How Does a GLP-1 AgonistHelp Patients Lose Weight?
Originally used for patients with Type 2 diabetes, this medication enhances the body’s insulin response to high blood sugar levels. It’s also very effective at reducing food intake by slowing down digestion in the stomach and reducing appetite. As a result, GLP-1 agonists can help patients lose weight and keep it down.
A research study showed that a GLP-1 agonist, when combined with healthy lifestyle changes like diet and exercise, predictably helped reduce weight by about 15%, compared to 2.5% in patients who didn’t take the medication. While patients who used only lifestyle changes lost 5.7 lbs, patients who used a GLP-1 agonist and lifestyle changes lost an average of 33.7 lbs.
Common Side Effects ofGLP-1 Agonists
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
For most patients, these symptoms are not severe and do not last long, going away over time as your body gets used to the medication. Rarely, more severe side effects can happen, which is why it’s important to get your GLP-1 agonist prescription from a physician who conducts a comprehensive evaluation of your health to ensure it is safe for you.
The ACPS™Weight Loss Program
Dr. Rodriguez refers her patients to the physician-led ACPS™ Weight Loss Program, offering a GLP-1 agonist with personalized guidance from a registered nutritionist and a certified personal trainer. This multidisciplinary approach is designed to help you achieve your weight loss goals and learn healthy habits to maintain a lower weight for the long term. ACPS™ Weight Loss Program patients always have thorough health evaluations — including labs and imaging — before the GLP-1 agonist is prescribed.
As part of the ACPS™ Weight Loss Program, patients also undergo a Styku™ scan before and after. The Styku™ is a 3D camera that scans the body and precisely calculates:
- Body fat percentage
- Muscle mass percentage
- Bone mass percentage
- Visceral fat
It also measures the circumference of many locations on the body, such as the:
- Chest
- Waist
- Hip
- Thigh
- Calf
- Neck
- Arm
The Styku™ scan gives patients an instant visual demonstration of their weight loss and shows all the other important metrics involved, beyond just the number on the scale!
Surgical Considerations withGLP-1 Agonists
If you are taking a GLP-1 agonist, it’s crucial to inform Dr. Rodriguez so that she can safely prepare you for surgery and give you pre-operative instructions. While you’re asleep for surgery, the anesthesiologist will place a tube in your mouth and down into your windpipe (trachea) to help you breathe.
In rare cases, the placement of the tube can sometimes cause you to gag and even throw up. Any food or liquid in your stomach that is regurgitated can get into your lungs and cause severe problems.
This issue is much more likely to happen if you are taking a GLP-1 agonist, since they slow down the movement of food and liquid out of the stomach and into the intestine. To prevent this from happening, Dr. Rodriguez requires that you:
- Stop the GLP-1 agonist four weeks before surgery. This will allow your stomach to empty at an average rate again.
- Do not eat or drink anything after midnight before surgery.
If you take a GLP-1 agonist for Type 2 diabetes, Dr. Rodriguez will work with your PCP/Endocrinologist to develop an alternative plan for blood glucose management during the time around your surgery.
Nutritional Considerations
Some patients who use GLP-1 agonists can develop nutritional deficiencies if they do not adhere to a healthy, balanced diet. These deficiencies can result in serious issues with healing after surgery.
Therefore, if you take a GLP-1 agonist, Dr. Rodriguez will require that you get blood tests several months before surgery, including a complete metabolic panel and pre-albumin level. It is important to check these labs months before surgery to correct any nutritional problems with dietary changes and/or nutritional supplements.
Dr. Rodriguez also recommends drinking a high-protein nutritional shake every day, starting one week before surgery and continuing for two weeks after. This will help equip your body with the tools it needs to heal after surgery. If you are recovering well, Dr. Rodriguez will typically allow you to resume your GLP-1 agonist four weeks after surgery.
The Importance of aHealthy Body Weight Before Surgery
When patients are already at a healthy weight, Dr. Rodriguez knows they are more likely to have a better aesthetic result and smoother recovery. GLP-1 agonists are phenomenal and powerful tools to consider if you are interested in plastic surgery but are not at your ideal weight.
Dr. Rodriguez is very experienced with patients who have had successful weight loss with GLP-1 agonists and is attuned to the important considerations required for them before and after plastic surgery.