Update 28 Jun ’26: ENFLONSIA now available for babies from birth to 8 months for RSV protection @$650 (w/GST)
Update 18 Aug ’26: LUCENCE AgeQ™ now available as tag-on to our Health screening @$98 (w/GST)
Update 28 Jun ’26: ENFLONSIA now available for babies from birth to 8 months for RSV protection @$650 (w/GST)
Update 18 Aug ’26: LUCENCE AgeQ™ now available as tag-on to our Health screening @$98 (w/GST)
A paradigm shift is occurring in the treatment of metabolic diseases such as stroke, heart disease and chronic kidney disease to prevent the disease from occurring in the first place through the basic adage doctors have always preached: exercise, healthy diet, alcohol/ tobacco abstinence, stress management, and quality sleep. (See diagram)
Yet it’s easier said than done – less than 5 percent of the population can sustain the perfect lifestyle beyond a year, and maintain a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) below 23 kg/m² for Singaporean/ Asians.
Having excess or dysfunctional adipose tissue then leads to chronic diseases “risk factors” such as Hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes, Fatty Liver, Metabolic syndrome, Kidney disease, and there is increasing evidence of interplay between the disease, i.e. diabetics are much more likely to develop fatty liver and kidney disease and vice-versa.
GLP-1 RA is a class of medicine developed in the past decade to fight obesity, treat and prevent chronic metabolic disease, so as to reduce risk of complications of heart attack, stroke, chronic kidney failure, therefore increasing health-span and healthy longevity.
The drug molecule Semaglutide is a type of GLP-1 medication with robust safety data and proven efficacy based on Phase 3 clinical trials. It is currently only Semaglutide that is FDA-approved to treat obesity in the absence of Type 2 Diabetes, as well as to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke among patients with established cardiovascular disease.
Obesity is a key driver of cardio-kidney-liver-metabolic syndrome (CKLM syndrome) which accounts for most of the world’s morbidity and mortality,
There is much celebrity-hype and popularity around the drug due to its weight-loss effects, but it’s actually the Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE)-reduction benefits and kidney-protective benefits, even in non-diabetic patients, that is much to be celebrated about.
It is interesting to note that MACE-reduction / kidney protective health benefits from GLP-1A comes from losing 10-15% of your body weight, however, ~ 70% of the health benefits occur even in the absence of significant weight loss, and this is why scientists are still figuring out how GLP-1 RA is increasing healthspan.
†Regulatory note: Tirzepatide and Semaglutide are Prescription-Only Medications (POMs) regulated by the Health Sciences Authority and must only be strictly prescribed by a licensed doctor in Singapore
GLP-1 RA and GLP1/GIP DRA medications are never short-cuts or “magic pill (magic injection)”’ to lose weight.
It can never be used as a primary or a stand-alone treatment and must accompany substantial lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise, especially resistance training to prevent muscle loss.
Singapore’s National Drug Formulary has listed GLP-1 RA drug Semaglutide (Wegovy®) as an adjunct treatment to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for weight management, including weight loss and weight maintenance in adults with an initial Body Mass Index (BMI) of:
Singapore’s National Drug Formulary has also listed GLP1/GIP DRA drug Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) as a medication for the treatment of adults for
1. Insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus as an adjunct to diet and exercise,
2. Weight management (including weight loss and weight maintenance) as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, for adults with an initial BMI of
a. Obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2)
b. Overweight (≥27 kg/m2 to <30 kg/m2) and at least one weight-related co-morbid condition (e.g., Hypertension, dyslipidemia, pre-diabetes or Type 2 Diabetes, Obstructive Sleep Apnoea <OSA>, or cardiovascular disease)
In our adolescents (≥12 years) population, Semaglutide is indicated as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for weight management for obese* adolescents (BMI ≥95th percentile on sex- and age-specific BMI growth charts) and body weight above 60 kg. Treatment with Wegovy® should be discontinued and re-evaluated if adolescent patients have not reduced their BMI by at least 5% after 12 weeks on the 2.4 mg or maximum tolerated dose.
Contraindications to Tirazepatide/Semaglutide includes Pregnancy & Breastfeeding, personal or family history of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2), history of Pancreatitis, severe Kidney Impairment, moderately severe or unstable Diabetic Retinopathy, history of eating disorder such as Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia.
†Regulatory note: Tirzepatide and Semaglutide are Prescription-Only Medications (POMs) regulated by the Health Sciences Authority and must only be strictly prescribed by a licensed doctor in Singapore
References:
https://www.hsa.gov.sg/announcements/new-drug-approvals—october-2025/
https://www.ndf.gov.sg/about-drugs/product-information/sin17351p/
https://www.healthhub.sg/medication-devices-and-treatment/medications/semaglutide-injection-wegovy
GLP-1 Receptor Agonist (Semaglutide) is a presription-class medication administered weekly as a painless injection in the subcutaneous region (fatty layer of the skin), most commonly in the abdomen, and also the thigh or upper arm. You can easily perform these injections on your own.
Semaglutide Injectable flextouch pen can be left at room temperature for up to 6 weeks once opened, but we would recommend refrigeration (2 to 8 degrees celsius) due to Singapore’s climate.
It is important to adhere to the escalation staircase during initiation or restarting the drug. Our doctor will always “start low and go slow”, even if you have been on higher doses before but have stopped for more than a week.
It is heartening to know that cardiovascular and kidney protection benefits have been demonstrated in clinical trials as soon as 11 days into treatment, even in the absence of weight loss at the beginning, hence weight loss should never be rushed!
Steps | Dose | Objective | Titration Rule |
Step 1 | 0.25 mg | Induction | Mandatory 4-week period. Do not accelerate. Reduces food noise at best. |
Step 2 | 0.5 mg | Escalation | If significant nausea occurs, remain at 0.25mg for 2 extra weeks. |
Step 3 | 1.0 mg | Therapeutic (Low) | Assess weight loss. Some patients respond well here and do not need higher doses. |
Step 4 | 1.7 mg | Therapeutic (Mid) | Standard maintenance dose for many Asian patients. |
Step 5 | 2.4 mg | Target Dose | Maximum dose. Only escalate if weight loss <5% at lower doses. |
†Regulatory note: Tirzepatide and Semaglutide are Prescription-Only Medications (POMs) regulated by the Health Sciences Authority and must only be strictly prescribed by a licensed doctor in Singapore
Useful References:
https://www.healthhub.sg/medication-devices-and-treatment/medications/semaglutide-injection-wegovy
https://www.wegovy.com/obesity/starting-wegovy/starting-wegovy-pen.html
Useful references:
https://www.healthhub.sg/medication-devices-and-treatment/medications/semaglutide-injection-wegovy
https://www.wegovy.com/obesity/is-wegovy-right-for-me/safety-side-effects.html
Our prices are intentionally kept low so as to improve access and affordability for some of our patients who stand to benefit the most for their cardiovascular-kidney -liver metabolic health. Hence this is strictly prescribed for patients who meet BMI criteria only – refer to FAQ below.
Consultation is compulsory for first-time prescriptions from our clinic (even if you have been prescribed the medication from other clinics) and standard consultation fees start from $30.52(w/GST) on weekday mornings. We do offer tele-consultation subject to our doctor’s availability and medication delivery, refer to FAQs below.
We do allow repeat prescriptions for up to 6 months without additional consultation fees if you are assessed to be stable, and our doctor will still perform check-in consultation calls (complimentary) to make sure you are on the right-track.
Semaglutide (Wegovy) Dosage | Price (w/o GST) | Price (w/GST) | Monthly cost (w/GST) (using *Click-counting) |
0.25 mg | $330 | $359.70 | $185.3 |
0.5 mg | $340 | $370.6 | $190.75 |
1.0 mg | $350 | $381.50 | ~ $342.57 |
1.7 mg | $550 | $599.50 | N.A. |
2.4 mg | $580 | $632.20 | N.A. |
*Click-counting with a higher-dose pen is a strategy to manage side-effects or to reduce cost, however it comes with major risks of miscalculating the dose or ineffective dose. You may ask our doctor regarding this only if you have been assessed to be comfortable and confident in administering and using the medication.
CHAS and Medisave can be used if you suffer from a chronic disease in addition to obesity, subject to MOH Chronic Disease Management guidelines and CHAS/ Medisave limits.
†Regulatory note: Tirzepatide and Semaglutide are Prescription-Only Medications (POMs) regulated by the Health Sciences Authority and must only be strictly prescribed by a licensed doctor in Singapore
Oral semaglutide is currently a Prescription-Only Medication (POM) licensed by HSA Singapore for persons living with obesity (PLO) with Type 2 Diabetes.
It is an oral peptide molecule, and having to travel through the stomach acidic environment, it has to taken
It is an oral tablet which has been shown to improve diabetes profile and studies also demonstrate cardiovascular-kidney protective effects for patients living with diabetes.
†Regulatory note: Tirzepatide and Semaglutide are Prescription-Only Medications (POMs) regulated by the Health Sciences Authority and must only be strictly prescribed by a licensed doctor in Singapore
Oral Semaglutide | Price (w/o GST) | Price (w/GST) |
3 mg | $168 | $183.12 |
7 mg | $259 | $282.31 |
14 mg | $267 | $291.03 |
†Regulatory note: Tirzepatide and Semaglutide are Prescription-Only Medications (POMs) regulated by the Health Sciences Authority and must only be strictly prescribed by a licensed doctor in Singapore
Tirzepatide is a dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist licensed in Singapore as brand name Mounjaro® as a Prescription-Only Medication for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Weight management (weight loss and weight maintenance) in adults with obesity or overweight BMI and obesity-related medical conditions.
Presently in Singapore, there are only three GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for obesity and chronic weight management, in the absence of diabetes mellitus.
The first is Semaglutide (Wegovy) weekly-injection, licensed as prescription-only medicine, approved for both chronic weight management and also reduction of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in adults with established cardiovascular disease.
The second is Liraglutide, an older medication, which requires daily injections.
The third, and latest (approved in Singapore October 2025) being Tirzepatide weekly-injection, and unlike Semaglutide and Liraglutide, it works on an additional GIP receptor.
Our prices are intentionally kept low so as to improve access and affordability for patients who stand to benefit the most for their cardiovascular-kidney -liver metabolic health. Hence this is strictly prescribed for patients who meet BMI criteria only.
Consultation is a must for first-time prescriptions from our clinic (even if you have been prescribed the medicine from other clinics) and standard consultation fees start from $28/ $30.52(w/GST) on weekday mornings.
We do allow repeat prescriptions for up to 6 months without consultation fees if you are assessed to be stable, and our doctor will still perform check-in consultation calls (complimentary) to make sure you are on the right-track.
†Regulatory note: Tirzepatide and Semaglutide are Prescription-Only Medications (POMs) regulated by the Health Sciences Authority and must only be strictly prescribed by a licensed doctor in Singapore
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) Pen Dosage | Price (w/o GST) | Price Per Pen (w/GST) | Monthly cost (w/GST) (using *Click-counting) |
2.5 mg | $385 | $419.65 | $283.40 |
5 mg | $520 | $566.80 | $346.08 |
7.5 mg | $630 | $686.70 | $435.46 |
10 mg | $635 | $692.15 | $580.61 |
15 mg | $799 | $870.91 | N.A. |
*Click-counting with a higher-dose pen is a strategy to manage side-effects or to reduce cost, however it comes with major risks of miscalculating the dose or ineffective dose. You may ask our doctor regarding this only if you have been assessed to be comfortable and confident in administering and using the medication.
The ideal patient who will benefit most from GLP-1 RA or GLP1/GIP DRA is a Person Living with Obesity (PLO) with chronic medical conditions related to obesity. He or she has been putting in consistent and considerable effort in exercise and diet. Yet he or she finds it extremely difficult to shed 10% to 15% body weight, as advised by his or her doctors for better control of his or her chronic medical conditions.
To begin, you must first meet the definition of obesity based on our locally adjusted BMI of ≥ 27 kg/m2. As these are powerful Prescription-Only Medications (POMs) with risk of side effects, you will require a consultation with our doctor to discuss the risk-versus-benefit of starting treatment, and understand the proper usage of the medication so as to derive the most benefits while limiting the risk of side-effects.
You have to be mentally ready for lifestyle changes, from setting aside time to exercise daily and performing strength training (to reduce muscle loss along with fat loss), to meal planning and prepping and halving your food portions.
Cost is currently a major barrier to access these medications, and the likelihood of weight rebound is almost certain if the medication is started without any accompanying lifestyle changes, or if abruptly stopped after less than 6 months to 1 year.
It is therefore prudent to set aside a budget for a course of such treatment, discussing strategies such as click-counting with our doctor, and most important, embarking on a sustained lifestyle of regular exercise and healthy eating so that your weight remains stable or even decreases further when the medications are eventually tapered off.
A relative contraindication for starting GLP-1 RA or GLP/GIP DRA is elderly age above 70 years old due to sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss), as treatment may accelerate muscle loss resulting in increased fall-risk and frailty, causing more harm than benefit.
If you are currently breastfeeding or trying to conceive, this medication cannot be started. In addition, if you have a history of pancreatitis, or a rare cancer called medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), or a rare condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN2), the medication is contraindicated.
†Regulatory note: Tirzepatide and Semaglutide are Prescription-Only Medications (POMs) regulated by the Health Sciences Authority and must only be strictly prescribed by a licensed doctor in Singapore
GLP-1 RA (SEMAGLUTIDE) and GLP1/GIP DRA (TIRZEPATIDE) are currently two highly-effective and beneficial medications in our drug arsenal which a family physician, cardiologist, endocrinologist or a hepatologist may prescribe for an obese patient with certain chronic metabolic disease.
SEMAGLUTIDE weekly-injection is currently the only FDA-approved drug to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) such as heart attack or stroke in adults living with obesity and/or heart disease.
TIRZEPATIDE is approved for persons living with diabetes as well as obesity treatment in Singapore.
There have been numerous clinical trials published in high-impact medical journals on the cardiovascular and organ-protection benefits of Semaglutide.
There has been much hype on social media about GLP1/GIP DRA (Tirzepatide) where celebrities and influencers tout weight loss with the drug. This is dangerous and misinforming as these are prescription medications need to be carefully assessed by a doctor before initiation and not all are suitable for the medication due to risk of side-effects. The medication is also started together with lifestyle interventions such as exercise and dieting.
There is also a clinical study (SURMOUNT-5) published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) that showed that Tirzepatide resulted in significantly greater weight loss and reduction in waist circumference compared to Semaglutide in obesity or overweight with weight-related condition over 72 weeks. However, the jury is out as ✻Novo Nordisk behind Wegovy is suing Eli Lilly in the US for false advertising over advertisement citing the SURMOUNT-5 clinical trial, which compared high doses of Zepbound to lower, older doses of Wegovy.
A STEP-UP Phase 3B clinical study has been recently published November 2025 in the LANCET journal that demonstrated superior greater weight loss in patients on the 7.2 mg semaglutide-weekly injection dose with an average weight reduction of about 18.7% to 21%, outperforming both the standard 2.4 mg semaglutide-weekly dose (-15.6%) and placebo group (-3.9%). *Following the study, Semaglutide 7.2mg (Wegovy®) Single-Dose Device (SDD) has been FDA-approved in the US in May 2026, and is estimated to launch in Singapore from early 2027 once approved by HSA Singapore.
*Love & Joy Family Clinic currently prescribe Semaglutide 7.2 mg SDD through a special HSA Named Patient Program (NPP) only for a select group of patients where current registered products (e.g. other registered GLP-1 receptor agonists, oral weight loss therapies) are unable to fulfil treatment needs, such that the patients’ health will be clinically compromised without the use of the unregistered product.
✻ 21 July 2026 – Novo Nordisk sued rival Eli Lilly in a U.S. federal court, accusing Eli Lilly of false advertising in claiming its weight-loss medicines outperform Novo’s drugs.
†Regulatory note: Tirzepatide and Semaglutide are Prescription-Only Medications (POMs) regulated by the Health Sciences Authority and must only be strictly prescribed by a licensed doctor in Singapore
Before booking the consultation, you must be equipped with knowledge about your own medical conditions and current health status, and be ready to share your weight management journey – achievements, struggles and challenges. You must be determined to make concrete lifestyle modifications and embark on a regular exercise program including some form of resistance training, coupled with deliberate and planned food choices.
During the consultation, our doctor will review your past and current medical history in detail, including your current medications, family history, smoking and drinking status, occupation, obstetric history and other relevant information. If you have a recent health screening report, you may bring it during the consultation or email them to us.
A large part of the consultation would be your personal sharing of your weight journey, for example when did the weight gain start, what could be the possible causes, and how you managed your weight in the past few years.
Following which, our doctor will assess your current health status, your current exercise and dietary profile before discussing on the medication to start. Patient autonomy and empowerment is a fundamental tenet in our personalized treatment, in addition to proper medical indications, and it is therefore important to share with our doctor your preferred choice of treatment, treatment goals and expectations.
Once the medication is prescribed, our doctor will demonstrate the injection of the medication and reinforce regarding diet and exercise, and self-monitoring of treatment efficacy and side-effects.
Near the end of the first month of medication-initiation and established lifestyle changes, you may reach out or visit our clinic and we will document your weight, any side effects experienced, and our doctor will then assess whether to continue on the current medication, increase or reduce the dosage of the medication. A repeat consultation is important especially if there are problems encountered in the first month of treatment, or if your weight plateaus.
Our doctor may allow for repeat prescriptions after clinical assessment for up to a duration of 4 to 6 months if you are deemed stable, and losing weight gradually and sustainably without any side effects.
Yes, we offer tele-consultation during our clinic operating hours or after-hours subject to our doctor’s availability, you may simply whatsapp us to schedule an appointment.
Due to a recent flurry of online tele-health platforms sprouting, it is an oddity that we now have to qualify that yes, we are a fully MOH-licensed clinic for both permanent premises and remote healthcare delivery (i.e. tele-medicine). And yes, our medications are genuine even though our prices may be very much different from other clinics.
But as our clinic is a busy hybrid practice seeing our regular patients mostly in-person (preferred), we are therefore unable to promise instant or same-day tele-consultations, but we can promise that you will only see our regular doctor who will endeavour to provide a qualified and experienced consultation and medical treatment.
Tele-consultation fees for Weight management are $32.70(w/GST) on weekday mornings, and $35(w/GST) on weekday evenings/weekends/public holiday. Tele-consult fees are still payable even if no medications are prescribed.
If medications are prescribed, you are strongly encouraged to self-collect the medications from our clinic. Alternatively, we can arrange delivery using Lalamove standard delivery with delivery fees as charged. Medications will be secured with cable-tie in cooler bags with adequate ice packs and you must receive the medications in person from the courier.
We accept Paynow, cash/NETS/CDC vouchers (in-clinic only). Credit card payment (visa/master only) can be requested at an additional 2.6% surcharge. Medication delivery will be arranged only upon receipt of payment.
There have been numerous studies about the rebound effect with GLP-1 RA. Therefore, it is crucial that the treatment is paired with lifestyle changes to increase the permanence of the weight loss. Generally, these GLP-1 RA medications and lifestyle improvements have to be sustained for at least more than one year.
Once a target BMI has been achieved or if a patient has achieved 15% to 20% weight loss, the medications ought to be tapered off slowly or to a minimal dose to be maintained for the cardiovascular and kidney-protection benefits if the patient has chronic cardiovascular and/or kidney diseases.
No, our clinic does not offer any discounts or packages, as that will lead to a tendency to “commercialize” such Prescription-Only Medications (POMs) which are strictly regulated by Health Science Authority (HSA) Singapore.
Our prices are set lowest possible to enable our doctor to treat as many eligible patients with a beneficial and powerful class of medication, and to benefit patient’s management of chronic metabolic disease.
For GLP-1 RA such as Semaglutide subcutaneous injection, the STEP (Semaglutide Treatment Effect in People with Obesity) trial is a series of Phase 3 clinical trials first published in March 2021, which has demonstrated the efficacy and safety of once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide 2.4 mg.
For GLP1/GIP DRA such as Tirzepatide, the SURMOUNT series of Phase 3 clinical trials first publised in July 2022 has evaluated the efficacy and safety of the drug.
Since then, there have been numerous trials on tens of thousands of patients on the medication and millions worldwide have used the medications.
It is therefore important that these remains medications prescribed only by a qualified doctor who has reviewed your medical conditions, and that you understand how to use the medication correctly and safely.
You might have read of a potential link between GLP-1 RA (such as Wegovy) and a rare eye condition called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), which presents with symptoms of sudden and painless loss or blurring of vision in one eye. Fortunately, the risk of NAION on GLP1RA or GLP1/GIP DRA remains very rare.
Other more common side-effects may include nausea, vomiting, constipation and/or diarrhea, fatigue, headache, dehydration, low blood-sugar (if taking diabetic medications) etc. It is therefore important to follow prescribed dietary changes (i.e. reduced food portions, ‘slow’ eating, avoiding trigger foods) and ensure you are well-hydrated.
Once weight loss has occured, you will likely lose muscle together with fat tissue, and it is important to ensure adequate protein intake and resistance exercises and strength training to reduce muscle loss to a minimum.
References:
https://www.wegovy.com/obesity/is-wegovy-right-for-me/safety-side-effects.html
https://mounjaro.lilly.com/side-effects
There are a myriad of factors ranging from lifestyle, stressors, genetics, age, basal metabolism, comorbidity, alcohol use, that it is not possible to accurately predict the degree of weight loss in each individual.
However, a major factor that will move the needle on the scale is the amount and intensity of exercise while on treatment. For patients who embark on strict exercise programs coupled with deliberate food planning, weight loss of 3-4% can occur in the first month, progressing to 10-15% in 4 to 6 months, and more than 15% over the longer term of 6 to 12 months.
Most importantly, weight loss can be sustained only if there is deliberate lifestyle changes.
One’s mentality should not be that of “in a rush to lose weight as fast as possible”, but rather “in a gradual and most permanent manner through exercise and diet”.
In fact, rapid weight loss may lead to “mounjaro facies”, which is described by plastic surgeon and aesthetics doctors due to a loss of facial fat volume.
You should not miss your weekly injection by more that 3 days, otherwise you may experience side effects upon resuming the same dosage. If missed by 4 days or more, consult our doctor as you may need to adjust the next dose.
Consult our doctor if you are suffering from an acute illness causing poor appetite and gastrointestinal symptoms while on the medication, as your dosage may need to be adjusted or delayed.
You may request a complimentary doctor’s memo from us to allow you to bring the medications and needles on-board the plane, and through immigration.
Exercise is a non-negotiable pre-requisite before being prescribed treatment such as GLP-1 RA Semaglutide injection or GLP1/GIP DRA Tirzepatide injection. Remember that GLP-1 medications are currently approved only as adjunct (add-on)-treatment to lifestyle interventions, which means that the main effort to lose and sustain weight-loss comes from exercise and nutrition.
For patients who have already started on regular exercise, focus on sustaining the habit, gradually increasing the intensity, duration and variability of the exercise, while taking measures to keep injuries at bay.
For those who haven’t started, think of exercise as simply doing movements, such as brisk-walking or slow-jogging, taking the stairs at your home or workplace, simple stationary squats & calisthenics.
If you have certain medical conditions or injuries, our doctor will advise you on appropriate exercises and intensity, such as low-impact sports if you have knee pain.
In general, Health Promotion Board (HPB) Singapore recommends at least 150 to 300 minutes of *moderate-intensity (*gauged as being able to talk in short sentences but unable to sing a song) aerobic activity in a week.
Resistance exercises and strength training such as carrying weights, doing squats, lunges and push-ups must form at least 50% to 60% of your total exercise to reduce muscle loss associated with GLP-1 weight loss, especially among older patients above 50 years of age.
Exercise is the key to unlock greater weight loss while on GLP-1 medications, and a strategy to reduce dosage to a minimum, and eventually taper off GLP-1 medications. This also translates to tremendous cost-savings due to the presently high-cost of GLP-1 medications. Think of it as “the more you exercise, the more money you can save”!
GLP class medications such as Semaglutide or Tirzepatide mimics gut hormones that targets the GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) and/or GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) receptors.
The effects are multifold: acting directly on the brain and suppressing appetite and “food noise”, also acting on the gut and increasing satiety, and metabolic pathways (complex pathways scientists are still discovering) in how your body regulates your glucose and fat metabolism.
It is crucial to make deliberate food choices and reduce your portions while on GLP medications. Choose high-protein food such as lean chicken or turkey, fish, tofu, tempeh, egg white, and plant-based proteins such as chick peas and lentils to fill at least half of your food portion. Reduce the amount of oil used in cooking (in general avoid take-outs), and avoid trigger foods such as fatty, greasy, spicy, sour foods, excessive coffee and tea, and even durians! Fill the other half with plenty of green, leafy vegetables, low-glycemic fruits, whole grains and complex carbohydrates.
It is important to reduce alcohol intake or abstain from alcohol as alcohol relaxes the “rubber band” above your stomach, increasing the risk of heart-burn. In addition, the GLP medication may potentiate the effects of alcohol, resulting in ill-effects associated with alcohol.
Suppressing your appetite and reducing hunger signals may result in decreased fluid intake causing dehydration, headache, fatigue and constipation. Hence it’s important to constantly stay hydrated throughout the day.
You may choose to take multi-vitamin supplements, omega-3 fish oil, protein-supplementation while on GLP-1 medications. Meal replacement is a good option while on GLP-1 as well.
No, our doctor cannot prescribe the medication to you if you have normal or non-obesity range BMI patients as the risk outweigh the benefits and the medications is not licensed or approved for such use at the moment.
Click-counting is an off-label strategy often employed to reduce medication costs, and comes with risk of mis-dosing (due to mis-calculation), difficulty keeping track and monitoring, reduced efficacy of the medication and pen-device failure.
It is however performed occasionally under supervision by our doctor and only if the patient is highly proficient in the use of the pen, for instances when side-effects of nausea & vomiting occurs due to an illness, and there is a need to reduce the weekly dosage temporarily while on the same pen.
Flextouch pen (Semaglutide) has 75 clicks in a full turn, and can last up to 6 weeks at room temperature once opened, while Kwikpen (Tirzepatide) has 60 clicks in a full turn, and can last up to 5 weeks at room temperature once opened.