Self-Injectable Weight Management Treatment

This service is suitable for you if:

• You are over 18 years of age
• Your pre-treatment BMI is 30 or more
• You are willing to engage with lifestyle changes along with medication 
• You are willing to submit verified BMI readings from your local healthcare professional

Please book a weight management video consultation with one of our GPs instead if:

• You are already using this medication and your BMI is now below 25
• You are using HRT
• You have a thyroid condition

This service is not suitable for you if:

• You are over 65 years of age
• You are pregnant, breastfeeding, or actively trying to conceive (including IVF)
• You have diabetes
• You have weight gain due to medication
• You have been diagnosed with (or think you may have) an eating disorder
• You have liver, kidney or heart failure
• You have the following digestive conditions:
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Gallbladder disease (including gallstones)
  • Pancreatitis
  • Gastroparesis

The self-injectable weight management treatments we prescribe (when medically appropriate) are once-daily or once-weekly medications that can help with weight management.

They are prescribed as one part of a weight management plan that includes increased physical activity and a reduced calorie diet. 

The medications come in a pre-filled pen so that you can self-inject them at home. 

These medications belong to a group of medications called Glucagon Like-Peptide (GLP-1) agonists.

Your body produces a hormone called Glucagon Like-Peptide (GLP-1), which is released from the gut in response to food. This plays an important role in regulating blood glucose levels, slowing the emptying of your stomach and suppressing your appetite.

These medications are synthetic versions of this hormone. They can be used in the management of diabetes, and to aid weight management.

They act on the part of the brain that controls appetite, causing you to feel more satisfied after you eat and fuller for longer. Therefore, you eat less.

This medication is only effective while you are using it. After stopping, many people notice their appetite increases and they begin to regain weight.

For this reason, medication often needs to be continued life long, or until another suitable treatment is arranged.

It’s important to understand this before starting the medication as part of your weight management plan.

These medications are injected under the skin using a short needle, into the tissue just below the skin. This is called a subcutaneous injection. It is given daily or weekly depending on which medication you are prescribed.  

You self-administer the injections. We will provide training for this to ensure you are safe and comfortable with the self-injection technique. 

The best places to inject are:

• Your upper arms
• The front of your thighs
• Your abdomen (stomach)

You should inject a different place each day. 

This treatment comes in a pre-filled pen with a measurement gauge so you can set and check the dose to be administered. You will need to connect a new, clean needle each time you use it, and dispose of each needle into a sharps box after every injection. You should never reuse needles, and never share needles or medication with anyone.

It depends on which medication you have been prescribed.

If you are using it weekly, then you take it on the same day each week.    

It doesn’t matter if you take it with or without food. You should choose a time that suits you and works for your daily routine.

You start low and go slow. 

The dose of treatment will change over the first few weeks as you gradually build up the dose. This is to minimise any potential side effects, particularly nausea. 

If you do experience side effects, do not increase the dose as planned. This should be done more gradually to allow the side effects to settle. If you do increase the dose, the side effects are likely to become more troublesome and potentially very serious. We can provide you with advice on how to manage this if necessary.

When you reach the appropriate dose for, you will remain on this dose ongoing as maintenance treatment.

It is important that you DO NOT use more than the maximum dose prescribed. This will increase the possibility of potentially serious side effects but will not have any effect on weight loss. 

Not all patients need to use the maximum treatment dose to reach their target weight loss. Each patient journey is unique. We will provide detailed information on medication doses if your request is approved.

This will vary from person to person, and will depend on what dose of medication you are using. You can expect to lose 0.5-1kg per week when you reach the target treatment doses. 

It is normal for your weight (and weight loss) to fluctuate from week to week.

The focus of weight management should be health gain, and not the numbers on your scales.

Approximately 10-20% of patients do not respond to these treatments, even if they make the required lifestyle changes.

We will advise you when an assessment is required to see if you have responded. 

If you have not lost at least 5% of your initial body weight you will be advised to stop using this treatment as you have not responded. This is not a failure on your part, the treatment is just not effective for you. 

The timing of this will depend on the specific medication that you are using and how you tolerate this (how long the side effects take to settle with each dose change).

This medication should not be used if you are actively trying to conceive. It should be stopped at least 1-2 months before trying to get pregnant, or starting IVF treatment, depending on the specific medication you are using.

Ideally, you should use a reliable form of contraception when using this medication. It is worth noting that fertility significantly improves with weight loss. If you do become pregnant when using this treatment, you should stop it immediately.

It should not be used if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you are not breastfeeding and you have recently had a baby, we advise that you wait at least 3 months before using this treatment.

If you would like more information on this, please contact our team via our Contact Us form.

Some (not all) self-injectable weight management medications can cause issues with the absorption of oral contraception pills, and additional barrier contraception may be required when you are increasing the dose or changing from one medication to another, as pill absorption is not reliable.

If you experience side effects such as vomiting or diarrhoea, this can also affect reliable absorption of your contraceptive pill, and you should follow the general missed pill rules.

If you need advice on this at any time, you can send us a message.

As with all medications, there is a possibility that you may experience some side effects (not everyone will experience these).

The most common side effects are related to gastric disturbance and include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Constipation
• Stomach pain/cramps

Approximately 65% of all patients report some (not all) of these symptoms. They are usually mild and settle with time, and are minimised by gradually increasing the dose. Some people need to increase the dose more slowly than others so that side effects can be controlled. We can provide you with useful hints and tips on how to manage these and when to seek advice.

Other side effects include:

• Localised reaction at injection sites
  • Bruising, pain, redness, itch
• Difficulty sleeping (usually within the first 3 months of treatment)
• Altered sense of taste
• Dizziness
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Headaches
• Increased heat rate (palpitations)
• Gallbladder problems such as gallstones
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia)

If you are concerned that you are developing these side effects, we advise that you stop the medication and seek medical advice.

Potentially serious side effects are uncommon but include:

• Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis)
  • Seek URGENT medical advice if you experience lip/tongue swelling, breathing problems, rapid heart rate.
• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
  • This is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition.
  • Seek URGENT medical advice if you develop nausea/vomiting AND severe persistent pain in your upper tummy (this may move through to your back).

For full details of the potential side effects of this treatment, please ensure that you read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medication before you start to use it.

• Pre-filled injectable treatment pens
• A sharps box
• Needles for the pre-filled pens (if required)

Please note: the price of this medication can vary between pharmacies. This should be checked directly with your chosen pharmacy.