GLP-1 agonist for Weight Loss
Semaglutide and Liraglutide are GLP-1 agonists, which mimics GLP-1, a hormone your body produces naturally. GLP-1 is a weekly injectable medication that causes your body to release insulin, suppresses your appetite, and makes you feel full for longer. These actions together can help lead to weight loss. Semaglutide and liraglutide are approved for ages 12 and up. Tirzepatide approved for adults. Tirzepatide is both a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and GLP-1 receptor agonist. Tirzepatide mimics the GLP-1 hormone and the GIP hormone. The GIP hormone can also trigger insulin creation and sensations of fullness.
This means Tirzepatide may offer an extra weight loss boost. The compound is also much more costly.
Side-effects for all GLP-1's
Some mild and common side effects of semaglutide include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal pain.
Potential serious side effects include:
- Some mild and common side effects of semaglutide include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal pain.
- Potential serious side effects include:
- Acute pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas
- Gallbladder disease
- Hypoglycemia, or blood sugar levels that are too low
- Acute kidney injury
- Complications of diabetic retinopathy in people with type 2 diabetes
- Increased heart rate
- Thoughts of suicide
- Pancreatitis and gallbladder problems may feel similar to more common, less serious stomach-related side effects of these medications, such as the abdominal pain listed above. If your symptoms do not lessen or they seem severe, let your healthcare provider know right away.
Safety Warnings
All semaglutide products come with a boxed warning (the FDA’s strictest warning label) regarding thyroid C-cell tumors. This is because GLP-1 agonists have been found to cause these tumors in rats and mice. The risk in humans is unknown, but you shouldn’t take semaglutide if you have a personal or family history of thyroid cancer.
Common medications that may interact with GPL-1s include:
- acetazolamide
- anticonvulsants such as phenytoin
- antidepressants such as tricyclic antidepressants (such as amitriptyline, and nortriptyline) or monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) (eg, selegiline, isocarboxazid, and phenelzine)
- antipsychotics, such as aripiprazole
- beta-blockers, such as atenolol, labetalol, and metoprolol, may enhance the hypoglycemic effects
- bexarotene
- ciprofloxacin
- corticosteroids, such as prednisone or cortisone
- diuretics, such as bumetanide, HCTZ, and bendroflumethiazide
- HIV medications, such as amprenavir, atazanavir, and fosamprenavir
- hormones, such as ethinylestradiol and hydroxyprogesterone
- insulin (may increase the risk of hypoglycemia)
- isoniazid
- other medications that affect blood sugar levels or are used for diabetes, such as glimepiride, or metformin.
- ORAL BIRTH CONTROL may be affected by reducing the effectiveness-- should add another form of birth control to be safe.
Cost of medications:
We can prescribed named brand medications for patients that are covered by their insurance plan or prefer to use their own pharmacy. For those that do not, we offer a semaglutide compounded generic version from our preferred pharmacy for hundreds of dollars less. Currently our semaglutide cost for 75- 90 days is $250 - $350 dependent on size and dosage *** compound medications are not FDA approved***
Is Suboxone an option for me?
Suboxone is the most well known FDA approved medication used to treat opioid dependence. Suboxone helps relieve symptoms of opiate withdrawal and suppresses cravings. Our providers are authorized to provide treatment with a limited number of patients.
Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) is a long-acting, partial opioid agonist used to treat opioid use disorder.
Patients who have been taking opioids, like oxycodone (percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), methadone, heroin, fentanyl, on a daily basis can become dependent on these substances, meaning that if they do not take them daily, they will experience awful withdrawal symptoms, like nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, body aches, agitation/anxiety. Many people become addicted and the opioids start to take control of their life. They have cravings, think about opiates all the time, and are unable to fulfill their daily responsibilities like going to work or taking care of friends and family. It becomes an “all consuming disease”.
Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) works by stabilizing the brain. By binding to the opiate receptors in the brain, Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) prevents withdrawal symptoms, staves off cravings, and also blocks these receptors so other opioids (like heroin or fentanyl) cannot bind, preventing overdoses and saving lives. As a partial agonist (meaning it only partially stimulates the opioid receptor), Burpneorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) rarely causes patients to feel “high.” Rather, patients taking buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) should feel NORMAL, able to go about their day and live their life to its fullest. For these reasons, Buprnorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) is considered very safe, and it is considered evidence-based treatment for opioid addiction.
Policy Note: It is necessary for our patients to pay the self-pay amounts for office visits and if you want to use your insurance you will need to submit a claim and seek reimbursement. Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) is most effective when used in conjunction with counseling and psychosocial support. When working with our providers, you will be seen weekly, biweekly and/or monthly. It’s important that you keep up with your appointments to maintain treatment and be active on the provider’s schedule. Providers can legally treat only a fixed number of patients with buprenorphine. Therefore, when others request treatment, inactive patients will be dismissed in order to provide an opening for the provider to provide a needed prescription for someone else seeking treatment.