Everything you need to know about Ozempic

The new year is usually a time for reflection and planning. Time to look back on what we achieved last year. Time to reflect on what didn’t go so well. And a time to plan for the year ahead including how we are going to achieve our New Year’s Resolutions. It probably won’t come as much as surprise to you that, according to many surveys, losing weight is usually the most popular New Year’s Resolution in the UK. These resolutions are usually made after we have consumed our body weight in chocolate and other treats over the festive period!

Before we look at how Ozempic can help you lose weight, lets thinks why we want to lose weight and what are the actual benefits of losing weight? A recent article in The Times1 looked at the health benefits of losing half a stone and the effect this can have. Some of the benefits of losing half a stone include:

You will sleep better  
It will protect your joints
Your lung function will be better 
Your sex life will improve
Back pain will be relieved 
You will find running easier (and move faster) 
You will stabilise your body’s blood sugar levels 
Your risk of heart disease will be reduced 
Your blood pressure will be lowered
You will lower your risk of some types of cancer

In addition to all of these benefits, most people just feel better and more confident in themselves when they manage to shift some excess weight.

Why is weight loss hard?

Weight loss is difficult and many people will have struggled with their weight at some point in their lives. Let’s be honest, if weight loss was easy, there would be no need for so many fad diets and weight loss solutions because everyone would have already achieved their target weight! Many diets fail because at some point it becomes too difficult to maintain the strict plans that are usually associated with them and the calorie deficit usually makes people hungry and miserable, which is not a great combination. Most of these diets do not appreciate how closely food and our emotions are linked. This is why so many people and celebrities alike have turned to Ozempic2 3 4 to help them with their weight loss journey.

What is Ozempic?

So what is Ozempic? Ozempic is the trade name for a medication called Semaglutide. It was originally developed for improved sugar control in patients with diabetes. It works by stimulating a hormone called Glucagon-like-Peptide-1 (GLP1). This causes food to leave the stomach at a slower rate, which is known as delayed gastric emptying. This causes you to feel fuller for longer which then causes a reduction in appetite. Many of my patients are so amazed with this reduction in appetite, that they usually comment “I don’t even feel the need to look at food” soon after starting the medication!

Who is suitable for Ozempic?

Ozempic can be safely prescribed to anyone with a BMI above 30 or to anyone with a BMI above 27 AND an obesity related health condition. If you are not sure whether this applies to you, then we suggest clicking here to book in for a consultation so that we can explore and discuss this further with you!

Are weight loss injections safe?

On the whole, YES! As with any medications, there are some side effects. These include some nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation but these usually pass with time. None of my patients have had to stop the medication due to any of these side effects.

There are some more serious side effects such as gallstones and pancreatitis but thankfully these are rare. Also, anyone with a family history of certain types of thyroid cancers should avoid the medication. Checkout my comments on the side-effects of Ozempic when I recently spoke to BestLife about the topic!

Is it true that it is currently difficult to get hold of?

It was well publicised that towards the end of 2022, there were major shortages of many medications, including Ozempic, due to numerous supply issues. It appears that all of these issues appear to have resolved and currently (fingers crossed!) we do not have any issues getting Ozempic for our patient from out pharmacy partners.

How much weight can I expect to lose?

This is probably the most common question I get asked! There are so many variables to consider, including our own body’s metabolic rate, the number of calories we consume and the amount of exercise we undertake. Ozempic is not a replacement for these lifestyle factors, but a helping-hand to kickstart our weight loss journey and make the process easier. That being said, many of my patients have lost up to a stone in their first month of starting the medication.

If you are struggling with your weight loss journey or want to discuss whether Ozempic would be an appropriate solution for you, please click here to book yourself in for a consultation.