Semaglutide/Tirzepatide is an FDA-approved injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist that is administered subcutaneously once weekly for type 2 diabetes and/or weight management.

GLP-1 is an incretin hormone that plays a role in your appetite and digestion.

Incretins — hormones released by your small intestine are sent out by your body after you’ve eaten a meal to help lower your blood sugar by triggering insulin and blocking other sources of sugar.

It also slows down how quickly food leaves your stomach (called gastric emptying). The result of these actions causes you to feel full — lowering your appetite and causing you to lose weight.

Medications like GLP-1 agonists are referred to as incretin mimetics since they “mimic” these effects.

You’ll receive the injection once a week, on the same day each week in our office or in some circumstances you can self-inject in the comfort of your own home.

It can be given at any time of day, and you can take it with or without food.

Semaglutide/Tirzepatide is injected just under the skin (subcutaneously) in your abdomen, arm, or thigh.

Yes!

Contrave – Oral dosing & no injection needed. Approved for long-term use. Curbs hunger, food cravings. Suppresses appetite.Combines an appetite-decreasing antidepressant with a medication used to block addictive pathways in your brain to break the food noise cycle. Common side effects include gastrointestinal upset, insomnia, headache, and dry mouth.

Phentermine – Oral medication taken daily. Approved for short-term use (90 days at a time). Decreases hunger signals in the brain, and suppresses appetite. Common side effects include gastrointestinal upset, insomnia, headache, and dry mouth.

Gastrointestinal (GI) side effects tend to happen most frequently when using this medication — the most common being nausea, constipation, and vomiting since semaglutide slows down how quickly food leaves your stomach.

• You may experience these effects more strongly when your provider raises your dose
• Additional common side effects can include stomach pain, indigestion, and bloating.

The goal is to have limited unfavorable side effects, while losing 1-2 lbs/week (and feel the benefits of the medication-less appetite, cravings, portion sizes).

• We will do this at the least effective dosing. We may need to adjust your dose from time to time in order to achieve that goal.

If you experience severe nausea/vomiting or abdominal pain, please stop the medication and contact us or go to the ER.

• small, frequent meals
• lower the amount of alcohol you consume
• low fat meals
• bland diet-bananas, rice, applesauce, toast
• Ginger and Unisom for nausea
• daily Multivitamin supplement, which contains vitamin b6, to help with nausea
• stay hydrated
• continue with exercise
• high fiber diet
• fiber supplements can help both diarrhea and constipation
  • over the counter stool softeners such as Miralax or Colace
  • occasional use of over the counter Imodium for diarrhea

Strength training 3 times a week

Increase protein intake, women should consume at least 70-80grams of protein daily, and men should consume at least 100grams of protein dail

You should drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily, even more if you are exercising and/or perspiring.

We will start you at 0.25 mg once weekly and adjust as needed.

The goal is to lose 1-2 lbs/week and at the least effective dosing.

This is about slow, steady consistency.

We will NOT increase the dose without provider approval.