At The Slimming Clinic, we specialise in doctor led weight loss programmes.
This includes the use of prescription weight loss medications to support those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 27.
In this blog, we’re going to explore our most frequently asked questions about weight loss medications. In addition, we will also explain how they can help you achieve your weight loss goals.
What is weight loss medication?
Weight loss medications, like phentermine, diethylpropion and Saxenda are prescription medications that help those who are suffering with overweight and obesity – which is classed as a BMI of over 27 for overweight and a BMI of over 30 for obesity.
They can help if you’re overweight in losing weight and enabling you to focus on building a healthier lifestyle.
The support of these weight loss medications for those with overweight and obesity has never been more important either.
In statistics released by Cancer Research in 2022, they found that 71% of the UK population, around 42 million people, will be overweight or obese by 2040.
This is a sharp rise from the 63% of people already classed by the government as overweight or obese within the UK and with the obesity crisis is already costing our NHS an estimated £6.1billion per year.
These types of weight loss medications are not readily available in local pharmacies, which is why they are prescribed by private weight loss clinics, like The Slimming Clinic and, with the exclusion of Saxenda, a General Practitioner (GP) cannot prescribe them.
The weight loss medications available at The Slimming Clinic, phentermine, diethylpropion and Saxenda, are also not prescribed without a thorough and comprehensive health check with a weight loss doctor.
Who can take weight loss medication?
Weight loss medication is available for those people who have a BMI over 27 and no medical contraindications to the weight loss medication.
Weight loss medication is only prescribed by The Slimming Clinic after a thorough 50-minute health consultation with you with a doctor.
Your care at The Slimming Clinic is overseen by one of our experienced weight loss Doctors who will ensure that any medication chosen for you is safe and effective.
As with any prescription medication, it is important that you only take medication that is prescribed for you by a Doctor who has assessed your suitability for it.
How does weight loss medication work?
Weight loss medications work by suppressing your appetite.
They are not designed to completely take away your appetite. However, they help to lessen it to enable you to start developing healthier eating habits and lose weight.
Dr Charlotte Norton (MB BS 2011 Kings College London) Chief Medical Officer for The Slimming Clinic (7139552) explains more about the weight loss medications and they work to control your hunger and appetite, to help you lose weight.
“The tablet forms of our appetite suppressing medication, Phentermine and Diethylpropion, are taken daily as an oral medication. They work centrally in the appetite control centre of the brain to reduce how hungry you feel and make you feel fuller when you eat. They are a class of drug called centrally-acting appetite suppressants and we have been prescribing this type of medication at The Slimming Clinic for over 34 years.
The Saxenda injection is another appetite suppressing medication that is used daily as an injection into the layer of fat under the skin on either your stomach, thigh or upper arm. Similarly to the tablets it has an effect in the appetite control centre of the brain reducing hunger. However, Saxenda has a second mode of action which is directly on the stomach. It slows down how quickly food leaves the stomach making you feel fuller for longer and reducing your portion size.”
What are the benefits of using weight loss medication?
The benefits of taking weight loss medications are numerous.
We know that weight loss is hard, and for many patients who come to The Slimming Clinic, their diet is the one area they simply cannot control effectively.
Our patients often know what to eat and how much to eat of it, but simply cannot summon the willpower to put that into practice.
This is where appetite suppressants can help. With the use of weight loss medications and on-going doctor-led support, we can help you develop the tools to help strengthen your willpower and develop a new, healthier lifestyle that will see you losing weight and maintaining it when you reach your goals.
Being a healthy weight is really important to lower your risk of obesity-related illnesses and conditions.
In fact, as research from 2017 shows, you can start to see health benefits of weight loss from as little as 5% of your body weight lost, such as lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
In the same research, it showed that the greater the weight loss, the greater the reduction in the risks of developing obesity-related comorbidities.
Being overweight or obese, as we know, increases your risk of a number of life-threatening conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and is rapidly becoming one of the biggest causes of cancer within the UK, almost overtaking smoking.
Additionally, being overweight can cause strain on your joints, leading to lower mobility.
It can also have a huge impact on your mental health and your overall enjoyment of life.
How long does it take for weight loss medications to work?
It takes very little time for weight loss medications to work!
Dr Charlotte Norton explains,
“You should feel the effects of both our appetite suppressant tablets and Saxenda almost as soon as you start taking them.”
Therefore, you should feel less hungry once you have taken them and more satisfied with the foods you are eating with immediate effect.
Do I have to change my diet when taking weight loss medications?
Yes – you should change your diet when taking weight loss medications to a healthier diet. This will help you be more successful to achieve your weight loss goals and lower your BMI.
Designed to support you in reducing your food intake. The appetite suppressants will help to support you in adapting your lifestyle to become more healthy by eating balanced meals and increasing your activity levels.
If you do not change your eating habits or add in more movement to your lifestyle, it is likely that you will gain the weight you have lost when you cease taking your weight loss medication.
Weight loss medication allows you to focus on achieving the perfect balance of the health and lifestyle changes needed to keep weight off in the long-term.
Dr Jane Glazebrook (BM 2013 University of Southampton) Clinical Lead for The Slimming Clinic (7413900) explains why it is crucial to change your weight loss diet, alongside the support of your weight loss medication:
“Changing your diet can be one of the hardest things to do when you’re looking to lose weight. When you have formed habits over many years around eating that have caused you to gain weight, such as large portions, excessive snacking or eating high-fat, high-calorie foods, it can be really hard to think about changing that.
We wanted to show you how changing your diet doesn’t have to be scary, or drastic, in order for you to start seeing positive changes in your health.
When you want to make changes to your diet, I always encourage small sustainable changes.
By making smaller changes you’ll find you can stick with a new diet, and it is much easier to build into your own life. Ultimately, we want to stop the cycle of being on and off a diet and lose weight for good.
I like to encourage planning meals for at least some of the week, as this helps by knowing what you are going to cook and when. It also helps having structure to your days and weeks ahead.
As well as this – accountability helps. By recording your food and beverage intake via an app or keeping a food diary, it enables you to accurately keep track of your intake. From here, you will see what you have eaten, the calories you’ve consumed and where you might be able to cut back, or even increase your intake!
Here is an example I have put together for 3 days for a meal plan, with the recipe links and calories per day!”
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | |
| Breakfast | Spinach Mushroom and Egg Casserole | Pumpkin breakfast casserole |
|
| Calories/serving | 221 | 271 | 259 |
| Lunch |
|
Italian Chicken with Ham , Basil and Beans | Squash and Barley Salad |
| Calories/serving | 329 | 455 | 301 |
| Dinner | Butternut Squash Soup |
|
Zucchini Lasagna |
| Calories/serving | 305 | 237 | 457 |
| Snacks |
|
Butternut Squash Fritters | Caramel Apple Nachos |
| Calories/serving | 261 | 160 | 350 |
How long can I take weight loss medication for?
You can take your weight loss medication for as long as it’s necessary to reach your weight loss goals or a healthy BMI.
We do not prescribe appetite suppressants for anyone with a BMI under 27. If you reach this level and should you still wish to continue to lose weight to reach your goals, we will consider the next steps in your weight loss journey.
Your weight loss doctor will also determine the longest length of time you can continue to take your weight loss medication before you need to take a break. This is usually determined by how effective the medication is in suppressing your appetite.
Are there side effects to taking weight loss medication?
As with any medications, there can be side effects to weight loss medication. However, they don’t affect everyone and those that experience side effects notice that they are mild and short-lived.
With all our appetite suppressants, phentermine, diethylpropion and Saxenda, you might notice some gastrointestinal differences like nausea, constipation or diarrhoea but this should not affect you for long, if at all!
If you have concern about the side effects of weight loss medications, you can reach out to your Slimming Clinic doctor at any time for support.
Is weight loss medication safe?
Yes – weight loss medication is completely safe.
If prescription weight loss medication becomes part of your online weight loss programme, we will prescribe and dispense them to you directly after a thorough medical health review.
As with any prescription medication, it is important that only you take medication we prescribe for you by a doctor or nurse who has assessed that you are medically suitable for it.
If you have any questions regarding the medication, please speak to our medical team. We will be able to give you more information at your consultation.
Is weight loss medication right for me?
Weight medication may be right for you if you have a BMI over 27 and are struggling to lose weight, or keep regaining weight you have lost before.
If you are looking for a ‘magic weight loss pill’ – sadly these do not exist and whilst our weight loss medication can support your health journey, as Dr Charlotte Norton explains, it can’t do all the work for you: “There is no medication that simply makes you lose weight. The medication we prescribe at The Slimming Clinic helps to manage your level of appetite to give you control over how much you eat.
The weight loss medication will help you stick to a healthy eating plan by making you feel less hungry during the day, so less prone to snack or graze, and making you feel fuller when you eat, helping to reduce portion size.
It is important that you maintain a good number of healthy, balanced calories each day so that you fuel your body to burn the excess body fat you want to lose. Our medication does not, nor would we recommend, that you suppress your appetite completely.”
Making the decision if weight loss medication is right for you can be considered during your Initial Video Consultation with the support and guidance of your weight loss doctor at The Slimming Clinic
How successful have other people been using weight loss medication?
All these patients have changed their lives and health with weight loss medication and support from The Slimming Clinic and our weight loss doctors
Shivon
I lost 5st 7lbs
“I feel beautiful and I recognize myself. A light has gone on in my head and I feel amazing. I am a better mother. I am so much happier.”
Frances
I lost 6st 2lbs
“I love being able to go into a shop and know a size 10 dress will fit me when I used to be an 18-20.
I love going out in the evenings with friends now, something I used to avoid as I felt like the fat friend.”
Amanda
I lost 9st 9lbs
“I find since losing weight, there are so many more positives in my life.
I can now look after my son and run around and I can also sleep much better.”
Lorraine
I lost 5st 11lbs
“I feel so much better about myself and overall healthier. I’m a lot more confident and no longer have difficulty breathing when walking long distances and up hills.
I’m finally happy with my weight.”
Liam
I lost 3st 11lbs
“With The Slimming Clinic I have found weight easy to lose.
They always promote the healthiest lifestyles and are always giving you the best advice to shed the most weight possible, in the healthiest way.”
Craig
I lost 4st 10lbs
“I am healthier, happier and more confident and enjoying life. I have become a member of a local gym in Sunderland too.
My friends and family can’t believe what I’ve achieved so far, and I have been able to buy clothes from normal shops and not online sites.”
How do I start my weight loss journey with The Slimming Clinic?
Every weight loss journey with The Slimming Clinic starts with a 50-minute Initial Video Consultation with a GMC-registered weight loss doctor.
We believe the only way to begin a weight loss programme is by having had a comprehensive video conversation about your overall health and wellbeing with an expert weight loss doctor to find out more about you, your lifestyle and your goals for your health and weight loss.
Whilst on the call, the doctor will assess your suitability for our weight loss programmes and weight loss medication and ensure that joining with The Slimming Clinic is the appropriate weight loss route for you and your lifestyle requirements.
If you are a brand-new patient to The Slimming Clinic, or you’ve not had an appointment with us in over 12 months, your weight loss journey with The Slimming Clinic will start with an Initial Video Consultation.
Your Initial Video Consultation can be booked online any time, for just £35 for your 50-minute appointment!