Say hello to a healthier you with medication-assisted weight loss!
What is Wegovy (Semaglutide)?
Wegovy (semaglutide) is an injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist that’s administered once weekly for obesity.
How Does Wegovy Work for Weight Loss?
GLP-1 is an incretin hormone that plays a role in your appetite and digestion. Incretins, hormones released by your small intestine, are sent out by your body after you’ve eaten a meal to help lower your blood sugar by triggering insulin and blocking other sources of sugar. It also slows down how quickly food leaves your stomach (called gastric emptying). The result of these actions causes you to feel full – lowering your appetite and causing you to lose weight. Medications like GLP-1 agonists are referred to as incretin mimetics since they “mimic” these effects.
Potential Side Effects?
Gastrointestinal (GI) effects tend to happen most frequently when using this medication – the most common being nausea, constipation, and vomiting. You may experience these effects more strongly when your provider raises your dose. Additional common side effects include stomach pain, indigestion, and bloating.
If you experience severe nausea/vomiting or abdominal pain, please stop the medication immediately, contact us, or go to the ER*
How Do I Deal With The Nausea?
*Small, frequent meals
*Lower the amount of alcohol you consume
*Low-fat meals
*Bland diet – bananas, rice, toast
*Ginger, Unisom, Vitamin B6 for nausea
If prescribed Zofran (ondansetron), take 1 tablet under your tongue every 6 hours as needed for nausea. Please only use Zofran for severe nausea as it can lead to constipation. The following can help relieve constipation: stay hydrated, continue with exercise, high fiber diet, and over-the-counter stool softener.
How Do I Administer It?
You’ll give yourself the injection once a week, on the same day each week. It can be given at any time of day, and you can take it with or without food.
Wegovy is injected just under the skin (subcutaneously) in your abdomen.
Since Wegovy slows down how quickly food leaves your stomach, you may experience effects like nausea and vomiting.
The goal is to have limited unfavorable side effects while losing 1-2 pounds per week (and feel the benefits of the medication: less appetite, cravings, and portion sizes). We may need to adjust your dose every few weeks to achieve that goal. The starting dose is 0.25 milligrams.
Zepbound (Tirzepatide) is an injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent (GIP) receptor agonist that’s administered once weekly for obesity.
How Does Zepbound Work for Weight Loss?
These peptides will work to help lower your blood sugar after eating by triggering an insulin release. It also slows down how quickly food leaves your stomach (called gastric emptying). The result of these actions causes you to feel full — lowering your appetite and causing you to lose weight. It can cause an average 20% reduction in weight.
Potential Side Effects?
Gastrointestinal (GI) effects tend to happen most frequently when using this medication – the most common being nausea, constipation, and vomiting. You may experience these effects more strongly when your provider raises your dose. Additional common side effects include stomach pain, indigestion, and bloating.
If you experience severe nausea/vomiting or abdominal pain, please stop the medication immediately, contact us, or go to the ER*
How Do I Deal With The Nausea?
*Small, frequent meals
*Lower the amount of alcohol you consume
*Low-fat meals
*Bland diet – bananas, rice, toast
*Ginger, Unisom, Vitamin B6 for nausea
If prescribed Zofran (ondansetron), take 1 tablet under your tongue every 6 hours as needed for nausea. Please only use Zofran for severe nausea as it can lead to constipation. The following can help relieve constipation: stay hydrated, continue with exercise, high fiber diet, and over-the-counter stool softener.
How Do I Administer It?
You’ll give yourself the injection once a week, on the same day each week. It can be given at any time of day, and you can take it with or without food.
Zepbound is injected just under the skin (subcutaneously) in your abdomen.
Since Zepbound slows down how quickly food leaves your stomach, you may experience effects like nausea and vomiting.
The goal is to have limited unfavorable side effects while losing 1-2 pounds per week (and feel the benefits of the medication: less appetite, cravings, and portion sizes). We may need to adjust your dose every few weeks to achieve that goal. The Zepbound (tirzepatide) starting/loading dose is 2.5 milligrams.
Non-refundable weight loss consultation with one of our NPs is $75. Telehealth appointments are available. Initial appointment needs to be in person, as well as every 6 months.
Consultation does not guarantee a prescription and does not go toward medication or future services.
If you are 36 or older, a full hormone panel is required and must be completed with us. The cost is $475.
For GLP-1 medications, a BMI of 27 or higher is typically required for Wegovy. Zepbound is typically prescribed for a BMI of 30 or higher with one weight-related comorbidity, though it may be considered at a lower BMI if a hormonal imbalance is identified.
Recent lab work is required. If you have completed labs within the last 12 months that include CMP, CBC, TSH, lipids, and Hemoglobin A1C, please provide those results. If not, we can complete labs in-house for $200, or you may contact your insurance provider to check coverage for these tests.
Follow-up labs are required every 6 months while on treatment.
—
Refill appointments are best scheduled 4 weeks apart to ensure your refill arrives by your next injection day.
—
Wegovy (semaglutide) prescription by one of our Nurse Practitioners is $300. The 28-day supply of Wegovy (4 pens) is $499 (not dose-dependent) through Novo Care self-pay pharmacy. Check Wegovy pricing updates here.
—
Zepbound (tirzepatide) through Eli Lilly’s Lilly Direct:
2.5 mg vials (starter dose): $349 per month.
5 mg vials: $499 per month.
7.5 mg and higher (10 mg, 12.5 mg, 15 mg): $499 per month, provided refills occur within 45 days of your previous delivery.
The cost for consultation is $75 or $350 if approved for a prescription, and follow-up refill appointments are $350.
Read more about Lily Direct’s Zepbound vials and possible pricing updates here.
