MEDICAL WEIGHT MANAGEMENT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
LAP-BAND FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How does the Lapband work?
The Lap-Band is a tool that can help control hunger and decrease your portion size. Eating small bites and chewing well will send signals to your brain that you are full.
How will I know if I need an adjustment?
Your nurse practitioner can help you decide if you need a Lap-Band adjustment. If you are experiencing prolonged satiety (feeling a sense of fullness after consuming 1/2-3/4 cup of food for several hours) and losing 1-2 pounds/week and NOT having RED ZONE symptoms (heartburn, reflux, vomiting, difficulty swallowing or night cough), you are in the GREEN ZONE and your band does not need to be adjusted.
If you are hungry, thinking about food, consuming larger portions, or snacking; an adjustment may be deemed appropriate.
If you have heartburn, reflux, vomiting, regurgitation, difficulty swallowing, or night cough; you are in the RED ZONE and fluid should promptly be removed from your band.
How long should I wait between adjustments?
We recommend waiting a MINIMUM of 2 weeks between saline addition Lap-Band adjustments. To avoid having your appointment cancelled, please DO NOT schedule an appointment prior to this waiting period (unless you are experiencing RED ZONE symptoms (including heartburn, reflux, vomiting, night cough, or difficulty swallowing) and need to be seen promptly for saline removal.
How will my Lap-Band be adjusted?
The Lap-Band is adjustable by inserting a non-coring needle into the access port whereby saline can either be added or removed by the nurse practitioner.
What if I need an esophagram?
Our esophagrams are recommended annually for band surveillance and are performed by SimonMed Imaging (multiple locations) and Arizona Diagnostic Radiology (Gilbert).
Is it possible to reach my ideal body weight?
It is possible. What you eat, How often you eat, and How often you exercise…your choices…directly impact your weight loss success. The band can help control your portion size, but it does not have the capacity to choose for you. If you consume a diet that contains lots of sugar/refined carbohydrates (breads/pasta/potatoes/cupcakes) or that include liquids full of “empty” calories (alcohol/milkshakes/soda), the effect of the gastric band will be greatly reduced or eliminated. Dietary and lifestyle changes are the key to long term success after any bariatric surgery.
Is it true that the band seems “tighter” in the morning?
This is a very common feeling expressed by banded patients. Stress, menstruation, inflammatory processes, changes in barometric pressure, and traveling to areas of higher elevations have also been reported as causes for increased band tightness.
What happens if I become pregnant?
If your Ob/Gyn recommends that your band be emptied during pregnancy, we support those recommendations. Typically, we recommend that 1/2 the fluid volume of the band be removed during pregnancy as the 1st trimester can be associated with nausea/vomiting and the 3rd trimester with heartburn/reflux.
Will my band set off airport security devices or other detection systems?
No, it won’t.
Is it safe to have an MRI with my Lap-Band?
Yes, an MRI can be safely performed.
Do you accept insurance?
We do not process any insurance. Unfortunately, most insurance companies do not cover medical weight management. We can provide you with an invoice of your office visit to submit to your insurance if they do offer reimbursement in your policy.
What forms of payment are accepted?
We accept cash, credit cards, debit cards, and most flexible spending account (FSA)/health spending account (HSA) cards. Payment is due at the time of service. *Personal checks are not accepted*
Can I pay with FSA/HSA?
Yes! Most FSA/HSA accounts for medical office visits can be paid for with your pre-tax flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA).
MEDICAL WEIGHT MANAGEMENT (COMPOUNDED SEMAGLUTIDE /VITAMIN B12) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the difference between brand names of semaglutide, Wegovy and Ozempic?
Wegovy and Ozempic are once-weekly injections that contain the same active ingredient: semaglutide. Wegovy is approved for weight loss and Ozempic is approved to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Will semaglutide start working right away?
Healthy weight loss takes time and personal effort. It takes about 5 months (20 weeks) to reach the target dosage of semaglutide. During this time, adults taking it in clinical trials lost an average of about 10% their starting body weight. They lost an additional 8% of their body weight through week 68.
What are the common side effects of semaglutide?
Common side effects of semaglutide may include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and constipation. These side effects will likely begin to taper off once your body has adjusted to the medication via the recommended titration schedule. *A beneficial side effect of semaglutide is weight loss*
Is it better to take semaglutide at night or in the morning?
There is no evidence to suggest whether morning or night is better for administration of semaglutide. It should be taken subcutaneously once weekly, on the same day each week, at any time of day, with or without meals.
How does semaglutide work for weight loss?
Semaglutide mimics a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1) in the body that targets areas of the brain that regulate appetite. *When a person eats, GLP-1 signals to the brain that they are full*. Semaglutide also slows gastric emptying, decreasing appetite.
Who is a candidate for semaglutide for weight loss?
The treatment with semaglutide is not appropriate for everyone. The medication can be considered for adults who are obese (with a BMI ≥ 30) or overweight (with a BMI ≥27 who also have at least one weight-related comorbid condition (ie. hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, or dyslipidemia).
Is the semaglutide injection painless?
Most patients report that the semaglutide injection is painless. Pain, redness, warmth to touch, swelling, or purulent (white, milky, creamy, pus-like) discharge at the injection site may indicate an infection and should be promptly reported to a healthcare provider.
How is semaglutide dosed for weight loss?
The subcutaneous dosage initiation and monthly titration will be based on the prescribing guidelines outlined by the pharmaceutical manufacturer to a maximum dose of 2.4 mg per week.
Weekly Dose Month 1: 0.25 mg subcutaneously/week
Weekly Dose Month 2: 0.5 mg subcutaneously/week
Weekly Dose Month 3: 1 mg subcutaneously/week
Weekly Dose Month 4: 1.7 mg subcutaneously/week
Weekly Dose Month 5 and Onward: 2.4 mg subcutaneously/week (Maintenance dose)
How long should I take semaglutide?
Several factors determine the length of time that someone takes semaglutide. Taking the medication for 12-16 weeks and not experiencing weight reduction (ie. ≥4% to 5% weight loss) is likely to result in discontinuance of treatment as it should have started showing effectiveness within that time frame. Discontinuance is also recommended if safety or tolerability issues arise or After you achieve a BMI of 18.5-24.9 (normal BMI), you may be able to stop taking this medication and/or begin titrating down the dose.
Do you accept insurance?
We do not process any insurance. Unfortunately, most insurance companies do not cover medical weight management
What forms of payment are accepted?
We accept cash, credit cards, debit cards, and most flexible spending account (FSA)/health spending account (HSA) cards. Payment is due at the time of service. *Personal checks are not accepted*. We can provide you with an invoice of your office visit to submit to your insurance if they do offer reimbursement in your policy
Can I pay with FSA/HSA?
Yes! Most FSA/HSA accounts for medical weight management treatments and medications can be paid for with your pre-tax flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA).