Semaglutide is an injectable prescription medication used to improve blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. It belongs to a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists.
Semaglutide helps the body produce more insulin when needed and decreases the amount of sugar released by the liver. It also slows digestion to help control blood sugar levels.
Benefits of Semaglutide:
Semaglutide can be used alone or combined with other diabetes medications such as metformin or insulin. When combined with healthy lifestyle changes, it can be an excellent addition to a comprehensive diabetes treatment plan.
Semaglutide may be a good option for patients with type 2 diabetes who:
Talk to your doctor about whether semaglutide could be beneficial for managing your diabetes.
Semaglutide helps improve diabetes control through several mechanisms:
Semaglutide stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin after meals. This additional insulin helps efficiently move sugar from the blood into cells throughout the body.
Glucagon is a hormone that signals the liver to release stored sugar. Higher glucagon levels raise blood sugar. Semaglutide helps suppress excess glucagon secretion after meals to keep blood sugar levels in check.
Semaglutide slows the emptying of food from your stomach and digestion. This helps prevent blood sugar spikes after eating by keeping food energy available in the body for a longer time.
Semaglutide acts on areas of the brain to reduce appetite and calorie intake. The combination of appetite reduction and slower digestion often leads to weight loss. Losing excess weight also directly improves diabetes control.
Through these four methods, semaglutide provides comprehensive blood sugar management and can lower A1c levels by over 1% on average.
Semaglutide is taken once weekly as an injection under the skin using a prefilled, pen-like device.
Treatment starts at a low dose of 0.25 mg weekly. After 4 weeks, your doctor will increase the dosage to 0.5 mg if needed to further improve blood sugar control. The target maintenance dose for most people is 1 mg injected weekly.
Injecting semaglutide is simple and straightforward with the prefilled pen device. Follow these steps for proper injection technique:
Rotation of injection sites each week can help minimize irritation and optimize absorption. Let your healthcare provider know about any injection reactions.
Semaglutide can be injected at any time of day with or without meals. Just be sure to use the same day and time for each weekly injection to stay consistent.
Taking your dose on the same day is also useful for remembering the next scheduled injection. Consistency is essential for maintaining optimal blood sugar control.
Adding semaglutide to your diabetes treatment plan provides a powerful tool for lowering blood sugar and A1c levels. But diet and lifestyle changes are still critical parts of overall diabetes management.
Focus on incorporating more:
Limit intake of:
Portion control at meals and snacks helps regulate calorie intake for weight management.
Aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate activity such as brisk walking, swimming, or household chores. Adding exercise helps increase insulin sensitivity and promote weight loss for better diabetes control.
Also reduce sedentary time by taking short, frequent breaks from extended sitting. Simple home exercises like marching in place, using resistance bands, or doing bodyweight squats and lunges also help improve fitness.
Cigarette smoking worsens insulin resistance and complicates diabetes management. Alcohol intake also disrupts blood sugar balance especially when consumed in excess. Quitting smoking and practicing alcohol moderation support diabetes health.
Semaglutide is structurally similar to a human hormone called GLP-1 that regulates blood sugar. When injected weekly, it mimics the effects of GLP-1 leading to better blood sugar control. However, it was originally developed as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease, before its blood sugar lowering effects were discovered during clinical trials.
You may begin noticing reduced appetite and lower blood glucose levels within the first 2 weeks. However, the full effects on A1c reduction take up to 16 weeks as semaglutide builds up in your system over time.
The most common side effects are temporary GI issues like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. Headache, fatigue, indigestion, dizziness, and stomach pain may also occur. These typically resolve within 4-8 weeks as your body adjusts.
When used alone without other diabetes medications, semaglutide rarely causes blood sugar to drop too low. Symptoms like sweating, rapid heartbeat, blurry vision, confusion and irritability may indicate low blood sugar and should be reported promptly to your healthcare provider.
Most people lose some weight in the first 16 weeks of treatment. Average weight loss is around 5-10 pounds but varies greatly between individuals based on dosage, diet, activity levels, and other factors.
Semaglutide may allow reduction or discontinuation of insulin and other blood sugar lowering treatments in some cases. But do not stop or adjust doses of current medications without first consulting your doctor.
Managing a chronic disease like diabetes can feel overwhelming at times. But resources exist locally to provide education, social support, and access to quality medical care. This section highlights some options available to residents of Homestead focused specifically on diabetes support.
The Homestead Hospital Diabetes Education Program offers group classes led by certified diabetes educators. Both newly diagnosed and established patients can benefit from learning up-to-date information on medications, monitoring, diet planning, exercise programs, foot care, travel tips, and much more. Most major insurance plans cover program fees.
The weekly DSMES Support Group meetings provide a judgement-free space to share personal experiences, ask questions, and learn from others also living with diabetes. Feel empowered by connecting with other community members managing similar day-to-day challenges. In-person, zoom, and hybrid session options available. Email [email protected] for meeting times and virtual access links.
The evidence-based DPP course helps those at risk for type 2 diabetes adopt lifestyle habits proven to reduce disease onset by over 50% in major clinical trials. The year-long program's trained lifestyle coaches guide participants in losing a modest amount of weight through improved nutrition and 150 minutes per week of physical activity. Most insurance companies cover the cost of enrollment. Visit homesteadymca.org for details.
When considering treatment options for any medical condition, selecting the right clinical provider significantly impacts overall patient experience and health outcomes. This section highlights key reasons why Hormone Harmony stands uniquely poised to deliver unparalleled individualized care focused specifically on hormone balance and replacement therapy (HRT).
Each HRT program at Hormone Harmony begins with extensive lab testing to accurately identify current hormone levels and reveal specific deficiency areas in the body. Our clinicians stay continuously updated on the latest peer-reviewed research and emerging treatment protocols to design fully personalized, science-based care plans incorporating the most advanced, proven therapies available.
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Once an appropriate HRT regimen gets designed, patients face no barriers obtaining all prescribed medications and supplies thanks to Hormone Harmony' convenient in-house pharmacy services. Any injectable or oral therapies get filled on-site and shipped securely to your home address automatically each month. No rushing to the pharmacy or coordinating multiple pickups required.
When it comes to optimizing hormone balance through leading-edge testing, evidence-based treatment plans, and barrier-free access to quality care, Hormone Harmony sets the platinum standard for health, vitality and wellness.
