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Weight Loss Injections in Atlanta Can Help You Succeed in Losing Excess Weight.
Most people can admit that losing weight isn’t known to be easy. If it were, then nearly two-thirds of Americans wouldn’t be classified as overweight or obese. Carrying extra weight can often mean more than just feeling self-conscious or sluggish; it can contribute to potentially serious health issues, including hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and increased risk of certain types of cancer, among other negative effects.
While a proper, balanced diet and regular exercise will always be the best ways to combat extra weight, there are some medically advanced options available to help make things easier. Weight loss injections in Atlanta with double board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Elizabeth Whitaker, provide a more recent innovation to aid in effective weight loss, and these popular options are now available at Atlanta Face & Body with semaglutide and tirzepatide medications.
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Before & After: Weight Loss Injections
What are semaglutide and tirzepatide?
Semaglutide and tirzepatide are FDA-approved injectable medications that were initially developed to help patients with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels. But it soon became clear that they aided in significant weight loss. Semaglutide is actually the first drug since 2014 that’s been FDA approved to treat chronic weight management in the 70% of American adults who are overweight. Perhaps the most well-known semaglutide product on the market is Ozempic®. Tirzepatide received FDA approval for obesity under the Fast Track designation and is more commonly known by the brand name Mounjaro®.
How do semaglutide and tirzepatide work?
Semaglutide works by mimicking a natural hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which is responsible telling your brain that you’re full and slows the movement of food in your stomach. This makes you feel fuller longer and helps control your appetite. GLP-1 is released in the gastrointestinal tract in response to eating, and one role of the hormone is to prompt the body to produce more insulin to reduce blood sugar levels. Tirzepatide is a dual receptor co-agonist that also activates GLP-1 but goes a step further by targeting a second hormone called GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide). GIP is another incretin hormone that plays an important role in stimulating meal-time insulin secretion.
What is the typical dosage for semaglutide and tirzepatide?
Semaglutide is administered once weekly, preferably on the same day each week at any time of day. Semaglutide starts at 0.25 mg and eventually escalates to the max dose of 2.4 mg. Tirzepatide is also administered subcutaneously once a week, typically with a starting dose of 2.5 mg and escalating to a maximum dose of 10 mg. In most cases, the dosage for both medications will escalate every 4 weeks until the full dose is reached. The dosage should not increase if you are experiencing unmanaged side effects or have lost 3 or more pounds per week. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible within 5 days after your missed dose. We will outline the precise dosage amounts that will work best for you at your weight loss consultation
Who oversees the weight loss program?
The weight loss program through semaglutide or tirzepatide injections at Atlanta Face & Body is a bit different than other med spa environments. Our program is overseen by double board-certified plastic surgeon, Elizabeth Whitaker, M.D., F.A.C.S., who holds a medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina and is fellowship-trained in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery from Tulane University of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. Whitaker has researched semaglutide and tirzepatide injections extensively and is proud to offer this weight loss program to her patients who are struggling with weight management.
How much weight can I lose with semaglutide?
People who received semaglutide injections during clinical trials achieved a 5.9% weight loss percentage at 3 months and 10.9% at 6 months.* After 6 months, there were reports of individuals with higher BMIs (body mass index) losing 20-30% of their body weight. Clinical studies on tirzepatide have shown that approximately 75% of trial participants lost up to 16% of their body weight. It’s important to note, however, that these participants took tirzepatide to manage their diabetes rather than exclusively for weight loss. The best results from treatment with both medications have been observed when they used in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular exercise.
*Findings published in a journal article by the National Library of Medicine in September 2022. Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9486455/
What’s the difference between semaglutide and tirzepatide?
Studies suggest that tirzepatide may lead to more weight loss than semaglutide, but there are some limitations to these findings. Clinical studies on both medications did not use comparable doses. Researchers studying semaglutide used 1 mg doses, while researchers for tirzepatide used a dose of 2.4 mg. Different dosage sizes can lead to significantly different effects. Therefore, increasing the semaglutide dose may have increased weight loss results in the study. Additionally, tirzepatide did not receive traditional FDA approval for weight loss, while semaglutide went through the normal FDA approval process. The choice between semaglutide and tirzepatide may ultimately depend on the patient’s response and personal preference.
What happens when I stop taking weight loss injections?
While semaglutide and tirzepatide have been approved for long-term use, they’re not meant to be a solution for weight loss on their own. In order to maintain your weight loss after treatment is complete, you’ll need to continue making healthy lifestyle choices such as consistently choosing a well-balanced diet, regular exercise, and managing stress. Maintaining these healthy habits should prevent you from gaining weight back after you’ve discontinued the injections.
Are there any side effects with weight loss injections?
Any weight loss injection comes with the potential for side effects. Upon comparison, the potential side effects of semaglutide and tirzepatide are generally similar. These side effects can range from mild to severe, with the most common of which including nausea, low appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, indigestion, constipation, and stomach pain. More serious side effects, though rare, may include:
- Allergic reactions
- Hypoglycemia
- Changes in vision
- Pancreatitis
- Kidney failure
- Gallbladder issues
We’ll go over everything you can expect at your weight loss evaluation and help you determine if semaglutide or tirzepatide are the best options to help you meet your weight loss goals.
What’s my next step to weight loss injections in Atlanta with semaglutide or tirzepatide?
Semaglutide or tirzepatide injections in Atlanta may offer a solution to effective weight loss that you’ve been searching for.
Schedule your private consultation today by calling us at (678) 888-3223 or clicking here to book online. We’ll go over all the details of these medications that are seemingly taking the world by storm and help you determine if one of them is right for you.
