Understanding Non-Surgical Weight Loss and Weight Loss Medication

Non-surgical weight loss involves medical treatments that support your body’s ability to shed excess weight without the need for invasive procedures. While in some circumstances surgery is the best treatment route, these medications can be ideal for individuals who may not qualify for surgery, prefer non-invasive options, or are looking for additional support in their weight loss journey. It can be a useful accelerator for weight loss pre-surgery to make surgery safer, as well as for maintaining weight loss post-surgery. Dr Kevin Dolan currently offers 2 different medications, Ozempic and Wegovy.

Qualifying for Anti-Obesity Medications

Ozempic and Wegovy are ideal for adults who have struggled with weight loss despite traditional methods such as diet and exercise. To be eligible for the prescription of these drugs, you must meet one of the following criteria:

• BMI greater than or equal to 30

or

• BMI greater than or equal to 27 with comorbidities including, but not limited to, the following:
  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • High cholesterol (hyperlipidemia)
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Sleep apnea

Patients that have less than 10kg to lose are most likely better suited to medical treatment versus those with 25kg+ to lose, for whom surgery will be the only meaningful option. Dr Dolan will discuss treatment options with you, and help identify the reasons for your weight gain. These will also influence which option is best.

TGA Approved medications

Both Ozempic and Wegovy are semaglutides delivered by a once-weekly injection in the comfort of your own home using an injection pen. You will start on a low dosage and slowly increase it as your body adjusts to the medication.

Ozempic

Ozempic is a medication originally developed to manage type 2 diabetes that works by mimicking a hormone in your body called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), which plays a crucial role in regulating appetite and blood sugar levels. Clinical studies have shown that patients using Ozempic can achieve significant weight loss when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Wegovy 2.4mg

Wegovy is a higher-dose version of the same active ingredient found in Ozempic. It has been specifically approved for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or those who are overweight with weight-related health conditions. It also targets the GLP-1 receptor in the brain, which helps control appetite and reduce food intake. The higher dosage in Wegovy is tailored to deliver more substantial weight loss. Clinical trials have demonstrated that patients using Wegovy can achieve up to 10-16% weight loss in one year, making it one of the most effective non-surgical weight loss treatments available.

Lifestyle changes

These medications are intended to act as an additional support to dietary and lifestyle changes to see optimal results. This could include: exercise planning; referral to a dietitian, providing you with a structured eating plan customised to your individual circumstances and goal; or it could involve seeing an exercise physiologist to determine a suitable fitness programme for you. Further options can be discussed when formulating your treatment plan with Dr Dolan.

Side effects and other considerations

As with all medications, there are some common side effects that you may suffer from. This could include:

• Nausea – this can be acute for the first few weeks of treatment, but generally subsides as the body adjusts.
• Constipation
• Increased risk of other health problems such as pancreatitis, gallbladder issues or a rare type of thyroid cancer.

Dr Dolan will thoroughly assess your suitability and discuss all options with you at your consultation. 

Weight loss medication also has an ongoing expense associated with it. Studies have shown that anti-obesity medication is a lifelong commitment, with patients returning to their previous weight once stopping medication. The annual cost of around $3600 for Ozempic should be a major consideration when selecting your final treatment plan. There is also the potential for significant fluctuation in this price over time.

The lack of long-term clinical studies into weight loss drugs means that there is uncertainty in many factors within the application to weight loss. The current outlook, that is most likely to remain in the future, is that surgery is the only permanent solution without sustained treatment that also achieves the most radical results.