There is so much buzz about Semaglutide that it can be hard to separate myths from facts! At RESTOR we are proud to have been one of the first practices in Denver to offer this game-changing medication – and we want to use our experience to give you the unvarnished truth – so here we go with the most common Myths and Facts about Semaglutide!
Myth #1: Semaglutide is only for diabetes – and should not be used “only” for weight loss.
Not so. This medication has been FDA-approved for both diabetes and weight loss in non-diabetics. But more importantly – the most common cause of diabetes – by far - is being overweight! We believe that the best way to treat diabetes is not to let it develop in the first place. Semaglutide will improve your blood sugar whether you are diabetic or not – which results in less overall inflammation and better health for anyone who is on it.
Myth #2: Semaglutide will make you throw up every day – and that is dangerous!
One of the most common side effects of semaglutide is nausea and vomiting - this is true. At RESTOR we find that about half of our patients experience nausea in the first few weeks they are on it – but few actually vomit. At RESTOR we will titrate your dosing to find that “sweet spot” where you are losing weight at a steady and sustainable rate without feeling too nauseous. There are some people who are very sensitive to this side effect and cannot find a dose that works for them – but this is rare. (At RESTOR less than 1 in 100 patients have to drop out due to side effects.) We also counsel our patients to avoid nausea by eating smaller meals, eating more slowly, and avoiding very oily and fatty foods while on Semaglutide.
Myth #3: You’ll lose weight without dieting or exercising
This one is more complicated than a straight “Yes or No.” Let’s dive into it! Can you lose weight without restricting your food intake or exercising more? Yes, you will. However – the reason is that Semaglutide suppresses your appetite (making you not interested in eating) and will also slow down how your stomach empties (making it physically more difficult to eat large meals). So in a way – this medication is “doing the dieting for you” since you will, in fact, be taking in fewer calories. In our opinion – this is a bit of a semantics question.
When you are on Semaglutide you will, at a certain point, come to a plateau. This means that your weight loss will stop for a few weeks. To push through these plateaus, we recommend adding intermittent fasting and moderate exercise to give the medication a helping hand. Also – our real goal is not just to lose the pounds briefly – right? It is to take the weight off permanently and live a healthier lifestyle. That is why at RESTOR we encourage all of our patients to use their time on Semaglutide to learn better eating and exercise habits.
Myth #4: You will need to be on Semaglutide forever if you want to maintain your results.
Again – this is more complicated than a “Yes or No” answer. At RESTOR we have found that about 1/3rd of our patients are able to achieve long-term weight loss through modifications to diet and exercise after they come off of Semaglutide. Another 1/3rd use our maintenance program where they will get one shot a month in conjunction with their diet and exercise changes to keep their weight stable. And finally – the last 1/3rd of our patients will supplement their monthly maintenance shot with 1-2 months of weekly “active weight loss” shots a few times a year when they find their weight creeping back up. We tell our patients to let the scale be their guide and are there to help them in any way they need to maintain their results.
Myth #5: You’ll gain the weight back after finishing Semaglutide
Just like with any lifestyle intervention – if you go back to living exactly like you did before, of course, the weight will creep back on. If you go to the gym – do you expect your muscles to be strong forever if you stop going? When you go from intermittent fasting back to eating junk food, would you call it a failure if you gained the weight back? Of course not! Just like anything you do to be fit, you will need to maintain your results either with diet and exercise modifications or maintenance with a monthly shot of Semaglutide – but on the bright side? It is MUCH easier to maintain a new weight than it is to lose weight – so once we have gotten you to your goal weight, maintenance is easier and simpler than most people would imagine.
Myth #6: You’ll get “Ozempic face”
Now this one just irritates us. Whenever a person loses weight – regardless of how they do it – they will have less fat in their cheeks, which can lead to sagging skin around the nose and mouth and along the jawline. But to call this “Ozempic face” is unfair since it is a universal effect of any weight loss. The good news – at RESTOR we have many ways to tighten your skin and smooth away those lines after you have reached a stable weight.
Myth #7 – Prescribing Semaglutide off-label is dangerous!
Semaglutide has been FDA-approved for weight loss. It is considered “off-label” to prescribe this to people who are not yet diabetic or obese only because the original studies were all done on the severely obese. Therefore – when we prescribe Semaglutide to individuals who are overweight but not yet obese - it is considered an “off-label” prescription. But prescribing medications in this way is both legal, common, and in my view fully ethical. Why should we wait until a disease like diabetes has begun to ravage a person’s body before we give that person a medication that can prevent and reverse it? This is a branding issue, NOT a “safety” issue.
