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If you’ve considered trying a weight-loss treatment you may be feeling a little lost — there are so many to choose from, how are you meant to know where to begin?
This is where our team can help.
Our weight management specialists can offer a range of weight loss treatments to suitable patients, including prescription and over the counter options.
If you’re ready to learn more about the weight loss medications available and how they can help you shed the pounds, keep reading and find out more.
Weight loss treatments are currently available in two main types — injections and medication (usually tablets).
Although some of these medications work in the same way, you’ll have a lot of options when it comes to considering the right treatment for you.
We’d recommend learning a little more about each of them so you can work out which one you’d prefer and which ones wouldn’t be right for you, considering your health and personal circumstances.
We’re going to take a brief look into the main weight loss treatments that have been clinically proven to work so you can consider which ones you’d like to learn about in more detail.
Let’s start with injections…
Weight loss injections may seem intimidating if you haven’t used self-injected medication before, but they’re actually quite simple to use and can be very effective.
The medications used in weight loss injections are called GLP-1 Receptor Agonists, and they’re a type of medication that was originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes.
So naturally, weight loss injections can help to reduce your blood sugar, but they also help to reduce your appetite and help you feel fuller for longer.
You’ll need a prescription for weight loss injections, which can be provided to suitable patients by a GP or a private prescriber like ours.
There are two injections that may currently be used for weight loss, so let’s learn a bit more about each one.
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*Ratings based on our prescribers’ own experience with medications provided and are not a reflection of your own suitability for treatment.
Saxenda is currently the only injection that is licensed for weight loss in the UK and it’s the one you’ve probably heard about if you’ve been looking into this type of medication.
The active ingredient in Saxenda is called Liraglutide, which is also used in the diabetes medication Victoza, and you’ll need to inject it once a day, following a Liraglutide treatment plan set out by your prescriber.
Saxenda is available on the NHS but can also be prescribed for weight loss by private practitioners, including prescribing pharmacists like the ones we have here at myBMI.
Liraglutide injections can only be prescribed to suitable patients and there are a few criteria you’ll have to meet before your prescriber would recommend them for you, including:
If you’re unsure whether Saxenda would be right for you, you can start an online consultation with our prescribing team, who will be happy to review your answers and recommend treatments that would be suitable for you based on the information you provide.
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*Ratings based on our prescribers’ own experience with medications provided and are not a reflection of your own suitability for treatment.
Semaglutide is a new medication on the block and it’s used in medications called Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus.
Wegovy is the version of this treatment that we offer, as it’s the only one licensed for weight loss in the UK.
Ozempic is the injectable version of Semaglutide and it’s currently only licensed in the UK as diabetes medication.
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, just like Liraglutide, but it has the added benefit of only needing to be injected once a week, instead of daily.
Some weight loss patients can obtain Wegovy through the NHS if they make it through to the third tier of their weight management program, but many patients choose to get private prescriptions from services like ours.
Getting an online consultation with a reputable prescriber can help you to get your treatment started quickly, without having to go through the tiers of the NHS weight management program.
Now it’s time to look at the other weight loss medications that are available — the kind that are taken as tablets or capsules.
Let’s start with the one that may be more familiar to you than you realise…
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*Ratings based on our prescribers’ own experience with medications provided and are not a reflection of your own suitability for treatment.
Rybelsus is the brand name for Semaglutide tablets, so yes, Semaglutide can be taken without the need for injections.
As Rybelsus is only licensed for type 2 diabetes, the rules about prescribing still apply, so it is not currently licensed for weight loss in the UK.
Rybelsus is naturally appealing to those who need to take Semaglutide for diabetes but aren’t confident in injecting themselves once a week or those who have a phobia of needles.
However, they can be less convenient than Ozempic injections as you’ll need to remember to take them every day.
At the end of the day, the decision of which would be best for you would be made by your prescriber, but if you have a preference they would usually take that into account.
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*Ratings based on our prescribers’ own experience with medications provided and are not a reflection of your own suitability for treatment.
Orlistat capsules are another clinically proven weight loss medication and you can find it as the active ingredient in Alli, Orlos, and Xenical.
Orlistat is a type of medication known as a fat binder, which means it clings onto some of the fat from your food so it can’t be digested and will be passed out in your poo.
Using this treatment means you’ll take in 33% less dietary fat than you would otherwise.
You’ll need to eat a low-fat diet to get the best out of Orlistat, which can naturally help you lose weight in itself, and if you do eat a fatty meal while taking this medication you will be more likely to experience side effects.
Unlike the other medications on this list, Orlistat capsules don’t need a prescription and can be provided to suitable patients over the counter by a pharmacist.
You will still need to answer some questions about your lifestyle and BMI before you will be able to purchase Orlistat, as your healthcare team will need to make sure it’s the right treatment for you.
*Ratings based on our prescribers’ own experience with medications provided and are not a reflection of your own suitability for treatment.
Mysimba is the last weight loss treatment on our list and it contains two active ingredients — Naltrexone and Bupropion.
This medication is thought to work by affecting the parts of your brain that control your food intake and create pleasure when you eat.
The active ingredients in Mysimba are used to help patients recovering from addictions, and this is thought to play a part in its effectiveness as a weight-loss treatment.
Essentially, Mysimba may make it less pleasurable for you to eat, which would make it easier for you to stick to a lower-calorie diet and lose weight that way.
If you are prescribed Mysimba, you’ll need to take daily tablets, and if the treatment works for you, you should lose at least 5% of your starting body weight within 16 weeks.
Yes, you can get weight loss treatments on the NHS, but getting prescription medication can be trickier than getting some from a private prescriber.
The NHS’s weight management programme follows a tiered system and medical weight loss treatments are only offered to patients who reach tier 3.
Patients at tier 3 usually haven’t had much success with the assistance offered at tiers 1 and 2, which includes help with diet and exercise and information about healthier living.
Although this system can be a wonderful resource for those who find weight management difficult and need help to change the habits and behaviours that cause weight gain.
It can also make it difficult for otherwise suitable patients to get a weight loss medication prescribed for them.
This is why many patients turn to private prescribers, who don’t have the financial restrictions placed upon them that NHS prescribers do and can prescribe weight loss treatments to suitable patients after a short consultation.
Yes, prescription weight loss treatments are available online, but you’ll still need to have a consultation with a prescriber before you’ll be recommended any medication.
Here at myBMI, our online consultations are designed to be taken whenever you have time, using simple questions that will help our prescribers determine whether any of our treatments could be right for you.
If our team are happy to write you a prescription after your consultation, it will then be sent to our partner pharmacy, Chemist4U, who will dispense your treatment and deliver it to your door in discreet packaging.
The weekly injection has worked really well for me. I was wasn’t sure what to expect but the specialists helped me move up my dose each month to make sure any side effects were minimal. I am now nearly at my target weight and feeling more positive about myself than I have in 20 years.
MyBMI have given me so much support and advice whilst I have been using Ozempic. I use their Facebook group and find it supportive and they reply to any queries really quickly. I have lost a lot more weight than I thought I would and can’t wait to see where I get to.
Great support and I’m nearly at my target weight
71-75 Shelton Street
Covent Garden
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WC2H 9JQ
01695 302320
All consultation and prescribing, is carried out by GPhC registered medical practitioners.
Dispensing & Delivery of Medication Plans
UK and NI Customers- Dispensing is carried out by our partner Pharmacy Innox Trading Limited T/A Chemist4U 34a-37 Greenhey Place, Skelmersdale, WN8 9SA.
Republic of Ireland Customers- Dispensing is carried out by our partner Pharmacy My Health Digital Ltd T/A E-Pharm NI , 3c Bluestone Business Park, Craigavon, Northern Ireland, BT65 5HU
