Are There Weight Loss Options More Effective Than Weight Loss Drugs?

Second-generation weight loss medications such as Ozempic and Mounjaro are being touted as a miracle cure to the problem of obesity. Some influencers, especially on social media, are describing them almost like magic pills that make the fat melt right off.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the reality for many patients.

For one thing, these medications can lead to sustained weight loss; but if you suffer from obesity, the weight loss offered by these drugs is unlikely to be enough to help you get down to your ideal weight. Ozempic and Wegovy can help patients to lose an average of 12-15% of their total body weight. Mounjaro and Zepbound can help patients to lose up to 20% of their total body weight on average. That may sound like a lot; but if a person weighs 300 pounds, then even weight loss of 20% only translates to 60 pounds lost. That may not be enough to help you get back to the rich and beautiful life that you deserve.

It’s also important to note that even this modest weight loss only occurs in the context of dietary changes and exercising more, in addition to taking weight loss medications. And, weight loss is generally only sustained as long as the patient is taking the medications. As soon as patients stop taking these medications, the scale generally starts to creep up again.

What risks and side effects are associated with GLP-1 weight loss medications?

In addition to offering only modest weight loss, the unfortunate truth is that these medications frequently come with side effects. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, constipation, bloating, and mood changes. Side effects can also be more serious: some studies report that patients who take GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic and Mounjaro can suffer an increased risk of gastroparesis, pancreatitis, tumors, and pancreatic or thyroid cancer. One study found that 48.6% of Ozempic patients reported at least one side effect and another study found at least one side effect in 83% of patients on Zepbound (Tirzepatide).

At the BMCC, we care deeply for you and your health, which is why we want to be honest: if you suffer from obesity and want your maximum chance to lose weight and keep it off, you might want a solution that’s more effective and comes with fewer complications than second-generation weight loss medications.

So if weight loss drugs won’t help you to get down to your ideal weight, is there something else that will? Let’s walk through that question together.

Diet and Exercise

If you want to improve your health and feel better in your own skin, then eating well and moving regularly are important. But on their own, while they may improve your health, dietary and exercise changes usually do not result in a long-term cure for obesity.

For one thing, most diets (ex. Mediterranean, Atkins, Keto) help patients lose just 8% of their total body weight on average. Exercising more can increase this number, but the truth is that exercise usually isn’t a powerful long-term weight loss strategy either.

But even when people diet and exercise like champions and lose 50 pounds or even more, they often find to their horror that the scale starts to creep back up as soon as they stop. If this is your experience, please know that it’s not your fault. Your body is designed to maintain its weight; and when you lose weight, it can go into starvation mode and work overtime to try to pack the weight back on. In fact, it only takes about 5-6 days before your metabolic rate adjusts downward in response to calorie restricting diets. Studies show that 80-95% of patients who try to lose weight with diet and exercise alone end up regaining the weight after only a few years.

Achieve Lasting Weight Loss Through Bariatric Surgery

If you’re looking for a long-term weight loss solution, then we highly recommend that you consider bariatric surgery. 

How do surgical weight loss options affect long-term weight management? Weight loss surgeries such as gastric sleeve surgery, gastric bypass surgery, and duodenal switch surgery can be extremely effective at helping patients to lose weight and keep it off for the long-term. Bariatric surgery has helped thousands of patients just like you to lose 65-90% of their excess weight and keep it off. That can translate to losing 100-150 pounds or even more, and keeping it off for good. Imagine how that would feel.

Many patients wonder if weight loss surgery is better than injections? The answer for people who suffer from obesity is almost always “yes” for several reasons. First, weight loss surgery can lead to much greater weight loss than weight loss drugs. Second, this weight loss is sustained. With weight loss medications, you have to keep paying month after month for the medications, and if you stop taking them, then you’ll probably start to regain weight. Bariatric surgery is a one-time lifelong treatment which helps you avoid the continual expense and dependence on medications. 

One reason that bariatric surgery works so well is that it can rewire your metabolic system. This means that you’ll be less hungry, and when you lose weight your body won’t be working overtime to try to regain the weight. Combined with anatomical rearrangement, this represents a powerful 1-2 punch that can help you to get down to your ideal weight.

Even if you’ve spent years or decades wrestling with your weight, and are starting to worry that it’s hopeless and that you’re just stuck with obesity, please do not give up hope. Many of our patients were right where you are now. These patients often report that the decision to undergo surgical weight loss was among the best decisions they ever made.

“I am so happy with the results of my bariatric surgery. I am no longer considered diabetic (even my ophthalmologist has confirmed that I am not diabetic). I can exercise more and have more energy. My weight is almost down to a normal BMI. Lots of people are commenting how much better I look. Now all I have to do is get new clothes!—Rose Martinez, gastric bypass patient.

At the BMCC, we are now accepting patients from Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming. If you’re suffering, don’t wait. Contact our Denver office today.