You’ve likely tried to lose weight several times without success. It’s time for a new approach. You’ve heard about the latest weight loss drugs. Can they really help you? The answer is yes.
Our board-certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jonathan Shults with Coastal Empire Orthopedics provides a medically supervised weight loss program. Dr. Shults administers semaglutide injections as part of the treatment, but just as importantly, we offer a comprehensive and personalized weight loss plan that includes nutritional and exercise guidance.
There’s a direct connection between those aches and pains in your joints and your weight. Being overweight or obese creates excess stress on your joints.
You’re placing more pressure on your joints than they can bear. Being overweight or obese for a significant period can damage your cartilage, the natural cushion that separates the bones in your joints. The cartilage deteriorates prematurely, leading to pain and inflammation. You may need knee replacements if the cartilage wears away completely and you’re left with bones rubbing against each other.
Your pancreas normally produces a hormone called glucagon, which helps control your blood sugar and plays a role in regulating appetite. Semaglutide is a medication (in scientific language, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist) that acts like glucagon. Doctors have used semaglutide for more than a decade to treat patients with Type 2 diabetes to help control blood sugar. They noticed that patients also lost weight on the drug. That effect has been a game changer in weight loss treatment.
In lay language, what does semaglutide do to help quell hunger? It retards digestion. You don’t empty the contents of your stomach as rapidly as you normally would. You feel full more quickly. Your appetite, finally, is under control. You don’t want to binge anymore. You eat very differently than you have in the past.
Dr. Shults begins with a small dose of semaglutide. The dose is gradually increased, and by week four, you begin to see positive results. It doesn’t take months as it would on some diets. You begin to see the results in weeks.
By week 12 your body looks different. Get ready for the compliments. You have more of the curves you want, instead of unwanted curvature.
Both semaglutide and tirzepatide are in the same class of drugs: glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. A receptor activates cells to transmit signals. An agonist activates a receptor and causes a change in your body’s responses. Semaglutide targets one receptor (GLP-1), while tirzepatide targets two receptors (GLP-1 and GIP).
Semaglutide is better known by its brand names Ozempic®, Rybelsus®, and Wegovy®. Tirzepatide is better known as Mountjaro or Zepbound. Mountjaro is used to treat Type 2 diabetes and Zepbound is used for weight loss.
Are you ready for a healthy, safe, weight loss plan? Call Coastal Empire Orthopedics or book an appointment online today to see if you’re a candidate for this new weight loss approach.
