Weight Management

Semaglutide brand name Wegovy® was approved in 2021 by the FDA for chronic weight management in obese/overweight adults, this medication has been described as a “game-changer.”

Semaglutide works by mimicking a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) which targets areas of the brain that regulate appetite and food intake. In conjunction with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity Semaglutide helps patients create better behavioral changes to eat less and move more.

For FDA approval the drug underwent a large study, which was 68-week double-blinded trial of nearly 2,000 obese adults who did not have diabetes. According to the data more than 50 percent of participants lost 15 percent of their body weight, and approximately 40 percent of participants lost 20 percent of their body weight. (Those in the placebo group lost only about 2.4 percent of their starting weight.)

Semaglutide is a once-a-week SQ injection in the belly to the right or left of the belly button. Injectable Semaglutide can be taken with or without food. If you need to change the day of the week, it is no problem if the last dose was given 2 or more days before. Semaglutide is sold by the vial.

Side effects are well-tolerated on Semaglutide and typically improve with duration of the medication. Dosing must be increased gradually by a medical provider to reduce gastrointestinal issues. Side effects may include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, dyspepsia, dizziness, abdominal distention, belching, hypoglycemia, flatulence, gastroenteritis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.