and makes you feel full.
It also improves your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels.
Evidence-based studies suggest that semaglutide has beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, including reducing blood pressure and improving blood fat levels.
Recently, FDA approved Semaglutide as a weight loss medication (Brand name: Wegovy).
Semaglutide is a modified version of GLP-1 which has been developed to last for a long time in the body, thus the weekly subcutaneous injection.
Semaglutide reduces feelings of hunger, it means that you eat less food.
In turn, this helps to reduce your body weight when combined with healthy lifestyle modifications such as a healthy diet and exercise.
What are some of the most common side effects of semaglutide? Not everyone will experience side effects, but if you do, you should let the practitioners know.
The most commonly reported side effects are stomach and gut problems.
These may include feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting), diarrhea, upset stomach, low appetite, pain in the stomach area, and constipation.
These side effects are usually mild or moderate.
These symptoms are most likely to happen when you first start taking the medicine and are likely to decrease or disappear entirely as you continue through your weight loss journey. To decrease the chances of you having stomach and gut side effects, you will be started on a low dose of 10 units weekly for 4 weeks, then the dose will be increased gradually per Medical Director's approved protocol.
What to do if you experience nausea or vomiting? If you do experience nausea or vomiting, here are some things that patients have found may help:
Eat smaller meals
Stop eating when you are full.
Avoid the foods and smells that make you feel worse
Drink plenty of fluids
Keep in mind that in most cases, nausea goes away after a few days or weeks.
Who can use semaglutide?
Semaglutide is indicated for chronic weight management in adults with a BMI of 27 kg/m² or greater who have at least one weight-related comorbidity, such as type 2 diabetes or hypertension, or in adults with a BMI of at least 30 kg/m².
Semaglutide is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of certain types of thyroid cancer, specifically thyroid C-cell tumors such as medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), or in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
Semaglutide is not a miracle cure. It is a long-acting prescription medicine designed to be used over an extended period of several months or more.
Semaglutide injections are not a recommended treatment for people who only need to lose a small amount of weight or have a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or less. It is also not appropriate for those who are looking for an “instant” or short-term weight loss fix.
Interested to try Semaglutide?
Call us at 731-882-7373 for a free consultation with one of our Nurse Practitioners.
Let us help you in your wellness journey.
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