Like all prescription medications, compounded Semaglutide and other GLP-1 receptor agonists come with potential side effects. For most, side effects are mild and will fade as your body adjusts to your new prescription.
Few stop treatment due to side effects. If weekly injections aren’t right for you for any reason, you can explore other medical weight loss options.
What Are Medical Weight Loss Centers?
Medical weight loss solutions have been available for decades. These solutions are “medical” because they include evidence-based treatments, therapies, and strategies. Nutrition and exercise are often prescribed, but treatments are designed to promote weight loss from the inside out.
Unlike deprivation diets and extreme workout programs, medical weight loss is tailored to the individual and designed to be sustainable. Meal plans may reduce caloric intake but contain a diverse range of essential nutrients and don’t leave you feeling hungry, hangry, or low on energy. Optimal whole-body health is the objective, not just decreasing the number on the scale.
This might include:
Medical weight loss experts: General care physicians typically provide generic weight loss advice. Working with a naturopathic medical doctor (NMD), registered nurse (RN), bariatric physician, and a registered dietician or certified nutritionist can help to create personalized programs. Valley Medical Weight Loss and Med Spa has both an NMD and RN.
Behavioral therapist: There are many emotional and psychological triggers that influence eating habits, weight loss motivation, and body image. Even for those who aren’t working directly with a therapist, behavioral therapy is built into many science-based programs.
Fitness experts: Like many things in life, workouts are more about quality than quantity. Also, the gym isn’t for everyone. Personal trainers and fitness experts can help you identify the right mix of cardiovascular exercise and strength training.
Now let’s explore the most common compounded Semaglutide and GLP-1 medication side effects, and how to address them.
#1 Take Under Medical Supervision
We fully understand the need for convenience and the preference to self-administer your weight loss injection. However, touching base with your prescribing practitioner on a weekly basis for at least the first few months can drastically improve your outcomes.
Compounded Semaglutide is prescribed in tiered doses. You begin with .25 mg and increase in 4+ week intervals until reaching the maximum dose of 2.4 mg. Most patients’ dose is increased every 4 weeks, but we may extend the interval if you’re still experiencing side effects.
Mild digestive concerns are the most common side effects. Slowing the rate at which your dose is increased and providing tailored symptom management may help.
If the symptoms below are severe, or you experience other symptoms, seek immediate medical attention. This could be a sign of pancreatitis or other serious medical conditions.
#2 Nausea
Nausea is the most common compounded Semaglutide prescription side effect. You’re most likely to experience nausea in your first few weeks or as the dose is increased.
You may be able to reduce nausea by:
- Going outside and getting some fresh air.
- Eating small meals throughout the day.
- Stop eating when you feel full.
- Chewing more and slowing down when you eat.
- Drinking cold water, broth, or unsweetened ginger tea.
- Easing symptoms with crackers, toast, or pretzels.
- Eating more apples, bananas, rice, pasta, and starchy foods.
- Eating cold foods like plain yogurt, gelatin, frozen yogurt, or popsicles.
- Wait to exercise or lie down directly after eating.
Minimize all digestive GLP-1 medication side effects on this list by avoiding:
- Greasy foods
- Fried foods
- Spicy foods
- High-sugar foods
- Foods with a strong aroma
#3 Vomiting
Although less common than nausea, some patients vomit when taking compounded Semaglutide. Occasional vomiting is more likely during the first few weeks of your prescription and the first few weeks of higher doses. The nausea tips above may help.
Be sure to rehydrate. Vomiting (even once or twice) is dehydrating. Rehydrate with water, an electrolyte beverage, or unsweetened herbal tea.
#4 Mild Abdominal Pain
Abdominal discomfort, or swelling may occur, but the pain should be mild and easily minimized with a heating pad or warm bath.
If stomach or abdominal pain is severe, radiates to your back, or is accompanied by vomiting or other symptoms—seek immediate medical attention.
#5 Diarrhea
Diarrhea may occur when you first start taking your weight loss prescription. Symptoms should be mild and non-disruptive, lasting a few days for most patients—rarely more than a few weeks. However, diarrhea may return when your dose increases, gradually improving over the next few days or weeks.
As with vomiting, diarrhea is dehydrating. So, drink plenty of fluids and restore electrolytes with an electrolyte beverage.
#6 Constipation
One of the less common GLP-1 medication side effects is constipation. Unlike other digestive side effects, constipation may be longer-lasting. Constipation is likely to present at higher doses and typically lasts the first month or so.
General constipation relief is effective for most:
- Drink at least half of your body weight in water and hydrating fluids per day.
- Eat a diverse range of fiber sources, aiming for no less than 20 to 35 grams per day.
- Limit caffeine and alcohol; alcohol should be avoided or kept to a minimum on compounded Semaglutide.
- Keep processed foods and low-fiber foods to a minimum.
- Exercise (and strength train) for 30 minutes 5 times a week to improve digestion.
- Take fiber supplements or laxatives as directed by your physician.
#7 Gas, Acid Reflux, and Burping
Gas, acid reflux, and burping often subside as your body adjusts to your new medication. In the meantime, you can make a few nutritional changes to minimize these GLP-1 medication side effects.
- Gas: Gas is a less common side effect. Your risk increases as your dose rises. Adjusting your diet to include adequate fiber intake and choosing whole foods, low-carb vegetables, low-glycemic fruits, and gas-reducing foods may help.
- Acid reflux: Acid reflux will typically subside in the first month or so, or after your dose transitions from .25 mg per week to .50 mg per week. In the meantime, eliminate spicy, greasy, and high-fat foods. Also reduce your consumption of carbonated beverages, including soda and sparkling water.
- Burping: Burping will typically subside in the first month or so, or after your dose transitions from .25 mg per week to .50 mg per week. You can minimize burping by slowing down when you eat. The faster you eat, the more air you swallow, which contributes to burping.
Increasing Fiber and Legume Intake May Temporarily Increase Gas
As you add more fiber to your diet or legumes as a lean protein source, you may experience a short-term increase in gas and bloating. As your gut bacteria rebuild in response to your new fiber sources, gas is likely to subside. For most, this occurs between 3 and 4 weeks. Minimize intake of legumes to 1/2 cup per serving (or less) as your body adjusts to your transition to increased whole foods.
Considerations Beyond Common GLP-1 Medication Side Effects
With the goal to personalize and optimize your whole-body health, there are a few factors to consider beyond the GLP-1 medication side effects above.
Decreased Appetite Requires Improved Nutrition
Many patients find that they eat smaller meals and snack less between meals when taking weight loss medications. So, even if you don’t change what you’re eating, your caloric intake is likely to reduce. Since you’ll be eating less, what you eat is even more important. If you continue eating processed, high-fat, high-grease, and high-sugar foods—you won’t provide your body with the essential nutrients required to thrive.
Combine our Weekly Weight Loss Program with compounded Semaglutide to access a nutrient-dense meal plan. As an added bonus, you’ll likely lose an additional 2 to 5 pounds per week!
If You’re Low On Energy, You May Be Experiencing Muscle Wasting
One of your health objectives is likely to feel more energized. However, some patients begin to feel decreased strength and stamina a few months into their weekly weight loss injections.
Anytime you lose weight, approximately one-third of the weight lost is lean muscle mass and two-thirds is fat. So, the more weight you have to lose, the greater your risk of muscle wasting. If you only have 10 or 20 pounds of fat to lose, the amount of muscle lost may not be concerning. The more fat you have to lose, the greater the need for proactive muscle maintenance and reactive muscle building.
Muscle wasting puts you at risk for:
- Lean muscle mass loss
- Decreased resting metabolic rate
- Premature bone density loss
The top 2 ways to maintain and build lean muscle mass while taking compounded Semaglutide include strength training and consuming more lean proteins.
- Protein feeds and fuels your existing muscle and strength training builds new muscle.
- Strength train 3 times per week for at least 20 minutes to maintain and build new muscle.
The higher your lean muscle mass, the faster your metabolism—so you may lose weight faster.
Compounded Semaglutide in Phoenix, Glendale, and Tempe
Valley Medical Weight Loss and Med Spa provides compounded Semaglutide prescriptions, evidence-based Weight Loss Programs, Meal Replacement Shakes, and a variety of Wellness Solutions to tailor your weight loss journey.
