Semaglutide (The Weight Loss Peptide) injection is a treatment for obesity. It’s proven highly effective in clinical trials. It is administered through an injection (generally in the thigh) and is taken once per week. In order to take semaglutide, you’ll need to plan on weekly trips to your healthcare provider or be comfortable giving yourself injections.

Patients on semaglutide have reported losing as much as 80lbs, with clinical trials showing patients losing an average of 12.4% of their body weight over 68 weeks.

Patients must start semaglutide with a lower dose and gradually increase the dosage over 16-20 weeks in order to reduce the gastrointestinal side effects.

There are significant benefits with this game changer medication.

What is the difference between Semaglutide, Wegovy and Ozempic?
When discussing medications, there is usually a generic name and a Brand name.

In this case:

• Semaglutide- is the generic name
• Ozempic- is a Brand name
• Wegovy- is a Brand name
  All of the medications are essentially the same.

By mimicking the naturally occurring peptide hormone known as GLP-1, Semaglutide produces weight loss by stimulating insulin release and effectively reducing appetite.

1. Stimulating insulin release results in better stabilization in blood sugars which is an essential part of weight loss
2. Semaglutide not only reduces appetite but increases the satisfaction after eating. Even if you do not have a full stomach, the medication acts on the receptors in the stomach and the brain that are responsible for satiety (satisfaction after eating).

The Semaglutide Weight Loss Program works best with a low carb diet. A thorough discussion of dietary recommendations will be discussed with you by our providers.

Although Semaglutide is a safe therapy approved by the FDA for weight loss, it is not safe if you have any of the following:

• diabetic retinopathy (eye damage resulting from diabetes)
• impaired kidney function
• thyroid cancer
  family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma
• kidney disease (/w likely reduction in kidney function)
• pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
• low blood sugar
  multiple endocrine neoplasia (type 2)

If you have any of the above conditions, please schedule a consultation with a provider to discuss our other weight loss therapies that may be right for you.

This medication is given subcutaneously. That means it is administered in the “fatty” areas of our body: abdomen, arms, thighs. using a tiny insulin needle (you will hardly feel it).

Once Weekly

If you want to take a deep dive into the clinical trial that led to the FDA approving Semaglutide as the first weight loss drug in 15 years, you can find it here. 

But we thought you may also want to read a quick summary: 

• The trial lasted about 16 months
• The mean change in body weight from baseline to week 68 (16 months) was −14.9% in the semaglutide group as compared with −2.4% with placebo
• The change in body weight from baseline to week 68 was −15.3 kg (33.6 lbs) in the semaglutide group as compared with −2.6 kg (5.72 lbs)  in the placebo group
• Some participants dropped out of the trial due to nausea and diarrhea, but most determined the side effects were mild and easily managed. (Our providers have noticed these side effects are significantly reduced when the medication is titrated slowly). 

Another article titled Semaglutide for Weight Loss  discovered that in addition to weight loss as discussed above, 40-50% of trial participants reported an improved quality of life. 

Doctors, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants

Generally speaking, it is not.  However there are some plans/policies that may cover weight loss medications and therefore possibly cover semaglutide.