Ozempic Perth
Understanding Ozempic and other weight loss medications
There is so much discussion of the new weight loss medications such as Ozempic, Weygovy and Mounjaro right now. It is a hot topic. Many overweight patients are trying these medications. You may know people who are taking them.
Here at Advance Surgical we think that’s a good thing. These are powerful medications. They can reduce a patients weight by up to 15% in trials.
Availability Ozempic Perth
Where do the new weight loss medications fit in with Bariatric Surgery ?
When Ozempic first came out in Australia, it was indicated for treatment of diabetes. It was however, prescribed by many doctors for overweight patients without diabetes. It literally disappeared off the pharmacy shelves, but is back now in reasonable supply.
The same drug company (Novo Nordisk) has since released Weygovy in Australia, which is indicated for overweight patients. They are both exactly the same medication (Semaglutide, a GLP1 agonist) but the Weygovy dose is higher and the cost is higher.
Ozempic works by reducing appetite and is relatively effective. Some patients will lose 15% of the weight. Very overweight patients will usually not lose enough weight to reduce all their risk factors.
We know that most patients will get fairly rapid weight regain when they stop the injections so they will probably need to take them lifelong. Ultimately it would be very expensive. Weygovy is roughly $400 a month - $4800 a year.
There are also concerns about muscle loss on the injections. Side effects such as nausea, constipation, gallstones and pancreatitis can limit use. Mental health side effects have also been reported.
But, many patients do very well on these medications without side effects and have great weight loss and it saves them from having an operation.
Ozempic or weight loss surgery
Can I combine weight loss surgery with Ozempic?
At Advance Surgical we see these medications as a useful complimentary treatment to surgery. We actually prescribe these medications quite routinely.
For very high BMI patients (50+) it can be a good idea to be on Ozempic for a month or two preoperatively (before weight loss surgery) to lose weight and make the surgery slightly easier.
Sometimes we have to wait a few months for private insurance to be active or many patients are using their superannuation to cover costs of surgery (may take 4-6 weeks for the application process). A course of Ozempic during this time might allow a patient to lose 5-10 kgs prior to bariatric surgery.
Most patients will lose weight up to a year after a sleeve gastrectomy and probably 18 months after a gastric bypass. Sometimes we can see that a patient is a bit behind their expected weight loss at 6 months post operation - we might then use Ozempic for 6 months or so to speed up weight loss.
Weight loss medication Perth
Ozempic after weight regain
We do sometimes, see patients battling weight regain as the years go by after gastric sleeve or bypass and we might have a conversation about starting Ozempic to get things back “on track”.
If you are considering bariatric surgery and you have a lower BMI (under 35) it might be worth having a discussion with your GP about starting the medications.
For higher BMI patients (35 +) the weight loss might not be enough and surgery will probably be a more reliable and durable tool but you have to feel comfortable about having an operation.
This last year, I estimate that at least 30 % of the patients we see for a surgical consultation have already tried Ozempic, Saxenda or Mounjaro. It may have worked for a while, stopped working or perhaps they had side effects. Either way, my feeling is that at least that patient gave it a trial before looking at an operation and they have exhausted that avenue.
In summary, these medications are a powerful tool. It is not a simple matter of having just an operation OR having just the injections, but the two can be used in combination to get even better results. Many studies are showing high BMI patients will have better weight loss and resolution of diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnoea with surgery PLUS medications.
At Advance Surgical we are happy to combine the two treatments as necessary. We are also happy for you to try the medications first with your GP and see how you go.
If you have any questions about this article please feel free to come and have a chat with me to discuss options – contact us at any time.
