There are several medications available in Australia for weight loss. We are not allowed to mention the names of the medications due to advertising guideline laws. Your MedSurg Weight Loss Doctor can explain in detail to you the different medications available, how to use them, what side effects you may expect, and monitor you to assess if they are efficacious.
Weight loss medications can be used in patients who:
• have a BMI >30kg/m2*
Or
• have a BMI >27kg/m2 and an obesity related medical condition*
The newer medications available have been revolutionary at addressing overweight and obesity and fill the treatment gap between diet and lifestyle programs and our strongest intervention which is Bariatric Surgery.
Medications can be used with diet and lifestyle changes alone in those with a BMI >27kg/m2 or as an adjunct to other interventions such as the Gastric Balloon or Bariatric Surgery.
(*These values are lower for people with certain ethnic backgrounds: discuss with your doctor.)
Your adult weight is determined by genetic and environmental factors. Your genes program your ‘weight set point’ and your brain is programmed to try and maintain this weight at all costs.
The brain fiercely resists weight loss and will mount a counter-attack against any weight loss a person achieves. It does this by increasing the hunger drive, decreasing the fullness feeling and slowing down the metabolism.
The result is that the person will regain the weight back up to their ‘weight set point’ again, and sometimes can even overshoot the mark, leading to more weight than before, and initiating a new, heavier ‘weight set point.’
People often recognise this pattern and describe it as “yo-yo” weight throughout their life. It’s not for lack of willpower, it all has to do with this very strong battle your brain initiates for you to regain the weight after a weight loss attempt.
The medications interrupt this battle. They mimic hormones within your body that are designed to reduce hunger drive and improve your fullness feeling. They counteract the brains ability to fight the weight loss and allow you to lose weight and maintain it.
There are three different types of weight loss tablets available in Australia. We are not allowed to mention the names of these medications due to advertising guideline laws. These medications work in different ways and your MedSurg Weight Loss Doctor will explain the differences between these medications to you during your consultation.
As a general overview, the medications work by a few different mechanisms, and when used in combination with diet and lifestyle changes can lead to clinically significant weight loss.
Some oral medications work to reduce the hunger drive. Some work by reducing food cravings. Some work by blocking absorption of fats in the digestive system. By understanding your medical history, weight history and psychological history, your doctor can assess which medication would be best suited to you as an individual.
We perform physical, psychological and metabolic testing to ensure that the correct medication is prescribed to the correct person and we help you to navigate any side effects or concerns you have to improve your chances at effective and long term weight loss.
