YORK, Pa. — It's a shot being called the biggest advancement in weight loss treatment, and it's now being offered in central Pennsylvania.
"They're drawing it out of a bottle, like say someone would insulin," Dr. William Carter, the owner of Carter MD Aesthetics in Lancaster County, said.
Semaglutide was once a drug developed to treat diabetes. It is now being manufactured to specifically address weight loss.
A tiny bottle of semaglutide can create big changes—so big, diabetics were having a hard time getting their medications until pharmacies stepped in to make their own.
"We are not short-changing the diabetic world; we are not even drawing from that medication supply," Dr. Carter said. "We're getting it compounded by legitimate pharmacies that are starting with the raw material."
Vicki Briner works at Carter MD Aesthetics.
"I guess my favorite part has been losing 13 pounds in four weeks," Briner said.
She struggled to lose weight, so when she heard about semaglutide in the office, she decided to give it a shot—four shots per month, actually. Each month she will slowly increase the dose until she reaches her desired weight.
"It just feels good. I feel like I'll be healthier and my clothes are starting to fit again," Briner said, excitedly showing off her lose scrubs. "This shirt was really tight on me last summer, but now I have all this space."
Semaglutide works by curbing your appetite and can even make cravings disappear.
"Over the weekend, I ate a grilled chicken wrap, and I only ate a half of a half and I was full," Briner said.
Side effects can range from nausea to migraines and constipation. For Briner, they've been minor.
"I mean I get a little bit of a stomachache, but it's nothing major," she said. "If you get heartburn normally like I do, you know the foods that affect you there will affect you like this; you just have to eat healthier," she said.
Dr. Carter says learning proper nutrition will help your weight loss results last longer, once you stop taking the medication.
"It may be unreasonable to think that everybody's gonna be able to come off the medication and maintain their weight," Dr. Carter warned. "[Obesity] is a chronic condition, after all."
If you have type 2 diabetes and a BMI of 30, then you may qualify for insurance-provided brand name drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.
If you do not have diabetes but have a BMI of at least 24, and you have failed reasonable attempts to lose weight with a healthy diet and exercise, Dr. Carter said he can help. People with a BMI between 24 and 27 who do not have serious health issues qualify for the treatment.
The cost of this treatment depends on where you go, but runs between $500 and $700 a month.
For more information on the FDA's approval, click here.
To read additional studies on semaglutide, click here.