Wegovy®

Wegovy is a weight loss drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June 2020 and is available by prescription only in the U.S. . Wegovy contains the active ingredient Semaglutide, an analog of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which helps regulate food intake and energy expenditure to promote weight loss. Wegovy can be used as add-on therapy for obese or overweight adult patients who have at least one health condition associated with being overweight, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or dyslipidemia (high cholesterol).

The active ingredient in Wegovy is Semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist that works by increasing satiety and decreasing the brain’s hunger signals. This helps reduce calorie intake and promotes weight loss by stimulating thermogenesis – the process of burning calories to generate heat – in the body’s adipose tissue (fat cells). Semaglutide also increases insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes when taken with other medications for this condition.

Wegovy has not yet been launched on the Dutch market. The pharmacist Novo Nordisk has plans to launch its services in several European countries, including the Netherlands, in the future. However, no exact date has yet been announced for when Wegovy will come to the Netherlands. Until then you can use the medicine Saxenda from the same pharmaceutical company.

When Wegovy appears on the Dutch market, it will be available as part of our treatment Medical lose weight with injections and available in the clinics in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, Haarlem, Den Bosch and Duiven (Arnhem).

There is still little to say about the price of Wegovy in the Netherlands, because the product is not yet available on the Dutch market. The price of Wegovy in the United States is typically between $600 and $800 per month with no insurance coverage applied ($7200 – $9600 per year).

Wegovy is only intended for use in adults aged 18 years or older who are obese or overweight plus at least one associated chronic health condition such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension/dyslipidaemia/or both conditions together.

The safety profile has not been established in pregnant women nor in women under the age of 18, so caution should be exercised when prescribing this drug outside of its intended population.

In addition, individuals suffering from kidney disease should not take wegovy due to its possible effects on kidney function.

Finally, anyone taking antidiabetic medicines, including insulin, should consult their supervising physician before starting Wegovy, as there could be potential interactions between these drugs.

Like its predecessor Saxenda, Wegovy must be prescribed by a doctor and dispensed through a pharmacy; Wegovy cannot be bought without a prescription.

Patients interested in taking Wegovy should talk to their doctor about whether this drug may be right for them based on their individual medical history and current health status. In some cases, doctors may refer patients to specialists who specialize in the treatment of obesity if they feel that additional support would help maximize the results of taking this drug.

When Wegovy is injected once a day, along with other lifestyle changes such as exercise and healthy eating habits, the active ingredient Semaglutide binds to receptors located in different parts of our body known as Glucagon Like Peptides Receptors (GLPR).

By doing so, it activates multiple metabolic pathways, resulting in decreased appetite, causing us to consume fewer calories than usual, which then leads us to achieving our desired goal: Weight Loss!

In addition, studies have shown that compared to other similar treatments available today, Wegovy appears to be more effective, especially in individuals suffering from type II diabetes mellitus.

Wegovy contains semaglutide – a GLP-1 analogue – as the main active ingredient. This drug acts on specific receptors located throughout our body known as Glucagon Like Peptides Receptors (GLPR). As mentioned earlier, by binding to these receptors, the Semaglutdie activates multiple metabolic pathways that ultimately result in decreased appetite, allowing us to achieve our desired goal: Weight loss.

Wegovy is approved by the FDA and the Department of Health.

• The same pharmaceutical company
  Wegovy and Saxenda are products of the same pharmaceutical company: Novo Nordisk.
• Active substance
  Wegovy contains the active ingredient Semaglutide and Saxenda contains Liraglutide.
• Inject
  An important difference is that Wegovy has to be injected once a week and Saxenda has to be injected daily.
• Effectiveness
  Where Saxenda already showed groundbreaking results in a weight loss of no less than 5% during her trail period, Wegovy takes it a step further with a 15% weight reduction.
• FDA approved
  Both drugs are FDA-approved specifically for obese individuals.
• Side effects
  Finally, both drugs show different side effect profiles, although none seem severe enough to require discontinuation.

The most common side effects of Wegovy are

• headache,
• fatigue,
• nausea,
• diarrhea
• and upset stomach.

Other possible side effects may include dizziness, sleep disturbances, anxiety, or depression, among others.

Rare side effects sometimes associated with taking Wegovy include allergic reactions such as skin rashes or hives. However, if you experience serious side effects while taking Wegovy, contact your doctor for medical advice as soon as possible.

A full list of side effects can be found in the information leaflet inside the pack of your Wegovy pen.

• Wegovy is given as an injection under the skin (subcutaneous injection). Do not inject into a vein or muscle.
• The best places to inject are
  •  at the front of your thighs,
  • the front of your waist (abdomen)
  • or your upper arm.
• Before you use the pen for the first time, your doctor or nurse will show you how to use the pen.