Weight loss drugs come with some problems for patients
Editor’s Note: The following is part of a group project that began in Ball State University professor Adam Kuban’s classroom in the fall of 2021. Kuban continued the project this spring semester, challenging his students to find sustained effort. in the Muncie area and voice their opinions. to Ron Wilkins, interim editor of The Star Press, Journal & Courier and Palladium-Item. This semester, stories related to health care are presented.
MUNCIE, Ind. – Weight loss solutions have undergone a revolution in recent years with injectable drugs that target obesity. In this evolution, consumers have become familiar with Semaglutide products with promising weight loss goals.
Ozempic, made from the drug Semaglutide and originally developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, has gained attention for its impressive weight loss results when used in high doses. .
According to the FDA, Ozempic helps lower blood sugar while stimulating the body to produce more insulin. The drug works by interacting with the part of the brain that signals satiety as well as reducing appetite.
Currently, only three Semaglutide injections are approved by the FDA.
One of them is Wegovy, an injection specifically approved for weight loss. This is for people who are struggling to lose weight and not on treatment, whereas Ozempic is for diabetes, and it is stated on their website that it is not a drug used for weight loss.
As these newly marketed drugs continue to gain popularity in the market, health professionals and consumers are grappling with questions about their safety and long-term effects when people use the product. that they still see lasting results.
Dr. Srinivasu Kesa has a practice in Indianapolis, MD Wellness & Med Spa. In his career, his vision was to provide a “one-stop” center for non-surgical beauty, weight loss treatments and more. Kesa is an expert in obesity medicine and serves on the American Board of Obesity Medicine. Kesa says that the first thing he does with his patients who are looking for weight loss drugs is to look at themselves first rather than drugs.
Kesa said: “We encourage our patients to make lifestyle changes from day one. We track their eating habits, their lifestyle – even the time they spend on their mobile phones .
“We recommend this first and then advise the patient to take medication as a supplement to these changes,” Kesa said.
In October 2022, Amy Grubbs began her journey taking Mounjaro. The technical name is Zep Bound by Eli Lilly, another drug originally used for diabetics that is now FDA approved for weight loss purposes. Grubbs describes his journey as transformative.
“This has changed my life forever,” Grubbs said. “I want you to imagine strapping a 50-pound bag of dog food to your front and a 50-pound bag of dog food to your back and walking with it. That’s how I felt like I was walking every day before I took the medicine.”
As with most prescribed medications, these medications have potential side effects. Grubbs acknowledged the controllable effects, deeming them important for the results.
“I was surprised, the only side effects I had were nausea and a little constipation,” Grubbs said. “The weight fell off; my appetite was reduced, and I didn’t crave food as much as before. I could walk more freely and tie my shoes without being short of breath. ”
There are eligibility criteria for these medications.
According to a 2017 journal article by Dr. Katherine Saunders in the “Journal of Family Practice,” patients must meet certain criteria, have obesity-related comorbidities such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia or obesity-obstructive sleep apnea.
Skeptics of injectable weight loss medications raise concerns about weight regain after treatment. In a 2022 study on “Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism,” they studied 1,961 participants taking Semaglutide for a year and three months. After a while, they were taken off the medication to see what would happen to their weight.
For the 327 participants, they gained 11.7% of the weight they lost. In other words, if a participant lost 50 pounds, they gained 5 pounds back.
Kesa said that from what he has seen of patients in his office, weight retention after coming off the drug is not uncommon.
Kesa said: “They don’t gain weight if they change their lifestyle.” For example, I have a patient who came to me weighing 430 pounds. When they came off the injections, they weighed 230 pounds. Now, they weigh and maintain 270 pounds. .He came back a little, but still, he’s better than before. ”
Jackie Oler is scheduled for Ozempic in 2022 after reaching 308 pounds. Now, she’s down 90 pounds and is working toward her long-term weight loss goal. Another obstacle Oler faced was the cost of the drug without insurance coverage.
“Price is a tough thing,” Oler said. generic.”
An issue that Grubbs and Oler continue to face on their health journey is people who use it but don’t “need” it, creating a false image of how medicine should be used. for what.
“I feel like the madness has gotten out of hand,” Grubbs said. “Because I know some people who take these drugs because they need to lose 15-20 pounds. They’re not overweight enough to need these drugs.
“I know that movie stars use them to lose pounds for the red carpet or the movie they will be in. Again, it’s not for that. Fat people need these drugs,” Grubbs said.
The rise of weight loss drugs has broader implications for public attitudes toward weight and body image.
A Nature journal article titled “It’s Not ‘Easy’ to Lose Weight: Don’t Ignore the Social Cost of Anti-Obesity Drugs,” by Alexandra Brewis and Sarah Trainer, suggests that the craze they can undermine those who choose to drink. a drug from society because of some ideas that the “best way” to lose weight is just diet and exercise.
However, Grubbs and Oler both describe the drug as having a lasting effect on their health and represents a major advance in the treatment of obesity.
Oler said that since losing weight with the drug, he has noticed a change in different areas of his life.
He said: “It makes me motivated in every way to take care of myself.” “I work again; My social anxiety has eased, so I’m making more friends. I find joy in many things. It changed my life a lot.”
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