Semaglutide Paw Paw, MI - Rebalance Clinic

What is Semaglutide?

Semaglutide is an injectable medication used for treating type 2 diabetes and promoting weight loss. It mimics the effects of a hormone called GLP-1 that helps control blood sugar and appetite levels.

Semaglutide works by slowing digestion and preventing the liver from releasing too much glucose into the bloodstream after meals. It also sends signals to the brain to feel fuller sooner, so less food is consumed. The result is better glycemic control and weight reduction.

Key benefits of semaglutide:

• Lowers HbA1c levels (a key marker of long-term blood sugar management)
• Promotes weight loss of around 10-15% on average
• Has a convenient weekly dosing schedule after a gradual ramp-up period
• Causes fewer gastrointestinal side effects than similar GLP-1 drugs

Semaglutide is sold under the brand names Ozempic® and WegovyTM. Ozempic is FDA-approved for treating type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy is specifically approved for chronic weight management.

Who is a Candidate for Semaglutide?

The following patients may benefit from semaglutide treatment:

• Adults with type 2 diabetes needing better blood sugar control
• Overweight or obese adults looking to lose weight
• Patients who have struggled with lifestyle changes and other weight loss medications

Contraindications include:

• Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2
• Patients with severe gastrointestinal disease

Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also avoid these medications.

Semaglutide is not approved for use in pediatric populations. Patients with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis should not take it.

Table 1. Semaglutide Candidacy Criteria

Good Candidates	Poor Candidates
Type 2 diabetes	Type 1 diabetes
Obesity/overweight	Severe GI issues
Inadequate weight loss	MTC or MEN-2 history
Age 18	Pregnant/nursing
Failed lifestyle changes	Pediatric patients

Getting Started with Semaglutide

Starting semaglutide therapy involves getting baseline lab work, taking precautions, setting realistic expectations, and learning proper injection technique.

Hormone testing is important before initiation to rule out thyroid cancer risk and identify any deficiencies needing correction first. A1C, thyroid levels, vitamin B12, and liver enzymes should be checked.

GI side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are common early on. Taking the shot with food, slowly ramping up the dosage, and using anti-nausea aids can help manage symptoms.

Weight loss results are promising but vary quite a bit. Losing 10-15% of body weight is average. Counseling patients on reasonable goals and following a reduced-calorie meal plan sets them up for success.

Learning to self-inject properly prevents errors and improves adherence. Injection pens have very small needles and automatized delivery mechanisms, making the process simple. Our nurses provide hands-on training and 24/7 support if issues arise.

Table 2. Starting Semaglutide Checklist

Patient	Provider
Baseline lab testing	Evaluate contraindications
Realistic expectations	Counsel on side effects
Reduced-calorie diet	Check interactions
Injection technique training	Follow-up and monitoring
Prevention/treatment of side effects	Dosage titrations

Rebalance Clinic Advantages

Choosing Rebalance Clinic for semaglutide therapy offers many unique advantages:

• Convenient telemedicine options make appointments easy
• Access to nutritional counseling and fitness coaching
• Cutting-edge hormone testing for precision wellness planning
• Affordable self-pay packages that make treatment attainable
• Discrete consultation and counseling maintain privacy
• Ongoing medical supervision that is compassionate

As a specialized hormone center focused exclusively on health, wellness, and aesthetic goals, our expertise delivers customized solutions personalized to each patient's needs and preferences.

Hormones and Body Weight

Body weight regulation involves complex signals between appetite control centers in the brain, fat storage pathways, and hormones that moderate the process.

Insulin is the main hormone that controls blood sugar levels and energy storage. It instructs cells to take up glucose from food and store it as glycogen or fat. People with insulin resistance secrete more insulin, but cells fail to respond properly, leading cells to accumulate.

Leptin is released from fat cells and normally sends signals to decrease appetite. But in some obese individuals, a resistance prevents this regulatory loop from working correctly.

Ghrelin has the opposite effect, acting on the hypothalamus to increase hunger and food intake, especially for calorie-dense foods. Dysregulation of ghrelin is another contributor.

Peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) are digestive tract hormones induced by eating that trigger satiety signals. Deficiencies in PYY and GLP-1 can lead to overeating.

Cortisol is released in response to stress and can increase abdominal obesity deposition and alter hunger/satiety regulation.

Correcting hormone imbalance provides powerful tools for resetting weight control mechanisms. Medications like semaglutide act directly on appetitive pathways.

How Semaglutide Promotes Weight Loss

The exact neuroendocrine mechanisms by which semaglutide exerts beneficial metabolic effects are complex and not yet fully elucidated. However, some of the key pathways it targets include:

• Enhancing insulin secretion and improving sensitivity
• Slowing gastric emptying so less food is consumed in a sitting
• Increasing satiety signals that curb appetite faster
• Altering food preferences away from high fat/sugar
• Stimulating energy expenditure so more calories are burned

The net result is better glycemic control, decreased caloric intake, preferential fat mass loss over lean mass, and meaningful long-term weight reduction.

When combined with increased physical activity and a healthy reduced-calorie diet tailored to the patient's preferences, semaglutide therapy enables successful lifestyle changes conducive to sustained weight management.

Diagnosing Hormone Imbalances

Diagnostic testing is a crucial first step in developing an effective treatment plan for weight loss resistance. Common screenings include:

• Thyroid testing - TSH, free T4 and T3, antibodies
• Sex hormones - total and free testosterone in men; estradiol, progesterone levels in women
• Metabolic panels - fasting glucose/insulin, HbA1c, lipid profile
• Vitamin D, B12, iron studies - deficiencies impair weight loss
• Cortisol and DHEA-S - adrenal function markers
• Hs-CRP - inflammation biomarker
• Micronutrient analysis - special test for absorption issues

Reference ranges provided by commercial labs are often too broad and miss subtle abnormalities that still require treatment. Our clinicians utilize both clinical findings and optimal range targets for precision balancing.

Diagnostics should be regularly monitored to assess progress and catch deficiencies early. Nutrient adjustments, lifestyle counseling, oral or compounded hormones support therapies promote success.

Lifestyle Optimization Strategies

While semaglutide has robust effects on appetite and calorie reduction, optimizing other key lifestyle factors potentiates results:

• Nutrition - Work with our registered dieticians to design balanced, sustainable reduced-calorie meal plans centered on whole foods. Timed carbs, high protein, healthy fats.
• Exercise - Increase cardio interval training to 30 minutes most days of the week. Add twice weekly strength training. Activity enhances insulin sensitivity, burns more calories, reduces stress hormones.
• Sleep - Prioritize 7-9 hours nightly. Poor sleep detrimentally alters metabolic hormones, increasing insulin resistance and visceral obesity.
• Stress management - Utilize meditation, yoga, music therapy to counteract cortisol. Higher stress impedes weight loss.
• Accountability - Weight checks, food logging, and coach meetings reinforce adherence needed for success.

With individualized medical and lifestyle support, most patients achieve 10-15% body weight reductions with excellent metabolic benefits - even patients that had failed other weight loss attempts.

Rebalance Clinic Experience and Expertise

Our outstanding clinical team specializes exclusively in precision hormone balancing, metabolism correction, and scientifically-based weight management.

• Dr. Sarah Johnson, MD - Yale-trained endocrinologist focused on obesity and diabetes reversal utilizing genetics, nutrigenomics, and advanced hormone therapies.
• Dr. Michael Greene, MD - Functional medicine expert certified in lifestyle medicine, integrative mental health, and bariatric therapies.
• Amanda Phillips, NP - Passionate about patient education and advocacy so clients feel empowered.

We stay current on the latest medical breakthroughs and continually expand our therapeutic tools to meet each patient's needs. Semaglutide, weight loss medications, gut health, food sensitivity testing, and telemedicine provide more options than ever before.

Bottom line - our modalities WORK long-term because we identify and correct the root physiological, nutritional, and lifestyle factors underlying suboptimal wellness. Let our 15 years of experience help you!

Scientific Research on Semaglutide

In 2021, a large double-blinded randomized control trial called STEP 1 compared semaglutide vs placebo for weight reduction in 1961 adults with overweight/obesity.

Participants received semaglutide 2.4 mg injections weekly vs placebo plus reduced-calorie diet/increased physical activity counseling.

After 68 weeks, the semaglutide group achieved an average 15.2% body weight reduction compared to only 2.6% with placebo. Significant improvements were also seen in triglycerides, HDL, LDL, and non-alcoholic liver test markers.

Gastrointestinal events like nausea and vomiting were frequent early on but subsided over time in the majority, reinforcing the benefit of dose titration to improve tolerance.

This hugely impactful study confirms semaglutide's unmatched effectiveness and favorable safety profile for obesity pharmacotherapy.

Rebalance Clinic Pricing

We offer transparent self-pay services ranged to fit most budgets:

Good ($) Package

• Initial consult plus teaching visit: $249
• Semaglutide pens x 4 weeks: $749
• Follow-up visit/injection lesson: $149

Better ($$) Package

• Initial consult PLUS:
  • Dietitian meeting
  • InBody body scan
  • Mood/hormone questionnaires
• Semaglutide pens x 12 weeks: $1499
• Monthly follow-ups x 3 months: $297 ($99 each)
• Re-evaluation at 3 months with repeat testing: $249

Best ($$$) Package

• Initial consult PLUS:
  • Dietitian meeting
  • InBody scan
  • Mood/hormone questionnaires
  • Micronutrient/OmegaCheck tests
• Semaglutide pens x 6 months: $2799
• Monthly follow-ups x 6 months: $549 ($99 each)
• Re-evaluation at 3 & 6 months with repeat testing: $499