Losing weight can be a challenging journey, often requiring more than just willpower. Medical weight loss options offer support in shedding those extra pounds, which is crucial not only for aesthetics but also for overall health. Excess weight increases the risk of serious health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. It also puts stress on joints, leading to pain and reduced mobility with age. Embracing a healthy lifestyle is essential, but implementing lasting changes can be difficult due to discomfort during physical activity, cravings, genetics, limited time for meal preparation, and chronic health conditions.
Why Tackling Weight Matters
Losing weight is important for much more than just appearances. Increased BMI may put individuals at risk of a variety of health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. The extra weight also puts pressure on joints, resulting in pain and decreased mobility with age. A healthy lifestyle is key to reaching an ideal weight. However, it’s difficult to exercise enough if physical activity causes pain. Plus, cravings may make it difficult to eat well. In addition, there may be other factors playing a role, such as genetics, a lack of knowledge of what a balanced diet looks like, or limited time for physical activity, preparing healthy meals, and sleeping. Lastly, some people gain weight due to a medication like a beta blocker needed to control a chronic health condition.
Maintaining a healthy body weight is an essential part of wellness. Being overweight doesn’t always mean you will develop health problems, but it does raise your risk for many serious illnesses. It's true that many people gain weight due to an unhealthy lifestyle, but certain medical conditions can also cause you to become overweight. If you're struggling to lose weight, it's important to get evaluated for any underlying health problems. Metabolic or endocrine disorders are often responsible for weight gain. Mental health issues sometimes trigger weight gain as well. It can be difficult to shed excess pounds and keep them off. Many people turn to unhealthy weight loss methods like crash diets or diet pills, but these habits are unlikely to result in long-term solutions.
Prescription Weight Loss Programs: A Tailored Approach
The best medical weight loss programs pair medications with lifestyle changes. Medical providers and treatments are available to help you lose that stubborn extra weight. The first step is to reach out to medical professionals in your area. The best approach to weight loss combines medications with vital lifestyle adjustments. At our medical weight loss clinic in Salem, Ohio, you'll find personalized support that can guide you toward achieving your goals. One of the most successful strategies for weight loss is the use of prescription medications. These noninvasive treatments are tailored to meet your unique needs-no surgery required. Finding the right weight loss medications and support tailored to your individual circumstances is vital. Choosing a medical weight loss clinic in Salem, Ohio, means opting for an individualized approach that considers both your medical history and wellness goals. The best medical weight loss programs include ongoing assessments to track progress and adjust any prescribed medications as needed.
Our providers can help you determine the cause of your weight gain. Through nutritional and lifestyle counseling, our providers teach their patients how to care for their bodies and make healthy choices. By improving your diet and lifestyle, you can lose weight, while also boosting your overall health. We help their patients choose foods that meet their nutritional needs and support a healthy metabolism. They also provide guidance on dietary supplements, physical activities, and other environmental or lifestyle factors that promote weight loss. If you need more intense help with weight control they will refer you to our medically supervised weight loss program with weekly coaching sessions. Whatever it takes we want to help you attain your wellness goals.
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Medications for Weight Loss
Semaglutide
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 weight loss medication administered via once-a-week subcutaneous injection. Moreover, compounded semaglutide is specially tailored for each patient, allowing medical providers to customize the dosage to fit specific needs. This significantly differs from the standard dosages available in commercial products like Wegovy or Ozempic. Semaglutide is an injectable medication that mimics hormones present in your digestive system. It works by increasing GLP-1, called glucagon-like peptide. GLP plays a role in your digestive system by signaling fullness to the brain. Semaglutide is a medication that has already shown significant results when it comes to losing weight. This medication is self-administered at home every week. Over time, you will increase the dosage to ensure good results. Semaglutide is indicated for patients who have a BMI of 40 or higher. During your assessment with our team, you will discuss your full medical history to determine if semaglutide is compatible with your weight loss goals. We will also order a full lab panel to identify any underlying causes preventing you from losing weight.
Semaglutide treatment begins with an initial phone consultation where our team will determine if you’re a good candidate. You’ll learn more about semaglutide and what you can expect. From there, a consultation will be scheduled with Dr. Dennis Barnett to determine the process moving forward. Once started, there will be follow-up meetings with Dr. During your first consultation with Dr. Barnett, he will review your lab work and talk more in-depth about your medical and family history. He’ll also discuss your diet and exercise regimen and recommend any changes that could improve your results. Finally, you’ll learn about your starting dosage and how to administer it. Once you’ve received your medication, you’ll schedule a routine check-in with our team. We’ll discuss your results and check your weight to ensure everything is working as planned. You’ll repeat this process routinely where you’ll meet with our physician assistants to check your progress and determine if an increase in your dosage is appropriate.
Semaglutide may produce side effects. Most patients report that these side effects are temporary and subside over time as the body adjusts and the dosage increases. Additionally, semaglutide may come with more significant health affects and risks like low blood sugar, kidney problems, changes in vision, eye pain, and an increased risk of pancreatitis and thyroid tumors. There is also the risk of potential allergic reactions in some patients, as well as redness, pain, or swelling at the injection sites. Semaglutide can boost your weight loss results and help you feel more confident in your diet and exercise efforts.
Tirzepatide
Another medication to consider is tirzepatide, similar in function to semaglutide. Compounded tirzepatide is customized, providing you benefits like personalized dosages and reduced risk for allergies, ensuring you receive only what your body needs.
Eligibility for Prescription Weight Loss Medications
Typically, patients who qualify for prescription weight loss medications are classified as obese, meaning they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. Additionally, individuals with a BMI of 27 or more may be eligible if they're dealing with weight-related health conditions, such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.
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Success Stories: Real People, Real Results
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. It’s true. You can read all day about how bariatric surgery works, but nothing compares to seeing how real people have changed themselves for the better. Those patients all started where you are today-and look at them now! With the help of surgery and lifestyle changes, and with the support of the Salem Health team, they’ve accomplished their weight-loss goals. Below, they share in their own words how much bariatric surgery at Salem Health has meant to them.
Erica J. used to weigh 339 pounds. “I really struggled to just take them for walks,” Erica said. “I became the parent that sat on the sidelines at birthday parties and would wave and take pictures and tell myself it was okay. When she was 47-years-old, Elizabeth C. It was challenging her to do everything from tying her shoes or cutting her nails - to simply doing her job. “I work in the fields and always need to be bent over - and I couldn’t do that. Steve M. faced a life-changing decision in 2018. He says his diabetes was out of control. “It's like - Dude, wake the heck up!
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