Semaglutide is just one tool we use at Wellness for Life to support our patients on their weight loss journey. We’ve been getting more and more questions being asked about medical weight loss injections, so let’s dive in! Semaglutide, the powerhouse behind Wegovy® and Ozempic®, is designed to support your weight loss journey. We will work with you to customize your weight loss plan and support you at every turn - support you don’t get with online weight loss vendors with a “one size fits all” approach.
Semaglutide: A Quick Overview
What is Semaglutide?
Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, is a beacon in weight loss management when combined with a comprehensive weight loss regimen including optimizing your diet and exercise. Semaglutide is the active ingredient found in Wegovy® and Ozempic®. Wegovy® is an FDA-approved, prescription-only medication for weight loss.
How much weight can I lose with Semaglutide?
Your weight loss results will vary, but studies have shown average weight loss of 14.9%-17.4%. [1] You will get your best results with managed weight loss programs like ours, because in addition to Semaglutide, we will provide clinical support in optimizing your diet and exercise as well as uncovering any root causes of your weight gain to improve your wellness from the inside out - helping you keep the weight off!
[1] Bergmann, NC, Davies, MJ, Lingvay, I, Knop, FK. Semaglutide for the treatment of overweight and obesity: A review. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2023; 25(1): 18-35. doi:10.1111/dom.14863 (link)
Semaglutide Dosing and Administration
When to take Semaglutide
Semaglutide is an injectable, prescription-only medication. Your first four Semaglutide shots will be administered in the clinic. Patients receive their first 4 injections in the office, after which time they may purchase a vial for at-home weekly shots into the upper arms, abdomen, or thighs. Patients doing self-injections are required to meet with a provider either in person or through telehealth at least once a month to continue on the program.
We start with in-clinic shots so that we can monitor your response to the medication so that we can change the dose depending on your response. Occasionally, a patient simply cannot tolerate this medication and we’d rather find out with a small dose.
Semaglutide Dosing
At Wellness for Life, we prioritize customizing your dosing to get your best results. While many online Semaglutide vendors follow “one size fits all” dosing titration schedules, we believe that our patient-specific approach to semaglutide weight loss sets you up for better weight loss results. We will monitor you along the way to ensure you respond well to the medication and can safely continue before increasing your dosage.
Semaglutide Side Effects
Semaglutide and Cancer
You should not take Semaglutide if you have a personal or family history of thyroid carcinoma. Semaglutide has not been shown to cause cancer or increase your chances of cancer in humans.
Potential Side Effects of Semaglutide
It’s important to understand the risks of Semaglutide. Some potential common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and constipation. Severe side effects may include pancreatitis. While rare, it is important to be taking Semaglutide under medical supervision. This is one of the reasons we start the injections in the clinic and continue every 2 week visits.
Additional Weight Loss Tools & Resources
Getting to the Root Cause of your Weight Gain
We explore any potential root causes of your weight gain such as hormone imbalances, gut microbiome imbalances, and underlying systemic inflammation to heal you from the inside out in addition to helping you lose weight. This sets you up for feeling your healthiest and strongest with our weight loss program - and keeping the weight off for good!
Semaglutide with B12, B6 Vitamins
We have our semaglutide mixed with B12 both for energy production and to reduce the potential nauseating effect of semaglutide. B vitamins can be a powerful tool to help you on your weightloss journey. In addition to semaglutide, we may recommend IV Therapy or Vitamin B injections to support you. Learn more about our IV therapy offerings here.
