Wegovy is a comparatively new medicine that’s accredited by the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) to deal with weight problems.
It has grown in reputation and is turning into a standard injectable medicine to assist individuals drop some pounds.
This text will clarify all the pieces you’ll want to learn about Wegovy and if it’s acceptable for you.
What’s Wegovy?
Wegovy is a brand-name medicine with the lively 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 a wide range of methods, together with:
- Higher blood sugar stage administration
- Decrease A1C ranges
- Improved insulin sensitivity
- Preventing insulin resistance
- And weight reduction
Nonetheless, it’s only accredited as a weight reduction drug and isn’t thought of a diabetes medicine.
It’s an injectable medicine, out there 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 lots of advantages to taking Wegovy, together with:
Weight reduction
Wegovy is proven to assist support 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 examine, grownup members 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 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 members taking the medicine not solely misplaced weight however noticed statistically important enhancements of their blood sugars and A1C ranges as nicely.
Even when you don’t have diabetes or prediabetes, taking Wegovy may help 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 lively ingredient in Wegovy) has been confirmed to scale back the chance 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 remedy for weight problems, weight reduction, and power weight administration. It could decrease blood sugar ranges and enhance A1C, however Wegovy isn’t a diabetes medicine.
Not everybody who desires to take Wegovy will have the ability 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, resembling excessive ldl cholesterol, hypertension, or sort 2 diabetes.
Wegovy is accredited for power 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 might qualify for one more GLP-1 medicine like Ozempic. Particularly in the event that they dwell with sort 2 diabetes and are scuffling with insulin resistance.
Speak together with your physician when you’re inquisitive about taking Wegovy or Ozempic.
What are the uncomfortable side effects?
Many individuals expertise gentle to reasonable uncomfortable side effects when taking Wegovy, particularly once they first begin taking the medicine.
These widespread uncomfortable side effects embody:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdomen ache
- Constipation
- Weight reduction
- Low blood sugar, when you take insulin
Though uncommon, extra extreme problems might embody:
- 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 uncomfortable side effects can result in well being problems and loss of life.
Name your physician or search emergency medical consideration when you:
- Develop a fever
- Expertise modifications or worsening of your imaginative and prescient
- Really feel weak or in ache after taking the medicine
- Assume chances are you’ll be having an allergic response to the medicine
Search emergency medical consideration when you’re experiencing extreme low blood sugar ranges and you can not maintain 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?
There are lots of completely different Wegovy doses out there.
The quantity you are taking will rely on a couple of components, together with your peak 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 remedy)
- 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 provide solely a single weekly dose.
By no means take extra Wegovy than you might be prescribed. Should you overdose on Wegovy, chances are you’ll expertise antagonistic uncomfortable side effects.
How a lot Wegovy ought to I take?
Your physician will enable you to decide the correct dose of Wegovy for you. It would differ relying in your well being historical past, objectives, way of life, peak, 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 medicine, the efficacy of remedy, and the severity of the uncomfortable 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 unintentionally take an excessive amount of Wegovy, chances are you’ll expertise antagonistic uncomfortable side effects resembling:
- 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 unintentionally 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 infrequently is not going to hurt you, make you achieve weight, or worsen your blood sugar ranges.
Nonetheless, Wegovy is handiest when it’s taken constantly.
Should you miss a dose of Wegovy, it’s okay to take it a couple of days late.
Nonetheless, when you missed your dose greater than 5 days in the past, simply skip that week’s dose and take your commonly scheduled dose on time.
The right way to inject Wegovy
Examine your Wegovy pen earlier than injecting. If there are any particles or discoloration current within the medicine, don’t use the pen. It could have expired or the medicine might 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.
Speak to your physician about one of the best locations so that you can inject and how one can rotate injection websites.
Who shouldn’t take Wegovy?
Don’t take Wegovy except you’ve been prescribed the medicine.
It isn’t really helpful to be used if you’re pregnant, planning on turning into pregnant, or if you’re breastfeeding.
Don’t use Wegovy (or another medicine containing semaglutide) when you or any of your loved ones members have ever had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if in case you have A number of Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome sort 2 (MEN 2).
Don’t use Wegovy if you’re allergic to semaglutide.
Should you’re concerned with attempting a GLP-1 agonist however you’re allergic to semaglutide, chances are you’ll go for Victoza—whose lively ingredient is liraglutide.
How can I cease taking Wegovy?
You might want to cease taking Wegovy for a lot of causes, and that’s positive. Nonetheless, you’ll not need to cease the medicine chilly turkey.
Ensure you discuss together with your physician earlier than stopping any diabetes medicine, together with Wegovy. Your physician will most likely need you to wean your dose as an alternative of stopping remedy abruptly.
Insulin resistance, meals cravings, blood sugar ranges, and weight might creep again up when you cease taking Wegovy.
On common, individuals achieve again about 2/3rds of the burden they initially misplaced one 12 months after stopping remedy with GLP-1 medicines containing semaglutide.
You might want to discuss to your physician about an alternate medicine, train, or weight loss plan plan to assist fight any rebound results chances are you’ll expertise when you resolve to cease taking Wegovy.
Does Wegovy substitute insulin?
No. Should you take Wegovy and also you’re insulin-dependent, you can’t 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.
Should you usually take insulin for diabetes administration, you will want to proceed to take action.
Should you’ve been on Wegovy for a number of months, chances are you’ll discover that your insulin wants are progressively lowering, however this not often, 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 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 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?
Speak to your physician when you want to get a prescription for Wegovy.
Your physician ought to have the ability to write you a prescription to attempt the medicine when you meet the BMI necessities or are obese and have a qualifying power situation.
If you don’t qualify for Wegovy however wish to drop some pounds, your physician could possibly advocate different FDA-approved weight reduction medicines that could be a greater match for you.
Can I take Wegovy with my diabetes medicines?
This can rely on what your different diabetes medicines are.
Wegovy shouldn’t be mixed with another GLP-1 medicines resembling Ozempic, Victoza, Trulicity, or Mounjaro.
The lively ingredient semaglutide may be taken together with metformin, insulin, or different medicines. Simply remember to ask your physician earlier than doing so.
Lastly, make certain your physician is aware of of each different medicine you are taking earlier than beginning Wegovy.
