Weight gain is a problem throughout the United States, with all states having an obesity rate above 20%, and 17 of those states having a rate over 35%, with the highest numbers in the South and Midwest. Being overweight affects over 30% of Americans and over 42% of those are obese, making it a health crisis on the rise.
While bad diets definitely play a role in many cases, genetics, insufficient access to health care, and many other issues contribute to the increase in weight across the board, leading to other problems like diabetes.
If you live in the Beverly Hills, California, area, and you’re struggling with losing those pounds, Dr. Shawn Veiseh and his dedicated medical team have programs that aid with weight loss to help you achieve a healthy weight. There are newer medications designed for persons with diabetes that are being used to help people with weight and blood sugar, including Mounjaro®.
To find out if this option can help your weight loss needs, let’s look at how it works, the possible side effects, and what determines whether you should use it or not.
This medication uses the active drug tirzepatide which was developed to treat diabetes and lower blood sugar through subcutaneous injection in various strengths. It does this by causing your body to create more insulin which regulates your blood sugar, slowing sugar production in your liver, and slowing how quickly your stomach empties food.
This reduces the complications from diabetes but also controls hunger and helps with weight loss in combination with routine exercise.
Mounjaro starts working as soon as the first dose, but the full results on your blood sugar will take weeks or months to develop, and since it's a long-term treatment, the dosage increases over time once it’s determined to be suitable for your needs.
One of the factors in whether or not you should use Mounjaro comes from the range of mild to severe side effects of the drug, which include:
Nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, constipation, heartburn, abdominal pain, allergic reactions, and injection site reactions are possible issues that can result but only last for a few days or a few weeks.
There are less common but possible issues with Mounjaro, like swelling of your pancreas (pancreatitis), gallbladder problems, severe digestive issues, dehydration, severe allergic reactions, and thyroid cancer.
The chances of side effects depend on factors such as other medications you take or other conditions you have and will affect whether or not this is the right choice for you.
Your eligibility to take Mounjaro will depend on several things related to the side effects mentioned above, including your family history, your current medication regimen, and your overall health.
If you have a family history of thyroid cancer, you shouldn’t use Mounjaro. Several drugs also increase your chances of side effects from this treatment, like beta-blockers, drugs that affect your blood sugar, and other drugs that have tirzepatide as an active drug. This drug can also make birth control pills less effective.
Mounjaro is a medication making a difference in people's lives regarding their weight and their overall health. If you want to find out if it’s the choice for you, make an appointment with Dr. Veiseh and our team today. Call our office or schedule a visit online.
