Ozempic is designed to mimic GLP-1, an organic hormone found naturally in your body that regulates how full you feel after meals and delays their emptying into other parts of the digestive system. This action helps control when and how fast stomach contents move into other parts of the digestive tract, keeping a proper digestive system balanced.
Contact your Healthcare Provider (HCP) to assess whether you qualify for medication-assisted weight loss. They will consider factors like medical history and weight loss goals when recommending them.
How it works
Ozempic is a once-weekly injection you take into your belly, thigh, or arm that belongs to a class of medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists – drugs that act like GLP-1 hormone released in your digestive tract to control blood sugar and promote feeling fullness. Though GLP-1 agonists have been around for 15 years to treat diabetes and obesity, their popularity has recently skyrocketed thanks to influencers such as Kimberly Carter-Williams of Ozempic and tech billionaire Elon Musk using these products. Furthermore, apps that administer GLP-1 medication through pre-filled pens charge monthly fees while covering some costs through insurance plans.
Cody Stanford, an endocrinologist specializing in treating type 2 diabetes and weight loss treatments such as Metformin, warns about its reputation. While taking it may help people lose significant amounts of weight quickly in the beginning months, subsequent months can see their weight stabilize or even gain slightly, according to his observations.
Mr. Laing says most people can expect to lose about five percent of their starting body weight over time, comparable to what has been experienced during clinical trials of this medication for those with type 2 diabetes and excess weight issues.
As well as helping individuals feel full, this medication also slows how quickly food passes through the stomach, which helps maintain stable blood sugar and curb appetite. Furthermore, it decreases glucose entry into livers, thereby avoiding large spikes in blood sugar when carbs are consumed.
Long-term users of the drug report it helped curb cravings for fatty and sweet foods and curb mindless snacking, but Grunvald cautions that anyone trying to shed too much weight too quickly could run into problems: obesity is a chronic disease; anti-obesity medicines must be used similarly with other prescription, like high blood pressure or cholesterol treatments, and must be used accordingly.
Dosage
Ozempic should be administered once weekly just under the skin, generally in your abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. Your healthcare provider will instruct you how to inject this medication correctly, starting at 0.25 mg weekly before gradually increasing the dosage every four weeks until reaching optimal effectiveness for weight loss. Too much medication could result in hypoglycemia which occurs when blood sugar drops too low over a prolonged period.
The FDA has issued Ozempic a boxed warning, alerting people that its use may increase their risk of thyroid tumors. This claim is based on animal studies that revealed an increase in thyroid tumor development; however, animal studies cannot always predict what will happen in people. If you develop one yourself, notify your physician immediately so they can intervene accordingly.
If you miss an Ozempic dose, it is best to take it as soon as you remember but no sooner than five days post-miss. Otherwise, this will disrupt your weekly schedule and build up too many days of semaglutide in your system. Instead, skip it altogether and return to the regular dosing schedule.
Once every two or more days since your last dose was administered, it may be possible to change the day and time of your weekly Ozempic injections; however, more frequent changes should not exceed once every month. If you find yourself consistently missing your appointments without planning or using an alarm or medication reminder app can help keep yourself on track.
If you are on a tight budget, pharmacy discount programs offer solutions to reduce medication costs. Furthermore, online pharmacies that stock this brand of medicine could save even more. Be wary when buying from any new vendor that claims they offer it – only purchase from websites registered with UK regulators, such as the General Pharmaceutical Council and CQC!
Side effects
Ozempic side effects tend to be gastrointestinal in nature and include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation; these symptoms tend to improve with time and dose adjustment. Injection site reactions may also occur but can often be mitigated by changing injection locations now and then. More serious adverse events include pancreatitis, changes in vision, kidney issues, gallbladder problems, or thyroid tumors.
Patients taking antiepileptic medication should avoid eating fatty or fried foods as these may worsen gastrointestinal symptoms; drinking plenty of water to ensure dehydration is avoided and abstaining from alcohol may also help. Furthermore, many may experience appetite loss leading to malnutrition; therefore, Shah often advises her patients to take multivitamins or protein supplements to ensure they receive all their essential nutrients.
Ozempic has been shown to help patients lose weight. However, no medication alone can induce weight loss – for optimal results; patients should exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet alongside taking this medication.
Ozempic’s most prevalent side effect is nausea, which may be worsened by foods rich in fat or sugar. Poor blood sugar management could also play a part; should this occur, patients should consult a physician immediately.
Ozempic can cause dysgeusia, a taste disorder in which food tastes different than intended, in less than 1% of users taking this medication. This side effect occurs most frequently among pregnant and nursing mothers taking Ozempic.
Injections of this medication must be kept out of reach of children and stored safely while using only as directed. Dosage instructions must also be strictly followed, as failure to do so could result in dangerously high blood sugar levels that could prove fatal for patients. Patients should check their insurance policy first to ensure this medication is covered.
Precautions
If you suffer from obesity and your doctor prescribes anti-obesity medication, it is crucial that you understand both risks and benefits. Ozempic is a prescription drug containing semaglutide, which has been found safe and effective at treating obesity by decreasing appetite and slowing digestion; most often used together with diet and exercise to assist weight loss.
According to the FDA, Ozempic’s most frequent side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation – symptoms which may negatively impact the quality of life for some individuals; for instance, they can keep people from engaging in social activities or traveling for work and lead to feelings of embarrassment and isolation – further contributing to emotional eating – worsening further its gastrointestinal side effects.
Ozempic may cause more than just digestive side effects; it may also cause headaches, drowsiness, and vision changes. These side effects often subside with continued use; however, if severe side effects develop or don’t go away within several weeks, it is wise to consult your physician immediately.
Ozempic should not be taken if you are allergic to its components or ingredients. Furthermore, this medication should be avoided by pregnant or breastfeeding women and anyone experiencing gallbladder or gallstone problems.
GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic are generally prescribed to help improve blood sugar levels among those living with Type-2 diabetes but have also proven helpful in helping obese individuals lose weight. These drugs mimic natural hormones produced in your body that signal to your brain when you have eaten and regulate insulin secretion; GLP-1s may even reduce a patient’s “set weight,” or the weight necessary for them to stop eating altogether.
Patients will begin with a lower dosage and gradually increase it over eight weeks until reaching 2.4 milligrams once weekly. The drug comes packaged as an injection pen with single-use needles for subcutaneous administration at home.
