Trump unveils deal to expand coverage and lower costs on obesity drugs<\/a><\/p>\nPotential side effects\u00a0<\/p>\n
Like all medications, GLP-1s come with potential side effects. The most common include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation. They can also cause a significant decrease in muscle mass.<\/p>\n
\u201cUp to 40% of every pound you lose is estimated to be muscle, which is a big problem,\u201d Chen said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s especially relevant in older people who might choose to take these medications, as frailty is a big cause for falls and fractures and quite a bit of disability,\u201d Batcher added.<\/p>\n
To counteract muscle loss, experts emphasize maintaining a consistent exercise routine \u2014 especially strength training \u2014 and getting adequate protein.<\/p>\n
Both Chen and Batcher stressed that GLP-1s are not a replacement for regular exercise or healthy eating.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s still important to eat your veggies and get your steps in,\u201d Batcher said. \u201cUsing the medications as a tool to complement a healthy, well-balanced diet and a regular exercise program is really the best recipe for success.\u201d<\/p>\n
GLP-1s are typically prescribed at the lowest effective dose, which encourages gradual, steady weight loss rather than rapid fluctuations.<\/p>\n
\u201cAgain, we treat patients first and foremost with intensive lifestyle modifications, and where they can\u2019t reach their goals is when we start thinking about augmenting their treatment with these GLP-1s and\/or surgery,\u201d Chen said.<\/p>\n
There are also medical conditions where weight-loss drugs would not be recommended, including a history of medullary thyroid cancer, pancreatitis, gastroparesis, or a family history of MEN2 (multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2. Batcher also noted that people with a current or past eating disorder should use extreme caution.<\/p>\n
How patients can get GLP-1 medications\u00a0<\/p>\n
Accessing GLP-1 medications usually begins with a visit to a primary care provider or endocrinologist. Providers review a patient\u2019s BMI, medical history, weight-related conditions, and previous lifestyle attempts to determine if medication is appropriate.<\/p>\n
Insurance coverage varies widely. Many insurance plans cover GLP-1s for type 2 diabetes, but far fewer cover them for obesity alone, leaving some patients paying out of pocket. Without insurance, GLP-1s can cost $900 to over $1,300 per month, depending on the brand and dose.<\/p>\n
Intermountain Health offers access to weight loss medications through Weight Loss Treatment on Demand<\/a> for patients 18 and older in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and Nevada. Without insurance, medication through the program ranges from $350 to $500 per month.<\/p>\nGLP-1s can interact with other medications and underlying medical conditions, making a medical evaluation essential. If you\u2019re considering trying a GLP1, talk to your primary care provider to see if it\u2019s safe and right for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SALT LAKE CITY \u2014 Weight-loss drugs have surged in popularity in recent years, with as many as 12%…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":177384,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[103,1328,61,60,93317,93316,371,112,83156,3011,767],"class_list":{"0":"post-177383","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-medication","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-home","10":"tag-ie","11":"tag-ireland","12":"tag-ksltv-com","13":"tag-ksltv-com-utah-news","14":"tag-medication","15":"tag-sports","16":"tag-talk-and-community","17":"tag-traffic","18":"tag-weather"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177383","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=177383"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177383\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/177384"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=177383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=177383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=177383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}