If you have tried various weight loss methods and nothing has worked, you may have researched weight loss injections to help you shed those extra pounds.
It can be hard to know which weight loss pill is right for you and which one can help you achieve your goals in the safest and healthiest way.
Wegovy is just one of the options you will come across and in this article, the expert weight loss doctors at our weight loss clinic explain everything you need to know about this revolutionary weight loss pill.
Wegovy Explained
Wegovy is a fully licensed weight loss pill used to help overweight or obese people lose weight.
It comes in a prefilled injection pen. You use it to inject yourself once a week, under the skin in your upper arm, abdomen, thigh or buttocks.
Like all weight loss injections, it should be used in conjunction with a healthy, balanced diet and increased physical activity to help patients lose weight successfully.
This medication may be prescribed to patients if they have a BMI greater than 30 or 27 and have medical conditions that cause weight-related problems, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or an increased waist circumference.
How does Wegovy work for weight loss?
It contains an active drug called semaglutide, which is a GLP-1 receptor antagonist.
This drug mimics the natural hormone GLP-1 produced by the stomach when we eat, which sends signals to nerves in the brain that suppress appetite.
This not only reduces hunger, but also has an effect on the stomach – slowing down how quickly food leaves the stomach after it’s been eaten, which increases your feeling of fullness, further regulating appetite. It also promotes the release of insulin when blood sugar levels are high, which lowers blood sugar.
What is the dose of Wegovy?
The weekly dose of Wegovy is gradually increased over a few weeks because the gut needs time to adjust to the medication to prevent adverse side effects. But the weight loss effects of the medication are immediate.
The dose will be increased based on your discussion with your healthcare professional, which includes how well you tolerate the medication, how well you control your appetite, if you have any side effects, and how well you are progressing with your weight loss.
The dose of Wegovy is usually started at 0.25 mg once a week and gradually increased over time to minimize side effects and improve tolerability. After the initial 4 weeks, the dose is increased to 0.5 mg per week.
According to the prescribing information, the dose is further increased, and many adults eventually take 2.4 mg once a week to manage obesity or overweight in conjunction with diet and exercise for the long-term. Ongoing consultation with a healthcare provider is essential to monitor progress and make any necessary dosage adjustments.
How much weight can you lose with Wegovy?
This is one of the questions we are asked most often.
However, there is no single answer to this question, and while this treatment has been successful for most patients so far, the specific amount of weight you can lose with Wegovy varies.
In clinical trials and medical studies conducted, patients have achieved very good weight loss results.
In a trial of nearly 2,000 patients with a BMI over 27 who had tried to lose weight in the past without success, after taking the drug for 68 weeks, they lost an average of 15% of their initial weight, while the group taking a placebo lost only 2%.
The results of this trial and other trials on Wegovy showed that the weight loss drug has the best weight loss results to date compared to other weight loss drugs.
What are the risks of Wegovy?
Like all drugs, Wegovy can cause side effects. The most common side effects are feeling sick or diarrhea.
Less common but more serious problems include gallbladder disease, pancreatic inflammation, and kidney problems.
Wegovy is limited to two years of treatment and its long-term risks are still being studied.
Your doctor will review this and your diet and lifestyle plan with you to ensure you are using the most appropriate and appropriate medication.
Wegovy offers a new hope for many people struggling to lose weight, but it is not a panacea. Patients should use it under the guidance of a professional doctor and combine it with a healthy diet and regular exercise to achieve better weight loss results. If you are interested in Wegovy, please discuss it with your healthcare provider to determine if it is right for you.
