Ozempic is an exciting new option for those looking to lose weight, but it’s important to talk to your doctor or pharmacist about whether it’s right for you. Here’s what you need to know about Ozempic.

If you’re looking to lose weight, you may have heard of the new medication Semaglutide also known as Ozempic or Wegovy. Ozempic is a once-weekly injectable medication that has been shown to be effective for weight loss.

What is Ozempic?

Ozempic is a prescription only medication used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. It works by helping to control blood sugar levels. Ozempic is also used for weight loss in people with type 2 diabetes.

Ozempic is a once-weekly injectable medication that belongs to a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists. Ozempic is used along with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. It can also help you lose weight.

Ozempic (the drug name is Semaglutide) is a once-weekly injectable medication used to control weight loss, due to its effects on the hormone GLP-1, a hormone produced in the gut that helps control blood sugar levels and appetite. If it is being used for weight loss then it is often termed off-label as it is not approved for this use, but it is effective for this purpose, and as a result can be prescribed for this use.

It is manufactured by Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company. The medication was first approved to manage diabetes by the FDA in December 2017 and has become increasingly popular in recent years.

There are many different weight loss drugs available in the market and it is essential that you only receive advice from someone who is legally able to prescribe the drugs and who has experience of using them for weight loss.

Ozempic and Rybelsus are the same underlying drug called Semaglutide. They are just different formats. Wegovy is also a version of Semaglutide which is soon to be available in the UK. This will be licensed for weight loss and will replace Ozempic.

How does ozempic work for weight loss?

Ozempic is a once-weekly injectable medication that helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Ozempic works by mimicking the effects of a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). GLP-1 is released in response to food and regulates appetite and metabolism. By mimicking the effects of GLP-1, Ozempic reduces hunger and helps the body burn fat more efficiently. The GLP-1 hormone is naturally produced in the body and released by the L cells of the intestine.

Ozempic is an injection that contains a synthetic form of this hormone, which helps control appetite and increase metabolism to help with weight loss.

It works by increasing the hormone that makes you feel full, decreasing the hormone that makes you feel hungry, and which makes you feel fuller for longer. This helps to reduce overall calorie intake.

At Medical WeightLoss 4U all the weight loss plans we provide act in a similar way. Essential the drugs help:

• Slow down gastric emptying, so when you eat it takes longer for your stomach to empty and therefore longer to feel hungry again.
• Increase the length of time the satiety (feeling full) hormone leptin hangs around, so again, makes you feel full longer.
• Decrease the levels of the “hungry” hormone ghrelin (think gremlin!). Interestingly ghrelin is increased when you don’t get enough sleep, so if you don’t get enough sleep it is easier to put on weight!

The appetite suppressant drugs are clinically proven to help with weight loss. They are also safe when taken as recommended.

For a successful weight loss, you should also follow an appropriate diet and exercise. The appetite suppressants can be taken in conjunction with diet and exercise.

Is Ozempic safe for weight loss

Ozempic is a new weight-loss medication that was approved by the FDA in January 2018.

In clinical trials, people taking Ozempic lost an average of 5-7% of their body weight, and kept it off for at least a year. That may not sound like much, but it can make a big difference in your health.

For someone who is overweight or obese, this can lead to significant health benefits, including improved blood sugar control, lower blood pressure, and reduced cholesterol levels.

Losing just 5% of your body weight can lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other obesity-related conditions.

Weight loss drugs, including Ozempic, should be prescribed only by a qualified physician, pharmacist or nurse prescribers. If they think you can benefit from weight loss injections, they will prescribe one of the available drugs appropriately.

These appetite suppressant drugs are only available to adults aged between 18 and 75 who have

• a BMI of 30 or greater (now known as obesity class 1 rising to class 3) or
• a BMI of 27 and less than 30 (overweight) with weight-related health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, abnormal levels of fats in the blood or breathing problems during sleep called `obstructive sleep apnoea’.

The use of these weight loss injections are not recommended:

• if you have severe heart failure
• if you have kidney disease or are on dialysis
• if you have liver problems
• if you have or have had a disease of the pancreas
• if you have severe stomach or gut related problems
• if you have an eating disorder
• if you have a healthy weight — BMI of 18.5-24.9 kg/m.
• Have had, or have a family history of, a ****rare form of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndrome type II.

Any of the weight loss medication we prescribe will only be prescribed following a consultation to assess your suitability.

How to take Ozempic for weight loss

Always refer to the full instructions for use in the Patient Information Leaflet when you receive your prescription.

Ozempic is available in 3 different doses 0.25, 0.5 and 1mg dose pens. and with each box of Ozempic you will find 4 NovoFine® Plus needles.

Before opening, store your pen in a refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C. After opening, store for up to 6 weeks at a temperature below 30°C, or in a refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C. Once opened, pens should be stored without the needle(s) left on.

You can find full details on how to use your Ozempic injection in this brochure.

The official starting dose of Ozempic is 0.25 mg once a week for 4 weeks. This is the starting dose for diabetes. For a weight loss plan patients often prefer to start at 0.5mg. After at least 4 weeks, your dose may be increased, unless otherwise informed by your clinician. Based on your individual needs, you may decide to increase your dose to 1.0 mg once a week, or stay on 0.5 mg once a week in discussion with your clinician.

It is recommended to always start at a low dose as the side-effects can be quite challenging in some people, although not everyone experiences them. These side-effects reduce once your body gets use to the drug and you can then start increasing the dose.

Here are some frequently asked questions on how to take ozempic:

• When is the best time to take Ozempic? You should ideally take Ozempic once a week on the same day each week. It can be taken with or without meals. If you miss a dose, you should ideally take it as soon as possible and within 5 days after your missed dose. If it has been more than 5 days since you missed your dose of Ozempic, skip the missed dose. Then take your next dose as usual on your regularly scheduled day. In both cases you should resume taking your dose on your normal day of the week. Never take a double dose to make up for the missed dose!
• When does Ozempic start working? You should feel some effects from Ozempic within the first week of starting your treatment.
• What to do when Ozempic is not working? After continued use these effects may wear off and it is at this point that you can discuss with your clinician about increasing your dose.
• How long should you use Ozempic? Ozempic is designed for long term use. This means that you can take Ozempic for the rest of your life if needed and appropriate.

Are there any side effects of taking Ozempic for weight loss?

Ozempic does have potential side effects, although these are very rarely reported and most patients experience no side effects whatsoever.

Very common (equal or more than 1 in 10 people):

• Feeling sick (nausea)
• Diarrhoea
• Constipation

These side effects this usually goes away over time but can cause dehydration (loss of fluids). It is important that you drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. This is especially important if you have kidney problems.

Common (less than 1 in 10 to 1 in 100 people):

• Being sick (vomiting)
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) – when this medicine is used with another anti-diabetic medicine and/or insulin
• Headache – this usually goes away over time

Other common side effects include indigestion, stomach discomfort, dry mouth, feeling weak or tired, changed sense of taste, difficulty sleeping, injection site reactions (such as bruising, pain, irritation, itching and rash), low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia). Complications of diabetic eye disease (retinopathy) occurred in diabetic patients – you should inform your doctor if you experience eye problems, such as changes in vision, during treatment with this medicine

Uncommon (less than 1 in 100 to 1 in 1000 people):

• Increased heart rate

Rare (less than 1 in 10,000 people):

• Severe allergic reactions (anaphylactic reactions) – you should seek immediate medical help and inform your doctor straight away if you get symptoms such as breathing problems, swelling of the face and throat and a fast heartbeat
• Pancreatitis – if you have ever had this then you are usually not a suitable candidate for our plan. Pancreatitis has also been linked with very fast weight loss so weight loss should ideally be fairly slow but consistent.
• In rodents, GLP-1 drugs caused a rare from of thyroid cancer but it is unknown whether this occurs in humans. If you are taking these medications alway tell your health care provider if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath.

This is not a full list, and some drugs may have different side effects for you. So please refer to the Patient Information Leaflet for the full list of side effects.

Conclusion

Essentially, Ozempic is a medication that helps people lose weight by suppressing your appetite. While there are many medications on the market that claim to help with weight loss, Ozempic is one of the few that has been proven to be effective. In a study of obese individuals, those who took Ozempic lost an average of 5% of their body weight after 16 weeks, while those who did not take the medication only lost an average of 2% of their body weight.

While Ozempic is not a miracle drug, it can be an effective tool for weight loss. For best results, it should be used in conjunction with diet and exercise. If you are struggling to lose weight, talk to your doctor about whether Ozempic may be right for you.

If you would like to try Ozempic, then please first fill in our Consultation Form to see if you are suitable.