Have you been struggling with your weight, or are feeling uncomfortable in your summer clothes? Shedding those extra pounds can do so much more than just boost your confidence when you look in the mirror. It’s also about significantly enhancing your overall health and reducing the risks of serious chronic diseases.
At Essex Private Doctors, we’re passionate about helping you achieve your best health. Let’s dive into how weight loss can be your secret weapon against a host of health issues.
The hidden dangers of carrying extra weight
Carrying extra weight isn’t just a cosmetic concern – it’s a complex health issue that can affect nearly every system in your body. Let’s break down some of the key risks:
- Type 2 Diabetes: Excess weight, especially around the abdomen, can lead to insulin resistance. This means your body struggles to use insulin effectively, resulting in high blood sugar levels. Over time, this can permanently damage blood vessels, nerves, and organs.
- Cancer: Obesity is the second leading cause of cancer after smoking. If you’ve faced cancer before, managing your weight can be a powerful way to reduce the risk of it coming back.Obesity is linked to many cancers including:
- Breast cancer (especially in postmenopausal women due to increased oestrogen production in fat tissue)
- Colorectal cancer
- Endometrial cancer
- Liver cancer
- Pancreatic cancers
- Oesophageal cancer
- Kidney cancer
- It’s also linked with the progression of high grade and aggressive prostate cancers
- Cardiovascular Disease: Excess weight strains your heart, increases blood pressure, and can lead to peripheral vascular disease.
- Osteoarthritis: Extra weight puts additional stress on weight-bearing joints and is a significant risk factor in the development of knee arthritis.
- Dementia: Obesity can increase your lifetime risk of developing dementia by 30%
The good news? Even modest weight loss can significantly reduce these risks and immediately start to improve your overall health.
We’re excited to offer Wegovy® (semaglutide) as part of our comprehensive weight management program. Originally developed for Type 2 diabetes, Wegovy® works by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which regulates appetite and food intake.
How Wegovy® works:
- Increases feelings of fullness (so you stop eating sooner)
- Reduces appetite (so you’re less likely to snack)
- Slows gastric emptying (so you feel fuller, for longer)
Clinical trials have shown impressive results, with many participants losing up to 15% of their body weight over a year when combined with lifestyle changes.
Monitoring your health on Wegovy®
At Essex Private Doctors, we take a thorough approach to ensure Wegovy® is both safe and effective for you. Here’s what our monitoring process includes:
- Initial Assessment:
- Comprehensive medical history
- Physical examination
- Baseline blood tests where required, which may include:
- HbA1c (for diabetes screening)
- Lipid profile
- Liver function tests
- Kidney function tests
- Thyroid function tests
- Regular Follow-ups:
- Weight and BMI measurements
- Blood pressure checks
- Discussion of any side effects
- Ongoing Blood Tests:
- Amylase levels to monitor pancreatic function
- HbA1c for those with or at risk of diabetes
- Repeat of initial tests to track overall health improvements
We pay special attention to pancreatic function, as there’s a small risk of pancreatitis with GLP-1 receptor agonists like Wegovy®.
Mounjaro®
Mounjaro®(Tirzepatide) is a new weight loss drug, which like Wegovy is injected once a week. It has two actions in that it’s both a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist.
Mounjaro® and Wegovy® have very similar potential side effect profiles (including a small risk of developing pancreatitis), and so it’s important to have regular monitoring whilst using Mounjaro®.
Personalising your weight loss journey
Remember, Wegovy® and Mounjaro® are tools, not a magic solution. They work best when combined with a balanced diet and regular physical activity. We’ll work with you to create a personalised plan that fits your lifestyle and health goals.
Some patients may experience occasional side effects like nausea, or constipation, when starting treatment. We’ll guide you through strategies to minimise these and ensure you’re comfortable throughout your journey.
Isn’t it ‘cheating’ to use medications to lose weight?
Absolutely not – people don’t choose to be overweight. If merely summoning up a little extra will power was all that was needed to shed the pounds, obesity wouldn’t exist. At Essex Private Doctors we are also very careful to ensure that Ozempic is used appropriately – it’s a prescribed medication and therefore not for people of normal weight.
We believe that Wegovy® can be a useful tool, enabling you to take control of your health and reducing your risk of serious conditions. So, if you’re concerned about diabetes, cancer or heart disease risk, or are fed up with yo-yo dieting, we’re here to support you. Book an appointment today.