Should I try Semaglutide?
Good morning.
I am an HIV-positive 27-year-old man.
Since my diagnosis in 2019, I’ve been on treatment with Dovato, with a steadily undetectable viral load and a CD4 count around 800-900 cells/mm^3.
I am overweight, with a BMI of 31.9 and mild hypercholesterolemia. I've always had trouble losing weight and since I'm on ART, it has become even harder.
In order to enhance weight loss, I've been thinking about trying Semaglutide (Wegovy or Ozempic) - which, according to the "Liverpool HIV Interactions Checker", has “no interaction expected” with Dovato.
I would like to know if it is considered to be safe for me to start such treatment and if you would recommend it for someone in my situation.
Thank you in advance
Hi
. I need to stress that we are not medical professionals and, for your protection, cannot provide medical advice over the internet. I do want to share with you this recent article on research that found that "Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are associated with weight loss, lower BMI, and improved HbA1C levels among patients with HIV infection:" https://www.infectiousdiseaseadvisor.com/news/patients-with-hiv-infection-may-benefit-from-glp-1-receptor-agonists. Similar results were found here: https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/cid/ciae151/7631407?redirectedFrom=fulltext. Looking at these drugs for those with HIV is new, so the research is fairly preliminary and it is important to discuss with your doctor if this would be an appropriate treatment for you. Hope this information is helpful. Best, Richard (Team Member)
