Losing weight is always difficult if you don’t have all the information you need. Its generally as simple as a math equation. You to consume less calories that your body burns daily to ultimately lose weight. Proper diet and exercise is the best way to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. With that said, its not a fast process and despite your best efforts sometimes, you aren’t seeing the results you want and need to see to stay motivated. In some situations, medications may be used in addition to diet and exercise to help give you a jump start. The majority of the medications on the market help reduce your hunger thus reducing how much you are eating, which gets us back to the equation above. The newest options on the market are GLP-1 agonists like Semaglutide.
What is Semaglutide?
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 agonist that has been used to help patients to control their blood sugar with type 2 diabetes. It is marketed by Novo Nordisk as an injection as the drug Ozempi®c and as an oral tablet, Rybelsus®. The FDA recently added an additional indication on the drug, allowing it to help patients battling chronic weight management. This is the same injectable drug but marketed by Novo Nordisk as Wegovy®. At Midtown Express Pharmacy we have formulated a compounded sublingual (under the tongue) drop version of Semaglutide. It is the same drug, but just a different form of the drug. This would be a great alternative to those patients who don’t want to have to use an injection. A compound is a when a specialty pharmacy takes an available form of a drug and changes the dosage form or trength to customize the final product for the patient.
What is the Dosage and How is it Supplied?
The medication comes in a 30ml glass bottle with a calibrated dropper. If you are taking semaglutide for the first time, you maybe instructed to start at a lower dose and titrate up based on side effects. Generally, you will take a lower dose for 7 days, then go up incrementally thereafter. You should always take your medication as directed by your doctor and/or pharmacist.
What are the Side Effects of Semaglutide?
The most common side effects are gastrointestinal in nature. You may experience abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. These side effects maybe most common at the initiation of the medication and when you increase the dosage amount. If you experience a rash, swelling, or trouble breathing, you should stop using immediately and seek medical attention.
How Do I Get a Compounded Medication?
All compounded medications do require a prescription from your prescriber. We have created a template on this page for you to print out and take to your prescriber. They will then determine if this is appropriate for you to use. The completed prescription can then be brought to the pharmacy, faxed in, electronically prescribed or phoned in by your prescriber’s office. You may call the pharmacy at 615-320-8414 for any additional questions.
