other medications like wegovy

Is There a Wegovy Alternative for Weight Loss?

By 
, reviewed by
 – Updated May 8, 2023
By 
, reviewed by
Linley-Boulden
 – Updated May 8, 2023
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The medication Wegovy containing the active ingredient Semaglutide is the first weekly injectable approved for weight management in Australia in September 2022.

Unfortunately, the manufacturing company Novo Nordisk doesn’t supply this medicine directly to Australia, so overweight people have to look for other medications like Wegovy.

Wegovy similar drugs

The well-known drug Ozempic can be a substitute for Wegovy. It also contains Semaglutide. Ozempic is approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults. But for many years, doctors have prescribed it, among other things, for weight control to people with a body mass index of more than 30 (or more than 27 if a person has diseases associated with overweight).

Since Ozempic contains the same active ingredient, your doctor may recommend it as a safe weight loss drug. However, the specialist must decide whether Ozempic is right for you. So if you want to try Ozempic as the Wegovy equivalent, give your doctor as much information as possible so he can make the right decision.

If you have some problems with injections (do not like or cannot use them), Semaglutide is also available in the form of tablets under the brand name Rybelsus. It works the same as Semaglutide injections. Only you take Rybelsus tablets daily, 30–60 minutes before meals.

Saxenda is another medicine similar to Wegovy. It is another injectable weight loss drug approved in Australia since December 2015.
But unlike Wegovy, you must take Saxenda shots daily, not weekly. And this medicine contains Liraglutide and not Semaglutide. However, both drugs work in much the same way, as both are GLP-1 receptor agonists.

What are other Wegovy similar products?

You should add Setmelanotide (Imcivree) to the list of drugs for the long-term treatment of obesity. It stimulates the metabolism so that the body burns more calories, lowers the feeling of satiety and reduces appetite. But Setmelanotide is only for obese people with a genetic mutation that prevents the person from feeling full. Prescribing this medication requires genetic testing. You need to do these injections on your own daily in the morning.

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) is also worth mentioning. It is a brand new drug recently approved in Australia for diabetes but not yet licensed for obesity (expected to happen soon).

You should mention Naltrexone-Bupropion (Contrave). It is a combination of Naltrexone and Bupropion that helps lower food cravings and reduces hunger. You take it orally twice a day.

There is one more combination of two drugs, Phentermine and Topiramate (Qsymia). Phentermine reduces appetite, and Topiramate causes a feeling of satiety. You take the capsules orally once a day.

Other similar drugs are available, such as Orlistat (Xenical). They prevent the breakdown of food fats and reduce their absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, which leads to a decrease in body weight in obese people. You must take the pills three times a day. But if we talk about a Wegovy alternative, Ozempic is currently the drug the closest to it in Australia.

FAQ

What is an equivalent to Wegovy?

Wegovy-like drugs include drugs such as:

  • Ozempic
  • Rybelsus
  • Saxenda
  • Orlistat
  • Mounjaro
  • Imcivree
  • Contrave
  • Qsymia.

However, none of them is a 100% alternative to Wegovy. So, those who want to start fighting excess weight should consult a specialist. And the doctor, having received all the information, can decide which of the above drugs to prescribe.

What is similar to Wegovy?

Ozempic is the closest Wegovy equivalent. Like Wegovy, the medicine contains Semaglutide as an active ingredient. You should consider that the maximum allowable dosage of Ozempic is 1 mg, according to NPS MedicineWise.

And according to the data of US regulators, where Ozempic is also available, the maximum dosage is 2 mg. However, your doctor should decide on using Ozempic and individual dosages to treat obesity.

Conclusion

There are many weight loss medications on the market. Wegovy is one of the latest and most effective of them. However, you may consider finding a drug alternative when you cannot buy the drug at a drugstore. But you should remember that your doctor must decide on the medication for long-term struggle with excess weight.

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