Obesity appetite suppressing drug Semagluti... - Healthy Eating

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Obesity appetite suppressing drug Semaglutide could be a game changer in weight loss!

27 Replies

Hi everyone,

I've been reading the news today about semaglutide. As a study has found that a weekly injection of semaglutide helped those in the trial of around 2000 to lose an average of 15Kg in 15 months and this is a fantastic game changer.

Here's an extract from Jan who lost 4 stone in the trial sums who sums it up really well as it helped change her relationship with food, please see:

Jan, from Kent, lost 28kg (four stone), equivalent to more than a fifth of her body weight.

"The drug changed my life and completely altered my approach to food," she said.

Semaglutide is already used to treat type 2 diabetes here's an article on the BBC's web site:

bbc.co.uk/news/health-56011979

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27 Replies
Cooper27 profile image
Cooper27Administrator

I saw this story earlier, it's interesting, but I'm a bit wary of drug interventions like this. They don't really address the underlying reasons for excess weight. When the participants stopped the trial their appetites came back, causing them to regain weight.

I've been in the position of going to my doctor because I couldn't lose weight despite calorie counting and exercising more, and it's quite hard when your doctor either doesn't believe you or thinks you just need to "eat even less and move even more". I can just imagine being dismissed with an intervention like this, and being blamed for doing it wrong when the intervention didn't work :(

in reply to Cooper27

I read that with some of the participants but Jan found that it changed her relationship with food.

Now of you have an under active thyroid or other issues then weight loss can be very difficult and weight gain and this like all other possible treatments is not a one size cure all so I don't think you will be treated with an intervention that isn't suitable.

Obesity is a killer and it shortens lives so in an ideal world we'd have a more holistic self help approach to weight loss before it gets out of hand.

Cooper27 profile image
Cooper27Administrator in reply to

Unfortunately I've seen stories from too many ladies out there who went to their GP eating 800 calories a day, exercising 5 days a week, still gaining weight, and were genuinely told to eat less and move more, instead of their doctor investigating why.

I do agree with you, in an ideal world the doctors should investigate before prescribing a drug intervention like this, and if the drug doesn't work they should investigate why, but psychological studies have shown GPs are more likely not to believe an overweight patient sitting in front of them.

in reply to Cooper27

It is very frustrating when there’s this lack of communication and insight so I can imagine hot you feel.

in reply to Cooper27

I don't really think taking any drugs unless it's really a emergency like if really obeast and same with antidepressants I'm no expert but I don't trust drugs, I would like to put weight on I'm a stone under weight but at least I can enjoy my food without worrying I'd probably feel different if I wanted to loose lot weight who knows 🤔have a good night 🤗❄️🔥

in reply to

Unfortunately Mandy obesity is at record levels and lives are threatened so this is drastic action. I’m the same and had a salad for dinner but had french fries with it because I don’t have to worry about my weight.

You have a great night now and keep safe. 🌈😊

I heard that on the news this morning Jerry and thought what a fantastic story, it would end up saving the NHS a lot of money and mean that those who are obese could become a lot healthier and feel better about themselves, good result all round.

There are obese people out there that are large due to drugs that they take, health conditions that they have and I do really feel for those people.

Thank you for the link to the story, I will read it later.

Alicia 🙏🙏🌈😊

in reply to

I'm fascinated in thongs like this but really we should be more self health orientated rather than consuming fast food and lots of calories. We should realise the importance of treating our bodies holistically and getting in tune with our selves and our bodies needs, just like you do...🌈👍😊

in reply to

It really is fascinating Jerry. I totally agree with you though that if everything else has been ruled out ie. any other illness and drugs that would cause weight gain, then treating our own bodies with respect by eating healthy and exercising should be key.👍😊

Whydothis profile image
Whydothis in reply to

Exactly Jerry! We need to look at this holistically, and based on real health, not on weight loss for its own sake. I see this drug as equivalent to weight loss surgery - perhaps a useful part of a wider healthy eating change for extreme cases. If it is used simply to help overweight people to lose weight it won't help them improve their diet and health, and to maintain the improvement long term.

Whydothis profile image
Whydothis

The problem if it is just an appetite suppressant will be that there is no incentive for people to change what they are eating instead of eating less of the same - so no real health gain other than the weight loss.

in reply to Whydothis

Hey if it helps people become healthier and most importantly change their relationship with food is the key to this. I've never had to diet and have been a constant weight all my adult life.

in reply to

Your very lucky Jerry that you have never had to go on a diet. Xx

in reply to Whydothis

Well for me I've started to enjoy clothes something I never ever loved with being so over weight don't get me wrong I'm still very much over weight and one of my all time wishes is to have a pare of denim dungaree so my hubby has told me he will buy me a pair when I'm down to what I want to be xx

Whydothis profile image
Whydothis in reply to

That sounds like a good incentive to keep going! It becomes possible to enjoy clothes, exercise, and everything else in life much more when the extra weight goes.

Hi Jerry if it's any help I was on this one injection a day while I was taking insulin as a type 2 diabetic. In May last year I joined the weight loss forum and started LCHF low carb high fat it was a game changer for me. I'm 3 lbs away from my 7 stone badge and I'm off all my injections yes I have lots of other health issues but I believe this type of eating is so helpful when over weight and diabetes has taken over your life. Xx

in reply to

Thats great as its what works for you and especially if you're diabetic as thats brings in so many complications.

It's preventing obesity in the first instance that is the key to this I think.

PandQs profile image
PandQs

This drug is putting a bucket under a leak instead of fixing the hole in the roof.

in reply to PandQs

Hey absolutely but we do have a serious obesity problem in the UK so something has to be done and prevention is better than a cure.

I just thought this was interesting and would give some hope that's all.

in reply to PandQs

I totally agree xx

Yes I read it too but at the end of the article it quoted the lady in question as saying that once she stopped having the injections she gained weight again. There may be a place for this treatment in some particular cases but not as a general rule.

MTCee profile image
MTCee

I read about this and was intrigued. The drug is currently prescribed for diabetics in whom it increases the level of insulin secretion. I’m not sure how this acts as an appetite suppressant, since high levels of insulin tend to make you hungrier rather than less hungry. Maybe what I read was only a partial explanation. But it does beg the question that the drug may be influencing the degree of insulin secretion in healthy people. That doesn’t sound like a good thing if it’s raising the levels. Sounds like there’s a lot more research to do?

in reply to MTCee

Its obviously a bit controversial and does seem an extreme way of dealing with obesity.When I grew up very few people were over weight so it’s obvious lifestyle food choices and portion sizes that have caused our societies to balloon in weight weight, which is the real problem in my opinion.

MTCee profile image
MTCee in reply to

Society is always looking for a magic pill heh?

BedfordBoy profile image
BedfordBoy

From what I've read here, there's an awful lot of people just generalising and making no real scientific arguments for or against. You can bet that the government won't let the public buy this if it hasn't been thoroughly tested.Everyone has a different body and reacts differently. For instance, for 40 od years I was sports mad and ate very healthy and I used to put on weight if I slacked off on the training. The food never really was the thing to make me put on weight. I practically lived on lean meat, fish and salad those days. But if I missed a week of training, I noticed the clothes getting a bit tighter! Now I have arthritis and joint problems plus other health problems, so can't do much exercise, and my weight has ballooned. Doctors are so unsympathetic and just give stupid comments like lay off the burgers (even though I don't eat them!)

So for me and people like me, I'd be willing to pay for it and see if it worked. Excess weight is no good for us and desperation causes desperate solutions.

in reply to BedfordBoy

That’s so right BedfordBoy as we are all different and some people obviously have responded well to this type 2 med so if it works for some then it’s a success.

Thank you for being so honest about your personal circumstances as this is empowering to others and I’m sorry about the arthritis and your other issues and this med could ne ideal for you. 👍

BedfordBoy profile image
BedfordBoy in reply to

Hi Jerry,Thank you. If I get the opportunity I will try this new (to me) drug out. At the moment I'm getting nowhere fast, so I'll try anything that has a chance of success. If it weren't for the joint problems etc, I could exercise the weight off like I've done in the past. Sadly that's not an option these days.

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