Semaglutide is gaining popularity with doctors and consultants worldwide as a treatment for type 2 diabetes.
However, it has also been noted that the medication may be beneficial for adults with a BMI of over 30 that struggle to lose weight naturally.
This leads many people to ask if they can buy Semaglutide.
The simple answer is – yes! But only in very specific circumstances.
For example, if you don’t have diabetes but struggle to lose weight, you may want to opt for a private consultation either in person or online to discuss with a prescriber whether or not GLP-1 Receptor Agonist injections would be suitable for you to take.
Private consultations are currently the only way that you could be prescribed weekly injections in the UK, as they are only available on the NHS for treatment of type 2 diabetes.
However, many private prescribers would be happy to discuss medication options with you to see if ithis type of treatment is something that could be beneficial to you if you struggle to manage your weight with diet and exercise alone.
That being said, a prescriber will only recommend GLP-1 Receptor Agonists or any other weight loss treatment if they think it’s right for you, and they will always have the final say over your treatment, no matter what it may be.
Is Semaglutide available on prescription?
Semaglutide is only available on prescription.
It can’t be bought in pharmacies or supermarkets, and can only prescribed to suitable patients by a licensed medical professional.
However, this doesn’t mean that you need to go and see your doctor, as many consultations now take place online.
Semaglutide is a prescription medicine for several reasons – it’s not suitable for everyone to take, it’s in the form of an injection which requires training, and it’s a fairly potent medicine.
All of these reasons mean that it’s reserved only for those that really need to take it for a medical reason.
It’s important to know that whilst weight loss can have cosmetic benefits, the main reasons for losing weight should be based on your health.
This is particularly important if you have any pre-existing conditions that are related to obesity, or if you’re at risk of a heart attack or stroke due to your weight.
For this reason, GLP-1 Receptor Agonists and other weight loss medications will only be prescribed to those that medically need it.
To qualify for this, you should have a BMI (body mass index) of at least 30, and haven’t had success with managing your weight naturally.
myBMI consultations
When you start a consultation with myBMI, you’ll be asked several questions about your general health, any medicines you might be taking, and about your weight and lifestyle in general.
Whilst these might be difficult to answer for some people, it’s so that our prescribers can get a real in-depth look at your health and whether or not certain treatments would be suitable for you.
For example, if you answer and say that you’re taking a medicine that could interact with one of our medications, our prescribers may suggest something that’s more suitable for you and your current treatments.
We only ask the questions that we really need to know so that we can make decisions in your best interests.
All consultations with myBMI are completed online, so you can choose any day or time to do it – whenever suits you.
You may want to make sure that you’re in a quiet area where you have time to think about the questions and answers in a calm and relaxing environment.
We can prescribe GLP-1 Receptor Agonists to suitable patients, as they been proven to be one of the most efficient drugs for people with a BMI of over 30 in helping them to reach and maintain a healthier weight.
If our team of weight loss specialists agree weekly injections are right for you, they will issue a private prescription and send the medication directly to you, which is included in the cost of your consultation.
You don’t need to go to a pharmacy either – we take care of it all for you with our dispensing pharmacy, Chemist4U, who are able to ship medicines UK-wide.
Can you take Semaglutide if you aren’t diabetic?
This is up to each individual prescriber to decide based on your medical history.
If you have a BMI of at least 30, and struggle to lose weight via diet and exercise, then you may be considered for treatment with Semaglutide injections after a consultation with a weight loss specialist.
Unfortunately, Semaglutide injections aren’t available on the NHS unless it’s needed to treat type 2 diabetes.
This is down to the fact that it isn’t licensed for weight loss and is a costly medication.
However, if you do decide to go down the NHS route, they may be able to offer other treatments for weight loss such as Orlistat.
If you’ve previously tried Orlistat and it hasn’t worked for you, you may want to consider a consultation with one of our prescribers if you’re thinking of taking weekly injections for weight loss.
Remember to mention any weight loss treatments you have taken in the past during your consultation, as your prescriber will need to know what has or hasn’t worked for you previously.
At the moment, the evidence base for Semaglutide is increasing, with clinical trials having demonstrated the efficacy and safety of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in treating obesity.
It may not be long before Semaglutide is licensed as a weight-loss treatment in its own right.
How much does a consultation cost?
With myBMI, our consultation costs start at £199.
This includes your initial consultation, as well as the cost of any medication you may be prescribed, and ongoing diet & exercise support.
Our current treatments include weekly injections and daily tablets, and we are planning on making more treatment options available soon.
Generally, you should be able to have a conversation about this with your prescriber, as some people prefer to take tablets over an injection and vice versa.
Also included in the consultation cost is free delivery of any medications.
If you decide to opt for the injections, delivery will be temperature controlled so that the medication is kept safe and within the recommended temperature range whilst it’s in transit to you.
This makes sure that your medication arrives at your door in perfect shape, every single time.
