What's Covered on This Page
- How Semaglutide Works to Reduce Appetite and Body Weight
- Who Qualifies for Semaglutide Treatment
- What Your First Appointment and Semaglutide Dose Schedule Look Like
- Managing Side Effects and Staying on Track Through Plateaus
- What's Next After Treatment Ends?
- Who qualifies for semaglutide weight loss treatment in Murrells Inlet?
- How quickly will I notice results with semaglutide?
- What does my first semaglutide appointment in Murrells Inlet look like?
- Will semaglutide injections make me feel sick?
- Is semaglutide weight loss safe for people in Murrells Inlet with other health conditions?
- How often do I need to come in for follow-up visits?
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How Semaglutide Works to Reduce Appetite and Body Weight
Your body already makes a hormone known as GLP-1 that signals when you have had enough to eat. Semaglutide is a synthetic form of this hormone, but it has a longer duration of action in the body compared to what your system produces on its own.
That is the simplified explanation, but here is what actually occurs.
Upon receiving a semaglutide weight loss injection, your body starts to send signals to your brain through certain receptors in the brain that reduce appetite. It also slows down gastric emptying, causing the feeling of fullness to last longer after eating. Many Murrells Inlet patients share a similar sentiment, saying, "I no longer constantly think about eating," and it's not because of willpower, it's actually the chemistry.
The New England Journal of Medicine noted that those who received semaglutide lost 15% of their body weight after 68 weeks. These results can be life-changing if you have struggled with being overweight for years.
However, it is more than just a feeling of fullness or satiety. Your cravings may change, as well. Snacking urges may decrease, and maybe those 3 p.m. chocolate cravings that have haunted you for years might lessen. Perhaps you might notice fewer late-night fast food runs while driving home from the Marshwalk, too. Our patients usually notice these changes within weeks of starting semaglutide.
Here is a simple breakdown of how it works:
- Weekly semaglutide injection is administered in a safe, discreet area, usually your stomach or thigh
- Semaglutide acts on the brain's GLP-1 receptors
- Slower gastric emptying means the food in your stomach will stay for longer, leading to a sensation of fullness
- Decreased hunger and satiety signals after meals
- Reduced calorie intake over time due to increased satiation and reduced hunger
We initiate our patients at a low dosage, and then increase the dosage gradually. This is, because increasing the dosage too quickly often leads to unwanted side effects, specifically nausea, which is very easy to prevent if managed well. Often, a bad start in semaglutide is a result of increasing the dosage too quickly.
Semaglutide weight loss is more than just shedding pounds off of the water and muscle; rather, it is the reduction of fat, which can change your overall body composition. We perform this analysis here so we can track the change in your body composition and see progress in other parts of your body.
Who Qualifies for Semaglutide Treatment
One of the most common questions we are asked at our Murrells Inlet medical practice is, "Am I a candidate for semaglutide weight loss?" In fact, we often receive this inquiry before an in-person consultation is even completed.
Now, semaglutide weight loss isn't for someone who wants to drop five pounds before a beach trip. This is a legitimate medical intervention. Semaglutide is a medical treatment, and our team takes it that way. That said, if weight loss has been a struggle over years and no amount of diet or exercise has made a change, then you probably are a good fit. Most people who are candidates for the program have some similar factors:
- Have a BMI of 30 or higher in the obesity class
- Have a BMI of 27 or greater with a weight-related health condition, such as hypertension or Type 2 diabetes
- Failed previous weight loss efforts with diet and exercise
- No history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2
After all of the above factors are confirmed in a blood test and body composition check, we move on to the semaglutide weight loss prescription. The FDA approves the medication for chronic weight management for people in this category. But beyond the numbers, there's more.
Wondering if you're a candidate? This is a question we get a lot.
Many people think they may not make the cutoff. Then we do the math for them and are surprised by the results. BMI does not necessarily reflect what you see in the mirror. For example, a 5'6" person who weighs 190 pounds has a BMI of 30.7. You may not have known that.
Plus, in addition to your health condition and weight goal, we look at everything going on in your body right now, including your current medications, as well as your thyroid, kidneys, any history of pancreatitis and so on. Your blood work generally comes back clear, but we want to make sure we have everything confirmed. All of this comes up during your weight loss consultation at our Murrells Inlet office with no surprises along the way.
And if semaglutide is not the right treatment for you, we will let you know. We have other options in our medially managed weight loss program, such as tirzepatide and phentermine. We want to make sure the treatment we use is effective for you and not just push anything and everything on the next person who calls.
What Your First Appointment and Semaglutide Dose Schedule Look Like
You walk in. We talk. This pretty much sums it up for the first session.
No one's handing you a syringe right away. When you come to our office in Murrells Inlet, your first appointment is for you to learn more about your history and your goals and what's blocking your way. We discuss your health background, your weight loss goal, and your weight loss journey. You may be surprised that our appointment covers a lot of territory in just one session.
What Goes into Your Semaglutide Weight Loss Plan
The first time you come in for your weight loss visit, you can expect this:
- A review of your medical history and medications
- Blood work to assess metabolic markers, including your thyroid and blood sugar
- A body composition scan for your baseline
- A dose plan based on the test results
- Scheduling for your first semaglutide weight loss shot along with a description of what to expect
Most patients express that they wish they had begun treatment sooner and that the process is straightforward.
We start with a lower dose on purpose. Your body needs time to adjust to semaglutide., we generally start a patient on a low weekly dosage and increase the dosage over several weeks. This allows patients to minimize side effects. The majority of those who return to the office for their next appointment tell us their adjustment was easier than they feared.
However, not all of our patients follow the exact same dosing schedule. Some patients move up quicker, while others remain at the lower dose for a longer period of time as they respond at that dosage. At your next weight loss appointment, we will discuss and check in with you regarding the proper dosage of your body.
Next appointments are quick, where we monitor your weight loss journey, adjust as needed, and answer any questions you may have. There always seems to be a few questions, which is perfectly normal. We would much rather you ask than have you unsure.
Do you want to know more about what your first visit will be like? Give us a call!
Need help with semaglutide weight loss?
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Managing Side Effects and Staying on Track Through Plateaus
Is nausea common in the first two weeks? That is what most patients ask.
Most semaglutide weight loss side effects are mild and will pass, as your body requires time to adjust to the drug. As soon as you make your appointment, we will go over what you can expect before your first injection. We have helped hundreds of patients in Murrells Inlet go through this, so there will be no surprises.
The most common side effects:
- Mild nausea or an upset stomach, especially if you eat too quickly
- Your appetite being satisfied faster than usual
- Headaches in the first week or two
- Changes in your bowel habits
In the majority of cases, these side effects will dissipate within a couple of weeks. This is why we start patients off on a low dosage and gradually increase it. We also ask our patients to eat smaller portions and to stay hydrated. If you ever feel uncomfortable, give us a call so we can address any concerns before your next appointment.
Reaching a weight loss plateau is also common.
Perhaps you had steady progress for eight to 10 weeks, and then the scale doesn't move. It can be disappointing, but that doesn't mean your medication is no longer effective. There are a lot of factors at play and your metabolism is adjusting. We see this every single week. Patients who maintain steady progress after a plateau do so because they stay on a consistent schedule with us and allow us to modify the plan when it is needed.
We Will Assess Your Diet and Daily Habits
- We will review your food intake and hydration patterns
- Determine if dose adjustment is required
- Consider your sleep, stress, and activity
- Schedule follow-up bloodwork to see if something else is going on
- Adjust the plan to fit the data
So, is this normal? It is the question we get asked most often. The answer is generally yes. We just need to make some adjustments to your program. Do you have some concerns about the treatment plan? Feel free to call us.
What's Next After Treatment Ends?
This is the part people don't really talk much about.
You've lost the weight. You feel great. Your clothes fit again. So what happens when you stop the injections? This is another question we hear all the time. Is it safe to stop taking this medication? Does it make sense? And, yes, it does. Semaglutide and other weight loss injections like it work when you take them consistently over time. They have great results. But what happens after is where the real magic occurs. We've seen so many people in Murrells Inlet lose 40, 50 or even 60 lbs. And then keep that weight off for a year or more post treatment. What was different about those cases vs. people who regained the weight? A plan.
We don't wait until the dose is over and we'll just see how you do. We develop an effective weight loss maintenance plan BEFORE you're dose is complete. That is a critical time when old habits can creep back in.
How the Maintenance Process Works
Here's how we structure that:
- We schedule weight loss check-ins so you're not left on your own.
- We review your nutrition plan and make modifications based on your new metabolism.
- We track progress with body composition analysis, not just scale numbers (fat loss vs lean muscle).
- If you do find some cravings returning, there are options like a metabolism booster injection or sugar craving control injection to help.
- We discuss what habits were easy, which ones fell by the wayside, and if we needed to do some things differently.
As the NEJM article notes, patients who stayed in follow-up on structured programs after GLP-1 treatment had more weight loss sustained. That is consistent with our practice as well.
And some patients may need a small refresher dose down the road. That is not failure! Everyone has their own story. Sometimes life gets in the way or there needs to be a small reset. We see that as an option.
Again, the ultimate goal was never just to lose weight, but rather to build the kind of lifestyle where the weight doesn't come back. We've had many clients accomplish this and they'll attest to this.
What would your post treatment program look like? Call us to discuss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about semaglutide weight loss services in Murrells Inlet
Who qualifies for semaglutide weight loss treatment in Murrells Inlet?
You likely qualify if your BMI is 30 or higher, or 27 or higher with a condition like high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes. You also need a history of trying diet and exercise without lasting results. Before your first dose, we run blood work and a body composition analysis to confirm. Most people who come in unsure find out they do qualify. We also check thyroid function, kidney health, and current medications to make sure semaglutide is the right fit for you.
How quickly will I notice results with semaglutide?
Most patients notice reduced cravings and less hunger within the first few weeks of starting semaglutide. The constant pull toward snacking tends to quiet down early. Actual weight loss builds over time. Clinical research shows an average of about 15% body weight loss over 68 weeks. We track your progress with body composition analysis, not just the scale, so you can see real changes in fat loss as they happen.
What does my first semaglutide appointment in Murrells Inlet look like?
Your first visit is a real conversation, not a quick check-in. We go over your health history, current medications, and past weight loss attempts. We run blood work and do a body composition analysis before anything else. You won't receive an injection on that first day until we have your results and build a dosing plan. Most patients leave feeling like they finally have a clear path forward instead of guessing on their own.
Will semaglutide injections make me feel sick?
Nausea is the most common side effect, but it's largely avoidable with the right approach. We start you on a low dose and increase it gradually over several weeks. Most patients who had a rough experience elsewhere were moved up in dose too fast. When we pace it correctly, the adjustment period is usually much easier than people expect. We check in at every follow-up visit and adjust your dose based on how your body is responding.
Is semaglutide weight loss safe for people in Murrells Inlet with other health conditions?
For most people, yes, but we review your full health picture first. We check thyroid function, kidney health, blood sugar, and any history of pancreatitis before prescribing. Semaglutide is not recommended for anyone with a history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2 syndrome. Living in Murrells Inlet with conditions like high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes can actually make you a stronger candidate, since those are qualifying factors for treatment under FDA guidelines.
How often do I need to come in for follow-up visits?
Follow-up visits are scheduled regularly so we can track your progress and adjust your dose as needed. Not everyone moves through the dosing schedule at the same pace. Some patients stay at a lower dose longer because they're responding well there. Others move up faster. Each visit is quick, but it matters. We use body composition data at each check-in so you can see exactly what's changing, not just what the scale says that day.