Ozempic treatment in New Orleans

There are many benefits to being at a healthy weight. From looking your best and feeling confident to lowering your risks for life-threatening conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, getting to your ideal weight is essential to living your best life.

While many patients set out to try and lose weight on their own through diet or exercise programs, a majority will fail to reach their goals. Between the complexity of calorie counting, preexisting metabolic conditions, and fighting with willpower, it can be a long and arduous, or even impossible endeavor to reach your goal weight—especially if you have a lot of weight to lose or are new to eating healthy and exercising.

Prescription-assisted weight loss using Ozempic can help you reach your goals weight loss goals faster and keep the weight off. Ozempic in New Orleans is a once-weekly injection of semaglutide that drastically decreases appetite and can help you control cravings and calorie consumption.

Ready to learn more? Book a consultation to learn more about treatment with Ozempic at our Metairie clinic today.

What is Ozempic?

Ozempic is an injectable medication that is FDA-approved for diabetes. It is a GLP-1 agonist that is injected under the skin once per week. GLP-1 agonists, such as Ozempic, assist in regulating blood glucose and promoting weight loss. Following a meal, GLP-1 is released by the cells in the intestines which stimulates insulin secretion and inhibits glucose production. It also decelerates the rate at which food leaves the stomach, leading to a sensation of fullness. GLP-1 is believed to directly influence the brain’s appetite control region and regulate specific hunger-related mechanisms. These combined factors help patients stay fuller longer and have a drastic reduction in appetite and overall calorie consumption, leading to weight loss. You do not have to be diabetic to get the weight loss benefits of Ozempic. The primary medication in Ozempic, semaglutide, is FDA-approved for weight loss under the brand name medication Wegovy. Ozempic is a safe and effective way to reduce your appetite and control your weight with medical supervision.

CLINICALLY PROVEN RESULTS

Several clinical trials have shown the weight loss benefits of Ozempic. Here are some highlights from the Semaglutide Treatment Effect in People with Obesity (STEP) Program:

• Study participants lost an average of 14.2% of total body weight over a 68-week treatment with semaglutide, compared to only a 2.4% reduction in a placebo and lifestyle intervention groups.
• In addition to weight loss, participants who received semaglutide also experienced improvements in cardiometabolic markers including reductions in blood pressure, waist circumference, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels.

In addition to clinical findings, many of our New Orleans patients have had significant weight loss benefits from treatment with Ozempic. With the supervision of our medical staff, you can ensure that you get the most benefit out of treatment.

Who is a candidate for ozempic-assisted weight loss?

 If you have a BMI of 30 or higher and/or have struggled to lose weight with diet and exercise, Ozempic could be an ideal treatment for you to help you meet your weight loss goals.

 

The following patients are not ideal candidates for weight loss with Ozempic

·      Type 1 Diabetics

·      Those who have had medullary thyroid cancer or have family members who have

·      Pregnant women, nursing mothers, and those trying to conceive.

·      Those who have experienced pancreatitis

·      Those who have had kidney disease

·      Underweight patients (having a BMI of less than 18.5)

How Is ozempic taken?

Ozempic is administered once weekly by one of our New Orleans medical professionals. While some professionals allow patients to administer their medication at home, we find that injecting Ozempic in the office is safer and more effective for our patients.

Ozempic can be injected under the skin of the arm, abdomen, or thigh. Ozempic is injected under the skin only; it is not an intramuscular or intravenous medication. The needle used to inject Ozempic is very small and most patients don’t feel pain or discomfort.

Ozempic comes in 3 dosage strengths: 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, and 2 mg. We keep you at the smallest dose that has weight loss effects to minimize side effects.

A typical dosing schedule may work as follows:

• Week 1-4: .25 mg/week
• Week 4-8: .5 mg/week (Some patients can effectively lose weight at this dose and will not require a higher dosage) 
• Month 2-6: 1 mg/week (Some patients can effectively lose weight at this dose and will not require a higher dosage)
• Month 6-Desired Weight Goal: 2 mg/week

Are there any side effects?

Some patients may experience mild side effects from Ozempic including:

• Nausea Constipation
• Diarrhea  
• Gastric reflux 
• Fatigue

We will start you on the smallest dose of Ozempic (0.25 mg weekly) and work up to higher dosages to ensure the management of side effects.

Is Ozempic a stimulant?

No, Ozempic is not a stimulant. While other medications like phentermine utilize a stimulant effect to curb your appetite, Ozempic works by slowing down gastric emptying to keep you fuller longer.

For patients who want to lose a large of weight quickly or are averse to injections, we also offer phentermine as an effective weight loss tool. 

Ozempic vs other glp-1 drugs and other weight loss methods

A number of GLP-1 drugs are being advertised for weight loss. Ozempic is an injectable form of semaglutide that conveniently only needs to be taken once a week. Compared to other GLP-1 medications like Saxenda (a daily injection), Trulicity (dulaglutide), and Rybelsus (oral semaglutide), Ozempic is the most convenient and effective option on the market based on patient opinion and clinical data.

Ozempic has also been extensively studied as referenced by the aforementioned STEP studies. This clinical data can give you peace-of-mind about expected results and the efficacy of Ozempic. 

Ozempic is far more effective than just diet and exercise. If you struggle with overeating and struggling to count calories, Ozempic can give you the help you need to develop healthy lifestyle habits like portion control. 

Unlike surgical methods like gastric bypass or liposuction, Ozempic is non-surgical and helps you to steadily decrease your overall body weight and improve your overall health. 

How long does weight loss with Ozempic take?

You will notice an almost immediate decrease in appetite after starting treatment with Ozempic. For the majority of patients, this will result in a notable decrease of calorie consumption which will prompt weight loss. Most patients start to see the weight loss benefits of Ozempic after starting the .5/week dosage. While many patients will see results around a month, weight loss with Ozempic is gradual and will continue over time. Some patients may take more or less time to see the desired effects of Ozempic.

Start Your Weight Loss Journey Today

Are you ready to look and feel better? Weight loss with semaglutide can help you reach your goals this year and help you establish healthy habits for years to come. Call (504) 910-8020 to book an Ozempic consultation with Slimmetry Medical Center in Metairie today! We offer Ozempic-assisted weight loss in the New Orleans Metropolitan area including Metairie, Kenner, Slidell, Covington, Marrero, and Gretna.