Semaglutide online prescription

Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. It mimics natural GLP-1.

GLP-1 is a hormone made by the intestines when people eat. It drives insulin secretion and restrains glucagon secretion. (Glucagon is a hormone made in the pancreas to help regulate blood sugar.) GLP-1 also inhibits movement in the gastrointestinal tract, which helps curb appetite and eating.

By mimicking GLP-1, semaglutide helps regulate appetite and control blood sugar levels throughout the day. Put simply, a medication that includes semaglutide combined with eating a reduced-calorie diet and doing more physical activity offers improved blood sugar control and makes you feel more full, so you eat less and lose weight.

Participants in a clinical trial for Wegovy (semaglutide) used at the highest maintenance dose for Wegovy lost up to 14.9% of their body weight in 68 weeks.

Wegovy (semaglutide) or compounded semaglutide are weight-loss injections you take once a week. You inject yourself at home under the skin, usually in your belly, upper thigh, or back of your arm. 

If you’re using Wegovy for weight loss or Ozempic for type 2 diabetes, each dose comes in prefilled single-use injection pens. If you’re using compounded semaglutide, it comes in a vial and you use a separate needle and syringe to draw up your weekly dose. 

Wegovy includes .25-, .50-, 1.0-, 1.7-, and 2.4-milligram doses. You start at the smallest dose and increase your doses to the next highest every 4 weeks until you reach a maintenance dose. Most people use a maintenance dose of 1.7 or 2.4 milligrams a week. 

If you’re using Ozempic for type 2 diabetes, it comes in .25, .50, 1.0, and 2.0-milligram doses. The typical maintenance dose is .5, 1.0, or 2.0 milligrams. 

If you’re using compounded semaglutide, your provider will tell you what dosing schedule to follow. 

Clinical studies show that people lose the most weight on 2.4 milligrams of semaglutide available in Wegovy a week. But, if you struggle to tolerate the 2.4-milligram dose, your healthcare provider may have you use a smaller maintenance dose or increase your dose more slowly. 

Learn more about semaglutide doses.

Wegovy with the active ingredient semaglutide is one of the newer weight loss medications. It’s a GLP-1 agonist weight loss medication. Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Zepbound, is a GLP-1/GIP (gastric inhibitory polypeptide) dual agonist medication.

In clinical trials, people lost more weight on Wegovy than in clinical trials for Saxenda (liraglutide), Qsymia (phentermine-topiramate), Contrave (bupropion-naltrexone), Adipex-P (phentermine), and Xenical (Orlistat). In trials for tirzepatide, people lost more on it than semaglutide.

Wegovy and Zepbound cost about the same, with Zepbound costing a little less. Other meds listed here cost less than half as much. And compounded medications are typically less than brand-name ones, including semaglutide and titrzepatide.

Only you and your healthcare provider can decide which weight loss medication, if any, is right for you and your needs. 

Saxenda, Contrave, Qsymia, Adipex-P, Xenical, and Zepbound are all FDA-approved for weight loss or weight management in people with obesity and overweight when combined with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. All have side effects that may include, but aren’t limited to, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, and headaches. Phentermine is a controlled substance and can increase heart rate or blood pressure and cause dependency and misuse.

Learn about semaglutide vs tirzepatide.