Weight Loss treatment in Hampstead, NC

For most of my career there have not been any good options for weight loss therapy.  You could take a "safe" version of amphetamines which do help curb appetite and help some people lose weight, but they are not ideal.

Now there is a new class of drugs that really work for weight loss (and for diabetes, if you have that).  The class is called GLP -1 receptor agonists.  They have actually been around for 10 years or more in various forms, but all drugs in this class are not equal.  Two drugs really stand out - Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide). These drugs are approved for diabetes.  The drug companies repackaged these exact same drugs with new names - Wegovy and Zepbound - for weight loss.  Wegovy is exactly the same thing as Ozempic, just a different name and different packaging.

These drugs really help people lose weight.  Like all drugs, they can have side effects, including pretty unpleasant side effects in some people.  They can cause nausea and diarrhea, so it is good to start with a very, very low dose.  

They also work great for diabetes.

Another great thing about these drugs is that they are not a pill you have to take every day.  They come in a syringe and you inject yourself once a week.  I know, most people do not initially want injections, but it is so easy once a week and it does not hurt at all, so in the end most people really prefer the once a week dose. 

One big drawback with these drugs is the price.  The cash price at most pharmacies is over $1000.  If you have commercial insurance (not Medicare) we can almost always find a program with the drug company to get the price down.  Also, Medicare is going to start covering these drugs since they help prevent heart attacks.  It may take some work, but we can usually find a way to get these drugs at a reasonable cost for our patients.

This article is about the new weight loss drugs, but please don't forget you can also lose weight with plain old diet and exercise - with no cost and no side effects.

If you'd like to discuss what a healthy weight would look like for you, or discuss getting some help with weight loss, please give us a call at 910 230 5661 - we'd love to help.