Rybelsus (oral semaglutide) is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It mimics a fullness hormone called GLP-1.
Rybelsus reduces appetite and hunger by interacting with the brain’s appetite control centre, the hypothalamus. This effect on the brain helps you eat fewer calories and starts almost immediately after taking the pill.
However, you might notice your hunger levels rising and falling in the first 4-5 weeks you take Rybelsus.
It can take around 4-5 weeks for Rybelsus to reach a level in the body we call a steady state. A steady state is when the drug’s levels in the body remain consistent rather than spiking and falling.
Interestingly, this initial weight loss is no different to other weight loss treatments or the impact of diet interventions on weight loss. The real effect of oral semaglutide is seen beyond three months.
Oral semaglutide is a long-acting medication that’s started at a lower dose to reduce the number and severity of side effects as it’s built up to a higher maintenance dose.
Is Rybelsus available on the NHS?
Rybelsus has been approved for type 2 diabetes in the UK and can be prescribed via the NHS or private pharmacies. Rybelsus isn’t available for weight loss.
For more information on oral semaglutide and how you can access it via the NHS, click here.
Can I take Rybelsus if I’m not diabetic?
Rybelsus is only approved for individuals living with type 2 diabetes in the UK. New legislation means it can’t be prescribed for weight loss.
If you’re looking for a weight loss medication in the UK, you have four options:
- Wegovy (semaglutide, available with Second Nature)
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide, available with Second Nature)
- Saxenda (liraglutide, not available with Second Nature)
- Orlistat (available over the counter)
How much does Rybelsus cost in the UK?
To purchase a prescription for Rybelsus via the NHS in England, you’ll only need to pay the base fee for a prescription of £9.95.
You can buy Rybelsus online for around £129 per month via private prescription in the UK. However, you’d need to be living with type 2 diabetes and meet their eligibility criteria.
Is Rybelsus or Ozempic better for weight loss?
According to randomised controlled trials, Ozempic leads to more weight loss than Rybelsus.
However, Rybelsus and Ozempic are only approved for people living with type 2 diabetes in the UK and can’t be prescribed to support weight loss.
Ozempic and Rybelsus are the same medication (semaglutide) but are administered differently. Ozempic is injected once a week, and Rybelsus is taken in a tablet once a week.
There is another form of injectable semaglutide called Wegovy, it’s essentially the same as Ozempic but is approved for weight loss in the UK and has been shown to lead to more significant weight loss than Ozempic and Rybelsus.
You can purchase Wegovy as part of Second Nature’s Wegovy weight-loss programme.
Does Rybelsus have side effects?
The most common side effects of Rybelsus are nausea, constipation, vomiting, and other symptoms affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, like diarrhoea.
You might also experience less common side effects like tiredness or headaches.
These symptoms most commonly occur around the time of the injection, during dose escalation, and are typically transient and will ease after you’ve adapted to the medication.
However, everyone responds differently to these medications; some people won’t experience any side effects, while others will have to discontinue their medication due to the discomfort the side effects cause.
Rybelsus isn’t a magic pill
Weight-loss injections are designed as additional tools for weight management interventions and shouldn’t be considered lifelong medications.
Instead, they should be used to help you kickstart your weight loss and healthy journey while you commit to living a healthier lifestyle.
Consider the use of antidepressants for people living with depression. They’re not designed to cure the condition. Instead, they’re designed to allow room for therapy to treat the condition’s underlying cause.
Rybelsus, and other weight loss injections, like Mounjaro and Wegovy, are similar. They can allow you to make lifestyle changes to support long-term weight loss maintenance.
Weight-loss medications can help silence food-related thoughts and also give you a boost of confidence with more immediate weight-loss results.
This helps to buy you the time and headspace to understand why your body may have struggled to lose weight previously, and to build new long-term healthy habits.
The core focus of our medication programmes is to calm down the feeling of food noise, lower your cravings, and allow you to build healthier habits to keep the weight off for good.
The ultimate goal is to make losing weight feel second nature.
Second Nature’s medication-supported programmes
Second Nature has two medication-supported programmes: a Wegovy weight-loss programme and a Mounjaro weight-loss programme.
If you’ve made the decision to try Wegovy or Mounjaro (assuming you’re eligible), why should you choose Second Nature over other medication providers?
For peace of mind.
Second Nature has worked with the NHS for over 6 years providing weight-loss programmes across the UK.
Whilst our Wegovy and Mounjaro weight-loss programmes are private and not currently used by the NHS, we’ve built the programmes with a focus on scientific evidence, patient safety, and data security.
We hope that our 6+ years of working with the NHS and building a track record of effective weight-loss results will give you peace of mind to give us a try.
