Online weight loss management program and get medications from your local pharmacy

During an online weight loss visit with one of Sesame’s board-certified clinicians, a new patient can expect a detailed assessment of their health history, a lifestyle assessment, and discussion of weight loss goals. If specific clinical criteria are met, the clinician may also recommend medication to support weight loss objectives, including GLP-1 medication. A lab order may also be sent on behalf of the patient, at an additional cost.

Returning patients should book the video weight management consult (follow-up visit) service with the same clinician. During a follow-up visit, the patient can expect a progress review on their weight loss plan, medication review and possibly additional labs if deemed clinically necessary by the clinician.

Weight loss management uses several different methods to keep your weight within your target range. Here are a few strategies that your online weight loss doctor may recommend:

Exercise: When it comes to staying on the right side of the energy balance, exercise is your friend. Your body burns calories to summon the energy needed to propel your walk, run, bike ride, or yoga session, helping ensure you expend more calories than you consume. Not sure where to start with exercise? Connect with a Sesame provider to talk about ways to get outside and start moving.

Diet: Diet is the other end of the weight management equation. When seeking to lose weight, it is critical that you begin to integrate healthy, nutritious foods into your everyday diet. Connect on Sesame with a quality nutritionist who can work with you to create a meal plan that meets your needs and keeps you satisfied.

Lifestyle Changes: Healthy diet and exercise alone are not sufficient to keep your weight in check. Your overall health is driven by a combination of factors that include not only diet and exercise, but also mental health, abstention from smoking, limited alcohol consumption, and more.

Weight-Loss Medication: If you have not been able to maintain a healthy weight through diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes, your healthcare provider may consider prescribing a weight-loss medication. This is common if your body mass index (BMI) is greater than 30, which means that you have a health condition called obesity, or if your BMI is greater than 27 and accompanied by weight-related medical conditions such as diabetes or high cholesterol.

If your current weight is causing health problems, your healthcare provider may suggest the use of a prescription weight loss medication. Clinicians will usually only prescribe them if your body mass index (BMI) is 30 or higher (27 or higher if it's accompanied by weight-related medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, high cholesterol, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, PCOS).

Before you get a weight loss drug prescription, make sure you talk to your doctor about your medical history. This includes any allergies or other conditions that you may have, medicines or supplements that you're currently taking, and whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to get pregnant soon.

If a clinician has prescribed the use of a weight-loss medication, it is because they have deemed that the benefits outweigh the potential side effects. Still, it is important to be aware of the possible risks associated with the medication. Side effects will vary depending on the type of medication and the user, but a broad scope of possible side effects includes nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, stomach pain, headaches, increased heart rate, trouble sleeping, sweating, and more.

As with all prescription medications, you should contact your healthcare provider if you start experiencing symptoms that cannot be otherwise explained.

Weight-loss medication costs can vary depending on your insurance coverage. If you are planning on using your insurance to cover the cost of weight-loss medication, you will need a Sesame clinician to complete a prior authorization request during your online weight-loss visit. Once the prior authorization has been approved by your insurer, the clinician may then prescribe medication. Insurance coverage for medication cannot be guaranteed, and visits will not be refunded if insurance refuses to cover the medication costs.

Without insurance coverage, GLP-1 medications can cost anywhere from $250 to $1300+ per refill. Talk to your clinician or the Sesame Care team about manufacturer savings card resources, as many manufacturers offer medication savings coupons to assist with the cost.

If you have insurance, your weight loss medication prescription may be covered depending on your plan. Sesame providers can assist with insurance prior authorization requests for your prescription coverage, and they can also direct you to medication savings coupons from manufacturers to assist with the cost of your medication! As noted above, insurance coverage for medication cannot be guaranteed, and visits will not be refunded if your insurance refuses to cover the medication costs.

Sesame does allow you to use HSA or FSA funds to pay for appointments, but it doesn't work directly with insurance companies. Instead, you pay providers directly, which means Sesame is available to all patients regardless of insurance status. Therefore, the cost of your consult with the provider will not be covered by insurance.

There are currently 6 weight-loss drugs currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for long-term use:

• Liraglutide (Saxenda): Also used to manage diabetes, Liraglutide is generally administered via injection. Similar to a natural hormone in your body (incretin), Liraglutide works by controlling your appetite.
  
• Bupropion-naltrexone (Contrave): This combination drug is often used to treat alcohol and opioid dependence. It can also be used to help you quit smoking or as an antidepressant. It helps you to lose weight by affecting change in the hypothalamus, which is the part of the brain that controls appetite and your body's metabolic functions. In turn, food cravings are reduced.
  
• Orlistat (Xenical, Alli): Orlistat works by blocking your body from absorbing approximately a third of the fat you eat. Doctors often prescribe Orlistat under the name "Xenical" (it's the same drug, just named differently). Alli is available as a non-prescription version at half the dose of Xenical.
  
• Phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia): This is a combination of a weight-loss drug (Phentermine) and an anticonvulsant (topiramate). Qsymia works throughout the day to help patients feel full when they eat. It may also change the taste of some foods making them less enjoyable to eat.
  
• Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus): Semaglutide is approved for both type 2 diabetes management and weight loss. Semaglutide mimics a hormone called incretin that helps to lower blood sugar and also controls how fast food leaves the stomach. This causes a decrease in appetite and aids in weight loss.
  
• Setmelanotide (Imcivree): Setmelanotide activates certain receptors in the brain which cause you to feel less hungry. This means patients consume fewer calories, which results in weight loss.
  
  

Good news! If deemed clinically necessary, providers on Sesame can prescribe online prescription weight loss medication to be picked up near you as part of your weight loss treatment. Book a consultation with one of Sesame’s online weight loss doctors today to determine whether or not prescription weight loss medication is right for you.

Note that all prescriptions are at the discretion of your healthcare provider. Providers on Sesame cannot prescribe controlled substances.