Semaglutide is an injectable medication that, when used in combination with diet and exercise, helps with blood sugar control in type 2 diabetics and assists in weight loss.  Semaglutide belongs to a class of medications called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists, which mimic the hormone GLP-1 in your body to lower blood sugar levels after you’ve eaten a meal.

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is a hormone that affects the regulation of blood sugar by stimulating glucose-dependent insulin secretion. Insulin is a hormone that promotes sugar uptake by the cells, stores sugar as glycogen, promotes the building of fat, and signals the body to build skeletal muscle. In addition, GLP-1 inhibits glucagon release (which slows down the release of sugar into the blood so that you burn more fat), slows down gastric emptying (makes you feel full), and lowers the desire for food intake (because you feel full).

With Semaglutide, you will slowly work your way up to the target dose at which time you will see the most amount of weight loss. This was the case in clinical trials, where participants had their dose adjusted until they reached 2.4 mg once weekly. In the phase 3 trial that measured outcomes at 20 weeks, most participants were able to reach the full dose and lost weight as their dose was increased. They saw additional weight loss over the remaining 48 weeks at the full dose. It is important to keep in mind that weight loss can take time, and you’ll see the best results when you are using your medication in combination with a healthy diet and exercise. Sometimes the medication may not work for you, or you may not be able to tolerate the full dose due to side effects.

Yes. At BSH we strongly believe that Semaglutide should only be considered for those who stand to gain significant health benefits from its use.  In order to be considered for treatment, clients must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• A BMI of over 30kg/m
• A BMI of over 27kg/m with at least one weight-related condition, which includes:
• Type 2 diabetes
• Hypertension
• High cholesterol

Clients who have a history of the following SHOULD NOT take Semaglutide::

• Type I diabetes
• A history of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
• Active suicidal thoughts
• A history of allergic reaction to any of the components of semaglutide
• A personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma
• A personal or family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN2)
• Patients who are currently pregnant, may become pregnant, or breastfeeding.  It is recommended that Semaglutide should be stopped at least 2 months prior to attempting to become pregnant.

Additionally, extra precautions should be taken for clients who have a history of past suicide attempts or severe depression. There is some concern that any weight loss medication can increase feelings of suicide.  Although Semaglutide specifically has not been shown to increase suicidal feelings, this will be an important issue to discuss with our team prior to treatment.

In clinical trials, study participants received treatment with Semaglutide for a period of 68 weeks (about 1.5 years) during each of the four trials conducted by the company.  It is important to note that most patients will need to stay on Semaglutide long-term to prevent regaining weight.

Yes. Semaglutide is safe and effective when used as indicated, but, as with all medications, there are risks which must be considered. Semaglutide carries an FDA warning about thyroid C-cell tumors occurring in rodents (with unknown risk in humans), and Semaglutide should not be used if you or your family have a history of certain thyroid cancers. Semaglutide should not be used in people with type-1 diabetes or a history of pancreatitis. Semaglutide should be used cautiously for people on other blood sugar-lowering medications.

First, you’ll want to limit how much alcohol you’re drinking while taking Semaglutide, especially if you are diabetic. Alcohol can influence your blood sugar, and there is a risk that it may drop too low in combination with Semaglutide, especially if you are drinking on an empty stomach. Alcohol can irritate your stomach, too. This might make you feel worse in combination with some of the GI side effects from the medication.

You’ll also want to exercise caution if you are taking any oral medications. Since Semaglutide slows down gastric emptying, this can potentially impact the amount of oral medication your body is absorbing. And while trials haven’t shown this to be significant with Semaglutide, you’ll want to make sure your provider is aware of any other medications you are taking before starting Semaglutide.

The most common side effects of Semaglutide are:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Stomach Pain
• Constipation

Yes. Semaglutide may cause serious side effects, including:

• Prolonged vomiting. Patients on Semaglutide can develop gastroparesis where the stomach stops moving, and patients vomit considerably. This can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
• Inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis).
• Changes in vision in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Your risk for getting low blood sugar may be higher if you use Semaglutide with another medicine that can cause low blood sugar, such as sulfonylurea or insulin.
• Kidney problems (kidney failure). In people who have kidney problems, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting may cause a loss of fluids (dehydration), which may cause kidney problems to get worse. It is important for you to drink fluids to help reduce your chance of dehydration.
• Serious allergic reactions.

We offer Semaglutide, which is the generic version of Ozempic. It has been broadly shown to be equally efficacious.