Semaglutide Injections
$575/month
(includes medication, all supplies necessary, diet & exercise plan, and the consultation with monthly follow-up appointments)
Semaglutide Tablets
$700/month
(includes medication, diet, & exercise plan, and the consultation with monthly follow-up appointments)
Wegovy Bellevue
2023 brought the weight loss drug, Wegovy to the forefront of public knowledge and opinion when the FDA approved it for chronic weight management in adults and adolescents above 12. Marketed under the brand name “Wegovy” it has now become widely available via prescription. The providers at The Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery have curated a completely customizable Wegovy weight loss program to help patients improve their lifestyle and health through sustainable weight loss. The Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery provides the best Wegovy Bellevue and Kirkland offers.
What Is Wegovy?
The main ingredient of Wegovy is semaglutide. Semaglutide is a drug that mimics the functions of a specific appetite hormone known as GLP-1. This reduces appetite, lowers blood sugar, and helps lead to significant weight loss. Thus, semaglutide was originally prescribed to treat type II diabetes. However, recent studies and approval have shown that it is safe for patients without type II diabetes to take semaglutide for weight loss.
Wegovy is the first weight loss drug approved since 2014. Many weight loss medications and methods are not currently FDA approved. Therefore, Wegovy and semaglutide fill an essential niche in the healthcare industry, especially considering an over 40% obesity rate in the United States.
When using Wegovy—under another brand name of Ozempic—to treat type II diabetes, the patients often experienced weight loss which improved their condition since losing weight with diabetes can be difficult. This led to further study into the potential weight loss benefits. Weight loss like what semaglutide can achieve can improve quality of life and have several benefits for patients with certain medical conditions and other concerns.
Benefits
Wegovy for weight loss comes with many possible benefits. They can vary from patient to patient depending on the patient’s medical history and goals. Some of the possible benefits of semaglutide treatment may include:
- Significant weight loss of up to 15% or more of the original body weight
- Reduce the risk of type II diabetes and heart disease
- Can help patients curate a healthier lifestyle without setbacks
- Help patients stay motivated’
- Improve metabolism
- Well tolerated by most patients
- Easy to administer
- Comes in an injection or pill form type
- Can take the medication long term
- Helps patients with medical conditions that make it difficult to lose weight (PCOS, menopause, etc.)
- Dosage customized and adjusted each month as needed
- Monthly check-ins with a medical provider
- Personalized diet and exercise plan included
- Overseen by qualified physicians and physicians assistants with years of experience
Risks
Outside of severe or long lasting side effects, the biggest risk of semaglutide is low blood sugar. One of the effects of the medication is that it can lead to extremely low blood sugar in patients without a history of low blood sugar or any blood sugar problems. This can be dangerous in certain situations, if a patient experiences symptoms of low blood sugar while on semaglutide, they will likely need to discontinue the medication. Thankfully, this is rare and can usually be avoided with proper administration, dosing, and taking near mealtimes.
Other risks generally are associated with certain thyroid or endocrine disorders. Gallbladder disease and a history of pancreatitis can make patients more prone to complications. Therefore, it is important for the patient to give the provider a full understanding of their medical history.
Before & After Wegovy Weight Loss
Consultation
Each patient is assessed individually to ensure they are a candidate for semaglutide weight loss treatment, during a consultation appointment. This appointment can take place in the office or virtually. The provider will ask about the patient’s weight loss goals, medical history, other medications, and lifestyle. This helps confirm initial candidacy for semaglutide.
From there, the provider will discuss the starting dosage of semaglutide and work with the patient to create a diet and exercise plan. The goal is not perfection, but to make progress. A slow and steady approach to lifestyle changes is generally recommended.
Patients may undergo injection training at the consultation or have a brief appointment after receiving their medication. If a patient opts for the tablet form, no further instruction is necessary.
Administering Wegovy
Wegovy comes as a weekly injection. The Wegovy pen keeps the patient from handling the needle directly and makes injections simpler and less daunting. Understandably, patients can become nervous about injecting themselves, but with a single use injection pen, it is easy, quick, and virtually painless to administer the once-weekly injection.
If a patient chooses the pill form of Wegovy, the patient will take a daily pill. Current studies have so far not found any difference in efficacy between the injection and pill semaglutide options.
Side Effects
Mild side effects can occur but should reduce and/or subside within a few weeks. Possible side effects include:
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Gas
- Headache
- Changes in bowel movements
- Feeling bloated
The compounded version of semaglutide that The Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery uses adds Vitamin B to the active ingredient of semaglutide. This can help reduce the effects of nausea and fatigue, two of the more common side effects of the medication.
Ongoing Treatment
Included in the monthly cost of semaglutide treatment in Bellevue is a monthly follow-up meeting. Patients will weigh themselves and discuss their progress. Their provider may choose to alter their dose of Wegovy. They can also discuss how the diet and exercise plan is working for them.
Not only does this allow patients to discuss concerns and make adjustments to their weight loss plan, but they can also receive the support necessary for any weight loss journey. These follow-up appointments can take place in person or virtually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need A Prescription For Wegovy?
Yes, Wegovy and other semaglutide medications are available only through a prescription from a qualified medical professional. The consultation at The Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery allows the provider to adequately evaluate the patient before writing the prescription. It is important that patients are monitored while on the medication to gauge effectiveness and ensure safety.
What Diet Works Best With Wegovy?
The recommended diet plan may vary from patient to patient. Though, some recommendations are common among all patients. For example, patients should reduce sugar and processed foods. Eating a protein-rich diet—especially lean proteins like chicken, fish, and beans—also can contribute to success on Wegovy.
A diet Wegovy patients frequently go on is the Mediterranean diet which does not cut out fat, carbs, or protein, but helps patients find better sources for those nutrients. This diet is also used to help people with diabetes, heart disease, and other similar medical conditions.
How Long Are The Consultation & Follow-Up Appointments?
The consultation and subsequent check-in appointments tend to be around 20 to 30 minutes. This is true for both virtual and in-person appointments.
Is Any Preliminary Testing Needed?
Usually, no preliminary testing—beyond the consultation—is needed to proceed with Wegovy weight loss treatment in Bellevue. However, in rare cases, the patient’s medical provider may request it. This is unlikely—even for patients with pre-existing conditions—but is possible in some cases.
How Many Calories A Day Should I Eat on Wegovy?
Caloric intake varies widely even when not dieting. Factors such as gender assigned at birth, medical conditions, activity level, and starting weight can all impact how many calories a patient should eat. Also, the patient’s provider may not recommend counting calories at all.
In general, the range for the number of calories consumed while taking Wegovy is somewhere between 1200 and 1800. However, this will be different for every patient on the semaglutide weight loss program. Additionally, if a patient is doing well on their exercise plan, more calories may not cause a problem.
The quality of calories and the nutrients they provide are exceptionally important for patients taking Wegovy. Instead of getting the majority of calories from processed and sugary foods, choosing a good variety of protein, fruits, and vegetables improves the quality of calories and tends to make it difficult to eat more calories.
How Much Is Wegovy Bellevue?
The cost of Wegovy weight loss treatment in Bellevue at The Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery depends on the form of semaglutide chosen.
- Injection: $575 per month
- Tablet: $700 per month
These costs include all of the necessary supplies, diet plan, exercise plan, 24/7 on-call doctors, and virtual or in-person monthly check-in appointments. The initial semaglutide consultation is free. To our knowledge, insurance is currently not covering Wegovy for weight loss at this time.
Wegovy Bellevue At The Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery
The providers at The Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery created their semaglutide weight loss program that uses a medication similar to Wegovy Bellevue. Our version of semaglutide is compounded and dosed specifically for each patient, but it contains the same active ingredient as Wegovy. This allows The Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery to offer their semaglutide weight loss program including semaglutide, injection supplies, diet plan, and exercise regimen all at a lower cost than a month’s supply of name brand Wegovy.
To learn more or schedule a consultation, call us at 425-775-3561. Patients can also reach out online via chat, contact form, or Price Simulator.
