Understanding Semaglutide

Semaglutide is a medication classified as a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. It mimics a hormone called GLP-1 that is released naturally by the body after eating. GLP-1 slows digestion and suppresses appetite, which helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Semaglutide was first approved for use in type 2 diabetes treatment and later approved specifically for chronic weight management for adults with obesity or overweight.

When used for weight loss, semaglutide is administered as a once-weekly injection under the skin. The recommended dose is 2.4 mg per week.

Key Benefits of Semaglutide

Semaglutide offers powerful benefits thanks to its mechanisms of action:

Appetite Suppression

By mimicking GLP-1, semaglutide blunts appetite by increasing feelings of fullness and satisfaction after meals. This promotes eating less without feeling deprived.

Improved Blood Sugar Control

Semaglutide slows digestion in the stomach allowing sugar to be better absorbed. This leads to better blood sugar regulation, which also minimizes unsafe blood sugar spikes and crashes.

Weight Loss

Through appetite suppression and blood sugar control, most patients prescribed semaglutide for weight loss lose a significant amount of body weight. In studies, participants lost an average of 12-15% of body weight over 68 weeks.

Who Can Benefit From Semaglutide?

Semaglutide can be an excellent treatment option for individuals struggling with:

Obesity (BMI over 30)
Overweight (BMI over 27) with at least one weight-related health condition
Prediabetes or type 2 diabetes poor blood sugar control
Certain hormonal disorders like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

Per FDA guidelines, semaglutide should be prescribed in conjunction with improved nutrition and increased physical activity for chronic weight management.

Semaglutide can produce meaningful improvements in cardiometabolic health for many patients. Those with obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, sleep apnea and other conditions may significantly benefit.

Your Trusted Semaglutide Provider

Our compassionate, professional staff has years of experience safely administering semaglutide and overseeing patient progress. We are committed to helping patients achieve sustainable success through:

Careful medical assessment
Semaglutide injections training
Nutrition guidance
Lifestyle coaching
Ongoing progress monitoring and support

We also provide semaglutide in combination with other medications and injections when medically indicated for enhanced results.

FAQ About Semaglutide Injections

What is semaglutide and how does it work?

Well now, semaglutide is an injectable prescription medicine used to improve blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. It's what we call a GLP-1 receptor agonist - it works by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1 that helps your body produce more insulin when you eat. Basically it makes your pancreas get off its behind and start doing its job again!Semaglutide helps lower your blood sugar levels a couple ways: it causes your pancreas to release more insulin after you eat and it decreases how much food your stomach empties into your gut, meaning you feel fuller faster. Pretty nifty if you ask me! After just a few weekly doses, most folks see improvements in their blood glucose levels.

What are the side effects of semaglutide?

As with most medications, semaglutide can cause some unwanted side effects in some patients. The most common ones are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and decreased appetite. These usually happen early on and go away after a week or two as your body gets used to the medication.Less common but more serious possible side effects include inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), kidney problems, changes in vision, diabetic retinopathy getting worse, and gallbladder problems. Definitely let your doctor know if you have severe or persistent side effects. But for most people, side effects are mild and manageable.

How do I take semaglutide injections?

Taking semaglutide is pretty straightforward! It comes as a pre-filled pen injection you give yourself once a week any time of day with or without food. The dose usually starts low at 0.25mg once weekly and increases slowly up to the target maintenance dose of 1mg once weekly. This gradual increase allows your body to adjust and reduces side effects.Before injecting, let the pen warm up at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then inject it under the skin (subcutaneously) in your thigh, abdomen, or upper arm. Pinch the skin, insert the needle, press the injection button, hold for 5-10 seconds, remove the needle. Then throw away pens 8 weeks after first use. See, easy peasy! Just take it slow with increasing doses.

How much does semaglutide cost?

Great question! Cost can definitely be a factor when considering treatment options. The good news is there are ways to save on semaglutide. The manufacturer offers a savings program that can lower your out-of-pocket cost to as little as $25-$99 per monthly prescription fill. There are also generic forms coming soon in the next couple years that should help lower costs.Talk to your doctor and health plan about your best options. With the right prescription coverage or financial assistance program, most folks can get semaglutide injections affordably. Investing in your health is important - it may cost more initially but poor glucose control can lead to serious complications down the road!

Who should not take semaglutide?

While semaglutide is an effective medication for many, it's not right for everyone. You should not take it if you've ever had a serious allergic reaction to semaglutide or any ingredients in the product. It's also not recommended if you have severe kidney, liver, gallbladder, or pancreatic problems.Children under 18 years should not take it as safety and effectiveness have not been established. And of course pregnant or breastfeeding mamas should opt for something else to keep baby safe unless specifically advised by your physician. Also let your healthcare provider know about any other health issues or medications before starting for optimal safety!