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Weight Loss Medication – Ozempic®

Weight Loss Medication – Ozempic®

Jumpstart & Sustain Lifechanging Weight Loss with Ozempic®

If you’re struggling to lose weight despite making changes to your diet and lifestyle, Ozempic® (Semaglutide) may be just what you need to jumpstart and later sustain life changing weight loss. JumpstartMD offers weight loss medications like Ozempic® in combination with health coaching and healthy eating to help you achieve and sustain your healthy weight. This safe and effective long-term option for weight loss is provided by JumpstartMD – the most referred, medically supervised weight loss program by Bay Area physicians.

What is Ozempic® (Semaglutide)?

Ozempic® (Semaglutide) is a once-weekly injectable medication that is FDA approved to treat type II diabetes. Ozempic® (Semaglutide) can also be effectively used off-label for weight management given that its active ingredient, Semaglutide, is the exact same medication as Wegovy® (Semaglutide), which has been FDA approved for weight loss. Wegovy® (Semaglutide) is simply the same medication with a different name and slightly higher maximal dosing.

Semaglutide in the form of Wegovy® has been shown to produce significant weight loss in adults with a BMI of 30 or greater, or in adults with a BMI of 27 or greater with at least one weight-related medical condition such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol. Since it’s the same medication under a different name, Ozempic® (Semaglutide) also promotes weight loss.

Both Ozempic® And Wegovy® are Semaglutide

In short, both Ozempic® and Wegovy® are Semaglutide, and Semaglutide is remarkably effective at helping people to achieve significant weight loss, whether off-label as the type II diabetes medication, Ozempic®, or on-label as the weight loss medication, Wegovy®.

Ozempic® works by mimicking the effects of GLP-1

Ozempic® (Semaglutide) works by mimicking the effects of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), a hormone humans secrete after eating. GLP-1 is responsible for regulating appetite, enhancing insulin secretion, and controlling blood sugar levels. By activating GLP-1 receptors in the brain and delaying the speed at which the stomach empties, Ozempic® (Semaglutide) reduces food cravings and increases feelings of fullness, leading to reduced caloric intake and weight loss. For type II diabetics struggling with an abnormal insulin response (“insulin resistance”), GLP-1 medications also help to normalize secretion of insulin.

Ozempic® Can Help You Lose Significant Weight Over Time

Clinical studies have shown that Ozempic® (Semaglutide) can help patients lose significant amounts of weight over time. In fact, in one study, patients who took Ozempic® (Semaglutide) lost an average of 15.3 pounds after 26 weeks, compared to an average weight loss of 2.6 pounds in the placebo group.

FDA Approved: Improve Blood Sugar Control in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes

But Ozempic isn’t just a weight loss medication. It’s FDA approved for use in adults with type 2 diabetes to help improve blood sugar control. That said, many patients who take Ozempic for diabetes also experience weight loss as a beneficial side effect. Perhaps partly for that reason, diabetics who take similar GLP-1 medications show reduced risks of cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes and pre-diabetics show a delayed progression to diabetes and greater reversal of pre-diabetes on GLP-1 medication.

Ozempic® (Semaglutide) For Weight Management

If you’re interested in trying Ozempic® (Semaglutide) for weight management, it’s important to discuss that option with your JumpstartMD healthcare provider to see if it’s a good option for you. Your JumpstartMD clinician will consider your medical history, current medications, and other factors before making a recommendation.

Personalized Weight Management that Includes Weight Loss Medications

At JumpstartMD, we’re committed to helping our members achieve their weight loss goals in a safe, effective, and positively life changing way. We offer personalized weight management plans that may include medications like Ozempic, along with lifestyle changes, accountability, and support from our team of compassionate experts and medical professionals.

So, if you’re ready to take control of your weight and improve your health and well-being, contact us today to learn more about how Ozempic® (Semaglutide) can help you achieve your goals.

FAQ About Ozempic® (Semaglutide):

 

Q: What is Ozempic® (Semaglutide), and how does it help with weight loss?

A: Ozempic® (Semaglutide) is a once-weekly injectable medication that mimics the effects of a natural hormone called GLP-1 (glucagon-like-peptide-1). GLP-1 helps regulate appetite, enhance secretion of the energy storage hormone insulin, and control blood sugar levels, which can lead to reduced caloric intake and weight loss.

Q: Who is a good candidate for Ozempic® (Semaglutide) for weight loss?

A: Ozempic® (Semaglutide) is FDA-approved for treatment of type II diabetes. It can also be prescribed off-label for weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or greater, or in adults with a BMI of 27 or greater with at least one weight-related medical condition such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol. Your doctor can help determine if Ozempic is a good option for you.

Q: How much weight can I expect to lose with Ozempic® (Semaglutide)?

A: Clinical studies have shown that patients who take Ozempic can lose significant amounts of weight over time. In one study, patients who took Ozempic lost an average of 15.3 pounds after 26 weeks, compared to an average weight loss of 2.6 pounds in the placebo group.
According to a peer reviewed publication of JumpstartMD weight loss outcomes, weight loss for JumpstartMD members tend to be more rapid than that Ozempic® data, whether one is benefiting from a GLP-1 medication like Ozempic® (Semaglutide) or not. Per our published study, JumpstartMD members tend to lose, on average, nearly 30 pounds or 10% of their body weight by the 3rd month on our program. With the addition of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic ® (Semaglutide) to one’s regimen and reasonable adherence to our dietary recommendations, the likelihood of similar success is high. That being said, weight loss results, of course, may vary and are not guaranteed.

Q: Are there any side effects associated with taking Ozempic® (Semaglutide)?

A: Like all medications, Ozempic® (Semaglutide) can cause side effects. The most common side effects include nausea, and, more rarely, vomiting, constipation, or other gastrointestinal symptoms. In our experience,, these side effects are usually self-limiting, relatively mild, and not enough to lead to cessation of medication usage given our members find the medication benefits outweigh any untoward side effects. Our clinicians can also help prescribe medication to treat nausea or other symptoms that may arise as well, while most commonly side effects will go away on their own after a few days or weeks of treatment.

Q: Can I take Ozempic® (Semaglutide) if I have type 2 diabetes?

A: Yes, Ozempic® (Semaglutide) is approved for use in adults with type 2 diabetes to help improve blood sugar control. In fact, many patients who take Ozempic for diabetes also experience weight loss as a beneficial side effect. However, it’s important to talk to your JumpstartMD healthcare provider to see if Ozempic is a good option for you and to ensure that your diabetes is being properly managed while taking the medication.

Q: Can I take it if I don’t have type 2 diabetes?

A: While the FDA has approved Ozempic® (Semaglutide) for type 2 diabetes treatment, Ozempic® (Semaglutide) can also be prescribed off-label for weight loss (For further details, see “Is Ozempic® (Semaglutide) affordable?” as well as “What’s off-label?”).

Q: Is Ozempic® (Semaglutide) affordable?

A: One challenge of prescribing a “branded” GLP-1 medication like Ozempic® (Semaglutide) is that it’s full retail price is typically around $1,000 per month. Because Ozempic® (Semaglutide) is FDA approved for type II diabetes and many people do not formally carry that diagnosis, insurance subsidization of Ozempic® (Semaglutide) to make it much more affordable can be challenging, particularly with certain insurance plans.

Our insurance prior authorization team can help to explore whether your insurance plan will cover Ozempic® (Semaglutide) or another GLP-1 medication.

We are also able to prescribe Compounded Semaglutide. You can think of that form of Semaglutide as a generic or non-branded version composed of the active ingredient in Ozempic®, Semaglutide, but at much more affordable pricing for those members whose insurance does not cover GLP-1 medication(s) like Ozempic® (Semaglutide), Wegovy® (Semaglutide), or others.

Q: What’s off-label prescribing of medication?

A: Off-label prescribing of medication is a very common practice within medicine. It involves a healthcare professional prescribing a medication for a different condition than the one that the FDA approved it. It is estimated that approximately one in five prescriptions written today are for off-label use. Prescribing Ozempic® (Semaglutide), which is FDA approved for type II diabetes, is a perfect example of off-label prescribing given that Wegovy® and Ozempic® are both Semaglutide, the former FDA approved for weight loss, the latter FDA approved for type 2 diabetes.

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