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Mar 12

What are weight loss injections and are they safe? – Patient.info

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What are weight loss injections?

If you're considering weight loss injections, it's important to understand that this treatment is designed to address weight-related health issues. According to The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)1, this medicine is only right for you if all of the following applies:

When it comes to weight loss, one size certainly doesn't fit all. If you don't meet these criteria but are unhappy with your size, speak to your GP about losing weight safely. This will always involve healthy eating and regular exercise, but there are various support services that can make your weight loss journey that little bit easier.

Saxenda - also known as liraglutide - is a weight loss medicine that you inject once a day to make you feel more full and less hungry.

This drug emulates a natural hormone found in the body that regulates your appetite, which can help you to consume fewer calories and lose weight. As with any weight loss treatment, this injection will only work if you also stick to a healthy diet and exercise plan. Studies show that Saxenda can lead to 4-6 kg of weight loss2.

In 2023, Wegovy - also called semaglutide - will join Saxenda and become the second injectable drug available on the NHS in England. In March 2023, NICE approved this popular US drug for the UK, concluding that it is a safe and effective weight loss treatment.

Like Saxenda, Wegovy makes you feel fuller for longer by mimicking an intestinal hormone. But while Saxenda is injected daily, Wegovy is injected weekly. There's also evidence that Wegovy may be more effective for weight loss than Saxenda3. According to NICE, the new drug may help people reduce their weight by more than 10%, so long as they follow their diet and exercise plans4.

There are other weight loss injections available in private practices, one of which, Aqualyx is a fat-dissolving injection that's widely available in the UK and is generally considered safe5, so long as it's administered by a trained healthcare professional.

A non-surgical alternative to liposuction, Aqualyx works by attaching to deposits of fat and gradually breaking them down until they are naturally flushed out of your body. As such, this injection can be used in a more targeted way than Saxenda and Wegovy, for example to decrease mass in your upper arms, stomach, or inner thighs.

These injections come with a hefty price tag. Although it varies between health providers, Saxenda pens cost roughly between 45 and 75. The costs quickly ramp up, given that the NHS recommends three months of treatment, and people tend to get through five injectable pens each month. Aqualyx is usually administered by a professional in two to four sessions, each visit costing upwards of 300. At this time, the price of Wegovy in the UK is unconfirmed until it's release later in 2023.

If you meet the criteria, Saxenda is now available for free through the NHS and on prescription in high-street pharmacists like Boots - and Wegovy will be soon. This is part of the NHS's bid to reduce healthcare costs attributed to weight-related health issues - projected to reach 9.7bn by 20506.

However, wait times are likely to be long, and your doctor may only recommend weight loss injections when other weight loss treatments have proven ineffective.

Saxenda is considered to be safe and is well-tolerated by most people7. Several clinical trials have also shown Aqualyx to be safe when administered correctly by a trained professional8, although there is less research for this drug than Saxenda.

However, like all medicines, there are possible side effects to consider.

The most commons side effects9 include:

There are a few documented cases of long-term and severe adverse reactions. These include:

It is not known if this medication can cause thyroid tumours or thyroid cancer, but medicines that work like Saxenda have caused these conditions in studies with rats. For this reason, you shouldnt take this injection if you or someone in your family has ever had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)9.

There are several other health conditions and medications that can make the Saxenda weight loss injection unsafe for you to take. Your healthcare expert will be able to advise if this is the case.

The most commons side effects10 include:

There are a few documented cases of long-term and severe adverse reactions. These include:

As with Saxenda, it is not known if Wegovy causes thyroid tumours or thyroid cancer, and so avoid this drug if you or someone in your family has ever had MTC or MEN 2. As other health conditions and medications may make Wegovy unsafe for you, always follow your healthcare experts advice.

The most common side effects usually clear within a few days. These include11:

The only serious adverse effects that have been reported are scarring and skin necrosis - where skin tissue dies resulting in a permanent visible dark mark12. These cases are very rare, but it should be noted that experts believe we need more studies of Aqualyx to fully understand exactly how safe and effective this drug is.

Remember, weight loss injections aren't miracle drugs - only by reducing your calorie intake, following a nutritious diet, and increasing your physical activity will you achieve a healthy body weight. It's these major lifestyle changes that will help you to keep the weight off and reduce your risk of weight-related health conditions.

In the UK, there have been reports of unregulated imports of weight loss injections and non-medically qualified practitioners. This weight management technique is only safe if carried out by a qualified and trained professional.

What to look for in a provider:

A trustworthy provider should always do a thorough check of your medical record and ask questions to determine if weight loss injections are a suitable and safe treatment path for you. You should disclose any current or previous medical conditions and medications that you have taken.

Read more from the original source:
What are weight loss injections and are they safe? - Patient.info

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