Frequently Asked Questions
Ozempic mainly works to reduce your appetite and by making you feel fuller for longer. It also slows down digestion so the feeling of fullness due to food being in the
stomach lasts longer.
This helps to reduce body weight and fatty food cravings. Ozempic should be used alongside a healthy diet and exercise regime.
GLP-1 is a natural hormone that exists in the body and manages blood glucose and therefore your appetite. It is produced in the gut and tells the brain that one is full and should stop eating, in the body it lasts around 1.5 to 2 minutes. Ozempic is a GLP-1 analogue and lasts 7 days. Users thus have the feeling of fullness whilst using the pen.
Yes. A side effect of Ozempic is weight loss, how much depends on each individual’s diet and exercise routine.
Ozempic must be used alongside a healthy diet and exercise regimen to lead to a sustainable healthy weight loss plan.
Ozempic is suitable for those with a BMI above 30 (or 27 with a weight related co-
morbidity). After you complete the consultation you will be assessed by the doctor who will take decidewhether Ozempic is appropriate or should another medication be used instead.
Semaglutide will not be suitable and will not be prescribed if you fall into one of the
categories below:
– Under 18 or above 75 years of age
– If you are breastfeeding, pregnant or actively trying to get pregnant.
– Personal or a family history of medullary thyroid tumours or thyroid cancer
– Type 1 diabetics or patients taking diabetic medication
– Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2 (MEN 2)
– Hypersensitivity to Semaglutide
– History of pancreatitis
Much like other injectable medications, Ozempic should be stored at a certain temperature. To correctly store your Ozempic keep it in the fridge between 2℃ and
8℃. Once you have opened your medication it can be stored for up to six weeks outside the fridge away from sunlight. Never store Ozempic with the needle still on.
What are the other benefits of using Ozempic? A 2021 clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that those who took Semaglutide had a 14.9% loss in body weight when combined with a healthy diet and exercise, compared to those who took the placebo and lost 2.4% of their body weight.
It is found to reduce the risk of:
– Heart disease
– Stroke
– Cancer
Whilst currently an off-label treatment, in February 2022 NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) in the UK recommended it for obesity treatment.
Semaglutide (under the brand name Wegovy) will soon be licensed and won’t need to be prescribed off-label.
As with most prescription medications, Ozempic can cause some side effects.
The most common side effects are mild and temporary.
Common side effects include:
– Feeling sick (nausea)
– Vomiting
– Diarrhoea or Constipation
– Indigestion, reflux or heartburn
– Inflammation of the stomach (gastritis)
– Abdominal pain
If you are concerned about any side effects of Ozempic or any other of the
treatments please contact the Symn Clinic.
For weight loss, you will be initially prescribed the 0.5mg dose. Once you are stable on that dose for 4 weeks, it can then be increased to the 1mg or kept at 0.5mg
depending on what our doctors decide based on your progress.
Not everyone needs the 1mg dose, some may only require a 0.5mg maintenance dose.
Ozempic is the brand name for the injection form of Semaglutide. The tablet form is known as Rybelsus. Whilst Ozempic is a once weekly injection, Rybelsus must be taken once a day.
Otherwise they are the same medication. If you don’t wish to have the injections, Rybelsus is the alternative.