WISCONSIN (CBS 58) — Celebrity secret weight loss pills are growing in popularity and are now causing shortages in groups who need them for medical purposes.
The FDA originally approved semaglutide for people with diabetes because it regulates blood sugar levels. But its side benefit is weight loss, which makes it harder to find medicine now that the cat is out of the bag.
From TikTok to Facebook, semaglutide is everywhere. This is a generic of Wegovy and Ozempic. Weight loss clinics are looking at results.
“These patients lost up to 14% of their body weight with just one injection per week, without changing their diet or really changing their lifestyle,” said Illume Cosmetic Surgery & Waukesha’s MedSpa.
Piccord, at her heaviest at 310 pounds, is on her own weight loss journey. At the time, she didn’t have semaglutide, but today she considers semaglutide to be a better option.
“I think it motivates people because you can see the results. I also think that when you start dieting and you start exercising, it helps with hunger cues because it’s right in front of your brain,” Piccord said. rice field.
Ozempic and Wegovy are currently very popular and nearly impossible to find. Picord says generics are more readily available. At her clinic, a 12-week supply costs her $1,800.
“They’re all the same drug. It’s Tylenol and acetaminophen. One is the trade name and the other is the generic name, the same as semaglutide. It’s the generic name for Ozempic and Wegoby,” Piccord said. .
But the shortage is unsettling diabetics who have turned to drugs. There are.”
Picord says diabetics should not take Ozempic and Wegobee for weight loss. Patients with kidney disease and certain types of cancer should also be excluded.
Side effects include “diarrhoea, dehydration, constipation, vomiting… what you see in the clinic, it’s very minimal,” says Picord.
Waukesha’s Illume Cosmetic Surgery & Medspa sees minimal side effects for patients with the addition of vitamin B12, which is found in common forms of weight loss medications.