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This medicine is given through an injection once a week, which you will be able to do yourself (you will be shown how to do this during your visit). If you are uncomfortable giving yourself a shot, you may come into the office and we will give it to you if you prefer.

There are different doses or amounts of the medication that you can receive. The dose that is right for you will be discussed with you at your appointment. Usually, it is recommended to start off with a lower dose and work your way up in case you have a bad or unpleasant reaction initially.

As with any drug, there are certain side effects that can occur. The most common side effects are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and abdominal pain. Typically, people complain of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea in the first 8-12 weeks when their dose of semaglutide is being increased (1). These side effects typically diminish over time (1). These, as well as other side effects including rare side effects, will be discussed with you during your visit to help you decide if semaglutide is right for you. If you are interested in learning more about the possible side effects of semaglutide, you can do so by clicking the detailed side effects tab near the bottom of the page.

(1)

Smits MM, Van Raalte DH. Safety of Semaglutide. Front Endocrine (Lausanne). 2021 Jul 7;12:645563. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2021.645563. Erratum in: Front Endocrine (Lausanne). 2021 Nov 10;12:786732. PMID: 34305810; PMCID: PMC8294388

The way semaglutide works in your body to help you lose weight is not fully understood. It plays a role in controlling hunger in your brain and keeps the food you eat in your body longer, which is thought to help decrease appetite (you feel fuller for longer). With a decrease in appetite, you consume less food, which helps you lose weight.

Weight loss medication can be a powerful tool but is not the only step you should take in your weight-loss journey. Make time for physical activity, and start off slow. Set small goals like exercising for 10 minutes a day, and work your way up once you have developed this habit. 

Eating a healthier diet does not require a complete makeover of the meals you eat. Do you eat cereal for breakfast? Add some fruit on top. Do you eat a sandwich or wrap for lunch? bring some spinach or other greens to add into your meal. Incorporating a bit of fruit or vegetables into the foods you already eat is a great starting place.

Any questions you have will be answered during your appointment. A good idea is to write down your questions on your phone or a piece of paper, so you won’t forget anything during your visit.

Semaglutide can cause more serious side effects, although many of these are rare. These will be discussed with you during your consultation and our medical team will make sure you do not receive the drug if you are at an increased risk of any of these complications. These side effects are listed below:

Hypoglycemia: Hyopglycemia is a less common side effect(1).

Pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer: Some early studies found that medicines like semaglutide were linked to pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Through further investigation, the FDA has stated that the current evidence does not support semaglutide causing pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer(1).

Thyroid cancer: In rodents, drugs like semaglutide caused thyroid cancer. Experiments on monkeys that were given greater than 60 times the dose a human would be given found no thyroid cancer. Because thyroid cancer is so rare, it is difficult to study whether semaglutide increased thyroid cancer risk. Because of this, to be safe, people with certain types of thyroid cancer including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 2 or a family history of such, should not take this drug(1).

Gallbladder problems: Gallbladder problems have been observed with semaglutide use(1).

Increased heart rate: All drugs in the same class as semaglutide increase heart rate, but this increase is not associated with and increase of heart problems(1).

Acute kidney injury: Acute kidney injury has been reported with people taking semaglutide. Semaglutide decreases appetite as well as thirst, which decreases the amount of water some individuals consume and can cause problems for the kidneys(1).

Diabetic retinopathy: An increase of diabetic retinopathy complications is associated with semglutide. Most of these events occured in people that already had diabetic retinopathy prior to semaglutide exposure(1).

Injection site reactions: As with any subcutaneous injection, injection site reactions may occur as well as anaphylactic shock(1).

(1)

Smits MM, Van Raalte DH. Safety of Semaglutide. Front Endocrine (Lausanne). 2021 Jul 7;12:645563. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2021.645563. Erratum in: Front Endocrine (Lausanne). 2021 Nov 10;12:786732. PMID: 34305810; PMCID: PMC8294388