Medication Assisted Weight Loss

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Medication used to control high blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes and to aid in weight loss by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone, which regulates appetite and insulin secretion.  It is possible to experience significant weight loss on this drug.   

This drug is in the same class as semaglutide.  Simply put, this drug can be described as a more potent version of semaglutide and we prefer to reserve it for those who have plateaued on semaglutide.  

Low dose Naltrexone combined with bupropion can help reduce hunger and control cravings.  Patients can expect to lose 5-10% of their body weight over 12-16 months combined with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity. 

We recommend that patients begin with semaglutide, as it is potent enough to support all types of weight loss goals, whether it's 10 lbs or 100 lbs. Starting with semaglutide allows patients to reserve its more powerful counterpart, tirzepatide, for when semaglutide's effectiveness diminishes over time, which can take many months or even years. However, if a patient starts with tirzepatide and reaches a plateau, there is currently no alternative drug available for them to switch to.

Some patients have experienced constipation, upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, burping, gas and heartburn. 

However, we will follow you closely and mitigate most side effects with thorough planning, before the very first injection.

We have found that microdosing these drugs have three favorable affects:

1. Reduces the incidence and severity of side effects.
2. Minimizes occurrence of unhealthy weight loss where patients can lose several pounds in one week, often leading to muscle loss. 
3. Delays the plateau phase, where patients stop losing weight. 

A great candidate for semaglutide as a weight loss drug typically includes individuals who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher or those with a BMI of 27 or higher who also have at least one weight-related health condition, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol.

Pregnancy, severe gastrointestinal disease, history of pancreatitis, known hypersensitivity to semaglutide or personal history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 precludes patients from using semaglutide.  If you fall into this category, other options may be available to you.