Are you constantly on a diet and struggling to lose weight?  Are you concerned about your health? Let’s start with some alarming facts about being overweight.

Did you know that there are over 106 factors linked to obesity? Many people assume it is due to too much food consumption and too little physical activity but there are many other important factors to consider such as genetics and or epigenetics. More recent studies have shown how it can also be linked to a person’s microbiota (gut bacteria) as well as underlying conditions such as Hypothyroidism and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. 

However, you are not alone as obesity statistics from the House of Commons 2018 highlighted that 66% of men and 57% of women in the UK were obese or overweight. Excess body weight not only affects our confidence and self-esteem but has several associated health risks. Cancer Research UK has linked 13 types of cancer to being overweight and it’s the biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking. Due to a lack of NHS funding which has led to a decommissioning of services, people with obesity are no longer able to get support and treatment from their GP. 

At Julia Hart Skin Clinic we are an accredited provider of the National Medical Weight Loss Programme and we are passionate about promoting and sharing the same vision:

“to ensure that every person living with obesity has access to treatment”

How Does It Work?

Am I suitable?

• Weight loss medications are indicated as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Together these form part of a weight management programme for patients with a BMI over 30 (obese) or BMI over 27 (overweight) with a weight-related comorbidity such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes or sleep apnoea. 
• For patients with a lower BMI who may not be suitable for weekly weight loss treatments, we offer DNA testing which helps identify which type of diet and exercise are most effective for you. 
• We also have a partnership with a Dietician who can help create a personalised diet plan suited to your taste.  
  As part of suitability, we will assess your readiness to change.
  We are unable to treat any patients under the age of 18 years.

How Is It Carried Out?

• Depending on your prescription a simple and painless injection into a fatty area such as the abdomen, or thigh is carried out either daily or once a week via an easy-to-use injector pen. As part of your pre-treatment consultation, our nurse prescriber will teach you how and where to inject so that you feel comfortable to self-administer the medication. 

Contraindications

• Absolute contraindications include the following:
  • Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma
  • Personal history of Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN2)
  • Hypersensitivity to the product components 
  • Pregnancy
• It is paramount that our patients are suitable before commencing on the programme, other factors taken into consideration before prescribing will include heart, renal and liver disorders. 
• Your suitability will be assessed following a full consultation and pre-treatment assessment with our advanced nurse practitioner.  

What results will I see?

Ultimately you can expect a weight loss, your overall weight loss will be dependent on your dose and duration of the programme.
Did you know that even a 5% weight loss can lower your risk of diabetes and cardiovascular conditions, improve your blood pressure, blood lipid profile (cholesterol), osteoarthritic pain, sleep apnoea and importantly improve your health-related quality of life?

How long will I need the treatment?

• Treatment can be continued until your target weight is achieved. 

Side effects

• Although not every patient will experience them, short-term side effects may be experienced due to the slowing down of the stomach emptying. Nausea and stomach upset may occur but usually settle within a few weeks of commencing on the medication. Side effects can often be caused by eating too much of or the wrong type of foods, so slight dietary changes can be very effective for reducing these symptoms.

What is included in the programme?

• Initial online consultation assessing BMI and health indicators 
• Face-to-face consultation and assessment with our nurse practitioner. 
• Regular body  and weight measurements
• Weight loss injection prescription (4-week dose pre-filled pen)
• Needles and sharps box for disposal
• 3 Monthly weight monitoring and BMI analysis  
• Nutritional advice and ongoing support. 

Next Steps

If you are serious about weight loss and you are looking to improve your health and well-being follow the link below to access our online health screening consultation and readiness to change questionnaire. Once submitted this will be viewed by our nurse practitioner and we will give you a call to arrange a face-to-face consultation and commence you on your weight loss programme if suitable.

https://www.nmwlp.co.uk/consultation-form/?clinic=julia-hart-skin-clinic+KY12-8DF