Semaglutide is an injectable medication originally approved for treating type 2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels. More recently, semaglutide has been approved for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related condition.
Semaglutide works by mimicking the effects of a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). This hormone helps regulate blood sugar levels and appetite. By acting like GLP-1, semaglutide curbs appetite and makes you feel fuller faster so you eat less. It also slows digestion to prevent blood sugar spikes after meals.
There are several ways that semaglutide helps with weight loss:
Together, these effects create a significant calorie deficit leading to weight loss over time. Studies have shown people lose on average 12-15% of their body weight on semaglutide.
Losing excess body weight, especially abdominal fat, can provide many health advantages:
So semaglutide offers both cosmetic weight loss and meaningful medical benefits for overall health.
Here at Hormone Harmony Clinic in Bradenton, we offer a medically supervised weight loss program utilizing semaglutide. Our board-certified hormone specialists customize treatment plans to help patients achieve their target weight safely and effectively.
What sets Hormone Harmony Clinic apart is our high level of care and attention to each individual’s needs:
We also carry both name brand Wegovy along with compounded semaglutide solutions. Compounding allows us to offer more dosing flexibility at more affordable prices for patients. This ensures treatment is accessible for more people.
Our multi-part program includes:
Medical history review & lab testing
We screen patients to ensure semaglutide is appropriate and check hormone, nutrient, and metabolic markers to uncover any deficiencies or imbalances hindering weight loss. This allows us to provide nutritional support and correct these issues for optimal treatment response.
Semaglutide prescription & injections
We provide hands-on training for mixing and injecting semaglutide under the skin once weekly. Most patients enjoy the convenience of self-administering shots at home. We utilize an incremental dosing schedule to improve tolerance of side effects.
Regular progress evaluations
Patients follow up with us every 4-8 weeks to assess weight loss, body measurements, side effect management, metabolic markers, and see if any program adjustments are needed. This ensures patients remain on track meeting their goals.
Lifestyle modification guidance
We offer evidence-based recommendations for improving diet, activity levels, sleep, and stress management based on each patient’s lifestyle and preferences. Small sustainable changes are most effective for supporting weight loss.
Semaglutide may be an option for adults struggling with excess weight, especially abdominal fat, who have:
Semaglutide often succeeds when other weight loss attempts have not worked. Patients must be motivated and ready to improve nutrition and physical activity habits.
Key factors: - Healthy enough for weight loss medication - No history of pancreatitis or severe GI disorders - Not pregnant or breastfeeding
In clinical studies, most people using semaglutide lost 10-15% of their starting weight along with reductions in risk factors like waist circumference, blood pressure, blood sugar, triglycerides, and inflammation.
However, results vary by individual – some lose 20% or more of their weight, others less. The amount and pace of weight loss depends on factors like:
The more effort invested into building healthy nutrition and movement patterns, the greater and more lasting the weight loss rewards. Our program equips patients with the tools and support for success.
Semaglutide treatment follows a regimented schedule for incremental dosing, shot administration, and follow up. Here is what new patients can expect when embarking on semaglutide therapy:
First appointment – consultation & initial script
Weekly injection protocol
One month follow-up
Second month forward
Semaglutide was originally discovered in the saliva of a venomous species of gila monster lizard. While highly toxic to prey of the gila monster, researchers found the compound could be used to increase insulin production and improve blood sugar control in diabetes patients when synthetically manufactured.
Like most medications, semaglutide may cause some temporary side effects, especially when first starting. However, these usually resolve within days to weeks with minimal impact.
Common Temporary Side Effects
Management Tips
Rare Side Effects
On occasion, semaglutide can cause:
We screen for risk factors ahead of time and monitor labs regularly to detect any problems early. Stopping the medication generally resolves symptoms.
Overall, semaglutide has an excellent safety record. The most common bothersome side effect is temporary GI distress, which improves for most patients over time.
Bradenton’s Subtropical Climate
The warmer climate of Bradenton makes it easier to stay active and energized for optimal semaglutide results. Cooler northern locations often struggle exercising outdoors several months per year. Bradenton’s average year-round temps of 70-90°F ensures residents can walk, run, bike, swim, golf, boat, and engage in endless outdoor activities all year maximizing fat burning potential.
Sunshine Boosts Mental Health
Bradenton averages 111 sunny days annually. Research confirms sunshine exposure naturally elevates mood and motivation ideal for building healthy lifestyle habits essential for weight loss. It also helps the body produce adequate vitamin D critical for metabolic and hormone health.
Relaxation & Rejuvenation
Stress negatively impacts weight loss efforts and hormones. Bradenton offers a peaceful setting to decompress critical for program adherence. From serene beaches and lush parks to engaging museums and attractions, there are endless options to reduce anxiety during treatment. Taking time to relax and restore mental health is vital for shedding excess weight long-term.
Local Weight Loss Resources
Bradenton offers exceptional fitness centers, walking trails, swimming pools, and recreational facilities facilitating daily movement for calorie burning. Farmers markets, specialty grocers, and fine dining provide access to fresh, nutritious cuisine. Nearby labs offer convenient hormone testing to assess treatment efficacy. Leveraging these resources helps patients fully actualize results.
While semaglutide assists by curbing appetite and enhancing satiety from meals, patients must also make lasting improvements to eating patterns, activity levels, sleep, and stress to fully optimize treatment response. We offer personalized guidance to institute sustainable healthy lifestyle upgrades for weight management including:
- Perform 150-300 min/week moderate activity
- Mix aerobic (walking, swimming, cycling) & strength training
- Increase daily movement with 10,000 steps per day
- Sit less watching TV; take movement breaks hourly
- Identify enjoyable forms of movement you can sustain long-term
- Prioritize 7-9 hours sleep nightly - Manage emotional eating triggers and stress - Consider counseling or support groups - Practice mindfulness, meditation, yoga, or prayer - Connect socially while avoiding food-centric activities
Want to learn more lifestyle upgrade suggestions? Check out our Eat Right, Get Fit, Lose Weight 6-week online workshop offered monthly.
Results vary but many lose 10-15% of starting weight over 3-6 months. With continued use and healthy lifestyles changes, studies show average loss around 20%. However, some patients lose much more.
Most notice reduced hunger and food cravings within a few weeks. However, scale weight takes longer to budge depending on baseline weight, diet, exercise, medical issues, and genetics influencing metabolism. Have patience and focus on building healthy habits.
No medication alone causes substantial weight loss. Semaglutide powerfully suppresses appetite allowing you to eat less calories than your body burns daily to tap into fat stores. But eating nutrient-dense foods in proper portions and increasing movement remains essential.
Like most weight loss interventions, maintenance requires continued effort. Without medication curbing appetite or ongoing lifestyle management, weight regain commonly occurs, especially if returning to old unhealthy eating patterns. We offer support transitioning to a sustainable plan for keeping weight off long-term.
Yes, our pharmacy offers cost-effective compounded semaglutide solutions allowing access at lower out-of-pocket costs for uninsured patients compared to name brand Wegovy. Financing options are also available. Let us know your needs.
Here at Hormone Harmony Clinic in Bradenton, we specialize in helping patients with hormonal disorders, metabolic dysfunction, fatigue, and weight management. With semaglutide, we now have an incredibly effective tool for targeting stubborn fat and boosting energy.
However, expert medical guidance tailoring therapy to your unique physiology while also instituting sustainable nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle upgrades is requisite for safety and efficacy. Our compassionate providers and staff leverage the latest scientific advances translated into practical plans meeting patients where they are at on their health journey.
We invite you to join the thousands who have successfully transformed their health with help from Hormone Harmony Clinic. Call today to schedule your consultation and get started shedding unwanted pounds to feel your best.
