At Aria Integrative Health, we’ve seen for ourselves just how rewarding the weight loss process can be, having the potential to change people’s lives for the better. But that doesn’t mean the process is easy. For some, working out and forming better dietary habits won’t be enough to hit their goal weight.
Sometimes, what people need to eliminate their cravings and finally see the results they’ve been looking for is some additional support.
For these patients, we may recommend semaglutide. This weight loss injectable has been the key that unlocks significant weight loss for many people who have struggled for years. But if you’re unfamiliar with semaglutide, you may feel a little skeptical.
Let’s go over the process and the science behind our preferred weight loss injectable, so you can understand the benefits of semaglutide in Lakewood, CO.
An Innovative Injectable
Semaglutide is a weight loss injectable that has helped countless people all over the world meet their weight loss goals.
A simple injection that helps people lose weight may sound too good to be true, but thorough clinical research speaks volumes about its effectiveness.
One study found that patients using semaglutide dropped 15% of their body weight on average, meaning that a 200-pound man could lose 30 pounds!
But how does this injectable provide results? How can semaglutide help patients struggling with weight loss experience such pronounced weight loss?
The Science of Semaglutide
Semaglutide works by taking advantage of the body’s natural digestive processes. When we inject the body with semaglutide, it mimics the GLP-1 hormone.
The GLP-1 hormone communicates to your body that you’ve had enough to eat after you’ve finished a meal. It also triggers insulin production in your pancreas, which signals your cells to open and accept glucose from your blood, likewise lowering your blood sugar.
As a GLP-1 agonist, semaglutide replicates the effects of the natural hormone, reducing the sensation of hunger, minimizing cravings, and keeping blood sugar levels more stable. This helps you cut down on snacking and maintain a calorie deficit, leading your body to burn stored fat to fuel your daily activities.
Consistent Injections for Consistent Results
Consistency is key when using semaglutide in Lakewood, CO. If you want to continue losing weight throughout the entirety of your treatment plan, you should make sure to administer an injection once every week.
Administering the medication as instructed by your provider is the best way to achieve your desired results. No one is perfect, however, so what happens if you miss an injection? If you’re only about a day late, you should be fine to perform the injection like normal as soon as possible.
But if you’re closer to your next scheduled injection by the time you realize you’ve missed your dose, we recommend forgoing it entirely and just performing the next injection as planned.
The Most Convenient Injection Process
Another advantage of receiving semaglutide in Lakewood, CO, is that you don’t need to come into our clinic to get your weekly dose.
In fact, we’ll explain how you can perform the semaglutide injections yourself. We know our patients are busy people, and they don’t always have the time in their schedules for a weekly clinic appointment.
But that doesn’t mean they should miss out on real weight loss results. Most of our patients have never administered an injection for themselves, so if that includes you, there’s no need to worry. We’ll instruct you on how to perform your weight loss injections safely and effectively, and we’re always here to provide support and answers should you have any concerns along the way.
Who Shouldn’t Receive Semaglutide?
Though semaglutide is an effective weight loss treatment for many of our patients, it isn’t the right choice for everyone. We want to make sure you leave our clinic healthier than you entered, so we need to take some precautions.
We’ll get to know you during the consultation process, but as a rule of thumb, we don’t recommend semaglutide injections to any patients who have suffered from conditions like:
- Medullary thyroid cancer
- Gallbladder disease
- Pancreatitis
If you have a history with any of the above conditions, semaglutide is not right for you. Ask your provider if you’re unsure about your eligibility for semaglutide in Lakewood, CO.
The Consultation Process
The consultation is the first step in receiving your semaglutide injections. This is an in-person meeting between you and a member of our team. Here, we’ll discuss a number of details to better understand the specifics behind your goals and how we can help you achieve them.
We’ll complete a physical exam and ask you a few questions about your weight loss goals and your medical history.
You’ll also have the opportunity to ask a few questions of your own, so be sure to raise any concerns or uncertainties you may have about the process. If we find that you’re eligible for semaglutide and could benefit from weight loss injections, then we’ll start outlining your treatment plan.
The Duration of Your Semaglutide Treatment
Every patient has a unique starting point and end goal, so the length of your semaglutide treatment will vary, but one thing is true for the vast majority of patients: semaglutide is a long-term process.
While it would be nice to snap your fingers and have your unwanted weight disappear, significant weight loss doesn’t happen overnight. Traditionally, patients take semaglutide for anywhere from 12 to 24 months, but this isn’t true for everyone. If you hit your goal weight before 24 months, be sure to talk to your provider, and we can end your treatment.
Or, if you want to continue your treatment with semaglutide in Lakewood, CO, you can. Just be sure to talk with your providers about your progress, so we can make any necessary adjustments to your treatment plan.
The Specifics of Your Semaglutide Dosage
Your semaglutide dosage will change based on some factors, like your goals and your starting weight. But the amount of semaglutide you receive will likely fluctuate throughout the length of your treatment at Aria Integrative Health. This is intentional, as we seek to both maximize your results and minimize the risk of unwanted side effects.
Your body will take time to adjust to the medication. During your treatment, we’ll have you come in for check-in appointments, so we can monitor the effects of your semaglutide injections.
If, for any reason, we think a dosage adjustment can help boost your results, we’ll make that change as soon as possible.
Side Effects of Semaglutide
You may experience some side effects during your treatment with semaglutide in Lakewood, CO, such as diarrhea or constipation. These will likely not require any sort of medical intervention, and they are expected to resolve as your body adjusts to the semaglutide. However, we do recommend reaching out to your provider if you experience any symptoms like:
- Heartburn
- Anxiety
- Nausea
- Persistent fever
- Blurred vision
- Chills
- Tightness in the chest
These aren’t the only symptoms that may stem from semaglutide injections, so if you have any concerns after beginning your treatment, inform your provider. We can modify your dosage to minimize side effects while still maintaining the treatment’s effectiveness.
Other Weight Loss Options at Aria
While semaglutide can help patients lose weight, we have other options available for medical weight loss at Aria. When you come in for your consultation, we’ll decide on your best option for treatment. Even if we determine that semaglutide won’t provide the results you need, we can help you build a fitness or nutrition plan.
Losing weight through all-natural means can be confusing. It’s difficult to understand which foods are best for your goals, and how often you may need to exercise to see healthy results. We’ll develop our recommendations with you in mind, building nutrition and fitness plans to meet the needs of your body and your lifestyle while establishing healthy habits to carry you forward to success.
The Benefits of Losing Weight
Many of our patients come to us for weight loss assistance because they want to look their best.
And while there’s nothing wrong with dropping some weight to look better in a swimsuit, there are many health benefits to losing weight, too. Let’s go over a couple now!
Reduces the Risk of Cancer
Did you know weight loss can actually decrease your risk of cancer? Some experts theorize that when fat deposits form around sensitive organs, the chance of cancer development increases. So when you lose weight, you may have a smaller chance of developing cancer in areas like the kidney or the liver.
Reduces Sleep Apnea
Losing weight with semaglutide in Lakewood, CO, can also decrease the severity of sleep apnea, particularly in those who have excess fat around the neck that contributes to the condition. By sleeping better, you’ll have more energy to make the most of your day, contributing to a greater overall well-being!
Decreases Joint Pain
Extra weight also causes stress on your joints. So if everyday movement is painful or irritating, weight loss can give your joints a break, increase your mobility, and lower the risk of developing conditions like osteoarthritis.
Sign Up for Semaglutide Today
You deserve to feel comfortable and confident in your body. If you want to experience weight loss results you’ve never experienced before, consider a semaglutide treatment with our team. Reach out to us to schedule your in-person consultation today.
