Jump to: Where can you buy Ozempic? | Can you get Ozempic if you don’t have type 2 diabetes? | Wegovy vs Ozempic | Can I buy Wegovy online? | How much weight will I lose on Wegovy? | Why should I choose Second Nature for a weight-loss injection?
The cost of Ozempic will be the standard prescription fee in the UK of £9.95. You’d need to get an Ozempic prescription from your GP via the NHS. You can only get Ozempic on a prescription if you have type 2 diabetes.
As of 2024, you can no longer buy Ozempic privately in the UK for weight loss. The same drug, semaglutide, is available for private prescription under the brand name ‘Wegovy’.
Medication-assisted weight loss with a future focus
Start with Wegovy or Mounjaro, transition to habit-based health with our support
Can you get Ozempic if you don’t have type 2 diabetes?
You can only get an Ozempic prescription if you have type 2 diabetes. Under new regulations, off-label use of Ozempic for weight loss is no longer permitted.
However, if you’re looking for semaglutide to support weight loss, Wegovy is now available.
What’s the difference between Wegovy and Ozempic?
The only difference between Wegovy and Ozempic® is the available dose, with Wegovy available up to 2.4 mg, compared to 1 mg with Ozempic®.
Initial research on semaglutide focused on Ozempic® and doses between 0.5 mg and 1 mg.
However, the studies found that 20-30% of individuals on the medication didn’t reach the treatment targets for reducing their blood sugar levels.
A randomised controlled trial with 961 participants compared the impact of a once-weekly dose of 1mg or 2mg of semaglutide on blood glucose levels and weight loss for people living with type 2 diabetes.
You might expect that a doubling of the dose would lead to a doubling of the effect.
However, the human body is a bit more complex than that. Medications (and hormones in the body) often have a ‘ceiling effect’ where the relationship between the exposure and the effect is no longer linear.
The results showed that 1 mg of semaglutide reduced HbA1c (average blood glucose) by 1.9% compared to 2.2% in the 2 mg group.
A similar trend was shown with weight loss. 1 mg of semaglutide led to an average weight loss of 6 kg compared to 6.9 kg in the 2 mg group. Interestingly, both groups reported similar levels of adverse events and side effects.
So, the higher dose of semaglutide that you’ll receive with Wegovy will likely lead to more significant reductions in weight loss and blood sugar levels without experiencing more adverse events or side effects.
Can I buy Wegovy online?
You can purchase Wegovy from approved online pharmacies and companies, like Second Nature, that follow professional guidelines and consider national advice.
Wegovy won’t be available over-the-counter, and you’ll still need a prescription that will only be approved if you meet the strict eligibility criteria for the medication.
Wegovy is designed as an additional tool for weight management and shouldn’t be considered a lifelong medication.
Instead, it should be used to help you kickstart your weight loss and healthy journey while you commit to living a healthier lifestyle.
Ideally, we’d be able to lose weight without medication and lifestyle changes would be enough to support weight loss in the long term.
We’d generally recommend trying Second Nature’s weight-loss programme before considering a weight-loss jab.
Changing your habits is the most sustainable way to achieve long-term weight loss, and it’s also less expensive.
At Second Nature, we’ve been used by the NHS since 2017 to support people with type 2 diabetes and obesity to lose weight, manage their blood sugar levels, and lead healthier lifestyles for the long term.
In 2022, the NHS published data in the BMJ that compared the weight loss outcomes of five providers in the National Diabetes Prevention Programme.
Second Nature was more than twice as effective at supporting weight loss than the other four providers.
However, if you’ve decided to try Wegovy but need support in making positive changes to your lifestyle, Second Nature could be an option for you. But it’s worth noting that we have strict eligibility criteria.
How much weight will I lose on Wegovy?
Wegovy leads to an average weight loss of 15-20% after 68 weeks and is more effective than other weight-loss injections, like Saxenda.
A meta-analysis investigated the impact of semaglutide (Wegovy) and liraglutide (Saxenda) and suggested that semaglutide was more effective at lowering blood sugar levels (as measured by HbA1c).
The study showed that a 0.5mg dose of semaglutide led to a more significant reduction (0.17%) in HbA1c than liraglutide.
The 1mg dose of semaglutide showed a further benefit compared to 1.2mg and 1.7mg of Saxenda at 0.47% and 0.3%, respectively.
However, the studies used to compare the two drugs were from individual trials, comparing one of the medications with a placebo (a sugar pill). They hadn’t yet been compared directly with one another.
Fortunately, a randomised controlled trial was conducted in 2022 investigating the impact of semaglutide and liraglutide on weight loss in individuals living with obesity.
The results showed that the participants in the semaglutide group lost 15.8% of their body weight compared to 6.4% in the liraglutide group.
Semaglutide was also shown to be more tolerated than liraglutide. 13.5% of participants in the semaglutide group discontinued their treatment due to side effects, compared to 27.6% with liraglutide.
Over 80% of participants in both groups reported common side effects and GI-related issues such as constipation, cramping, bloating, and diarrhoea.
Due to the positive results from these studies, Semaglutide was made available in 2023 in the UK after the U.S. approved the drug in 2021.
How does Wegovy compare to weight loss without medication?
Lifestyle interventions without semaglutide tend to lead to an average weight loss of around 5-10%.
Losing and maintaining weight loss of more than 10% is associated with significantly reducing complications related to obesity, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
A recent paper published in The Lancet showed that nearly 20% of participants in lifestyle interventions without medications gain weight, around 40% lose between 1-10% of their body weight, and just 13% lose more than 10%.
In comparison, less than 5% of participants combining semaglutide with lifestyle interventions gain weight, around 10% lose between 1-10%, and 87% lose more than 10%.
So, 47% more people lose more than 10% of body weight on lifestyle interventions with semaglutide compared to lifestyle interventions alone.
Why should I choose Second Nature?
Second Nature has two medication-supported programmes: a Wegovy weight-loss programme and a Mounjaro weight-loss programme.
If you’ve made the decision to try Wegovy or Mounjaro (assuming you’re eligible), why should you choose Second Nature over other medication providers?
For peace of mind.
Second Nature has worked with the NHS for over 6 years providing weight-loss programmes across the UK.
Whilst our Wegovy and Mounjaro weight-loss programmes are private and not currently used by the NHS, we’ve built the programmes with a focus on scientific evidence, patient safety, and data security.
We hope that our 6+ years of working with the NHS and building a track record of effective weight-loss results will give you peace of mind to give us a try.
