Examine the pros and cons of medications used to treat obesity.
Have you tried diet and exercise but couldn’t lose enough weight?
If you answered yes to these questions, a prescription weight loss drug could be an option for you.
Prescription drugs are drugs that are prescribed for you by a healthcare provider.
You cannot buy them off the shelf at a pharmacy like you can buy medicines without a prescription.
Just know that you need to use prescription weight loss medications in addition to, not in place of, a healthy diet and exercise.
Who can take weight loss medication?
Your doctor may suggest weight loss medication in some cases.
This also applies if you have not been able to lose weight through diet and exercise and your body mass index (BMI) is over 30 obesity. BMI is greater than 27.
You also have a serious medical problem related to obesity, such as B. diabetes or high blood pressure.
Before choosing a medication for you, your healthcare provider will think about your medical history and your problems.
Your provider will then talk to you about the pros and cons of prescription weight loss medications.
These drugs are not for everyone.
For example, you should not take prescription weight loss medications if you are trying to conceive, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
How well do weight loss medications work?
Prescription weight loss medication that you can take for more than 12 weeks, known as long-term use, results in significant weight loss compared to inactive, no-drug treatment, known as placebo.
Weight combination – Weight loss drugs and lifestyle changes result in greater weight loss than lifestyle changes alone.
Taking these drugs for a year can result in an overall body weight loss of 3% to 12% more than what is lost through lifestyle changes alone.
That may not sound like much. But losing 5 to 10% of your total weight and maintaining it can have significant health benefits.
For example, it can lower blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and levels of triglycerides in the blood.
What you should know about weight loss drugs
Mild aspect effects, similar to nausea, constipation, and diarrhea, are common. they’ll reduce over time. Rarely, serious side effects will happen.
That’s why it’s necessary to raise your healthcare supplier regarding all treatment choices. And ask about the attainable advantages and risks of every drug.
Weight-loss medicine may be valuable and aren’t forever purchased by insurance. raise your nondepository financial institution about your coverage. many folks gain back a number of the burden they lost after they stop taking weight-loss drugs. however active healthy fashion habits may facilitate limit weight gain.
How long should I take a weight loss drug?
How long you’re taking a weight-loss drug depends on whether or not the drug helps you lose weight. If you’ve lost enough weight to boost your health and you haven’t had serious facet effects, your healthcare supplier may recommend that you just take the drug long-term.
If you haven’t lost a minimum of 5% of your weight when taking the total dose of a drug for three to six months, your healthcare provider can in all probability amend your treatment. they’ll switch you to a distinct weight-loss drug.
What medicine are approved for weight loss?
Six weight-loss medicine are approved by the U.S. Food ANd Drug Administration (FDA) for long-run use:
- Bupropion-naltrexone (Contrave)
- Liraglutide (Saxenda)
- Orlistat (Xenical, Alli)
- Phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia)
- Semaglutide (Wegovy)
- Setmelanotide (Imcivree)
Most prescription weight-loss drugs work by creating you are feeling less hungry or fuller. Some do both. The exception is orlistat. It affects the manner your body absorbs fat.
Bupropion-naltrexone Bupropion-naltrexone may be a combination drug. the narcotic antagonist is employed to treat alcohol and opioid addiction.
Bupropion is a drug to treat depression, known as an antidepressant, and a drug to help folks stop smoking, known as a quit-smoking aid.
Like all antidepressants, bupropion carries a warning concerning suicide risk. Bupropion-naltrexone will raise the pressure level.
therefore your supplier can have be compelled to check your blood pressure frequently at the beginning of treatment.
Common facet effects embrace nausea, headache, and constipation.
Liraglutide
Liraglutide is also accustomed manage diabetes. It’s given as a daily shot.
Nausea may be a common complaint. unconditioned reflex may limit its use.
Orlistat
you furthermore may get orlistat in a very reduced-strength kind while not a prescription (Alli).
Orlistat can cause side effects such as passing gas ANd having loose stools. you wish to follow a diet once taking this medicine. In rare cases, folks have had a serious liver injury with orlistat.
however, researchers haven’t found that the drug causes liver injuries.
Phentermine-topiramate
Phentermine-topiramate may be a combination of a weight-loss drug known as phentermine and a medicine called topiramate.
Phentermine has the potential to be put upon as a result of it acts as sort of a stimulant called an amphetamine. different attainable facet effects embrace a rise in rate and blood pressure, insomnia, constipation, and nervousness.
Topiramate will increase the danger of birth defects. Phentermine by itself (Adipex-P, Lomaira) is also used for weight loss. It’ is one among four similar weight-loss medicine approved to be used for fewer than twelve weeks, known as short use.
the opposite drugs during this cluster aren’t usually prescribed.
Semaglutide
Semaglutide also is accustomed to facilitating the management of sort 2 diabetes. you’re taking it as a weekly shot to manage obesity.
It will cause facet effects such as:
Nausea and unconditioned reflex looseness of the bowels Belly pain Headache temporary state Setmelanotide The FDA have approved setmelanotide solely for folks aged half-dozen and older who have fleshiness thanks to one among these rare transmitted conditions:
Pro-opiomelanocortin deficiency
Proprotein subtilisin-Kexin sort one deficiency Leptin receptor deficiency to require the drug, you’ll have to be compelled to have check results that show you have got one of these conditions.
Setmelanotide doesn’t treat any of the sequence issues that cause these conditions.
however, it will assist you to lose weight. It can reduce your craving and cause you to feel fuller.
And it’s going to help you burn calories while your body is at rest. you’re taking setmelanotide as a daily shot. It will cause facet effects such as:
- Swollen or irritated skin wherever the needle went in
- Patches of darker skin
- Nausea
- looseness of the bowels
- Belly pain
- Unwanted sexual reactions
- Depression self-destructive
thoughts ne’er provide setmelanotide to a toddler underneath half-dozen years old.
It can cause newborns and babies to own dangerous reactions.
CONCLUSION:
Weight-loss medicine isn’t a simple answer to weight loss. however, they’ll assist you to create the approach to life changes that you just have to be compelled to apply to slim and improve your health.
