MEDICAL WEIGHT LOSS
Weight Loss Redefined!
WHAT IS “MEDICAL WEIGHT LOSS”
Medical Weight Loss is the proactive management of diet and behaviors under physician supervision. Patients are given the tools that they need to lose the weight and keep it off. Medical Weight Loss usually consists of a multidisciplinary approach to management of obesity including use of pharmacology (i.e., use of weight loss medications).
- ✓ Initial Consultation (virtual /in person)*;
- ✓ Unlimited Follow Up Care (virtual/in person);
- ✓ Medication Prescription & Management** ;
- ✓ Monthly Ontrack Coaching (virtual /in person) Customized Weight Loss Plan and unlimited support via text messaging;
- ✓ InBody Composition Analysis;
- ✓ $1,000 off any endoscopic weight loss if you ever decide on having a procedure;
- ✓ BEWL Pro Shake & Supplements Welcome Gift;
- ✓ Discount Coupon (50% off) on Award Winning Revision BodiFirm Creme & Nutrafol (Men/Women).
*Qualified Patients Only. $5O Dollar Consultation Fee. Non-Refundable but applied towards the package if you choose us for your medical weight loss needs.
**Does not include cost of the medication, which is dependent on insurance coverage and availability of manufacturer coupons. $25 dollar coupon for Mounjaro for Commercial Carriers might be available. Subject to change. Ozempic might be available at discounted price. Subject to change.
If neither ozempic, wegovy or mounjaro can be obtained, we will refund the full price of the package minus the $50 consultation fee and the $50 dollar deposit. Consultation fee and deposit are non-refundable.
If you obtain medications but are unable to tolerate them, you can discontinue medications and continue with your OnTrack coaching. Physician will reevaluate and see if different medications are indicated. The cost of the medical weight loss program can’t be refunded if you can’t tolerate new weight loss medications.
Wegovy/Ozempic are GLP 1 agonist. Essentially, they work by delaying the emptying of food from the stomach and stimulating satiety centers in the brain. The main component in both medications is semaglutide molecule which has been in clinical use for over 10 years. It is indicated for mild diabetes and now for weight loss in patients without diabetes.
Mounjaro, on the other hand, is the new kid on the block working via two additive mechanisms: GLP 1 agonist and GIP. Studies show that weight loss with Muanjaro is enhanced due to GLP 1 agonist & GIP working together! Anecdotally, patients seem to report fewer side effects with Mounjaro.
While these new medications have shown a lot of promise in the fight against obesity, these medications are not as magical as they seem to be! We must remember that these medications shouldn’t be taken without physician supervision. “Just getting the script” isn’t considered medical supervision. Rather, these medications should be taken as part of a comprehensive medical weight loss program that includes nutritional and behavioral coaching (see below for more information about the comprehensive medical weight loss packages offered by BEWL).
A screening consultation is necessary to make sure that the patient is a good candidate for medical weight loss. The patient might need to get blood work done, and in certain cases, obtain medical clearances depending on past and present medical history.
Not everyone will tolerate these medications. There are side effects that patients might experience when taking these new types of weight loss drugs. The most common side effects of Wegovy/Ozempic/Mounjaro include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal (stomach) pain, headache, fatigue, dyspepsia (indigestion), dizziness, abdominal distension, eructation (belching), hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in patients with type 2 diabetes, flatulence (gas buildup).
HERE ARE THE FACTS
While these medications may produce significant weight loss, you need to continue taking these medications long-term. Studies have shown that once patients discontinue these medications, they regain their weight. It is also true that these medications can be very expensive and rarely covered by medical insurance.
However, combining medications with the suture sculpt endoscopic sleeve yields amazing results. Weight loss from the suture sculpt endoscopic sleeve is enhanced from 15-20% of total body weight to 27%. These are surgical results without surgical risks. After the suture sculpt endoscopic sleeve, patients do feel physical restrictions, but the brain still communicates to them that they are “hungry.”
In other words, there is a signal imbalance between brain and stomach. It takes time to reestablish a timely signal. But the success of the procedure is significantly enhanced when paired with the medications because the medications help the brain receive the timely signal from the stomach that “I am full and no longer hungry.”
We use these new medications for the first six to twelve months to help reestablish the connection between brain and stomach, and importantly, to protect the actual sleeve during its most vulnerable period. After six to twelve months, it is safe to discontinue these medications, and patients are able to maintain their weight loss long term. In this scenario, the cost of medication becomes minimal relative to ongoing long- term use.
BOTTOM LINE
We are happy to offer a comprehensive medical weight loss program to our patients, with or without the endoscopic weight loss procedure. With that said, it is my belief that long term weight loss is best achieved with a combination of the suture sculpt endoscopic sleeve and with the short term (six to twelve months) use of new weight loss medications.
It is essential that an experienced prescription weight loss specialist carefully tailors the medications, diet, exercises, and other procedures to the special needs of the patient after a careful examination of his or her medical history, health conditions, and weight goals.
Also, it is necessary to be regularly in touch with your prescription weight loss doctor and monitor the progress of your weight loss journey. Under the guidance of a competent medical professional, you can safely and effectively reach your most ambitious weight loss goals.
You can schedule a consultation online or call us and we will be happy to schedule it for you. The fee is $50, and if you qualify for the program, it will be credited towards the total cost of your treatment.
If you have any questions, please feel free to dm us on instagram, call us at 718 830 0004 or email us at weightloss@batashmedical.com
