Wegovy (Semaglutide), a medication used to treat adults with obesity, has been in the press almost weekly since its launch in the UK last year. Although many people seem to have an opinion about it, not everything you read is accurate. In this article, I aim to address four common misconceptions about Semaglutide (Wegovy) for weight loss and provide a clearer understanding of its role in weight management.
Wegovy treats the disease of obesity by bringing hunger under control and reducing food cravings; however, it takes hard work and time for people to reach their weight and health targets even when taking medication.
Additionally, there are side effects that they may experience along the way. People with any long-term condition, including obesity, need monitoring and may need to adjust the medication dose to minimise the adverse effects. We don’t tell people who need statins to treat high cholesterol or medications for high blood pressure that they are cheating, so why do we treat people living with obesity differently?
Healthy eating patterns and increasing physical activity are crucial to help you lose weight and improve your health. Wegovy supports and complements healthy lifestyle changes by helping to control appetite and reduce food cravings.
For many years, people struggling with weight loss have been told it’s their fault, and it is a failure of willpower. Not only is this unhelpful, but it’s also not true. We now know that the disease of obesity is not the same in every person, so the response to any treatment for obesity, whether it be lifestyle changes, medications or surgery, varies greatly from person to person.
While most people lose weight on Wegovy, some people will not lose as much or as quickly. For example, in clinical trials, about 14% of participants taking Wegovy lost less than 5% of their body weight in 68 weeks. There could be a number of reasons why Wegovy does not work for some people, and there is a lot of research into predicting who will respond best to which treatment. The challenge is working with your doctor to find the right treatment plan for you.
As with any medication, you always have to balance the benefits with the risks of taking Wegovy. Studies have shown that the use of Wegovy is generally safe and well-tolerated for at least four years. However, it can result in side effects, which include nausea, heartburn, constipation and fatigue. Most side effects are mild to moderate and decrease over time as your body gets used to the medication, but a minority of people discontinue the medication as a result of the side effects.
More serious side effects, such as inflammation of the pancreas, are thankfully uncommon. It is important to note that the safety and efficacy of Wegovy for weight loss varies from person to person. Regular follow-up with a healthcare professional will help monitor your progress, address any concerns and ensure the medication remains effective and safe for you to use in the long term.