Background & Overview

The FDA approved the use of semaglutide, a medication sold under the brand names Wegovy® and Ozempic®, to treat overweight and obese individuals. This once-weekly injected medication has multiple effects on the body. It was initially discovered to help people with diabetes improve glucose control because it improves the body's insulin production. It also reduces the liver's generation of excess glucose and increases the efficiency of a hormone called incretin.

The FDA approved Wegovy for diabetes treatment in 2017. After it was prescribed to hundreds of thousands of diabetes patients, doctors and researchers noticed that their patients were experiencing a common side effect - healthy weight loss! The company Novo Nordisk then conducted clinical trials* to prove that semaglutide could also be used to treat excess weight in non-diabetic individuals safely. As a result, low-dose Wegovy was FDA-approved for weight loss on June 4, 2021.

Semaglutide is manufactured and sold by the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk under the brand names Rybelsus®, Ozempic®, and Wegovy®. If a patient meets the needed criteria, they may be able to get the medication paid for by insurance.

If you want to lose 10-20 or more pounds and are not morbidly obese, insurance will not pay for semaglutide, even though your doctor prescribes it for you. Without insurance, the cost at the pharmacy is around $1400 per month (even with a GoodRx savings coupon), and it will not come with any guidance or support. Instead, they expect you to know how to inject yourself!

There are lots of scam-like offers of “get semaglutide for $149/month,” but those offers are only for the prescription, not the medication itself. You also won't have a qualified nurse injecting you and no one coaching you on what to expect or do about side effects! Yes, there are side effects. The most commonly experienced side effects include constipation, abdominal cramping, nausea, or vomiting.

How is the program at Morpheus different?

Morpheus' new semaglutide weight loss program is a six-week long process. This timeline is considered the appropriate amount of time to lose some extra pounds while also developing new ways of eating that will keep the extra weight away.

First, you must schedule a consultation with one of our nurse practitioners in our Santa Rosa or Larkspur office. At this consultation, you will be evaluated, and we will discuss your health and history to confirm that this medication is, in fact, safe for you. Some health conditions would make semaglutide an unsafe weight loss option.

The next step is the injections. We will schedule your weekly appointments where you will come into our office once per week for six weeks. At each visit, you will meet with one of our providers, do a weigh-in, and get coached on your new eating habits and activities. Then we perform your weekly injection and manage any discomfort you may be experiencing. If necessary, we provide additional medications to help you feel better while your body grows accustomed to the semaglutide.

If, after six weeks, you still want to get free of more fat, you will have the option to continue the program at a lower cost. Alternatively, suppose you have not lost weight after six weeks. In that case, you will not be allowed to continue the program, as this indicates that the medication is not a good fit for you.

Fundamentally, semaglutide improves metabolism, allowing our bodies to use the stored energy in our fat cells and reduce our appetites. With less appetite and reduced cravings for sugars or carbohydrates, we naturally eat less. As a result, we have better portion control and are less inclined to snack.

Side effects

The most common side effects are constipation and mild-moderate nausea. Constipation is the worst of them. In anticipation of this, you should drink extra amounts of water, take magnesium at night (both to help sleep and keep the bowels moving), and you might need a laxative, although that is something the provider will guide you on taking.

In the first week, patients typically experience mild nausea. It is thought to be caused by a slowing of stomach emptying. It is also part of the mechanism of reducing your appetite. Our provider will coach you on how much nausea you should tolerate and whether you need a (temporary) medication to make you more comfortable.

Other common side effects are vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, headache, fatigue, bloating, belching, and heartburn.

Less common side effects may include:

• Inflammation of the pancreas
• Irritation of the gallbladder
• Low blood sugar
• Kidney problems
• Vision changes
• Serious allergic reaction
• Increased heart rate
• Depression or thoughts of suicide

If you experience any of these symptoms, it is essential that you stop the program and talk to our providers. We will address any issues you have immediately. Still, you may need to be seen in the emergency room if your symptoms are severe.

Disclaimer

Your evaluation with one of Morpheus' Nurse Practitioners is an essential part of the program before you commit to the six-week course. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that you will lose or keep the weight off. Losing weight will require you to eat less and continue to move your body at least as much as you usually do, if not more. There are no refunds on the program if you drop out before the end of the six weeks.