What is Semaglutide?

First, we want to assure you that Semaglutide is NOT a stimulant, so you do not have to worry about unpleasant side effects like not being able to sleep or having the jitters.

Semaglutide is a small protein (peptide) that activates metabolic pathways in the body to increase blood sugar metabolism and reduce appetite. It imitates a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). You may have heard of Semaglutide by the brand name of Ozempic. It has been used to help treat type 2 diabetes.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Semaglutide to be used to treat type-2 diabetes in 2017. Further research and studies have shown that Semaglutide is also suitable for losing weight, and in June of 2021, it was FDA-approved for weight loss under the brand name Wegovy

We do not prescribe Semaglutide under the brand names associated with treating type 2 diabetes. 

Bass Comprehensive Wellness Care uses a Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB) pharmacy that will compound semaglutide for non-insurance patients or insured patient’s. We start all of our patients off at a lower, compounded dose for the first month and then increase the dosage for the second and third months, respectively. 

 Semaglutide is injected subcutaneously (under the skin) and not into a muscle. Administration of Semaglutide is once weekly. 

Benefits of the Semaglutide Weight Loss Program

Semaglutide reduces your appetite and makes you feel fuller for longer periods of time. It also keeps you in “fat-burning” mode. Because Semaglutide targets fat cells and regulates blood sugar, you don’t have to worry about losing muscle mass or dehydration (water weight loss). Semaglutide has also been shown to help stop the production of plaque in blood vessels.

The physical benefit of Semaglutide is that it WILL reduce your appetite and make you feel fuller, so you eat less. Another major benefit of the Semaglutide diet program is that you will have the opportunity to meet with a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) to discuss and address your psychological and emotional needs for overeating.

Other Benefits Include Semaglutide:

• Physical hunger is gone
• Better sleep
• Higher energy levels
• Helps with insulin pathways and blood sugar levels
• The more momentum you gain, the better you will feel
• On average, you can expect to lose 15% of your body weight

At our clinic, we believe that good health encompasses uniting the mind and body which entails a comprehensive approach. We have added the benefit of a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) so that you can approach your weight loss and health from the same mindset. We want to help you balance your thoughts, behaviors, and actions so that you can mindfully create healthier lifestyle choices after the diet period ends.

It’s All About Balance

If you are overweight or obese, you can quickly get stuck in a vicious cycle that affects your organs and endocrine system. For example, if you have a fatty liver, you are going to be more prone to putting on weight. The liver is one of the body’s detox organs. If it becomes overwhelmed by toxins, it signals your body to increase fat, especially around the abdominal area. The reason for this is that toxins are stored in fat tissue.

Insulin Resistance can be a root cause of metabolic syndrome and virtually every chronic disease. It can go hand in hand with high blood sugar and is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. The biggest “tell” for Insulin Resistance is the amount of belly fat that you carry, so yes, even thin people can have it. If you are female and your waist measurement is over 35 inches, you likely have Insulin Resistance.

Regardless of what your waist measurement is, we don’t guess. Instead, we test! Your lab panel will include a comprehensive panel to test for  insulin resistance, diabetes, liver, kidney and thyroid abnormalities. 

We at Bass Comprehensive Wellness Care are dedicated to  making sure all of our patients are monitored throughout the course of treatment. 

Initial Weight Loss Lab Panel include:

• CBC (Complete Blood Count)
• CMP (Comprehensive Metabolic Panel)
• Hemoglobin A1C 
• Lipids Panel (Cholesterol)
• Insulin
• Thyroid Panel

Side-Effects and Contraindications for Semaglutide

The most common side-effect of Semaglutide is nausea and possibly other digestive issues. But we take proactive measures to ensure that the chances of this happening to you are slim.

For your first month, you will begin a low dose of Semaglutide to allow your body to get used to it. We then increase incrementally month to month, however, everyone is different. The goal is for you to lose a few pounds a week with no nausea.

If you find you are not losing any weight at all in the beginning, we can increase your dosage slightly until we find the “sweet spot” of what is right for you.

As with any medication: even Tylenol, there are contraindications that must be followed. If you have any of the following below, Semaglutide is not right for you. Not to worry, there are many other weight loss therapies that are available and specific for each and every patient to include Tirzepatide, Peptides, and Vitamin B12/MIC injections just to name a few, please ask your provider if interested.

Absolute Contraindications to the Semaglutide Weight Loss
Program are:

• Personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer
• Type-1 diabetes (an auto-immune condition)
• MEN – multiple endocrine neoplasia
• Pancreatitis
• Decreased kidney function

We are Here to Support You!!

We offer the support of a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) certified in helping individuals balance lifestyle and weight after the diet period ends for three visits during the 90-day time period. However, if you have questions or need adjustments to your dosing, please feel free to contact your provider at any time. The best way to reach her will be through your patient portal.

We hope you all are as excited about this as we are! Congratulations on taking the next step to your health.

Please click here “Weight Loss Consult“  to review the cost of the program and to schedule a Free 15 minute weight loss consultation.