Can Semaglutide help in weight loss?

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I strongly suggest not taking any of these weight loss drugs by yourself without consulting your PCP (primary care physician) or endocrinologist. Just know that you need to use prescription weight-loss drugs in addition to — not instead of — a healthy diet and exercise. Check your dosage and duration before starting this medication along with side effects as you have to continue this medication for longer.

Who can take weight-loss drugs?

Your healthcare provider may suggest a weight-loss drug for you in some cases. These include if you have not been able to lose weight through diet and exercise and if your body mass index (BMI) is greater than 30. This means you are living with a condition that involves having too much body fat, called obesity. BMI is greater than 27. You also have a serious medical problem linked to obesity, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Before choosing a medicine for you, your healthcare provider thinks about your history and health challenges. Then your provider talks with you about the pros and cons of prescription weight-loss drugs. These drugs are not for everyone. For example, you should not take prescription weight-loss drugs if you are trying to get pregnant, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

How well do weight-loss drugs work?

Prescription weight-loss drugs that you can use for more than 12 weeks, called long-term use, lead to major weight loss compared with an inactive treatment that doesn't use medicine, called a placebo. The combination of weight-loss medicine and lifestyle changes leads to greater weight loss than lifestyle changes alone. Taking these drugs for a year can mean a loss of total body weight of three to 12 percent more than that lost with lifestyle changes alone. That may not seem like a lot. But losing five to 10 percent of your total weight and keeping it off can have important health benefits. For example, it can lower blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and levels of fats in the blood called triglycerides.

What you should know about weight-loss drugs?

Weight-loss drugs may have mild side effects, such as nausea, constipation, and diarrhea, which are common. They may lessen over time. Rarely, serious side effects can happen. That's why it is important to ask your healthcare provider about all treatment choices. And ask about the possible benefits and risks of each drug. Weight-loss drugs can be expensive and are not always paid for by insurance. Ask your insurance company about your coverage. Many people gain back some of the weight they lose when they stop taking weight-loss drugs. Practicing healthy lifestyle habits may help limit weight gain.

How long do I take a weight-loss drug?

How long you take a weight-loss drug depends on whether the drug helps you lose weight. If you have lost enough weight to improve your health and you have not had serious side effects, your healthcare provider may suggest that you take the drug long-term. If you have not lost at least five percent of your body weight after taking the full dose of a drug for three to six months, your healthcare provider will probably change your treatment. They may switch you to a different weight-loss drug.

What drugs are approved for weight loss?

Six weight-loss drugs have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for long-term use:

GLP1 medications such as:

• Bupropion-naltrexone (Contrave).

• Liraglutide (Saxenda).

• Orlistat (Xenical, and Alli).

• Phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia).

• Semaglutide (Wegovy).

• Setmelanotide (Imcivree).

Most prescription weight-loss drugs work by making you feel less hungry or fuller. Some do both. The exception is Orlistat. It affects the way your body absorbs fat. It can cause side effects such as:

• Nausea and vomiting.

• Diarrhea.

• Stomach pain.

• Headache.

• Tiredness.

Weight-loss drugs are not an easy answer to weight loss. But they may help you make the lifestyle changes that you need to practice to lose weight and improve your health. You can customize your lifestyle changes along with dietary changes for weight loss.

I hope this information helps you.

Thank you.