Men’s and Women’s Health

 

Stop the Weight Struggle

Medically supervised program for insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, diabetes, and weight control.

 

What is the “Stop the Weight Struggle” program?

This is program designed to help patients with pre-diabetes, diabetes, insulin resistance, and/or weight issues to control their sugar levels, drop harmful weight, and prevent chronic disease with the use of Ozempic (Semaglutide).  This program lasts one year so that we can closely monitor your health and achieve the desired results within 12 months. Office visits are solely meant to address issues with the use of Ozempic and reviewing blood sugar levels if applicable.

The Process

Step 1
The first step in the program is to order your bloodwork so that we can evaluate your general health, sugar levels, and readiness for the program.

Step 2
Initial office appointment to review the results of your bloodwork and determine the appropriate beginning dosage of Ozempic. We will also determine whether or not we need to have your blood glucose levels continuously monitored via a glucose monitoring device. Continuous glucose monitoring devices such as FreeStyle Libre have been an amazing coupling agent that could add noticeably to the effectiveness of the program.

Steps 3-8
Six additional 30-minute office visits (done via Zoom if desired) for follow up, monitoring of blood sugar levels and adjusting the dosage if necessary.

2 Main Objectives of This Program

The Safety of Semaglutide

How I Got Myself Out of the Pre-Diabetes Zone

Let's Talk

To see if you qualify for our “Stop The Weight Struggle” program, give me a call at (480) 451-1602.

More Reading:  Safety of Semaglutide

My Ozempic Story

Last year I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Having a strong family history of diabetes, this diagnosis definitely frightened me.

My mother passed away due to complications of diabetes and she used different methods and medications to treat the illness with zero results.

Many of my own patients were also struggling with the same issues of pre-diabetes, diabetes, weight loss, and insulin resistance.

At that time, Ozempic was a relatively new phenomenon and I knew a few diabetic family members who had tried it with very good results. This led me to start researching this medication.

After much investigation and extensive research, I decided to start using Ozempic to treat my own pre-diabetes.

Now that I’ve been on the medication for a year, I have lost close to 17 pounds and my blood sugar level is under control. The main effect of Ozempic is that it sends a message to your brain that you are full while simultaneously slowing down the movement of your digestive tract. The result is weight loss.

In the beginning, I was using Ozempic once a week. I have now reduced the dosage to every 3 to 4 weeks since the effect at this point has built up in my system.

A Personal Choice

My decision to go on Ozempic was a very personal choice. Quite simply, I was more terrified of the consequences of my weight, and the prospect of developing diabetes, than I was of the medication. I personally took the chance and walked into this process armed with knowledge and a plan. I have also been using Ozempic with my patients for the past year with great success, and my experience has led me to develop a program to achieve consistency, compliance, and results.

Now, I have opened up this program to all my patients.

Let's Talk

To see if you qualify for our “Stop The Weight Struggle” program, give us a call at (480) 451-1602.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Some Patient Experiences

“Having PCOS and insulin resistance, I’ve been curious about my glucose levels for a long time. What caused them to spike and what caused them to drop. Turns out lots of different things cause them to rise and fall. I love the ease of use and being able to see what my levels are before meals, after and even after sleep and exercise. Little did I know EVERYTHING affects it. While I don’t have diabetes, I choose to wear a continuous glucose monitor (cgm) to track how often I’m “in range” and how large or small my spikes might be. I’m a data nut so I love numbers and seeing what foods work and don’t work with my system. The cgm keeps me on track and lets me know when I have a drop and might need to eat something. The cgm has really opened my eyes to not only what types of foods are best for me, but the combination as well.”

Shana M.

“Five units, very low dosage! I started taking 5 units of Ozempic about 5 weeks ago. I started with a low dose because I heard it helped with the side effects and I didn’t want to deal with extreme nausea, etc. I also didn’t want to take extra medication if I didn’t have to. The first couple of weeks were the hardest, dealing with the nausea. Sparkling water, saltines, and ginger chews were helpful. I have lost almost 15 pounds. The most helpful part of this medicine for me is the lack of craving sweets or fatty foods. I make sure I pay attention to my protein intake to keep that high and I continue to workout with the same schedule I had prior to starting medicine. I just feel like I have less of an internal struggle with food. I did also make sure I accepted and loved my body the way it was prior to losing the weight and worked on my relationship with food. Those will be very important in the maintenance of my weight loss. I continue to only take 5 units every week, and am still losing weight. It still helps me fight those late night sweet cravings and am so grateful for the help from this medicine!”

Sarah P.

“I want to thank you for prescribing the continuous glucose monitor sensor. It has given me the exact information to know what affects my blood glucose and how to make necessary changes to help regulate it. Before I began wearing it, I resorted to guesswork, wishful thinking and more label reading and math calculations than was practical. The sensor has been nothing short of life-changing! I’m also looking forward to being able to ward off any of the low glucose episodes that caused ocular migraines, forcing me to discontinue the Rybelsus. For the first time in my life, I feel in control of my blood glucose, which will incidentally help me to lose the weight I’ve been struggling with. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!!”

Jean G.

“For those who truly need it, Ozempic is a game changer. This is the first time I’ve experienced sustained change and actually believed in myself to follow through. My cravings and addiction to food and sugar are gone and it feels like I’m back in control. My subconscious is no longing sabotaging my attempts to get healthier. I finally have confidence that I’ll be able to escape the line of type-2 diabetes in my family tree, and I owe a lot of that to my experience with Ozempic.”

M.K.

Frequently Asked Questions

Invisible

Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.

What are the side effects of Ozempic?

Side effects may include digestive troubles such as indigestion, gas, burping, constipation, or diarrhea. Constipation is more common due to the slowing down of the digestive function but there are methods to alleviate the constipation.

Fatigue could be another uncommon side effect which I have personally experienced but pushed through it since the medication was so effective.

I view the side effects as a blessing because they help individuals to avoid overeating. Decreasing overall calorie intake, as well as effectively processing the carbohydrates consumed, results in decreasing weight.

As with every newly approved medication, the long term side effects of Ozempic are currently unknown because more time is needed to do longer range studies.

Is Ozempic covered by insurance?

Based on my experience, most insurance companies do not cover the cost of the medication. The cash price of Ozempic can be upwards of $1,000. Because of this, I have found a very cost-effective source of the medication via a compounding pharmacy.

Invisible

Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.

What happens when I stop taking Ozempic?

As with any treatment or medication, there is always the chance that patients will return to their old ways of living especially with the constant state of stress in which we all reside.

Together, we will determine a compomise for continuing to use the medication for a long period of time.

Currently, I am using Ozempic every 3 to 4 weeks instead of weekly because the substance has built up in my system.

Are there any pre-existing conditions which prevent the taking of Ozempic?

Individuals with a person or family history of medullary thyroid cancer should not use this medication. Ozempic has been found to developing medullary thyroid cancer in mice.

Are there any pre-existing conditions which prevent the taking of Ozempic?

Individuals with a person or family history of medullary thyroid cancer should not use this medication. Ozempic has been found to developing medullary thyroid cancer in mice.

FROM THE BLOG

Read More About Ozempic

Looks Aren't Everything

Losing weight can be a challenging journey, but the benefits of achieving a healthy weight go far beyond just physical appearance. While many people may focus solely on the external benefits of weight loss, such as fitting into smaller clothes or receiving compliments, there are many internal benefits that are equally important, if not more so.

Read More

Protect Your Heart: How Ozempic Can Help You Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease

Heart disease is a serious condition that affects millions of people around the world. It’s the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, with an estimated 655,000 Americans dying from heart disease every year.

Read More

The Risks of Taking Ozempic without Medical Supervision

While Ozempic has been shown to be effective in improving glycemic control and reducing body weight, it is important to take the medication as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Taking too much Ozempic without medical supervision can lead to serious health risks.

Read More

Patient Forms

To keep you informed of our current office, scheduling, and financial policies, we ask that you carefully read and sign both the “Stop the Weight Struggle: Financial and Scheduling Policy” and the appopriate “Patient Privacy and Intake Form” and bring both these signed documents with you to your initial appointment.

You will find all these forms here on this page. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.)