I’ve seen it all and done it all in my 20+ years managing weight loss. I’ve set up and run a weight loss surgery service, doing gastric bands, sleeve gastrectomies and gastric bypasses. I’ve placed gastric balloons. I’ve run weight loss programmes tackling healthy behaviour changes in the workplace and online, in groups or one-to-one.
All approaches have their value when used appropriately, for the right person at the right time. But I never had much time for weight loss medication. There were very few drugs licensed for weight loss….and those that were had unacceptable side effects, didn’t use healthy weight-loss principles or just didn’t work well enough.
But, I started watching a new type of weight loss medication some time ago. I analysed the results, looked at the longer term effectiveness and researched the way it appeared to work. And, it does seem to have some merit – but better still, works with the healthy weight loss principles I support with my online weight loss programme.
The drug is called liraglutide, or Saxenda.
In recent years, this type of drug, known as a GLP-1 agonist has proven effective in diabetic control. Weight loss was found to be a valuable side-effect. Their use has therefore been extended to non-diabetics, with weight loss of around 10% of total body weight at 20 weeks. However, they are only licensed for private prescription, by a medical practitioner, in those with a BMI over 30, or over 27 with an obesity-related medical problem. In addition, they should, in theory, be used alongside a minimum of a 12-week weight management programme.
How Do I Use Saxenda?
Liraglutide (Saxenda) requires a once-daily injection and is only available through private prescription, unless you are eligible through the NHS as part of a formal weight management service, for which you need to have a BMI of at least 35.
A daily injection may put a lot of people off, but the needle is so tiny you can barely feel it when you inject a tiny amount of medication just under the skin.
The medication is 97% the same as a hormone produced naturally in your own body…it’s just tweaked so that it lasts much longer in the bloodstream, helping you to feel satisfied with less food. It isn’t without side-effects though…it can cause nausea. This is helped by a gradual increase in dose, but, even so, 1 in 5 people can struggle to continue with it.
Those that do may see weight loss of 10% or more in a few months, and, if combined with a programme that helps you make long-term changes to your lifestyle, that weight loss can be greater…and can last far longer than weight-loss achieved through the usual fad diets!
New Medication Coming Soon
But, even better is a new generation of the drug that is already leading to greater weight loss in the USA. In fact, it’s proven so popular that the planned UK launch last January had to be delayed due to low supplies. It’s launching here soon though, and as it only requires a once-a-week injection, it is likely to be cheaper, as well as more effective, than Saxenda.
WANT TO SEE IF YOU MAY BE SUITABLE FOR WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATION?
CLICK HERE
Or feel free to use the Contact Me form below if you want to find out more about your suitability and eligibility for weight loss injections and add your name to the priority list for the new medication.
You can also book an appointment with me to talk about your long-term weight control as there may be lots of different ways to get things back on track.
