Wegovy weight loss with Form Health
Medications like Wegovy® weight loss injections can help you achieve your weight loss goals. Form Health clinicians utilize their expertise in weight management combined with consideration of your health history, needs, and insurance coverage to prescribe Wegovy, if appropriate.
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What is Wegovy?
Semaglutide, known by the brand name Wegovy®, is a once-weekly injectable weight loss medication manufactured by Novo Nordisk. It is available by prescription for adults living with obesity or with overweight and a weight-related medical condition.
Wegovy is from a class of medications known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), which have been used for many years for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity. More recently, Wegovy was FDA-approved to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and stroke in people with overweight or obesity who also have established cardiovascular disease (CVD) such as coronary artery disease, prior heart attack, prior stroke and peripheral arterial disease.
Wegovy is intended to be used in conjunction with a healthy diet and physical activity for maximum effect.
How does Wegovy work?
Wegovy® mimics a hormone that we naturally produce called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). GLP-1 acts in many tissues of the body, including several areas of the brain that regulate our appetite. This helps you eat less, resulting in weight loss. Wegovy also works in the pancreas and other tissues to regulate blood sugar. This improves hemoglobin A1c levels for people with type 2 diabetes. Clinical trials have shown that Wegovy is also safe and effective for weight loss in people with obesity without diabetes.
How to get Wegovy: when would a Form Health clinician prescribe it?
Wegovy may be prescribed if you are living with obesity alone, obesity or with overweight and a weight-related medical condition, and you have not been successful in losing weight or maintaining weight loss with lifestyle changes alone. During a telehealth appointment, your Form Health clinician will carefully look at your medical history, the medicines you're taking, and lab results to see if FDA-approved medications like Wegovy are right for you. At Form, weight loss medications are used in combination with a personalized weight loss plan that addresses behavioral health, nutrition, and physical activity. It’s this combination of medication and lifestyle change that has been proven to result in significant and sustained weight loss.
Wegovy can be prescribed by a Form Health clinician through telehealth, if appropriate. The cost of a Wegovy prescription will vary based on what insurance you have.
Who qualifies for a Wegovy prescription?
You may qualify for Wegovy-supported weight loss if:
- Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is above 30, or
- You are living with overweight and you have weight-related medical problems, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or prediabetes
- You've made lifestyle changes, but are still unable to lose weight
Wegovy has also been recently approved to reduce the risk of CVD in people with overweight or obesity who have established CVD, offering a dual benefit for weight loss and heart health.
It's important to note that even if these points apply to you, you still may not be eligible to take Wegovy for weight loss. Your medical history, current medications, and insurance benefits must also be taken into consideration, and the decision will be made in a discussion between you and your Form Health healthcare provider.
How to get a Wegovy prescription online
4 steps to determining if Wegovy is right for you
Take the Form Health eligibility quiz
Our simple, 5 minute quiz helps determine if you meet the criteria for our medical weight loss program, and whether your insurance will cover Form program costs. Once you qualify, sign-up online on the Form Health site and download our app.
Complete your onboarding paperwork
Fill out an online onboarding survey that collects information on your medical history, medications, and previous weight loss attempts so your clinical team can get to know you and personalize a weight loss plan for you.
Meet with your Form Health Clinician
You will meet your Form clinician during your virtual visit to discuss your personalized weight loss plan, which may include prescription medications like Wegovy, if appropriate. Your Wegovy prescription will be sent to your preferred pharmacy, local or online.
Meet with your Form Health Registered Dietitian
Together, you will set nutrition and exercise goals. Wegovy works best when paired with lifestyle changes!
Form Health is covered by national health insurance plans, including Medicare.
Wegovy side effects
It’s always important to take safety and potential side effects into account when you are starting a new prescription medication. The side effects of Wegovy are most commonly gastrointestinal symptoms, such as:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Heartburn
- Upset Stomach
Headaches, tiredness, and dizziness can sometimes occur as well, though Wegovy does not cause difficulty sleeping. Gallbladder disease is a more serious potential side effect, and other rare side effects have also been described. Besides the regular best practices to avoid/minimize side effects, you should also avoid combining Wegovy with other GLP-1 receptor agonist medication. It is important to monitor for side effects and notify your prescriber immediately if you experience side effects while taking Wegovy for weight loss.
At Form Health, board-certified medical professionals obtain a patient’s full medical history before prescribing Wegovy. They also meet with patients monthly to ensure they are tolerating the medication prior to prescribing the next dose. The dose of Wegovy is typically increased monthly in order to minimize side effects. By checking in with patients monthly, Form healthcare providers can adjust the dosing schedule as needed to improve tolerance.
Learn more about Wegovy
Wegovy® is a registered trademark of Novo Nordisk A/S.