Dear Doctors: Stop Telling Your Patients They Can Start At High Dosages of Wegovy if that's all that's available.
Ugh. I can’t believe I’m actually having to write an article about this. 🫣
We’ve had several calls today of potential patients saying that their doctor wrote them a script for Wegovy but they can’t get the available starting dosages. They want to know if they could take the Semaglutide with us for a month or two until they move up in dose. You absolutely can do that.
We also have seen several clients in for a bag (or two) of fluids because they’ve been puking for days because their doctor said “it’s ok to start at 1.7mg dose” or the “2.4mg” dose if that’s all that available. That’s a great way to get your patient losing weight. (in my ever so sarcastic voice) ….. have them puke their guts out for days upon days – that’ll definitely get them losing. 🙄 STOP TELLING YOUR PATIENTS THIS!
The FDA has recommended scaling dosages of these medications for a reason. THEY WILL GET SICK. IT MAY CAUSE PANCREATITIS. What are you thinking? Please research this medication and you’ll find the dosing schedule is as follows:
0.25mg x 4 weeks | 0.5mg x 4 weeks | 1.0mg x 4 weeks | 1.7mg x 4 weeks | 2.4 mg x 4 weeks.
Why?
Some people can’t even handle the side effects at the 0.25mg dose, let alone the 1.0mg and 1.7mg dose.
If you can’t google, let me help you. Click HERE for the dosing schedule of this medication and for crying out loud stop telling your patients to start at high dosages if that’s all the pharmacy has! There are other options!
