Your complete medical history including all medications and over the counter supplements. The website will have forms to download and complete prior to your appointment. Basic labs such as lipid panel, metabolic profile and hemoglobin A1c will be necessary. If you’ve had them in the past six months you may bring in copies. KDMC offers a panel for $30. Check their website for details on where it can be drawn.

Yes, most definitely. It has been a game changer for many people.

Not ethically. There are set guidelines based on health parameters for prescribing various medications.

No. Liraglutide (saxenda) and Tirzepitide (Mounjaro) are also injectable. Liraglutide is daily and Tirzepitide is only recently available and is more expensive than semaglutide, so semaglutide is usually the preferred choice.

After instruction on proper technique of giving the shots you may take your vial home and give yourself the shots if you are comfortable doing so. SHOTS SHOULD NOT BE DRAWN UP AND SENT HOME WITH YOU. Medication should remain in the vial until ready to dispense. If you are not comfortable giving your own shot, you may receive them at the office. We would provide the syringes either way and there is no charge for us to give the shot. However, it would be by appointment so may be less convenient for you.

Side effects depend on the medication prescribed. For semaglutide, the most common side effects are nausea, burping, diarrhea, constipation, and fatigue. Pancreatitis and gallstones are not common but possible, especially with a family history, although neither of these is a contraindication to the use of semaglutide.

Most people experience 3-5% body weight loss in 12 weeks, and continue a steady weight loss.

Well, yes and no. If you want change you have to make some changes. The medicine helps make the choices easier. I will calculate your resting metabolic rate and set some goals from there. Your meals will be built around protein mostly, with some carbohydrates and fats.

Maybe not to lose the weight at first but you will likely have to increase your activity in order to keep the weight off. Resistance training will be most important for preventing muscle loss, which is true for EVERYONE who loses weight. Research indicates all weight loss is typically 75% fat and 25% muscle loss unless you are doing something to actively prevent muscle loss. We will talk about this in detail. It becomes easier, even enjoyable, once some of the weight is off.

Very good question that we don’t have an answer to yet because the use for weight loss is so new. The thing is, if you lose the weight and are able to be off blood pressure and diabetes medicine, would it be a fair trade off to still take this one to keep the weight off? Most people who are candidates for this medication have at least 30 pounds to lose and MOST people have more than that to lose. Fifty pounds may well take six months to a year to lose safely.

Without insurance coverage for weight loss, Ozempic (semaglutide) is about $915/ month. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is $1055/month. Because the medicine is so expensive and because the manufacturers have not been able to keep up with demand, the FDA allows certain licensed pharmacies to COMPOUND (that means make a generic version) of the medication. To be able to prescribe the compounded products, a physician must be registered with the compounding pharmacy. (I am registered with three pharmacies). The pharmacies are in the United States and must pass strict FDA inspections. The compounded products, which are generic, range in price from $180-500/ month, depending on product and the dose you need. Shipping costs may be additional. Compounded products are what I order for you, both the injectable and various oral preparations. Additional office fees are $105 for the initial consultation that would include your first dose of semaglutide (if appropriate), $35 follow ups, monthly for the first 3 months then every 3 months as long as all is well. The injectables are NOT the only choices. All of the oral medications are less expensive than $180/month, averaging $170/month.