If you fail to lose weight even after trying out all the non-drug methods, only then try weight loss medication. You might need to go that way even if you have a significantly high BMI. Most medical teams will recommend medication if you have BMI over 27 and if you have other obesity-related complications like diabetes.
Jill Health Weight Loss program takes into account your pre-existing medical conditions, allergies, medications, and personal preference for specific products (ie. injectables vs oral pills) and determines what the best medication option is for you. Two common medications that Jill Health program uses are Saxenda (Liraglutide) and Contrave (Naltrexone/bupropion).
Saxenda works by slowing the emptying of your stomach and making you feel more full. You can reach your weight loss goal faster if you have reduced appetite and food cravings because you eat less that way. Saxenda is an injectable solution that should not be used by pregnant women, people who have a family history of medullary thyroid cancer, or endocrine neoplasia syndrome.
Contrave works when the ingredients of this weight loss medication act on the hypothalamus, an area in the brain that affects appetite regulation, and on the mesolimbic dopamine circuit, which plays a role in our reward system. This causes to decrease in appetite and that’s how you lose weight. Contrave is an oral pill usually taken twice a day. It should not be used by pregnant women, people who have high blood pressure, seizure disorder, anorexia, long-term opioid use, and people who use bupropion-containing products, and during/within 14 days of using monoamine oxidase inhibitors.
