Semaglutide is an injectable prescription medication originally approved for treating type 2 diabetes. More recently, a higher dose of semaglutide was approved by the FDA specifically for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight.
Semaglutide works by mimicking the hormone GLP-1, which helps regulate blood sugar and appetite. It sends signals to the brain to make you feel fuller sooner and for longer after eating, decreasing overall calorie intake.
In clinical trials, people taking semaglutide lost on average 12-15% of their body weight over 68 weeks when combined with diet and exercise. This amount of weight loss can have meaningful health benefits for many people struggling with excess weight or obesity.
Some of the key benefits of using semaglutide for weight loss include:
Additionally, losing excess weight can help alleviate joint pain, improve mobility, boost energy levels, and reduce risks for many obesity-related conditions.
Semaglutide may be an option for adults struggling with excess weight or obesity, defined as:
It’s important to meet with a knowledgeable provider to determine if semaglutide is appropriate for your health history and weight loss goals.
At Balance Hormone Clinic, our experts can thoroughly evaluate your case and discuss the pros and cons of semaglutide treatment. We create fully customized weight loss plans to help each patient achieve their best results.
If determined to be a good fit, the semaglutide treatment process typically involves:
We’ll take a full history, perform needed tests, examine risk factors, and discuss treatment options. Together we’ll develop a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to your unique needs.
Semaglutide dosing starts low and increases gradually over 16 weeks to improve gastrointestinal tolerance. You’ll slowly ramp up to the full therapeutic dose.
Once at the effective dose, most patients remain on semaglutide long-term for lasting weight loss maintenance. We closely monitor progress and make dosage or medication adjustments as needed.
We provide extensive education on nutrition, exercise, behavior change and other support to help patients achieve the greatest and most sustainable results from semaglutide.
Semaglutide was originally developed as a treatment for type 2 diabetes, but researchers discovered it also caused significant weight loss as a side effect. Further studies found that non-diabetic obese people taking semaglutide lost on average 15% of their body weight over 68 weeks, leading to its recent approval specifically for chronic weight management.
Choosing Balance Hormone Clinic for your weight loss treatment provides many advantages:
Below we’ve compiled more in-depth information on frequently asked questions about semaglutide for those interested in learning more:
The most common side effects of semaglutide are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain and decreased appetite. These gastrointestinal effects are usually mild-moderate and subside over the first month of treatment.
In clinical trials, people lost 12-15% of their body weight over about a year. For a 300lb person, that would equal 36-45lb of weight loss. But results vary significantly based on dosage, diet, exercise and many individual factors.
Many patients notice a decrease in appetite and weight loss of 5-10 lbs in the first 2 months. However, it may take longer to perceive changes, with more significant weight loss building up over 6 months or more of treatment.
Unless contraindicated for other medical reasons, semaglutide can be continued long-term for weight loss maintenance. Discontinuing treatment often leads to some weight regain. We emphasize lifestyle changes for keeping lost weight off.
Semaglutide is not recommended in pregnancy. For women of childbearing potential, we confirm negative pregnancy tests prior to initiation and recommend ongoing contraception use.
Managing excess weight is an extremely common yet highly complex medical issue. Obesity causes immense physical, emotional and economic burdens for individuals and society.
Despite investment in diet, exercise and other weight loss attempts, many people struggle to lose weight or keep it off long-term. This often has deeper biological roots beyond just lifestyle factors.
At Balance Hormone Clinic, we specialize in science-backed medical solutions to sustained weight management. With detailed testing and diagnosis, compassionate care, and innovative therapies like semaglutide, we empower patients to achieve what they couldn’t through willpower alone.
If you have any signs or risk factors for hormone imbalance or obesity-related illnesses, we strongly encourage you to get evaluated for appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Many underlying issues can be addressed, providing transformative results when standard approaches have failed.
Our outstanding providers, state-of-the-art clinic, and proven medical protocols like semaglutide can help patients in the Queensbury area safely lose substantial weight and keep it off long-term.
We invite you to join the Balance Hormone Clinic family and let us help guide your personalized path to better health.
