Semaglutide – Patients

Proper weight management has many health benefits and should always be done properly. Weight loss comes down to solving an equation. Calories burned need to be more than calories consumed. Proper diet and exercise are the best way to maintain both a healthy weight but also provide overall physical benefits. A good support system is also a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle. For some people, despite their best efforts, they are unable to achieve target weight goals on their own. For some people, medication may be helpful.

Many people are looking to lose weight or struggle with chronic weight management and have turned to Semaglutide in the past to assist them. In many cases now, it is no longer covered for weight loss by their insurance company.

Semaglutide Uses

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 agonist that has been used in helping patients with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar for many years. It is marketed by Novo Nordisk as an injection as the drug Ozempic® and as an oral tablet as Rybelsus®. The FDA recently approved another use for semaglutide, allowing it to help patients battling chronic weight management. This is the same injectable drug but marketed by Novo Nordisk as Wegovy®, but quite often these medications are not covered by insurance. Here at The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy, we have the ability to compound a liquid sublingual (under the tongue) form of the drug. Our semaglutide sublingual suspension contains the same active ingredient as the injectable dosage forms, but compounded with different formulation to take by mouth under the tongue, and at a fraction of the cost of the injectable semaglutide.

 

The Dosages and Delivery Method

The medication is dispensed in a 30ml bottle with a calibrated 1ml syringe. It should be stored at room temperature and shaken before use. If you are taking Sublingual Semaglutide for the first time, you will be instructed to begin with a titration as directed by your provider. This means that you will start with a smaller dose and increase gradually as tolerated. Titrating this medication helps to reduce gastrointestinal side effects and nausea. Do not use higher doses than stated on your prescription label. It does not matter what time of day you administer the medication, although you must try to hold it for 5 minutes or more under your tongue (never less than 90 seconds!) and NOT EAT FOR 30 MINUTES afterward. View or download our Patient Dosing Guide Here.

 

Possible Side Effects

The most common side effects include gastrointestinal related symptoms such as abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. These side effects may be more common after starting therapy and after a dose increase. Extreme sensitivity reactions such as rash, trouble breathing, swelling of the mouth, face, or throat should be reported to your prescriber immediately. Low blood sugar can occur and is marked by signs of dizziness, headache, feeling sleepy or weak, shaking, fast heartbeat, confusion, hunger, change in eyesight, or sweating. Discontinuing the use of the medication may be necessary should these reactions occur. Always consult your prescriber or pharmacist before stopping any medication.

 

How To Get Semaglutide

All compounded medications are available by prescription only from your physician, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant. We have created an ordering guide for them here. You may print and take this form to your appointment to discuss if this medication is appropriate for you.