Sometimes, achieving a healthy weight can feel like an overwhelming challenge. You might be making great progress on your weight loss journey, only to suddenly hit a wall. When you encounter these seemingly insurmountable hurdles, you may need extra support. Medical weight loss programs, like those offered at St. Louis Pain Center and St. Louis Medical Weight Loss, can provide that support through personalized plans and medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide. These weight loss medications can help people lose weight by helping them to eat fewer calories.
Understanding Medical Weight Loss
Medical weight loss programs offer a comprehensive approach to weight management, combining medical expertise, personalized plans, and prescription medications to help individuals achieve their weight loss goals. These programs are particularly beneficial for those who have struggled with traditional diet and exercise methods or have underlying health conditions that make weight loss more challenging.
Benefits of a Medically Supervised Weight Loss Program
- Support: A medically supervised weight loss program can help you overcome the struggle of managing your weight on your own. Studies show that diet and exercise alone often fail to help people lose weight and keep it off, but a medically supervised weight loss program helps people to lose a significant amount of weight and successfully sustain their weight loss.
- Accessibility: Bariatric surgeries, such as gastric sleeve or gastric bypass, are proven effective for weight loss and offer many health benefits, but not everyone is ready for a surgical solution. If your health insurance doesn’t cover bariatric surgery, medical weight loss can be an affordable option that may be covered by insurance.
- Customization: Your medical weight loss plan will be custom-tailored to meet your needs. Medical weight loss programs offer a full range of prescription weight loss medication, and you will be monitored by health care professionals to ensure your plan is right for you.
Prescription Weight Loss Medications: Semaglutide and Tirzepatide
Semaglutide and tirzepatide are two prescription weight loss medications that have shown promising results in helping individuals achieve significant weight loss. Both medications were initially developed to manage type 2 diabetes but were later found to be effective for weight management.
Semaglutide
Semaglutide is a prescription weight loss medication that started life as a way to treat and manage type 2 diabetes. Eventually, it was found that semaglutide works as a medication for long-term weight loss and weight management. Semaglutide is typically used as a weekly injection that works to suppress appetite in patients who use it. By eating less, it becomes easier to lose weight.
One of the benefits of semaglutide is that reducing inflammation resets your body's metabolism to a healthier level. Semaglutide increases muscle sensitivity to insulin, helping to regulate your metabolism and digestion. Semaglutide works by making your body feel more full after eating. In doing so, you eat less food. When this is combined with exercise and proper guidance, the treatments can reduce your weight and improve your overall health.
Read also: Medical Weight Loss Guide
Tirzepatide
Tirzepatide is an FDA-approved drug that helps treat obesity and aids in weight management. It is a GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) receptor and a GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist. This means that when injected, it activates certain receptors and proteins in the body to reduce food cravings and keep people feeling full for longer.
Tirzepatide helps reduce weight gain through appetite suppression. This also gives patients the chance to build healthy eating habits due to reduced cravings. While this may not sound like a positive effect of Tirzepatide, increasing energy use helps with weight loss as your body burns more calories.
The weight loss industry has been revolutionized by Tirzepatide, a breakthrough medication that mimics the natural hormones GIP and GLP-1 in the body.
Clinical Trial Results
Based on results from the SURMOUNT-5 clinical study:
- Tirzepatide led to an average body weight reduction of up to 20.2%
- Semaglutide resulted in an average weight loss of 13.7%
In clinical trials like the SURMOUNT-5 study, patients taking tirzepatide achieved an average total weight loss of up to 20.2% of their body weight. Those using semaglutide reached an average reduction of 13.7%. These results reflect the medications’ strong potential when used with proper support.
Read also: Is Duke Medical Weight Loss right for you?
These medications offer powerful support for long-term weight loss when paired with expert medical guidance.
GLP-1 Weight Loss Injections
Medical weight loss programs often offer GLP-1 weight loss injections, a breakthrough in medical weight loss. GLP-1 medications are a breakthrough in injectable weight loss treatments, helping to reduce hunger and improve metabolic health by regulating appetite and blood sugar levels. These medications work by targeting multiple pathways in the body to promote sustainable weight loss.
Conditions Treated with Medical Weight Loss
People seek medical weight loss injections for a range of reasons. Some of the conditions treated include:
- Obesity: Weight loss injections are a common way to fight obesity for people looking for weight loss treatments to help get them over the finish line to their weight loss goal.
- Diabetes Management: Both semaglutide and tirzepatide were originally designed to act as medication to help manage diabetes. Weight loss through a medically supervised program can improve Type 2 diabetes.
- Joint Pain: Excess weight often puts more strain on the joints and makes it harder for them to function. Medical weight loss injections can help alleviate a variety of pains and conditions you may be experiencing.
Benefits of Medical Weight Loss
Medical weight loss injections can help alleviate a variety of pains and conditions you may be experiencing. At St. Louis Pain Center, we work to provide comprehensive care to help you live a balanced and pain-free life. Some of the advantages of medical weight loss include:
- Improved Metabolism: Semaglutide increases muscle sensitivity to insulin, helping to regulate your metabolism and digestion. One of the benefits of semaglutide is that reducing inflammation resets your body's metabolism to a healthier level.
- Appetite Suppression: Tirzepatide helps reduce weight gain through appetite suppression. This also gives patients the chance to build healthy eating habits due to reduced cravings.
- Increased Energy Use: While this may not sound like a positive effect of Tirzepatide, increasing energy use helps with weight loss as your body burns more calories.
- Non-Invasive: Unlike some medical weight loss surgeries like bariatric surgery, these weight loss medications are non-invasive.
The STL Medical Weight Loss Program: A Personalized Approach
St. Louis Medical Weight Loss specializes in helping individuals achieve their desired weight through supervised customizable medical weight loss programs. They understand that weight loss can be difficult due to various factors like unhealthy eating habits, environmental toxins, and hormonal imbalances. Their tailored programs include custom diets and prescription weight loss medication.
Read also: Hoover's Leading Medical Weight Loss Clinic
How Does the Medical Weight Loss Program Work?
The first step is a consultation appointment with a Nurse Practitioner, who will review your medical history and discuss your current diet and lifestyle habits in order to create a personalized plan for you. Appointments are available in-office or virtually, but an in-person appointment and lab work are required for medication prescriptions.
Super Lipo
Super Lipo is a targeted injectable treatment designed to accelerate fat loss in stubborn areas. By delivering a specialized blend of lipotropic compounds that promote fat breakdown and boost metabolism, Super Lipo helps you achieve a more sculpted and toned appearance. This treatment is particularly effective when combined with other weight loss options, providing that extra push needed to reach your desired body contours.
Additional Benefits of Weight Loss
Even a modest reduction of 5 to 15% in total body weight for those grappling with excess weight brings about significant benefits, notably in curbing risk factors, especially for heart disease. Shedding those extra pounds can lead to decreased blood pressure, improved blood sugar levels, and lower cholesterol. Experience enhanced moods, increased energy, improved mobility, and reduced pain. Boost your confidence and self-esteem, and even enjoy a more satisfying social and sex life. Not to mention, it’s a cost-effective way of living.
For individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) above the healthy range, embarking on a weight loss journey becomes particularly beneficial, especially when coupled with other health risk factors like high blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, and a personal/family history of heart disease.
Important Considerations
While medical weight loss programs and medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide can be highly effective, it's important to be aware of potential side effects and precautions.
Side Effects of Weight Loss Medications
Prescription weight loss drugs are generally safe, although any medication carries a risk of side effects; the most common side effects of weight loss prescriptions are temporary nausea, constipation or diarrhea, but these effects typically lessen over time. Each type of prescription varies and our nurse will work with you to find the one that is most beneficial for you.
Dietary Considerations
Foods that are high in sugar and high in fat should be avoided while taking Tirzepatide, as they can affect your weight loss. Alcohol should also be avoided while taking Tirzepatide due to its negative interaction with the drug.
Frequently Asked Questions About Medically Supervised Weight Loss
- Will my health insurance cover medical weight loss? Many health insurance plans cover the cost of prescription medications, even if they do not cover weight loss surgery.
- How Much Does Medical Weight Loss Cost? Your out-of-pocket costs will vary depending on your personalized plan and the details of your insurance plan. Contact a medical weight loss provider, like St. Louis Medical Weight Loss, to learn more.
- Will medical weight loss improve diabetes? Yes, weight loss through a medically supervised program can improve Type 2 diabetes.
- Can I maintain my weight loss after the medical weight loss program? A medical weight loss program is designed to set you up for success.
Success Stories
Many individuals have found success with medical weight loss programs. Here are a few testimonials from satisfied patients:
- "Dr. Joe is amazing! I lost 10 lbs in the first month and now down 42lbs in 4 months! I tried every diet and numerous exercise programs but nothing seemed to work. I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Joe and in only 2 months I am down 25lbs! Best thing I could have done for myself. Top Notch Service, Caring physician, a premium service that has helped me achieve my goals. I will be telling my family and friends. Thanks!"
- "Close to hitting that 60 lb mark! 59.4 lbs. I have went from a 12 down to a 2, consistently. Thank you so much!!"
- "As of this morning I was at 23% total body weight loss. I really can’t believe it!! This stuff is an absolute miracle. This is the first time I’ve ever lost weight and haven’t bounced around, so I’m hopeful!"
- "Hi Dr. Moleski, I’ve been doing excellent! Down 45 lbs now (as of Saturday) which is unbelievable!"
- "Hi! I’m just checking in. I took my 7th shot yesterday! Down almost 20 pounds, woohoo! This mediation has helped tremendously with my food cravings! Feeling in control again! Thanks Dr. Moleski!"
- "This medication has not only helped me with my weight but also my mental health! My anxiety has greatly improved, and I feel more in control."
Taking Control of Your Health
If you're struggling to lose weight and improve your overall health, a medical weight loss program may be the right solution for you. With personalized plans, prescription medications, and expert medical guidance, you can achieve your weight loss goals and live a healthier, happier life.
Are you ready to take control of your health and pain? If you are, schedule an appointment with St. Louis Pain Center or St. Louis Medical Weight Loss today. Their pain management treatments can help you restore your wellness and feel your best.