At Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center, we strive to help our patients improve their health through weight loss in the least invasive way possible. Instead of surgery, we offer our patients endoscopic weight loss procedures that can help them lower their BMI as well as the support, strategies, and tools to help them maintain their weight loss long-term. At times, we combine a weight loss procedure with the use of prescription injections to maximize results and provide them with the help they need to reach their goals.

Semaglutide is a prescription medication that was approved by the FDA in 2017 to be used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and to help suffering individuals keep their blood sugar levels under control. Individuals who were using semaglutide (Ozempic) to control their blood sugar noticed that weight loss was an added benefit of this medication, and therefore trials were conducted to solicit further FDA approval.

In June 2021, this prescription medication was approved in higher doses to treat overweight and obesity, and every day we have patients ask us, “Is semaglutide a long-term weight loss solution?”

Today we are going to talk a bit about this GLP-1 medication, how it works, how long you can stay on semaglutide for weight loss, and if semaglutide works long-term.

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How Long Do You Stay On Semaglutide For Weight Loss?

The answer to this question will be different for every individual person. While semaglutide has been used for almost seven years to help diabetic patients control their blood sugar, it has been used for less than three years to help combat obesity.

Experts do not yet have a full understanding of whether semaglutide will work long-term or the safety of using it for an extended period of time. The dose used for weight loss is significantly higher than when used to control blood sugar, and because each person’s body is different, their tolerance to the medication or the side effects they may experience can vary widely.

Some individuals will be able to lose weight and discontinue the use of semaglutide, maintaining their weight loss through a healthy diet and plenty of physical activity. Other individuals may gain all their previously lost weight back once they stop using the medication because it was helping to control an underlying condition that was contributing to their obesity. The benefits of remaining on the medication may outweigh the risks for these individuals considering that many chronic and serious diseases are associated with carrying excess weight.

One trial that was conducted looked at how well semaglutide worked for weight loss in individuals who were not diabetic but were suffering from overweight, obesity, and heart disease. The trial lasted for four years and showed that the people who were taking the semaglutide lost more weight and more inches from their waistline than those who were taking a placebo. The improvements in weight, BMI, and heart health were consistent across the participants who were taking the semaglutide regardless of their race, gender, or starting weight. The study concluded that semaglutide had favorable long-term results. The question that remains is, “Is 4 years a long enough time to determine long-term results’?

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Is Using Semaglutide Worth It?

You might be wondering if semaglutide is worth the expense because most insurance providers do not currently cover the cost of the medication when used for weight loss. Carrying excess weight is dangerous to your health as it increases your risk of experiencing:

• Enfermedades cardíacas;
• Accidente cerebrovascular;
• Hipertensión;
• Cancer;
• Apnea del sueño grave;
• Osteoarthritis;
• Gallbladder issues;
• Enfermedad del hígado graso;
• Kidney disease;
• Infertility;
• Complications during pregnancy;
• Mobility issues;
• Depression & anxiety;
• And more..

Losing weight can reduce or eliminate these conditions and even save you from having to take long-term medications to control these types of issues. Semaglutide might be considered “worth it" if it can help you lose weight and lower your BMI to improve your health when traditional or other strategies have not been effective.

What Is A Better Long-Term Solution To Weight Loss Than Semaglutide?

At Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center, we offer a procedure called Suture Sculpt endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) that can help most individuals lose weight and keep it off without having to rely upon prescription medication. This procedure produces similar results to gastric sleeve surgery but without removing any portion of the stomach, creating any incisions, requiring a hospital stay, or needing an extended period of time to recover.

During the procedure, and while you are sedated, Dr. Batash lowers an endoscope down through your mouth and throat to reach your stomach. This endoscope is a thin, flexible, hose-like medical tool that has a special camera and a light and allows the doctor to see exactly what he is doing as he navigates the procedure.

Using the endoscope, and without any incisions, Dr. Batash can place sutures in strategic places from inside your stomach to make its usable capacity much smaller. Your smaller stomach will only allow you to eat very small portions of food at mealtime and will take longer to empty, so you will stay feeling full longer. These stitches are strong enough to hold indefinitely, but the procedure can be reversed if necessary.

Gastric sleeve surgery cannot be reversed because they use a scalpel to cut and remove almost 75% of your stomach. This surgery also takes almost 6 weeks to recover from, and an extended liquid diet while the stomach adjusts. Suture Sculpt ESG patients are back to their normal routines in about 3 days, needing only a short liquid-diet adjustment period. Patients are limited in what they can do while they are recovering from gastric sleeve surgery but have no activity restrictions after Suture Sculpt ESG. This means not worrying about how you are going to afford extended time off of work or how you will be able to take care of your children, pets, etc.

We Provide Ongoing Support To Help You Reach Your Weight Loss Goals.

We would love to tell you more about this amazing procedure that can help you lose weight and maintain a healthier BMI long-term without having to rely on prescription medication for an extended period of time. Set up your personal consultation today to learn more about Suture Sculpt ESG and how the Batash team is ready to support your weight loss journey from start to finish.

Every patient who has the Suture Sculpt ESG procedure gets access to our OnTrack Lifestyle and nutrition coaching for an entire year. This comprehensive level of support and education sets you up for a lifetime of success. Understanding what your body needs to function properly and learning how to adequately provide it will help you make healthier choices, boost your energy level, and help you maintain a healthy weight. You will learn the skills and habits you need to ward off chronic diseases and improve your quality of life. Set up your personal consultation to learn more today!

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