Lose weight with Smooth Aesthetics & Semaglutide
Author: Oscar Leyva RN, MSN. OWNER Smooth Aesthetics
Oooh oh oh OZEMPIC….You may have heard the catchy jingle on TV. Ozempic is a diabetes medication that helps lower A1C levels and can also result in weight loss. It is so effective at helping people lose weight that non-diabetics are also seeking the medication for its weight loss magic. This additional demand has created a shortage of products which has resulted in causing supply shortages and skyrocketing prices. Many non-diabetics with a prescription are paying an average of $1000 for a one-month supply! Fortunately, this shortage has prompted compounding pharmacies to take the generic form of Ozempic (semaglutide) and compound it with vitamin B12 for a new and much more cost-effective way for non-diabetics to get in on this Ozempic weight loss phenomenon.
Semaglutide is not the newest fad or snake oil in a bottle. It was approved by the FDA for weight loss in obese individuals. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, “Nearly 1 in 3 adults (30.7%) are overweight.” (NIH 2021).
“U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Wegovy (Semaglutide) injection (2.4 mg once weekly) for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related condition (such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol), for use in addition to a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity.” (FDA new Release 2021). Losing weight is important not just for aesthetics, (however looking good in a swimsuit is a definite plus). Maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol, and can even help to prevent diabetes. Many people in the United States are looking for any advantage they can get to help meet their goals.
Semaglutide is a tool, and just like other tools, it needs to be used properly to get the most out of it. Eating better and exercising are essential to maximizing its effectiveness. To better understand how to use this tool, it is important to know how Semaglutide works in your body. Semaglutide works by imitating GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide) in your body. According to The Society of Endocrinology, “GLP-1 Glucagon-like peptide 1 encourages the release of insulin from the pancreas, increases the volume of cells in the pancreas that produce insulin (and reduces the release of glucagon. Glucagon-like peptide 1 also increases the feeling of fullness during and between meals by acting on appetite centers in the brain and by slowing the emptying of the stomach.” GLP-1 helps you feel full between meals and helps you feel full longer. The less you eat, the more weight you will lose, especially if you pair it with increased physical activity and smart eating choices. Semaglutide compounded with Vitamin B12 will also help boost energy levels and metabolism. (Yourhormones.net 2021).
Semaglutide is a weekly subcutaneous injection. This shot must be injected into subcutaneous tissue which is abundant in almost everyone except for extremely thin individuals. Belly fat is an excellent place to inject because it is easily accessible, and it typically is not painful. The needle is an insulin needle that is very short and very skinny. You almost don’t even feel it going into the skin and the medicine doesn’t feel painful or sore afterward. Semaglutide with B12 is a red-colored solution that must be refrigerated to avoid changing its chemical composition. Like many other medications, Semaglutide has the potential of having certain side effects. Though rare, according to the FDA, “side effects include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal (stomach) pain, headache, fatigue.” The most common side effects of Wegovy dyspepsia (indigestion), dizziness, abdominal distension, eructation (belching), hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in patients with type 2 diabetes, flatulence (gas buildup), gastroenteritis (an intestinal infection), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (a type of digestive disorder)”. (FDA new Release 2021).
After doing all this research, I decided to give it “a shot”. I started the injections at the start of the new year. I injected myself with the starter dose (Doses escalate every four weeks to minimize side effects). I weighed in at 220 pounds (100kg). The heaviest I have ever been. What I noticed right away was that I just wasn’t very hungry and I wouldn’t always finish my food. I wouldn’t even start to think about eating until 3 or 4 pm which was rare and since I would eat so late in the day, I would have a smaller dinner. I didn’t experience any side effects except for a slight flushing feeling immediately after self-injecting. Fast forward 6 weeks and my weight loss is now up to 22 pounds (10% of my starting weight). In full disclosure, I did start running outside more and became extra motivated as the pounds started falling off. My face got thinner, my clothes started fitting better and I had to go down a notch on my belt. The scale was showing results but even more importantly, I could see and feel the results. I couldn’t be more excited and look forward to seeing how much more weight I can lose.
How to Self Administer A Subcutaneous Injection
Check out our GLP-1 Agonist Semaglutide Weight Loss Subscription here!
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity
https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-drug-treatment-chronic-weight-management-first-2014
https://www.yourhormones.info/hormones/glucagon-like-peptide-1/