Yes and no. Whilst they are both the medication known as semaglutide, Ozempic is licensed for the treatment of diabetes – using it for weight loss alone is not licensed in the UK. The dosage regime for Ozempic vs Wegovy is different too. But it hasn’t stopped many clinics giving it out, without proper assessment or any thought for the many diabetics who rely on it for treatment and are having trouble accessing it.

The precise mechanism of action is not completely clear, but it appears to act by reducing appetite and clearly has some effect on stabilising blood sugar too.

Wegovy comes in the form of an injection, given by a small pen that provides a carefully measured dose. The injection needle is so tiny you can barely feel it and can be done, yourself, at home after you have been instructed by a healthcare professional on how and where to inject. The injection is performed just once a week and the dose is gradually increased over several weeks.

In some people it can cause nausea which can lead to some people giving up altogether. Abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhoea can occur too. These side-effects are usually mild and can be reduced by building up the dose slowly to allow the body time to adjust.

The weekly weight loss jab is suitable for those with a BMI 25 – 30 (or 24 with a weight related co-morbidity). After you complete you ronline consultation you will be assess by the prescriber who will take into account factors such as you BMI, your medical history, current medication etc.
Semaglutide will not be suitable and will not be prescribed if you fall into one of the categories below:
Under 18 or above 75 years of age
If you are breastfeeding, pregnant or actively trying to get pregnant.
Anyone who has had pancreatitis
Anyone with or a family history of thyroid tumours or thyroid cancer
Type 1 diabetics or patients taking diabetic medication
Kidney problems
Dehydration

Before opening, Ozempic should be stored at a temperature between 2°C – 8°C. Unused pens that are stored in the fridge are safe to use up until their expiry date do not freeze it. Once you start using the pen you can either store it in the fridge or keep it outside the fridge for up to 6 weeks. If you decide to keep it outside the fridge, ensure that the temperature does not exceed 30 degrees. Do not use this product if the expiry date printed on the original packaging has passed.

If you forgot to use your injection on your usual day, you can just inject yourself as soon as you remember, as long as it’s within 5 days from your usual injection day. For example, if you usually inject yourself on Monday, then you can take your missed dose up until Friday. If more than 5 days have passed since you were supposed to use your injection, you should skip the missed dose and continue as normal when your next dose is due. For example, if you usually inject yourself on Monday and have not taken your injection until Friday, then you should take it the following Monday and not on Saturday or Sunday. Do not inject yourself twice to make up for a forgotten dose.

Like any new medication you take, your body will have to adjust to it and it is likely to cause some side effects. Some of the most common side effects are the following:
Feeling sick (nausea)
Diarrhoea
Constipation
Indigestion
Inflamed stomach (gastritis)
Reflux or heartburn
Stomach pain and bloating of the stomach
Burping
Gallstones
Tiredness
Increase of pancreatic enzymes (such as lipase and amylase).
These do tend to go away over time once your body has adjusted to it. Do ensure that you have read the patient information leaflet to be fully aware of the all the side effects.

Yes. Ozempic is a prescription only medication and we will only dispense it for you with a valid prescription. Our healthcare professionals will issue a prescriptions free of cost if they think this treatment would be right for you and your condition. In order to be prescribed Ozempic, you can click on ‘start consultation’ on the top of this page and answer the questions in that section. These questions have been designed by our healthcare team to understand your healthcare needs in order to specifically determine which treatment is suitable for your weight loss. Just like an in-person consultation with your GP, our prescribers will assess your answers to their questions and write a prescription for the treatment they think will be best for you. You’ll then be able to pay for your medication and we’ll send it out to you quickly and in discreet packaging. If our healthcare professions feel that your selected treatment is not the most suitable one for you, you will be contacted and offered an alternative treatment and advice.

The active ingredient in Ozempic is Semaglutide, a medication which is similar to a naturally occurring hormone in your body which is called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1). This is an appetite hormone, which that helps regulate hunger and helps our brain to recognise that we’re satisfied and don’t need any more food. By helping reduce your appetite and making you feel fuller, this may lead to you consuming fewer calories and therefore losing weight. When paired with a low-calorie diet and regular exercise, this treatment can help you to lose weight and keep it off.

Ozempic is the brand name for the molecule Semaglutide.Until the end of 2020, Ozempic weekly injection was the only form of Semaglutide available. Since then the manufacturers, Novo Nordisk, have also launched a daily Semaglutide tablet, called Rybelsus. Wegovy, which is the higher strength 2.4mg Semaglutide is expected to be launch soon which is licensed for weight loss.

Before taking any medication, it is important to read the Patient Information Leaflet. You can also contact us for additional information and advice.

Off-label prescribing is when you are prescribed a licenced medication to treat a condition not specifically stated or listed on its product license.

Towards the end of the drug development process, the pharmaceutical company applies for a license to treat a specific condition and submits the results of its trials to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA). If the license is granted, it will specify certain information regarding the medication, such as who can use it, what dosage, storage and usage instructions, side effects and contraindications and what conditions it may be used to treat. This can all be found in the patient information leaflet provided with the medicine.

Prescribing outside of these guidelines included with the license of any medicine means that it is being used “off-label”. Our prescribers at the Mayfair Weight Loss Clinic will only prescribe off-label if they believe that the medication will be effective at treating the condition in question, and that the advantages outweigh any potential risks.

Off-label prescribing is fairly common and is a safe practice as long as the patient’s condition, medical history, allergies and current medicines are taken into consideration. Being prescribed a medicine off-label doesn’t mean that the drug is unlicensed – these two terms mean very different things and shouldn’t be confused with each other. An off-label medicine is simply a medicine that does have a UK or EU license, but not for the purpose that it’s being used for.

Saxenda (Liraglutide 3.0mg) and Ozempic (semaglutide) are both GLP-1 analogues, which means they behave like the naturally produced hormone called Glucagon Like Peptide (GLP-1). Semaglutide has a longer duration of action than Liraglutide, hence it is a once-weekly injection.

Saxenda has a license to specifically treat weight-loss, whereas Semaglutide, although a licensed medication and very effective in treating weight loss, is awaiting marketing authorisation by the regulatory authority, MHRA. The license to treat weight loss has been granted by the FDA in the USA.

Semglutide is a once weekly injection whereas Liraglutide 3mg (Saxenda) injection has to be given every day. This because Semaglutide has a longer duration of action in the body. Research shows that semaglutide is more effective in improving blood glucose control and weight loss compared to Liraglutide.

The current available maximum dose of semaglutide (Ozempic) is 1mg, which is licensed to treat diabetes. The anticipated dose to treat weight loss weight loss will be 2.4mg.

Absolutely. The weight loss medication we prescribe are to be taken in combination with a sensible diet and exercise and that is when you see the most effective weight loss.

Body Mass Index (BMI) is essentially a measure of body size. It is a calculation based on your height and weight that is used to work out if your weight is healthy. Your BMI will be calculated as a number which represents your height to weight ratio i.e. 27 kg/m2.

It activates the pancreas to produce insulin in response to an increase in blood sugar levels Reduces food cravings, stopping snacking, resulting in decreased calorie intake Reduces glucagon production. This is the molecule that is produced when you’re hungry. This regulates blood sugar levels by increasing blood sugar levels Slows down gastric emptying. This prevents a fast rise in post-meal blood sugar levels. It also causes you to become full more quickly and for longer, helping to decrease your portion size and to stop snacking between meals.

Semaglutide: a synthetic version of a molecule in the body called Glucagon-like peptide-1. This molecule helps reduce appetite and regulate how the body uses blood sugars

There will not be an accelerated increase in weight when you stop the medication. However, you will need to continue monitoring your calorie intake and combine it with healthy eating and exercise.

Dr. Mariana would like to check in with you every 3 months to discuss the progress of your weight loss. Grace White will check in with you every month.

She is happy to discuss any concerns you have at any point in between these catch-up sessions, however.