At Crescent Beach Care, we’ve seen how semaglutide can transform lives—not only by helping people lose significant amounts of weight, but also by restoring their health, well-being, and confidence. However, when not supported by other healthy habits throughout treatment, weight loss injections can cause muscle loss.
In this blog, we’ll discuss how we address GLP-1 muscle loss in St. Augustine, as well as other side effects of semaglutide.
First Things First: What is Semaglutide?
Before we explain how we address the side effects of semaglutide, it’s best to discuss what semaglutide is first.
Semaglutide is a weight loss injection that mimics the GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) hormone. GLP-1 is the hormone released from your small intestine after eating to tell your brain when you are full. When more GLP-1 is in your system, this helps suppress your feelings of hunger by making you feel fuller for longer. With a reduced appetite, it becomes easier to maintain a caloric deficit, which can lead to weight loss.
The Semaglutide Process
While everyone’s weight loss journey will look a little different depending on their needs, here is what you can expect when it comes to getting semaglutide injections.
Consultation
Your first appointment will be a consultation with one of our providers. They will take the time to learn more about your concerns, discuss your goals, and review your medical history, including what other weight loss methods you have tried. If semaglutide is right for you, your provider will talk to you about your injections and help you determine the best course of treatment.
Treatment
We typically subscribe injections to be administered once a week, with each patient administering the medication themselves after the first injection. However, we take a personalized approach to care for every patient, so we can meet with you as often as needed. We can also help administer injections after the initial dose if you find it difficult to perform them yourself.
While you are receiving your injections, we may also recommend sessions of Emsculpt NEO and vitamin supplements to help prevent vitamin deficiencies and GLP-1 muscle loss in St. Augustine. This varies depending on your needs, so your provider will talk to you about your options to determine the best course of action for you while taking semaglutide.
If you haven’t already, you will begin making lifestyle changes to further support weight loss. You will work directly with your provider to establish a regular exercise regimen and start eating a healthy, balanced diet.
Results
Once you are finished with your series of weight loss injections, your provider will discuss your results and provide any additional support or resources to help you maintain them. If needed, we can continue to provide maintenance injections in order to support the longevity of your weight loss efforts.
Semaglutide Side Effects
There are different side effects that patients might experience while taking semaglutide, so here is what you may expect and how our team helps you minimize these effects.
Vitamin Deficiency
When you are eating less, you are at a higher risk of developing a vitamin deficiency. To counteract this, our team offers vitamin supplements to deliver the necessary vitamins you need for a healthy body
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
Symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and other digestive side effects are common for patients taking semaglutide. While our providers can prescribe medications for this, we also suggest a number of possible solutions, including:
- Take your injections before bed. If you have nausea for a few hours right after taking your injection, then we might suggest administering the medication right before bed so you can sleep through the nausea.
- Do not have an empty stomach. We recommend having a small meal every few hours to ensure that your stomach has something to process without overloading your digestive system with unnecessary calories.
- Drink plenty of water each day. Water will help curb cravings and relieve any discomfort from your digestive system.
- Try changing your injection site. Changing the site of your injection from your abdomen to your thigh might help improve your side effects.
Muscle Wasting
When you lose a significant amount of weight quickly, like you do with semaglutide injections, about 40% of the weight you lose can be muscle mass. This is because the food you eat feeds your muscles as well as your fat cells. When your muscles do not get the nutrition they are used to and do not get used, they begin to shrink.
To fight against GLP-1 muscle loss in St. Augustine, we help you establish a regular workout regimen to prevent muscle wasting and the weakness that comes with it. We also encourage you to undergo multiple sessions of Emsculpt NEO, which uses HIFEM (high-intensity focused electromagnetic) energy to build up 25% more muscle in the treatment area.
Why Crescent Beach Care?
There are many practices that offer semaglutide injections, but you’ll only find the high-quality, personalized care you deserve at Crescent Beach Care.
Providing aesthetic and primary care to patients in all stages of life, our team is among the best when it comes to compassion, experience, and devotion to your journey. No matter your medical history, our providers will assess you individually, using their expertise and our wide range of services to help you accomplish your health and wellness goals. We have 4 main values for our services:
Expertise
Not only do our providers bring decades of experience with them, but we are also dedicated to lifelong education, always keeping up with the latest technology and techniques. From primary care to personal wellness, we stay in the know with the latest advancements..
Compassion
Our providers and team members truly are dedicated to helping others feel comfortable and confident in their bodies. They’ll provide the education, support, and care you need to accomplish your goals and live your best life every day.
Inclusivity
No matter what your medical history may be or what stage of life you are in, our team at Crescent Beach Care enjoys helping all our patients. Regardless of sex, race, sexuality, or age, we provide a judgement-free space where you can heal safely.
Health
Everything we do is for the health and well-being of our patients. No matter what, you can trust that our providers will apply their knowledge, skills, and compassion to ensure you can lead a healthy and happy lifestyle.
Frequently Asked Questions
With semaglutide, you can make lasting changes to your health and wellness—but we believe that education is an essential part of the process. Here are answers to some of the most common questions we receive about semaglutide:
Do I need to get vitamin injections or Emsculpt NEO?
No, you do not need to receive vitamin supplements or Emsculpt NEO. However, we may suggest these services if you are experiencing vitamin deficiency or GLP-1 muscle loss in St. Augustine. Your provider will monitor your health during treatment, and, if necessary, they will suggest the treatments you need to maintain your health and wellness.
How else can I fight muscle wasting?
Other ways you can fight muscle wasting include:
- Eating a protein-rich diet
- Following a resistance-focused exercise regimen
- Getting adequate amounts of vitamin D
If you are struggling with GLP-1 muscle loss St. Augustine, your provider will recommend different options to maintain and build muscle.
Do you also offer tirzepatide?
Yes! We also offer tirzepatide along with semaglutide. During your consultation, your provider will talk to you about your goals and determine which option is right for you. Since tirzepatide works similarly to semaglutide, you may experience the same side effects, including vitamin deficiency and GLP-1 muscle loss in St. Augustine.
How do I know if I need maintenance injections of semaglutide?
When you first finish your semaglutide injection series, you will be taken off the medication completely. The goal is to have established healthy habits that will encourage you to keep the weight off.
However, some patients begin to gain the weight back in the months following. If this occurs for you, you can schedule an appointment with your provider to talk about your options. Together, you’ll determine if you should pursue maintenance injections, including your maintenance dosage and injection schedule. They will also help you create a long-term plan to work against side effects like vitamin deficiency, digestive issues, and GLP-1 muscle loss in St. Augustine.
Live a Happy, Healthy Life
Feeling healthy, happy, and confident doesn’t have to be difficult. Our team is more than ready to help you create a personalized plan for your weight loss. They’ll help you determine dosing, establish an exercise regimen and healthy diet, and fight against side effects like GLP-1 muscle loss in St. Augustine.
You can reach out to our team to schedule an appointment with one of our expert providers. Or, to start the process sooner, you can try our treatment planning tool to determine what treatments might be included in your weight loss plan. Either way, we are more than happy to provide everything you need to take the first step and accomplish your weight loss goals.
