Your weight loss

Question 1

How does a GLP-1 help you lose weight?

Answer

When treatment is appropriate, a GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) medication like semaglutide (Wegovy) can help you lose weight through several clinical pathways:

• Slows down stomach emptying, helping you feel full longer

• Reduces your appetite by acting on brain centers that control hunger

• Helps regulate your blood sugar levels

• Decreases food cravings ("food noise") and overall caloric intake

Question 2

Who is eligible for GLP-1 treatment for weight loss?

Answer

A licensed healthcare provider may prescribe a GLP-1 medication like liraglutide or semaglutide for chronic weight management if you're:

• Obese (have a BMI ≥30kg/m²)

• Overweight (have a BMI ≥27 kg/m²) and have at least one related health issue (like hypertension or obstructive sleep apnea)

But some underlying health issues can rule out GLP-1 treatment. These include:

• Personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer

• History of multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2

• Severe inflammatory bowel disease or gastroparesis

• Pancreatitis

• Active gallbladder disease

• Severe kidney disease (eGFR < 30mL/min on lab work)

If you're not eligible for GLP-1 treatment, you can talk to a healthcare provider about alternative weight loss therapies.

Question 3

What are the other potential health benefits of taking a GLP-1 for weight loss?

Answer

In addition to weight loss, studies have suggested numerous potential health benefits of GLP-1s, including:

• Improved blood sugar control

• Reduced cardiovascular risk

• Better blood pressure management

• Lower LDL cholesterol

• Reduced inflammation

With over 40% of American adults now qualifying as obese, targeted weight loss drugs like GLP-1s are becoming an increasingly important treatment option to lower health risks associated with obesity.

Question 4

What are the common side effects of GLP-1 treatment?

Answer

Common GLP-1 side effects reported by patients include:

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Constipation

• Stomach pain

• Headache

• Fatigue

Most of these gastrointestinal side effects are mild to moderate and often improve over time, after the body has gotten used to a higher (titrated) dose of medication.

People taking GLP-1s should also be monitored for:

• Muscle loss

• Excessive weight loss

• Injection site reactions

Question 5

Does Amazon One Medical take insurance?

Answer

Amazon One Medical accepts health insurance for Scheduled Visits, including In-Person Visits and Scheduled Video Visits, which are billed to your insurance with copays and deductibles applying. Amazon One Medical does not accept health insurance for One Medical membership and On-Demand Care (formerly Pay-per-visit), including Direct Message Care and Video Care.

If you use insurance to pay for your medications, you can do that with medications prescribed through all Amazon One Medical services.

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