Myths and Facts About Weight Loss Injections

Misconceptions about medications abound, leading to myths that morph into what many believe are evidence-based facts. While some myths have a grain of truth, the misinformation they convey can negatively affect crucial health care decisions.

As specialists in weight loss, our team at Premiere Medical Center in Toluca Lake, California, frequently hears myths about weight loss injections. We always take the time to explain the facts and help each person make the best decision.

In this blog, we look at five weight loss injection myths and set the record straight.

Myth 1: Weight loss injections deliver guaranteed results

Injections containing semaglutide (GLP-1) offer hope to people struggling with weight loss, whether they can’t lose enough weight or face the disappointment of regaining the weight they lost.

In clinical trials, many people successfully lost 15%-17% of their original weight after taking semaglutide for one year. Some did better, losing 20%, while others only lost 5%; results vary.

We know most people lose weight with semaglutide, yet there are no guarantees about how much you lose or how long the weight stays off. Why? Because lifestyle still matters.

Myth 2: You don’t need to worry about diet and exercise

Weight loss injections containing semaglutide (Ozempic®, Wegovy®) give your body a crucial biochemical boost. They trigger the release of insulin, which promotes weight loss (and controls diabetes).

Semaglutide also helps you lose weight by slowing food movement through your stomach. This action supports weight loss by making you feel full faster and longer.

While biochemical changes are the key to significant weight loss, they can’t achieve the best results without lifestyle changes.

It’s essential to limit your total calories and exercise regularly — instructions stated in the prescribing information. A healthy lifestyle and semaglutide injections work together to improve your weight loss success.

Semaglutide makes it easier to change your lifestyle by reducing hunger and jump-starting weight loss. At the same time, diet and exercise build the foundation supporting semaglutide injections, allowing you to reach your weight loss goals.

Most importantly, diet and exercise ensure the weight stays off when you stop taking the medication. If you don’t change your lifestyle habits, some or all of the weight returns without ongoing injections.

Myth 3: Side effects force many to stop using weight loss injections

Semaglutide’s common side effects are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and tummy pain. About half of all patients develop one of those problems, with one-third having nausea. 

When side effects appear, they’re usually mild to moderate and go away in a few weeks as your body adjusts to the medicine. If the side effects are severe or don’t improve, we can reduce them by changing your dose.

Myth 4: You can use weight loss injections indefinitely

That’s likely a myth because, generally, weight loss medications are for a limited time.

However, there aren’t guidelines for how long to use weight loss injections, and clinical trials have only studied semaglutide for two years. As people use the medicine, we learn more about its long-term effectiveness.

Semaglutide is intended for long-term use in people with diabetes. When used for weight loss, the decision varies for each person, depending on their results, preferences, and overall health.

Some people stop because they don’t lose the expected weight, have persistent side effects, reach a plateau, or don’t want to keep up with injections.

Others take semaglutide for 1-2 years, reach their weight loss goals, and then stop the injections or drop down to a maintenance dose. During maintenance, we lower your dose to prevent the weight from creeping back while supporting a healthy lifestyle.

Myth 5: Insurance covers weight loss injections

Insurance companies usually cover the cost of semaglutide when prescribed for people with diabetes. Most don’t cover it for weight loss (if you don’t have diabetes). Medicare currently pays for semaglutide when needed to prevent a heart attack or stroke.

Each insurance provider has different policies, so check with your plan to learn if they pay for weight loss injections.

Have questions about weight loss medications?

Learn more about semaglutide, its benefits, and whether you’re a good candidate by calling Premiere Medical Center or booking your appointment online today.