Wegovy is a comparatively new treatment that’s accepted by the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) to deal with weight problems.
It has grown in recognition and is turning into a standard injectable treatment to assist individuals shed some pounds.
This text will clarify every little thing it is advisable to learn about Wegovy and if itβs acceptable for you.
Desk of Contents
What’s Wegovy?
Wegovy is a brand-name treatment with the energetic ingredient semaglutide. It’s produced by Novo Nordisk.
Wegovy falls underneath the drug class of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists.
It helps individuals in quite a lot of methods, together with:
- Higher blood sugar degree administration
- Decrease A1C ranges
- Improved insulin sensitivity
- Combating insulin resistance
- And weight reduction
Nonetheless, it’s only accepted as a weight reduction drug and isn’t thought of a diabetes treatment.
It’s an injectable treatment, obtainable solely by prescription and administered as soon as weekly.
Different GLP-1 agonists embrace Ozempic, Victoza, Saxenda, and Trulicity.
What are the advantages of Wegovy?
There are numerous advantages to taking Wegovy, together with:
Weight reduction
Wegovy is proven to assist help in substantial weight reduction.
In research, Wegovy causes weight reduction in sufferers by reducing urge for food and slowing digestion.
By doing so, it stops the liver from releasing glucagon and prevents spikes in blood sugar ranges whereas enhancing insulin sensitivity.
In a single examine, grownup individuals taking Wegovy misplaced 15% of their beginning weight on common.
In a separate examine, adolescents taking Wegovy misplaced 16% of their beginning weight on common.
Improved insulin sensitivityΒ
Wegovy improves blood sugar ranges, A1C, and insulin sensitivity.
The STEP 2 trial checked out Wegovyβs results on blood sugars and A1Cs in individuals who have sort 2 diabetes.
The researchers discovered that individuals taking the treatment not solely misplaced weight however noticed statistically vital enhancements of their blood sugars and A1C ranges as properly.
Even if you happen to donβt have diabetes or prediabetes, taking Wegovy may also help insulin resistance and enhance your blood sugar ranges.
This might delay and even forestall the event of diabetes sooner or later.
Decrease cardiovascular dangerΒ
Semaglutide (the energetic ingredient in Wegovy) has been confirmed to scale back the danger of main coronary heart assault, stroke, or loss of life in adults with sort 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness.
Within the examine, semaglutide-treated sufferers lowered their danger of cardiovascular loss of life, coronary heart assault, and stroke by 26%!
Why would you be prescribed Wegovy?
Wegovy is FDA-approved as a therapy for weight problems, weight reduction, and persistent weight administration.Β It could decrease blood sugar ranges and enhance A1C, however Wegovy is just not a diabetes treatment.
Not everybody who desires to take Wegovy will be capable to get a prescription.
Folks should meet sure physique mass index (BMI) standards to turn out to be eligible for Wegovy, together with individuals who have a BMI of 30 or greater.
You might also qualify for Wegovy in case your BMI is 27 and you’ve got a number of weight-related medical circumstances, comparable to excessive ldl cholesterol, hypertension, or sort 2 diabetes.
Wegovy is accepted for persistent weight administration in individuals 12 years and older.
To qualify for Wegovy, the adolescent will need to have a BMI at or above the 95 percentile for his or her age and intercourse.
Individuals who don’t qualify for Wegovy could qualify for one more GLP-1 treatment like Ozempic.Β Particularly in the event that they stay with sort 2 diabetes and are combating insulin resistance.
Speak together with your physician if you happen toβre inquisitive about taking Wegovy or Ozempic.
What are the unintended effects?
Many individuals expertise gentle to reasonable unintended effects when taking Wegovy, particularly after they first begin taking the treatment.
These frequent unintended effects embrace:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdomen ache
- Constipation
- Weight reduction
- Low blood sugar, if you happen to take insulin
Though uncommon, extra extreme problems could embrace:
- Thyroid tumors, together with most cancers
- Pancreatitis
- Modifications in imaginative and prescient (worsening of diabetic retinopathy)
- Kidney issues
- Severe allergic reactions
A number of of those extra extreme unintended effects can result in well being problems and loss of life.
Name your physician or search emergency medical consideration if you happen to:
- Develop a fever
- Expertise modifications or worsening of your imaginative and prescient
- Really feel weak or in ache after taking the treatment
- Assume you could be having an allergic response to the treatment
Search emergency medical consideration if you happen toβre experiencing extreme low blood sugar ranges and you can’t hold sugar down within the type of meals or drinks.
Extreme low blood sugar may be deadly if not handled rapidly.
What’s the right dose?Β
There are numerous totally different Wegovy doses obtainable.
The quantity you are taking will depend upon just a few components, together with your peak and weight, well being targets, life-style, and well being historical past.
Wegovy comes within the following doses:
- A Wegovy pen for giving a 0.25 mg weekly dose (for the beginning of therapy)
- A Wegovy pen for giving a 0.50 mg weekly dose
- A Wegovy pen for giving a 1 mg weekly dose
- A Wegovy pen for giving a 1.7 mg weekly dose
- A Wegovy pen for giving a 2.4 mg weekly dose (the utmost weekly dose)
Every pen operates the identical because the others, the one distinction between them being the totally different pre-measured dosing sizes.
Every pen is designed to present solely a single weekly dose.
By no means take extra Wegovy than you might be prescribed.Β When you overdose on Wegovy, you could expertise antagonistic unintended effects.
How a lot Wegovy ought to I take?
Your physician will assist you to decide the fitting dose of Wegovy for you. It should differ relying in your well being historical past, targets, life-style, peak, and weight.
There is no such thing as a βtypicalβ or βregularβ dose.
The FDAβs approval is for sufferers to begin with a low dose of 0.25 mg per week and regularly escalate over time till they obtain desired weight reduction or weight upkeep.
The utmost weekly dose is 2.4 mg, administered as soon as per week.
That is the dose that almost all sufferers will ultimately attain, relying on their tolerance of the treatment, the efficacy of therapy,Β and the severity of the unintended effects theyβre experiencing.
What occurs if I take an excessive amount of Wegovy?
By no means take Wegovy greater than as soon as per week.
Nonetheless, if you happen to unintentionally take an excessive amount of Wegovy, you could expertise antagonistic unintended effects comparable to:
- Debilitating nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdomen ache
- And even low blood sugarβparticularly if you happen toβre additionally on insulin which might turn out to be deadly if not handled instantly.
Name your physician or search emergency medical consideration instantly if you happen toβve unintentionally taken an excessive amount of Wegovy.
I missed a dose of Wegovy. What now?
That is utterly okay, and lacking a dose of Wegovy each infrequently won’t hurt you, make you achieve weight, or worsen your blood sugar ranges.
Nonetheless, Wegovy is simplest when it’s taken constantly.
When you miss a dose of Wegovy, it’s okay to take it just a few days late.
Nonetheless, if you happen to missed your dose greater than 5 days in the past, simply skip that weekβs dose and take your often scheduled dose on time.
The way to inject Wegovy
Test your Wegovy pen earlier than injecting.Β If there are any particles or discoloration current within the treatment, don’t use the pen.Β It could have expired or the treatment could have gone dangerous.
Earlier than injecting, clear the injection website with rubbing alcohol.
Rotate injection websites every week to stop accidents and the event of scar tissue.
Wegovy is often injected underneath the pores and skin within the thigh, stomach, or higher arm.
Speak to your physician about one of the best locations so that you can inject and the right way to rotate injection websites.
Who shouldnβt take Wegovy?
Don’t take Wegovy until youβve been prescribed the treatment.
It isn’t beneficial to be used in case you are pregnant, planning on turning into pregnant, or in case you are breastfeeding.
Don’t use Wegovy (or every other treatment containing semaglutide) if you happen to or any of your loved ones members have ever had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or when you’ve got A number of Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome sort 2 (MEN 2).
Don’t use Wegovy in case you are allergic to semaglutide.
When youβre considering attempting a GLP-1 agonist however youβre allergic to semaglutide, you could go for Victozaβwhose energetic ingredient is liraglutide.
How can I cease taking Wegovy?
Chances are you’ll want to cease taking Wegovy for a lot of causes, and that’s positive.Β Nonetheless, you’ll not need to cease the treatment chilly turkey.
Ensure you discuss together with your physician earlier than stopping any diabetes treatment, together with Wegovy. Your physician will most likely need you to wean your dose as a substitute of stopping therapy abruptly.
Insulin resistance, meals cravings, blood sugar ranges, and weight could creep again up when you cease taking Wegovy.
On common, individuals achieve again about 2/3rds of the load they initially misplaced one yr after stopping therapy with GLP-1 medicines containing semaglutide.
Chances are you’ll want to discuss to your physician about another treatment, train, or food regimen plan to assist fight any rebound results you could expertise if you happen to resolve to cease taking Wegovy.
Does Wegovy change insulin?
No. When you take Wegovy and also youβre insulin-dependent, you cannot cease taking your insulin when you begin this weekly injection.
Your blood sugar ranges could also be decrease over time, however not like insulin, Wegovy doesn’t trigger acute low blood sugar ranges.
When you usually take insulin for diabetes administration, you’ll need to proceed to take action.
When youβve been on Wegovy for a number of months, you could discover that your insulin wants are regularly reducing, however this not often, if ever, utterly takes away the necessity to take insulin.
How do I retailer Wegovy?
Ideally, Wegovy must be saved within the fridge between 36Β°F to 46Β°F within the authentic field to guard it from gentle.
It may be used for as much as 56 days after opening.
If wanted, it may be saved exterior the fridge with the pen cap nonetheless on for as much as 28 days (between 46Β°F to 86Β°F.)
By no means freeze your Wegovy pens or put them in direct daylight or excessive warmth.
How do I get a prescription for Wegovy?
Speak to your physician if you happen to want to get a prescription for Wegovy.
Your physician ought to be capable to write you a prescription to attempt the treatment if you happen to meet the BMI necessities or are obese and have a qualifying persistent situation.
If you don’t qualify for Wegovy however wish to shed some pounds, your physician might be able to suggest different FDA-approved weight reduction medicines which may be a greater match for you.
Can I take Wegovy with my diabetes medicines?Β
It will depend upon what your different diabetes medicines are.
Wegovy shouldn’t be mixed with every other GLP-1 medicines comparable to Ozempic, Victoza, Trulicity, or Mounjaro.
The energetic ingredient semaglutide may be taken together with metformin, insulin, or different medicines. Simply make sure to ask your physician earlier than doing so.
Lastly, be certain that your physician is aware of of each different treatment you are taking earlier than beginning Wegovy.
