Wegovy is a comparatively new treatment that’s permitted by the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) to deal with weight problems.
It has grown in recognition and is turning into a typical injectable treatment to assist folks drop a few pounds.
This text will clarify every part that you must find out about Wegovy and if it’s applicable for you.
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 folks in a wide range 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 permitted as a weight reduction drug and isn’t thought-about a diabetes treatment.
It’s an injectable treatment, accessible solely by prescription and administered as soon as weekly.
Different GLP-1 agonists embody Ozempic, Victoza, Saxenda, and Trulicity.
What are the advantages of Wegovy?
There are a lot of advantages to taking Wegovy, together with:
Weight reduction
Wegovy is proven to assist assist in substantial weight reduction.
In research, Wegovy causes weight reduction in sufferers by lowering 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 research, grownup individuals taking Wegovy misplaced 15% of their beginning weight on common.
In a separate research, adolescents taking Wegovy misplaced 16% of their beginning weight on common.
Improved insulin sensitivity
Wegovy improves blood sugar ranges, A1C, and insulin sensitivity.
The STEP 2 trial checked out Wegovy’s 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 effectively.
Even when you don’t have diabetes or prediabetes, taking Wegovy can assist insulin resistance and enhance your blood sugar ranges.
This might delay and even forestall the event of diabetes sooner or later.
Decrease cardiovascular danger
Semaglutide (the energetic ingredient in Wegovy) has been confirmed to cut back the danger of main coronary heart assault, stroke, or dying in adults with sort 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness.
Within the research, semaglutide-treated sufferers lowered their danger of cardiovascular dying, 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 power weight administration. 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 into eligible for Wegovy, together with individuals who have a BMI of 30 or larger.
You may additionally qualify for Wegovy in case your BMI is 27 and you’ve got a number of weight-related medical circumstances, reminiscent of excessive ldl cholesterol, hypertension, or sort 2 diabetes.
Wegovy is permitted for power weight administration in folks 12 years and older.
To qualify for Wegovy, the adolescent should 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. Particularly in the event that they stay with sort 2 diabetes and are scuffling with insulin resistance.
Discuss together with your physician when you’re inquisitive about taking Wegovy or Ozempic.
What are the unwanted side effects?
Many individuals expertise gentle to average unwanted side effects when taking Wegovy, particularly after they first begin taking the treatment.
These widespread unwanted side effects embody:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdomen ache
- Constipation
- Weight reduction
- Low blood sugar, when you take insulin
Though uncommon, extra extreme problems could embody:
- Thyroid tumors, together with most cancers
- Pancreatitis
- Adjustments in imaginative and prescient (worsening of diabetic retinopathy)
- Kidney issues
- Critical allergic reactions
A number of of those extra extreme unwanted side effects can result in well being problems and dying.
Name your physician or search emergency medical consideration when you:
- Develop a fever
- Expertise adjustments 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 when you’re experiencing extreme low blood sugar ranges and you can’t hold sugar down within the type of meals or drinks.
Extreme low blood sugar could be deadly if not handled rapidly.
What’s the right dose?
There are a lot of completely different Wegovy doses accessible.
The quantity you’re taking will rely on just a few elements, together with your top and weight, well being objectives, way of life, 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 completely 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. If you happen to overdose on Wegovy, you could expertise antagonistic unwanted side effects.
How a lot Wegovy ought to I take?
Your physician will enable you to decide the proper dose of Wegovy for you. It would differ relying in your well being historical past, objectives, way of life, top, and weight.
There isn’t any “typical” or “regular” dose.
The FDA’s approval is for sufferers to begin with a low dose of 0.25 mg per week and progressively 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, and the severity of the unwanted side effects they’re experiencing.
What occurs if I take an excessive amount of Wegovy?
By no means take Wegovy greater than as soon as per week.
Nonetheless, when you by accident take an excessive amount of Wegovy, you could expertise antagonistic unwanted side effects reminiscent of:
- Debilitating nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdomen ache
- And even low blood sugar—particularly when you’re additionally on insulin which may turn into deadly if not handled instantly.
Name your physician or search emergency medical consideration instantly when you’ve by accident taken an excessive amount of Wegovy.
I missed a dose of Wegovy. What now?
That is fully okay, and lacking a dose of Wegovy each now and again won’t hurt you, make you acquire weight, or worsen your blood sugar ranges.
Nonetheless, Wegovy is handiest when it’s taken persistently.
If you happen to miss a dose of Wegovy, it’s okay to take it just a few days late.
Nonetheless, when you missed your dose greater than 5 days in the past, simply skip that week’s dose and take your usually scheduled dose on time.
Methods to inject Wegovy
Examine your Wegovy pen earlier than injecting. If there are any particles or discoloration current within the treatment, don’t use the pen. It could have expired or the treatment could have gone dangerous.
Earlier than injecting, clear the injection web site with rubbing alcohol.
Rotate injection websites every week to forestall accidents and the event of scar tissue.
Wegovy is often injected underneath the pores and skin within the thigh, stomach, or higher arm.
Discuss to your physician about the very best locations so that you can inject and easy methods to rotate injection websites.
Who shouldn’t take Wegovy?
Don’t take Wegovy until you’ve been prescribed the treatment.
It’s not advisable to be used if you’re pregnant, planning on turning into pregnant, or if you’re breastfeeding.
Don’t use Wegovy (or every other treatment containing semaglutide) when you or any of your loved ones members have ever had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or in case you have A number of Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome sort 2 (MEN 2).
Don’t use Wegovy if you’re allergic to semaglutide.
If you happen to’re desirous about making an attempt a GLP-1 agonist however you’re allergic to semaglutide, you could go for Victoza—whose energetic ingredient is liraglutide.
How can I cease taking Wegovy?
You might want to cease taking Wegovy for a lot of causes, and that’s high-quality. Nonetheless, you’ll not wish to cease the treatment chilly turkey.
Be sure you discuss together with your physician earlier than stopping any diabetes treatment, together with Wegovy. Your physician will in all probability 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, folks acquire again about 2/3rds of the burden they initially misplaced one yr after stopping therapy with GLP-1 drugs containing semaglutide.
You might want to discuss to your physician about an alternate treatment, train, or weight-reduction plan plan to assist fight any rebound results you could expertise when you determine to cease taking Wegovy.
Does Wegovy exchange insulin?
No. If you happen to take Wegovy and also you’re 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 in contrast to insulin, Wegovy doesn’t trigger acute low blood sugar ranges.
If you happen to usually take insulin for diabetes administration, you have to to proceed to take action.
If you happen to’ve been on Wegovy for a number of months, you could discover that your insulin wants are progressively lowering, however this hardly ever, if ever, fully takes away the necessity to take insulin.
How do I retailer Wegovy?
Ideally, Wegovy must be saved within the fridge between 36°F to 46°F within the unique 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 46°F to 86°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?
Discuss to your physician when you want to get a prescription for Wegovy.
Your physician ought to be capable to write you a prescription to attempt the treatment when you meet the BMI necessities or are chubby and have a qualifying power situation.
If you don’t qualify for Wegovy however wish to drop a few pounds, your physician could possibly suggest different FDA-approved weight reduction drugs which may be a greater match for you.
Can I take Wegovy with my diabetes drugs?
This may rely on what your different diabetes drugs are.
Wegovy shouldn’t be mixed with every other GLP-1 drugs reminiscent of Ozempic, Victoza, Trulicity, or Mounjaro.
The energetic ingredient semaglutide could be taken together with metformin, insulin, or different drugs. Simply be sure you ask your physician earlier than doing so.
Lastly, make sure that your physician is aware of of each different treatment you’re taking earlier than beginning Wegovy.
