Obesity and Weight Loss

PCOS Treatment For PCOS Women By PCOS Women

How It Works

About Obesity and Weight Loss

Weight fluctuations are a natural part of life, and there are certain periods and events that can cause extra weight to pile on. There are also medical conditions that can cause women to put on extra weight for seemingly no reason, one of these being PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome).

At PCOS Sisters Telehealth Clinic & Wellness Center your medical weight loss journey will start with an evaluation and blood work to determine the root cause of your weight gain. We will determine if polycystic ovarian syndrome is the cause, and if not, we can still help you lose weight! The foundation of the PCOS Sisters Weight Loss Program is a personalized diet and exercise plan combined with medication to balance your hormones. Dr. Lynsey Johnson, DNP, FNP-C encourages patients to weigh themselves without clothes or shoes prior to their visit to get an accurate-as-possible read of their weight.

What We Do

Treatments for Weight Loss

When you start to gain weight without any changes being made to your diet or daily routine, it can cause a lot of grief and uncertainty. But rest assured that you have options to help you return to a weight you feel comfortable with. Managing the cause of your PCOS can help regulate your weight, but we also offer treatments to address weight gain individually. Semaglutide is just one medication offered to treat PCOS and obesity.

How It Works

Personalized PCOS Exercise and Diet Plan

PCOS Sisters Telehealth Clinic & Wellness Center provides primary healthcare and treatment for women with polycystic ovarian syndrome. One component of the program is metabolic optimization achieved through a personalized PCOS exercise and diet plan. Our PCOS Specialized Nurse Practitioner and Health Coach will customize your unique workouts, which you can access online or through your smartphone.

What platforms do you use for the fitness and diet plan?

We have developed our own PCOS Sisters personal trainer App on the Trainerize exercise and nutrition platform with custom exercise videos, fitness targets, body stats, tracking, rewards, PCOS support community, as well as daily personalized meal plans designed for PCOS women.

Trainerize Features & Benefits
Loyalty Rewards for working out
exercise videos
fitness targets
body stats
tracking
PCOS Support Community where you chat with other PCOS Sister patients
Daily personalized meal plan recipes with cooking videos.
All designed for PCOS women

FAQ

Obesity And Weight Loss FAQ

How fast will I lose weight?

Most weight loss occurs in the first 3 – 6 months of starting weight loss program. Even after you have reached a weight you feel comfortable and confident with, it will be important to stay on top of your nutrition and diet plan. If using Semaglutide weekly injections, you can expect to lose around 10 lbs per month. It is not safe to go beyond this rate of weight loss.

What is the difference between Tirzepatide and Semaglutide?

Tirzepatide is a dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and a Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. In other words, Tirzepatide targets 2 receptors whereas semaglutide targets one receptor (GLP-1). What does this mean clinically? Studies show that at max dosage patient using Tirzepatide saw 17.8% weight loss while patients using semaglutide saw a 12.4% weight loss. This is a 5.4% increase in effectiveness, which statistically speaking isn’t a lot. It’s impossible to predict the genetic variation in receptors a patient may have. Some patients do better on semaglutide and others on Tirzepatide. If the results are not what you are expecting on one medication, it might be worth switching from Semaglutide to Tirzepatide or vice versa to see if it produces a better effect. Tirzepatide generally costs a bit more, so that is also a factor to consider.

How does Semaglutide work?

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 agonist that targets receptors in the stomach to slow emptying making you feel full longer, stimulates the pancreas to release more insulin helping you process carbs, and reduces sugar production in the liver. All of these effects help to lower your cholesterol, prevent fatty liver, as well as reduce risk for diabetes and stroke. Semaglutide research is ongoing to determine it's potential use as a neuroprotective agent to prevent Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Given it is used to increase insulin sensitivity, semaglutide is an ideal medication to treat not only obesity in PCOS patients, but it also treats the root cause of PCOS....Testosterone. By decreasing insulin resistance, testosterone levels are balanced. Semaglutide is now included as a recommended treatment in the 2023 PCOS Management Guidelines.

How much do we know about the safety of semaglutide?

Semaglutide was approved in 2017 for diabetics and 2022 for medical weight loss. Similar GLP-1 agonists have been on the market for 20 years for use in diabetics. It is considered safe for long term weight loss usage and is FDA approved for this purpose.

What are possible side effects of Semaglutide?

Nausea, vomiting, "sour stomach", heart burn, constipation at higher dosages. Usually easily managed with an over the counter heartburn medication.

Who qualifies for Semaglutide?

You must have a BMI of 30 or greater or 27 and greater with co-morbidity such as as hypertension, high cholesterol, or diabetes

Are there any contraindications?

Contraindicated in those who have a personal or family history of thyroid cancer or a rare endocrine disorder called MEN2.

How often do I inject?

You inject once a week for 2-4 weeks. Your dosage will be adjusted every 4 weeks at telehealth visit to reach your goal of 10 lbs per month weight loss.

What can I do to help Semaglutide work?

Your insulin receptors are on your muscles, so working out and exercise will not only help it work, but keep your cost down as it takes less Semaglutide to reach effectiveness.

Will I gain weight back after stopping Semaglutide?

Just like any other medication, if you do not change your lifestyle and diet, you will return to your former metabolism and could gain weight back. As long as you lose the weight at a slow steady rate and change your diet and lifestyle, it is unlikely you experience rebound weight gain. If you have PCOS, keeping the testosterone level lower with PCOS maintenance medications will also help maintain weight loss.

Do you offer FitBit®, Apple, Garmin, MyFitness Pal integration?

Yes, we do! Just follow the instruction in the portal to connect your Fitbit account or you can integrate with Trainerize directly.

What platforms do you use for the fitness and diet plan?

Do you prescribe other medications for weight loss?

Yes, we do prescribe other medications to aid in weight loss. A PCOS specialized nurse practitioner will perform an evaluation to determine what medications are needed and if medications are right for you.

Do you accept insurance?

If you have insurance that covers your labs, imaging, and medications, you may use it, but you might find that our discounted prices are cheaper if you self-pay.

PCOS Sisters Telehealth Clinic & Wellness Center offers both pay per visit and membership subscriptions. We are a cash pay only practice, meaning we do not accept insurance. Cash pay includes credit cards and debit cards. We cannot accept Medicaid or Medicare patients, even if you agree to pay cash as we do not bill insurance.

Will insurance cover Semaglutide?

It is often difficult to obtain insurance coverage, which is why many patients prefer to use FDA registered compounding pharmacies for an average cost of $200-$500 per month depending on your dosage.

PCOS Sisters Telehealth Clinic & Wellness Center

Your health is our priority

Don’t let sudden weight gain shake you. At PCOS Sisters Telehealth Clinic & Wellness Center, we can help patients lose weight, whether they have PCOS or not. Our PCOS Specialist Nurse Practitioner Team provides personalized medical weight loss programs to help women reach their goals and improve their health. If you live in Florida, Georgia, New York or Texas, contact our team to schedule a virtual weight loss consultation.

Our Services

Obesity & Weight Loss

One of the most well-known symptoms of PCOS is unexplained weight gain, which can lead many people to struggle with their self-confidence and health.

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Irregular Periods

There are many factors that can contribute to having an irregular period, but in women with PCOS, the cause is usually an excess of androgens.

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Primary Care

Primary care is the foundation for every person's health beginning in the early years, as it covers many of the most common conditions and diseases.

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Acne and Skin Care

In patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome, having acne is a common concern that can be managed with medications and a good skin care routine.

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Infertility

Infertility is a relatively common issue that affects an estimated 6% – 12% of women between the ages of 15 – 44 who struggle to get or stay pregnant.

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Hair Thinning & Loss in Women

Female pattern hair loss is a symptom of PCOS that can lead to an obvious decrease in hair density at the temples, hairline, scalp, and hair part.

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Mental Health

Hormone imbalances, which are considered to be the primary causes of PCOS, can lead to mental health issues, like anxiety, depression, and more.

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Hirsutism

Unwanted Hair Growth

One of the primary symptoms of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) is Hirsutism (unwanted hair growth), especially on the face, which is caused by androgens.

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