All about GLP-1 Medication

GLP-1 medications are a type of medication that was created for treatment of Type II diabetes, and are one of the most effective treatment options for obesity.

February 2, 2022

At Mochi Health, you can expect that our providers will work with you to determine if glucagon-like peptide one medication otherwise called GLP-1 medication is right for you. GLP-1 medications are a type of medication that was created for type II diabetes treatment. In later studies they were found to be helpful for the treatment of obesity as well, and are one of the most effective treatment options for the treatment of obesity. They are also recommended for people who have tried other weight loss methods and have had limited success. These types of medications can be useful if you have tried other types of medications for weight loss as well including medications like phentermine topiramate and bupropion.

How do GLP-1 medications work?

GLP-1 medications are also called glucagon -like peptide one receptor agonist and they are classic medications that works to to re-sensitize your insulin receptors and also to decrease your appetite by working through specialized brain signaling pathways. This medication was approved by the FDA for use for weight loss very recently. However, it has been used for over a decade safely in patients with type II diabetes for blood sugar control and for weight loss. These diabetes drugs are used along with lifestyle therapy and a diet and exercise plan to control blood sugar levels. GLP-1 agonists also work by being in Krugman pneumatics, meaning that they mimic naturally produce hormones in the body to decrease your appetite. Sometimes these medications will need lab testing to get insurance approval these lab testing can include include passages hemoglobin A1c otherwise called HbA1c as part of your lab work.

GLP-1 is a naturally occurring hormone that is released from the pancreas and intestines while eating. It is also one of the hormones that is responsible for controlling appetite after you smell food! When your blood sugar levels start to rise after eating these drugs can work with your body to increase insulin secretion and also normalize your pancreas's ability to handle glucose levels they can also work to inhibit the consecration which additionally helps with weight loss. Both of these types of mechanisms are safe for both type II diabetics and for patients primarily using the medication for weight loss. The extra insulin helps to lower blood sugar levels and also helps patients with type II diabetes. GLP-1 medications also slow down the emptying of the stomach so that glucose stays in the stomach longer and patients feel full for much longer. This additional benefit is what we are primarily patient notice or nausea.

While these medications were initially approved for diabetes, GLP-1 medications have been approved by the food and drug administration parentheses FDA and parentheses for the treatment of obesity in patients with a BMI greater than or equal to 27 with obesity related comorbidities such as type II diabetes hypertension hyperlipidemia. They have also been approved by the FDA for use in patients with a BMI over 30 in the United States. GLP-1 medications work with your body's natural GLP-1 receptors to regulate weight loss and metabolic function, as well as decrease your risk of other diseases. Jubilantly the pancreas to increase insulin production after meals to printing bring down the blood sugar, that's also helping with insulin resistance. They also work to bind to receptors in the brain to suppress your appetite and regulate your natural hormones such as leptin and grout. These receptors release chemicals that diminish the desire to eat, reducing or hunger. This natural reduction in hunger is part of the mechanism that these medications we use to help you lose weight naturally. By creating an energy deficit ( caloric deficit) your body is consuming more calories than you are eating. GLP-1 medications can last for about one week in your body particularly the medication semaglitude and the brand names for these are ozempic and wegovy.

What happens when you stop taking GLP-1 medications?

GLP-1 medications need to be taken continuously into the in order to maintain weight loss. There were a number of studies done in early 2021 that showed patients who lost weight on GLP-1 medications he gave me quickly after discontinuing GLP-1 medications. GLP-1 medications are natural chemicals and can be very helpful to suppress appetite and promote weight loss, however they do not work continuously after you discontinue the medication. Examples of clinical trials showing this include the step four clinical trial in particular part of the step trial series. That's why GLP-1 can help you lose reduce your weight even though your body is already producing this effect on its own jail. Clinical trials have also shown that GLP-1's, when taken as indicated with lifestyle changes including a balanced healthy diet with lots of healthy fruits and vegetables and lean proteins and an increased exercise including walking and cardiovascular and resistance training, continue 15% weight loss and only 12 months compared to placebo. Some trials even showed patients losing over 16% of the right and just 20 weeks on medication such as weakening and. This efficacy is minimized when accompanied by the benefits of lifestyle change. Many studies have shown that lifestyle changes and alongside medication are very essential components of weight loss. Efforts should take for people taking certain types of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, studies have found that medications are also linked improvements in their blood pressure cholesterol levels kidney and liver function as well as a significant reduction in the risk of heart disease including heart failure and stroke and kidney disease. There are many other benefits these medications particularly when it comes to the downstream effects of having long-term high blood pressure. Kidney disease otherwise called diabetic nephropathy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic ulcers, diabetic identities, cardiovascular disease, retinopathy, blood pressure disease leading to aneurysm can all be decreased by taking medications to help patients lose weight alongside lifestyle management

What are examples of good lifestyle management?

GLP-1 drugs have a regulating influence on metabolism as well as a favorable effect on weight loss in type II diabetes GLP-1 – when RA's for example can improve insulin levels regulates excrement levels enhance political profiles, regulate auto thinking, prevent glucose, reduce, reduce plasma liver enzymes and Nash. They can also be used to prevent and treat endocrine abnormalities and metabolic diseases like PCOS NASH.

How are GLP-1 medications administered?

GLP-1 medications are available in injection form oral form and as dual agonists. Some patients may not prefer the injectable form, however the oral form is just as effective! You should talk to your doctor about both forms of this medication at the same time because the injectable medication is only once weekly in some cases, ozempic, some patients prefer this medication. Most of these medications, as a self injector syringe. They are injected into the fatty layer underneath your skin. These medications are GLP-1 medications, and can be injected from the comfort of your own home. You do not need a healthcare provider or clinician present to use the GLP-1 medications. I each injectable comes with instructions on how to use these GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, and Wegovy. Other forms of these medications can come in a vial. These forms may need to be drawn up with a syringe.

GLP-1 receptor agonists, as both short and long acting forms. Both short and long acting forms can be injectable into the fatty tissue. If your doctor prescribes a GLP-1 agonist, when you pick it up from the pharmacy, ask your pharmacist if you have any questions on how to inject this medication. The prescription guide will also come with instructions inside the insert box on how to inject his medications. If you feel nervous around injectable medications such as GLP-1 medications, you can ask a friend or family member to inject it for you. You can inject in your belly, upper thigh, or upper arm. Some patients notice less side effects with one injection site than others. The GLP-1 medication Rybelsus this is an oral form.

What are the side effects of GLP-1 medications?

As with any medication, side effects are something that we should take conservatives. GLP-1 medications are no exception some examples of GLP-1 medications include: Semaglutide, Liraglutide. The brand names of these are Wegovy, Saxenda, Ozempic, Rybelsus, Victoza, and many more!

The most common side effects of GLP-1 medications include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, dyspepsia, dizziness, abdominal distention, hypoglycemia in patients with type II diabetes. Certain patients should not take GLP-1 medications. These include patients with a history of pancreatitis, or a history of gallbladder disease. Patients who have a family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, a very rare form of thyroid cancer, should also not take GLP-1 medications. This was been shown in animal studies. However, this meant risk for this medication has not been shown in human trials.

The GLP-1 class of drugs is a generally safe category of medication. Most patients experience artifacts when they are starting medication. Often times these medication side effects go away with longer use of GLP-1s.

Medication adjustment

Most patients start at a lower dose of these medications called GLP-1's. The lowest dose for Semaglutide, also known as Wegovy or Ozempic, is 0.25 mg. This doses commonly gradually increased to 0.5 mg and then up to 1 mg 2 mg for sometimes 2.4 mg depending on the form of the medication. GLP-1 medications can cause weight loss at many doses. Some patients notice weight loss with GLP-1 medication starts at a lower dose such as 0.5 mg. Other patients notice that GLP-1 medications are required to be at higher dose before they notice weight loss. Some patients may even notice a small amount of weight gain at lower doses of medication. GLP-1 medications are unique and every patient will react differently on medication.

Our healthcare providers at mochi health will walk you through the process of choosing the right medication for you. Careful dose adjustment is often needed. GLP-1 medications do not taper at the same rates for every patient. Some patients may need dose adjustment at a faster pace than others, and other patients may need to slow down how quickly they increase the dose of the medication.

Types of GLP-1 medications

As mentioned previously there are many types of GLP-1 medications. Some are short acting formulas which need to be taken either as a pill form once or twice daily, others are short acting formulations which are ideally injectable, and lastly there are some forms of GLP-1 agonists which are long acting injectable only taken once weekly. The selection of medication depends on a conversation with you and your provider – mochi health who believes that you and your provider should had a long discussion about which medication is the right option for you.

GLP-1 medications include many options.

How can you get insurance coverage?

Insurance coverage for GLP-1 medications is always a challenging topic. Our providers work with your insurance to try to get you prior authorizations completed if necessary for vacation coverage. With medication coverage with insurance the co-pay for your medication can come down to $25 per month. GLP-1 medications without insurance February. We use lab history medical history and information collected by our providers to submit to your insurance. We also have a proprietary process in place to ensure that our prior authorizations are more likely to go through.

As every insurance is different we use a different approach with your specific plan. We take personal preference and blood sugar control effectiveness as well as the expected weight loss into account when selecting a medication.

The good news is that most insurances will now accept these medications.

What are ways to deal with the side effects of GLP-1?

If you are experiencing side effects with Yahoo and medications, please reach out to your provider. There's many tips that we have for patients to decrease the number of nausea and vomiting symptoms that they are having per day.

A good tip for all patients on GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic or Wegovy is to eat small meals. This is because the medication works to decrease the rate that your stomach empties, so patients often feel very full early on.

Dr. Eva Shelton, M.D.

Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital

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