WEGOVY® (Semaglutide)

FDA-Approved for Weight Loss

Wegovy® (semaglutide) is one of the more popular GLP-1 medications approved by the FDA for the treatment of obesity and overweight. Wegovy® contains the active ingredient “semaglutide,” which is also present in two other GLP1 medications. The first is Ozempic®, approved by the FDA in October, 2017, as a weekly injectable treatment for type-2 diabetes. The second is Rybelsus®, approved by the FDA in September 2019, as a daily oral tablet for type-2 diabetes. The primary distinction between Wegovy® and the other two medications is that Wegovy® delivers a higher dosage of semaglutide. All three medications are produced by Novo Nordisk, a pharmaceutical company.

GLP-1 medications such as Wegovy® (semaglutide), mimic the effects of incretin hormones, which are naturally released by the body when food is consumed.

Incretin hormones signal the brain, endocrine, and gastrointestinal systems that food has been eaten. This results in a complex interplay of hormones and neurotransmitters which communicate feelings of satiety.

These hormones also play a significant role in the management of blood sugar levels and can improve blood sugar control in individuals with insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, prediabetes or diabetes.

You are eligible to take Wegovy® (semaglutide) for treating obesity and overweight if you are 12 years old or older, and you meet the following criteria:

1. BMI 30 or higher.
2. BMI of 27 or greater with a related health problem such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, prediabetes, sleep apnea fatty liver and other weight related health conditions.
3. No personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2.
4. No personal history of pancreatitis.

Based on landmark clinical studies, such as the STEP 1 clinical trial, it has been observed that adults with obesity or overweight experience an average reduction of 15% in their baseline body weight while using Wegovy® (semaglutide).

At Worthy Weight Loss (our clinic in Plano, Texas), patients who have been prescribed a high dose of Wegovy® (semaglutide), in conjunction with diet and exercise plans, have achieved weight loss of up to 20% of their initial body weight.