#rybelsus weight loss cost

[weightlossprogramblog]

Can I Use an HSA to Pay for Weight Loss Treatment?

Health saving account (HSA) benefits are often provided by employers, and an HSA is a tax-free way to save money for healthcare expenses. These accounts are especially helpful in paying for healthcare expenses not covered by traditional insurance.

While HSA funds can be used for a wide variety of medical costs, they can't be used for everything. If you’re trying to lose weight, you may be wondering if weight loss treatments can be paid for using HSA funds.

Does Your Weight Loss Support Your Health?

For most medical expenses, the matter of whether it is eligible for HSA fund usage or not comes down to whether the treatment or product supports your overall health. In the case of losing weight, weight loss treatments like Rybelsus (semaglutide) may be a beneficial part of a medical treatment plan supported by your doctor.

If you plan to use HSA funds to pay for this medication, Rybelsus weight loss cost factors are mitigated because your doctor will need to prescribe Rybelsus, meaning it is accepted that the medication is a part of supporting your overall health.

Using HSA Funds for Supportive Therapies

Although you can mitigate Rybelsus weight loss cost factors by being prescribed the drug and using HSA funds to pay for your prescription, you may also be able to use HSA funds for additional supportive therapies. In combination with medications, regular exercise and proper nutrition are important.

HSA funds may be able to help pay for nutrition counseling if your diet has been a challenge, and you may also be able to pay for physical therapy coaching if you have medical challenges that prevent you from getting regular exercise. To learn more about your HSA plan and funds availability, talk to your human resources manager at work if you have an employer-sponsored HSA. If you have a private HSA, contact your plan manager for more details.

Disclaimer: The above is offered for informational purposes and is not a substitute for medical or financial advice. Before making any changes to your diet, exercise routine, or medications, you are highly encouraged to talk to your doctor.

Read a similar article about Wegovy weight loss cost here at this page.

[scientia-rex]

Because my most popular post is about weight loss and how it's a crock, I get a lot of questions about various things, including bariatric surgery--just posted the link to the post I did about that--but also Ozempic/Wegovy, the once-weekly injectable semaglutide medication that was developed for diabetes but was found to have independent benefits on weight loss.

I always said that weight loss was like Viagra: when a medication came along that actually worked, it would explode. We'd all hear about it. Fen-phen in the 90s worked, but it was bad for your heart. Stimulants, like meth, may cause weight loss, but they do it at the cost of heart health, and raise your likelihood of dying young. Over the counter weight loss supplements often contain illegal and unlisted thyroid hormone, which is also dangerous for the heart if taken in the absence of a real deficiency. Orlistat, or "Alli," works the same way as the Olestra chips Lays made in the 1990s--it shuts off your ability to digest fats, and the problem with that is that fats irritate the gut, so then you end up with fatty diarrhea and probably sharts. Plus Alli only leads to 8-10lbs of weight loss in the best case scenario, and most people are not willing to endure sharts for the sake of 8lbs.

And then came the GLP-1 agonists. GLP stands for glucagon-like peptide. Your body uses insulin to make cells uptake sugar. You can't just have free-floating sugar and use it, it has to go into the cells to be used. So if your body sucks at moving sugar into the cells, you end up with a bunch of glucose hanging out in places where it shouldn't be, depositing on small vessels, damaging nerves and your retinas and kidneys and everywhere else that has a whole lot of sensitive small blood vessels, like your brain.

Glucagon makes your liver break down stored sugars and release them. You can think of it as part of insulin's supporting cast. If your body needs sugar and you aren't eating it, you aren't going to die of hypoglycemia, unless you've got some rare genetic conditions--your liver is going to go, whoops, here you go! and cough it up.

But glucagon-like peptide doesn't act quite the same way. What glucagon-like peptide does is actually stimulating your body to release insulin. It inhibits glucagon secretion. It says, we're okay, we're full, we just ate, we don't need more glucagon right now.

This has been enough for many people to both improve blood sugar and cause weight loss. Some patients find they think about food less, which can be a blessing if you have an abnormally active hunger drive, or if you have or had an eating disorder.

However, every patient I've started on semaglutide in any form (Ozempic, Wegovy, or Rybelsus) has had nausea to start with, probably because it slows the rate of stomach emptying. And that nausea sometimes improves, and sometimes it doesn't. There's some reports out now of possible gastroparesis associated with it, which is where the stomach just stops contracting in a way that lets it empty normally into the small intestine. That may not sound like a big deal, but it's a lifelong ticket to abdominal pain and nausea and vomiting, and we are not good at treating it. We're talking Reglan, a sedating anti-nausea but pro-motility agent, which makes many of my patients too sleepy to function, or a gastric pacemaker, which is a relatively new surgery. You can also try a macrolide antibiotic, like erythromycin, but I have had almost no success in getting insurance to cover those and also they have their own significant side effects.

Rapid weight loss from any cause, whether illness, medication, or surgery, comes with problems. Your skin is not able to contract quickly. It probably will, over long periods of time, but "Ozempic face" and "Ozempic butt" are not what people who want to lose weight are looking for. Your vision of your ideal body does not include loose, excess skin.

The data are also pretty clear that you can't "kick start" weight loss with Ozempic and then maintain it with behavioral mechanisms. If you want to maintain the weight loss, you need to stay on the medication. A dose that is high enough to cause weight loss is significantly higher than the minimum dose where we see improvements in blood sugar, and with a higher dose comes higher risk of side effects.

I would wait on semaglutide. I would wait because it's been out for a couple of years now but with the current explosion in popularity we're going to see more nuanced data on side effects emerging. When you go from Phase III human trials to actual use in the world, you get thousands or millions more data points, and rare side effects that weren't seen in the small human trials become apparent. It's why I always say my favorite things for a drug to be are old, safe, and cheap.

I also suspect the oral form, Rybelsus, is going to get more popular and be refined in some way. It's currently prohibitively expensive--all of these are; we're talking 1200 or so bucks a month before insurance, and insurance coverage varies widely. I have patients who pay anything from zero to thirty to three hundred bucks a month for injectable semaglutide. I don't think I currently have anyone whose insurance covers Rybelsus who could also tolerate the nausea. My panel right now is about a thousand patients.

There are also other GLP-1 agonists. Victoza, a twice-daily injection, and Trulicity, and anything else that ends in "-aglutide". But those aren't as popular, despite being cheaper, and they aren't specifically approved for weight loss.

Mounjaro is a newer one, tirzepatide, that acts on two receptors rather than one. In addition to stimulating GLP-1 receptors, it also stimulates glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors. It may work better; I'm not sure whether that's going to come with a concomitantly increased risk of side effects. It's still only approved for diabetes treatment, but I suspect that will change soon and I suspect we'll see a lot of cross-over in terms of using it to treat obesity.

I don't think these medications are going away. I also don't think they're right for everyone. They can reactivate medullary thyroid carcinoma; they can fuck up digestion; they may lead to decreased quality of life. So while there may be people who do well with them, it is okay if those people are not you. You do not owe being thin to anyone. You most certainly do not owe being thin to the extent that you should risk your health for it. Being thin makes navigating a deeply fat-hating world easier, in many ways, so I never blame anyone for wanting to be thin; I just want to emphasize that it is okay if you stay fat forever.

[heaithandbeauty]

Weight Loss Drugs Will Have Impact Far Beyond Just On Drugmakers

A new PitchBook report listed several predictions for digital health companies in regards to weight loss drugs, including the potential for new weight loss startups and possible challenges for existing nutrition companies.

By Marissa Plescia

Post a comment / Oct 2, 2023 at 5:18 PM

GLP-1s — which lower blood sugar to help people lose weight — are taking the healthcare industry by storm and have several implications for digital health companies. This includes headwinds for established nutrition programs and the potential for the launch of new virtual weight loss startups, according to a PitchBook report published Friday.

The PitchBook authors believe that because of the prevalence of obesity in the U.S., the impact of GLP-1s “will extend far beyond the drugmakers themselves.” So far, four GLP-1 agonists have FDA approval: Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy and Mounjaro. Wegovy, however, is the only one indicated for weight loss, while the others are indicated for Type 2 diabetes.

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PitchBook listed the potential effect of weight loss drugs on several specific VC-backed digital health companies. For example, Ro and Noom may see new customers through their weight loss telehealth offerings. Form Health could see a rising adoption of their direct-to-consumer weight loss platform and increasing demand in their employer business. Signos, which offers continuous glucose monitors, could see growth due to “growing awareness of weight loss options, but potential loss of share to platforms with drug prescription services.” Alfie, meanwhile, could see higher adoption of their direct-to-consumer weight loss offering and a growing provider partner network.

Here are five ways the digital health industry will change as a result of weight loss drugs, according to PitchBook:

1. Telehealth companies have a “significant opportunity” to shift their focus to weight loss as their main business model or add weight loss telehealth to their current business model. One example PitchBook mentioned is WeightWatchers, which recently acquired the telehealth platform Sequence. WeightWatchers is a wellness company that helps people lose weight through lifestyle support like food and fitness tracking. Sequence gives patients access to virtual appointments with clinicians, dietitian and fitness coaching and prescription medications like GLP-1s. In addition, new weight loss telehealth programs have surfaced from digital health companies like Ro, according to PitchBook.

Other digital health companies have introduced programs that include access to GLP-1s, including LifeMD and Hello Alpha, MedCity News previously reported.

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2. There may be headwinds for existing nutrition programs due to the excitement around weight loss drugs. The authors called out Jenny Craig, which recently declared bankruptcy after an “unsuccessful digital pivot.”

3. Digital health startups racing to serve this market could struggle to stand out from others in the space, PitchBook said.

“As the market gains steam and similar drugs are offered across multiple vendor platforms, startups could face greater competition and higher marketing costs due to a lack of differentiation,” the authors declared.

4. In the long term, health and fitness platforms could see significant growth due to higher use of weight loss drugs. Those who were previously overweight or obese may “become more active and seek out fitness trackers and other consumer health tech platforms,” the authors said. In addition, more fitness activity could also lead to broader adoption of digital musculoskeletal solutions.

5. Down the road, new virtual weight loss startups may surface, PitchBook predicted.

“We see potential for an entirely new ecosystem of digital health startups to take advantage of a growing population of weight loss patients by offering services including telehealth, medication adherence, and prescription management,” the authors said. “To date, only a limited number of weight loss startups have been built from the ground up, and we expect this to change.”

Examples of these startups include Calibrate, Weekend, Vida, Alfie, Form Health and Wondr, PitchBook told MedCity News.

Source -https://medcitynews.com/2023/10/weight-loss-drugs-glp1s-digital-health/

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[aasraw-mary]

Tirzepatide vs Semaglutide: A new battle in obesity treatment

Tirzepatide and semaglutide are type 2 diabetes drugs often used for weight management. While Tirzepatide may potentially be more effective, it’s too early to know that based on current research.

Semaglutide is FDA approved to treat type 2 diabetes under the brand names Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus. However, only Wegovy has approval Trusted Source for use in managing weight.

Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, which means it mimics the GLP-1 hormone and makes you feel less hungry. When you eat, your digestive tract releases the GLP-1 hormone, prompting the body to create more insulin. It can also send fullness signals to the brain.

Tirzepatide is sold under the brand name Mounjaro. It’s both a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and GLP-1 receptor agonist. Tirzepatide mimics Trusted Source the GLP-1 hormone and the GIP hormone. The GIP hormone can also trigger insulin creation and sensations of fullness.

This means tirzepatide may offer an extra weight loss boost. However, it’s only approved for type 2 diabetes, so any use in weight loss is off-label.

One benefit of semaglutide, though, is that it is available in both oral tablets and injections. Tirzepatide is only available as an injection.

Some recent studies have compared semaglutide and tirzepatide for weight loss.

A 2023 study Trusted Source found that tirzepatide resulted in greater weight loss than semaglutide. Although it costs more, researchers concluded that tirzepatide is more effective and a better value. A 2021 study Trusted Source also found that tirzepatide was more effective.

There are some important caveats to note about these studies, though:

First, the doses of semaglutide and tirzepatide given to participants were not equal. The dose of tirzepatide was higher, which may have affected the results. It’s possible that had the dose of semaglutide been at a comparable level, weight loss would have increased.

Additionally, these studies only looked at the weight loss effects in people with type 2 diabetes, so it’s possible those without diabetes might not have seen the same effects. Tirzepatide is currently only FDA-approved for people with type 2 diabetes. However, studiesTrusted Source suggest semaglutide may be an effective weight loss treatment for people without diabetes.Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro, mimics the effect of GLP-1 and GIP hormones. Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy, only mimics the effect of GLP-1 hormones. Tirzepatide has been called Semaglutide 2.0 because patients have lost more weight in the same period of time, felt a heavier suppression of appetite. Tirzepatide demonstrated a greater decrease in HbA1c and weight loss than Semaglutide.

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[utahtrimclinic]

GLP-1 weight loss program

Many people struggle to reduce weight. Even when they follow a balanced diet and exercise routine; as a result, some people may seek alternative means of weight loss, such as medicine.

Weight loss might vary based on the GLP-1 medicine used and the dosage. According to research, utilising liraglutide can result in a weight loss of 10.5 to 15.8 pounds (4.8 to 7.2 kilogrammes, or kg). According to studies, those who used semaglutide and made lifestyle adjustments lost roughly 33.7 pounds (15.3 kilograms) compared to 5.7 pounds (2.6 kilograms) in those who did not take medicine in weight loss glp 1.

What are the Types of the GLP-1 Weight loss program?

GLP-1 receptor agonists are either short-acting (given once or twice a day) or long-acting (administered once a week). Insurance coverage, medical history, cost (purchase GLP-1 receptor agonists), personal preference, and blood sugar control efficacy all influence the kind recommended. There are a total of 7 discovered GLP-1 Weight loss programs till now; they are:

GLP-1 weight loss program includes:

Wegovy (injectable semaglutide) is taken once weekly.

Monaro (injectable terzepatide) is taken once weekly.

Ozempic (injectable semaglutide) taken once weekly

Rebels (oral semaglutide) taken daily as a pill

Trulicity (injectable dulaglutide) taken once weekly

Saxenda (injectable liraglutide) taken once weekly

Victoza (injectable liraglutide) is taken once weekly

Wegovy

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Wegovy. It belongs to a class of medications known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. Segovia has yet to be available in generic form.

Segovia is available as a liquid solution in a single-dose pen. Segovia will be injected beneath the skin by you.

This prescription medication is used with exercise and a low-calorie diet for long-term weight loss in individuals with a BMI of 27 or higher (overweight) and a weight-related health condition.

Monaro

Monaro is an injectable prescription medicine intended to improve blood sugar (glucose) levels in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in conjunction with diet and exercise.

It is unknown if Mounjaro can be utilised in patients who have suffered pancreatic inflammation (pancreatitis). Those with type 1 diabetes should avoid using Mounjaro. Monaro is not proven to be safe or effective in children under the age of 18.

Ozempic

Ozempic, a diabetic treatment, had lately attracted notice when celebrities, a tech entrepreneur, and TikTok influencers recounted using it to reduce weight quickly.

The FDA originally authorised the injectable pharmaceutical for treating diabetes in 2017. In 2021, the FDA approved Wegovy, a drug with a greater dosage of the main component in Ozempic, called semaglutide, to treat obesity.

Rebels

Rebels (semaglutide) is an oral diabetic medication to enhance blood sugar management in persons over 18. It is frequently provided after oral diabetic treatments have failed or have ceased functioning.

Rebels should be taken on an empty stomach, at least 30 minutes before eating, and with a modest amount of water (no more than 4 oz). This ensures that Rybelsus is adequately absorbed. You may eat, drink, or take other oral medications after 30 minutes of taking the Rybelsus pill.

Rebels are not prescribed for the treatment of type 1 diabetes.

Trulicity

Trulicity is an injectable diabetic medication that aids in blood sugar management.

Trulicity is used in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus, together with diet and exercise, to enhance blood sugar management.

Trulicity also treats persons with type 2 diabetes and heart disease and minimises their risk of significant cardiac issues such as heart attack or stroke.

Trulicity is not utilised in the treatment of type 1 diabetes.

Saxenda

Saxenda functions similarly to a hormone that occurs naturally in the body and aids in regulating blood sugar, insulin levels, and digestion.

Saxenda is an injectable prescription medication that may assist confident obese or overweight adults who also have weight-related medical issues, as well as children aged 12 to 17 years with a body weight of more than 132 pounds (60 kg) and obesity, lose weight and keep it off. It is taken in conjunction with diet and exercise.

Victoza

Victoza functions similarly to a hormone that exists naturally in the body and aids in regulating blood sugar, insulin levels, and digestion.

Victoza is used in adults and children ten years of age and older with type 2 diabetes mellitus, together with diet and exercise, to improve blood sugar management.

In individuals with type 2 diabetes and heart disease, Victoza may also help lower the risk of significant cardiac issues such as heart attack or stroke. It is frequently used when other diabetic medications have failed. Victoza is not approved for the treatment of type 1 diabetes.

[kumarshivam]

Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes and prediabetes are two of the country's most serious health problems. Over 1.33 billion people in India are diagnosed and suffering with diabetes.

When blood sugar levels are higher than usual but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes, it is called prediabetes. Weight loss and greater activity can help you avoid being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

The number of Americans at risk for these disorders is even more alarming: the American Diabetes Association revealed that out of 34.2 million individuals with diabetes, 26.8 million were diagnosed and 7.3 million remained undiagnosed. The best Diabetic specialist kolkata will provide you with the best recommendations for type-2 diabetes treatment. 

Type 2 Diabetic Treatment

Type 2 diabetes has no cure, but patients may control their symptoms by eating well, staying active through regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight. But there are instances when this isn't enough.  Changing your lifestyle is one of the best ways to control your diabetes and not let it get out of control. 

Oral metformin, a medicine that forms the backbone of oral diabetes treatment regimens, is frequently the first drug used to treat type 2 diabetes. Different medication types may be added to metformin after that, and injectable insulin may be required for certain people.

Insulin is a hormone that allows the body to use glucose (sugar) from food to create energy.

The pancreas does not produce insulin in type 1 diabetes, thus it must be supplemented. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas either does not produce enough insulin, or the effects of insulin are resistant, or both. The best Diabetic specialist  kolkata will provide you with the best recommendations for type-2 diabetes treatment depending on several factors. 

Medication For Diabetes Treatment

Sulfonylurea

Glipizide, glyburide, and glimepiride are examples of medications in this class. These drugs are affordable, but they can induce low blood sugar and weight gain.

Insulin Sensitizer

Pioglitazone is a medicine that is effective and does not cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). It can, however, result in weight gain. The best Diabetic specialist kolkata will provide you with the best recommendations for type-2 diabetes treatment. 

Agonists for the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor

Exenatide (Byetta, Bydureon), liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda), and dulaglutide (Victoza, Saxenda) are examples of this drug (Trulicity). Some of these drugs are injected daily, while others are injected once a week.

Semaglutide is also available in an oral version (Rybelsus) that may be taken once a day. This sort of medicine is effective and may aid with weight loss as well as heart health. However, it is possible that it will induce adverse effects such as nausea and diarrhea.

Inhibitors of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4 inhibitors)

This category includes a number of drugs. Sitagliptin (Januvia), saxagliptin (Onglyza), linagliptin (Tradjenta), and vildagliptin (Vildagliptin) are all brand-name medications (Galvus).

Factors Considered By Diabetic Specialists before Recommending Treatment

Your doctor will evaluate the following considerations when deciding which treatment plan is best for you:

Heart disease, such as a history of heart attacks, strokes, or congestive heart failure, is present or absent.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is present or absent (CKD)

Potential side effects of diabetes treatment

Cost of medication and treatment

Individual preferences for a treatment plan

Wrapping Up!

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic and complicated disease. Managing it successfully entails employing a variety of risk-reduction methods while also attaining your blood sugar control goals. The best Diabetic specialist kolkata will provide you with the best recommendations for type-2 diabetes treatment depending on several factors. 

[pharmaphorumuk]

Novo launches type 2 diabetes pill in UK after NICE waives review

Novo Nordisk has launched its type 2 diabetes pill Rybelsus (semaglutide) in the UK, after cost-effectiveness watchdog NICE decided that there was no need to review it.

After EU approval in April Novo said it had priced Rybelsus at parity with rival GLP-1 drugs in the UK, and NICE will not perform a single technology appraisal as a result, allowing the company to begin negotiations in England and Wales to get the drug included on NHS formularies.

The Scottish Medicine Consortium will make a decision on whether to reimburse the drug later this year, while NICE will consider including it in national prescription guidelines.

All of Rybelsus’ GLP-1 class rivals are injected, with all the associated complications and inconvenience.

While Novo Nordisk and rivals Eli Lilly and AstraZeneca market weekly GLP-1 class drugs, Novo Nordisk hopes that Rybelsus will gain market share by doing away with the need for regular injections.

The company also highlighted clinical data showing that Rybelsus achieved significantly better blood sugar reduction at one year compared with commonly used rivals –  Eli Lilly/Boehringer Ingelheim’s DPP-4 Januvia (sitagliptin) and SGLT-2 Jardiance (empagliflozin) and Novo’s own daily GLP-1 Victoza (liraglutide).

Clinical data also showed that seven out of 10 patients treated with Rybelsus met a blood sugar (HbA1c) target of 7% or less, compared with the UK average of 40%.

Novo added that the drug also produced consistent weight loss and can be quickly prescribed in doctors’ surgeries.

According to a 2014 survey cited by Novo Nordisk, nearly 47% of UK GPs reported that injections can be barriers to prescribing GLP-1 drugs, with patient adherence issues and time taken to teach injection technique identified as problems.

The drug can be prescribed remotely, which could reduce risk of COVID-19 transmission from face-to-face appointments with doctors.

The most common adverse reactions were nausea, diarrhoea and hypoglycemia when used with insulin and/or sulfonylurea.

The drug has a black triangle warning on its box to indicate that extra monitoring is necessary.

The post Novo launches type 2 diabetes pill in UK after NICE waives review appeared first on .

from https://pharmaphorum.com/news/novo-launches-type-2-diabetes-pill-in-uk/