Massachusetts Physician Talks About Upcoming Weight Loss Pill

"I Hate Needles"

We've all heard about the weight loss injections that people have been taking, some with amazing results. There is even something called "Ozempic Face."

If only there was a pill to take, instead of needles. Well, soon there may be.

Harvard Professor Talks Weight Loss Medication

There have been pills for weight loss for decades and decades, says Dr. Jody Dushay, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School and attending physician at Beth Isreal Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts.

The track record, however, has not been great in terms of safety and side effects.

I found out about Dr. Dushay in a recent article by CNN where she cites her hope for a pill version of GLP-1 drugs to "ease shortages, come at lower cost and enhance convenience."

Dr. Dushay took the time to talk to me further about the medication. She gave the following guidelines:

Always get these medications from a physician.

If you have been diagnosed with gastroparesis, which is delayed stomach emptying, you should not take these medications.

If you have a history of pancreatitis, by and large, you shouldn't take these medications. There are a few exceptions, but that is (generally) considered a contraindication.

Also, at the moment, based on rodent research, if you have or have had medullary thyroid cancer, that is something that doctors need to proceed with caution about.

Other conditions that Dr. Dushay said that you need to be careful with: a history of restrictive eating disorders, severe reflux, and a history of gall stones.

Dr. Dushay and I did talk about the maintenance phase of the weight loss journey. She said that it is much harder after your body has reached a weight loss plateau, but she thinks if these pills are FDA approved, to her, it would be a great for a maintenance phase.

What I got from our conversation is that even with medication, keeping our weight at a healthy range is a life-long pursuit.

Do you know anyone who has ever taken these medications?