Wegovy weight loss

Wegovy® is the brand name for semaglutide when prescribed specifically for chronic weight management. It was approved in 2021 and has since become one of the most effective weight-loss medications available.alli-weight-loss

What Wegovy Is Used For

• Weight management in adults and adolescents (12+) with:

  • Obesity (BMI ≥30), or

  • Overweight (BMI ≥27) with at least one weight-related condition (e.g., high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol)

It is not for cosmetic weight loss but for medical treatment of overweight/obesity.saxenda-weight-loss

How It Works

• Wegovy is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, mimicking the gut hormone GLP-1.

• It helps with weight loss by:

  • Reducing appetite (acts on appetite centers in the brain)

  • Slowing gastric emptying (keeps food in stomach longer → prolonged satiety)

  • Improving blood sugar control (though it’s prescribed for weight loss, not diabetes)

Dosing (Injection, Once Weekly)

• Injected under the skin (stomach, thigh, or upper arm)

• Titrated slowly to reduce side effects:

  • 0.25 mg weekly → 0.5 mg → 1 mg → 1.7 mg → maintenance at 2.4 mg weekly

Effectiveness

• Clinical trials (STEP program) show ~15% body weight reduction on average over 68 weeks when combined with diet & exercise.xenical-weight-loss

• Some patients lose 20%+ of their body weight, which is comparable to certain bariatric surgeries.semaglutide-weight-loss

Side Effects

Common (mild to moderate, usually improve over time):

• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation

• Stomach pain, bloating, heartburn

• Fatigue, headache

Serious (less common):

• Pancreatitis

• Gallbladder disease (stones, inflammation)

• Kidney injury (from dehydration due to vomiting/diarrhea)

• Possible increased risk of thyroid C-cell tumors (seen in animals → contraindicated in patients with personal/family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2)

Important Notes

• Not for type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis

• Works best alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity

• May need to be taken long-term to maintain weight loss, since stopping can lead to regain. ozempic-weight-loss