Many Patients Stop Weight Management Drugs Early

GLP-1 medication like Ozempic and Wegovy are hovering in recognition for his or her weight administration advantages, however a current report discovered that many individuals don’t keep on the remedy lengthy sufficient to attain outcomes. 

The examine, performed by Blue Well being Intelligence, confirmed that greater than 30% of individuals stopped taking prescribed GLP-1 medication—formally often called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists—inside 4 weeks of beginning them. 

Whereas Wegovy has been authorised by the Meals and Drug Administration to deal with weight problems, Ozempic is usually prescribed off-label for that function. The medication are meant to be taken for no less than 12 weeks and are prescribed at a low dose that will increase over time. Folks can normally take them for years. 

Taking GLP-1s for under a month may have solely a minimal impact—it may take as much as 5 or 6 months to succeed in the total dose, mentioned Scott Isaacs, MD, president-elect of the American Affiliation of Scientific Endocrinology. “Many individuals don’t drop extra pounds on the preliminary beginning doses and have to titrate as much as increased doses with the intention to have a weight reduction impact,” he informed Well being. 

Not solely that, stopping too early may also be dangerous for well being, consultants mentioned. 

Right here’s what it is advisable to know concerning the analysis, in addition to what to think about earlier than reducing your remedy brief.

For the examine, researchers used the pharmacy and medical claims knowledge of virtually 170,000 folks with Blue Cross Blue Defend insurance coverage protection who obtained prescriptions for GLP-1s between 2014 and 2023. The common age of sufferers was 45.

They discovered that most individuals dropped out of remedy previous to 12 weeks.

These between the ages of 18 and 34 have been extra prone to cease remedy, as have been folks with well being inequities or these residing in underserved well being areas. Gender appeared to not have an effect on who dropped out and who continued with their treatment.

Components that influenced whether or not an individual stayed on their GLP-1 included whether or not the prescribing physician was an endocrinologist, weight problems specialist, or in any other case had experience in weight administration and weight problems, researchers discovered. Individuals who noticed their healthcare suppliers extra regularly after receiving the GLP-1 prescription have been additionally extra prone to proceed their remedy.

The researchers speculated that some folks could cease taking the treatment as a consequence of side effects. The medication could cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, in addition to different critical however much less frequent opposed results together with pancreatitis, gallbladder illness, and kidney points.

“Many prescriptions are initiated to the extraordinary affected person demand, however most of the prescribers will not be skilled within the full set of wraparound care methods required to handle a affected person on a GLP-1,” Rekha B. Kumar, MD, an affiliate professor of drugs at Weill Cornell Medical Faculty and Chief Medical Officer at Discovered, informed Well being.

These methods embrace understanding tips on how to troubleshoot unwanted side effects slightly than simply stopping the treatment, de-escalating remedy when acceptable, and offering behavioral help, she mentioned. 

Along with unwanted side effects, different elements like drug shortages, prices, and restricted availability additionally could contribute to excessive drop-out charges, Kumar famous.

“Lengthy-term accessibility is a priority partially as a consequence of value, which is why there are non-evidenced based mostly techniques being proposed, akin to stopping medication adopted by extreme diets,” she mentioned.

Issacs mentioned the hazard of briefly taking GLP-1 drugs is that individuals who keep on it for at the least lengthy sufficient to drop extra pounds will lose that weight quickly, which implies they’ll possible additionally lose muscle. Although folks are inclined to regain a lot of the weight they lose as soon as they go off the medication, they received’t essentially achieve that muscle again. 

“Due to this fact, there may be an alteration in physique composition with the next physique fats proportion, which then interprets to decrease metabolism,” he mentioned. “Weight biking—shedding weight after which regaining it—in the end leads to extra issue shedding weight because the metabolic fee is far decrease.” 

That’s why GLP-1s are FDA-approved for steady use to deal with weight problems, Isaacs careworn.

Isaacs mentioned the important thing to staying on GLP-1 treatment is managing unwanted side effects. 

“It’s common to expertise gastrointestinal unwanted side effects when initiating these drugs,” he mentioned. “Unintended effects normally subside after 4 weeks or much less however could return for about 4 weeks every time the dose is elevated.” 

As a result of the drugs work by slowing abdomen emptying, they will make you’re feeling full but additionally bloated. High-fat foods and consuming an excessive amount of can worsen the sensation, which is why Isaacs suggests shedding meals as quickly as you’re feeling full.

“Even consuming one or two further bites can lead to extreme unwanted side effects, nausea, even vomiting,” Isaacs mentioned. “However preserving the meals small will help so much with unwanted side effects.” 

“In my expertise, most sufferers are in a position to tolerate the treatment and can proceed it long run in the event that they comply with these steps,” he continued.

Moreover, Kumar careworn the significance of working with a certified physician who can correctly assess your general well being and supply methods that will help you keep on treatment long-term. 

In case you do cease taking the treatment, consultants advise having a dietary program in place and cognitive help to override the potential cravings and elevated starvation chances are you’ll expertise.

“Weight problems is a persistent illness, and it doesn’t make sense to deal with a persistent lifelong situation with a brief remedy,” Isaacs mentioned.