[Health Column] Severely Obese Mum: Will Treatment End Just by Losing Weight?

 

hello, Director Jeon Seung-yeop of Jamsil FM Clinic no see.

 

Severely obese patients often ask, "My weight keeps coming back even with diet and exercise," or "How much weight can I lose if I start Múnzaro?" Many also seek treatment after gaining weight following repeated dieting attempts, or after being diagnosed with co-occurring conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, fatty liver, or sleep apnea.

 

The goal of treating severe obesity is not just to quickly lower the number on the scale. Reducing body fat while protecting muscle and nutritional status, managing metabolic diseases exacerbated by weight gain, and maintaining weight loss for a long time. You must include up to.

 

💡 The content covered in this article
· Why morbid obesity is not just a matter of willpower
· The Role of Maunzaro in Severe Obesity and Clinical Research Results
· Criteria for determining the rate of volume increase and decrease
· Necessary tests before treatment and how to manage gastrointestinal symptoms
· Maintenance strategy after reaching target weight

 

🩺 Is morbid obesity a problem that can be solved by willpower alone?

Severe obesity cannot be viewed simply as a condition caused by eating too much and moving too little. It is influenced by a complex interplay of genetic factors, appetite-regulating hormones, insulin resistance, sleep, stress, medications being taken, and repeated weight loss.

 

When you lose a significant amount of weight, your body may react by lowering energy consumption and increasing appetite in an attempt to return to your previous weight. This is why it is difficult to maintain a diet long-term, even if you reduce your food intake with strong willpower, if hunger and cravings for food continue to intensify. Therefore, Severe obesity is a chronic disease that requires medical evaluation and treatment rather than blaming lifestyle habits alone. You must approach it as.

 

🩺 What role does Maunzaro play in morbid obesity?

Tirzepatide, a component of Maunzaro, is Acts together on GIP and GLP-1 receptors It assists in weight loss by reducing appetite and food intake, and helping you feel full for a long time even when eating small amounts.

 

In the SURMOUNT-1 clinical trial, when tyrzepatide was administered to obese or overweight adults for 72 weeks Average weight loss of 19.5% in the 10mg group and 20.9% in the 15mg group ...showed. However, since this is the average value of clinical trial participants, not everyone loses weight to the same extent.

 

 

🩺 If I weigh a lot, do I need a high dose from the start?

Just because the starting weight is high does not mean that a high dose is used from the beginning. With Maunzaro, generally Start with a lower dose and maintain the current dose for at least 4 weeks. While doing so, monitor the treatment response and adverse reactions, and gradually increase the dosage.

 

Whether to increase the dosage is not determined solely by changes in weight. You must also consider metabolic indicators such as hunger and satiety between meals, frequency of snacks and late-night meals, body fat reduction, and blood sugar levels. If your appetite is stable and body fat is decreasing even at the current dosage, there may not be a need to rush the increase.

 

🩺 Does the faster weight loss, the better the treatment works?

In cases of severe obesity, weight loss may occur relatively significantly in the early stages. However, rapid weight loss alone cannot be used to conclude that treatment is successful. If muscle mass is lost along with fat, or if the patient is unable to eat properly, it may be disadvantageous for long-term weight maintenance.

 

💡 You shouldn't skip meals even if you aren't hungry.
Insufficient protein and water intake can lead to muscle loss, fatigue, dizziness, dehydration, and constipation. It is important to regularly monitor not only your weight but also your body fat and skeletal muscle mass to determine the appropriate intake of necessary nutrients.

 

 

🩺 What tests are needed before starting with Maunzaro?

For morbidly obese patients, checking blood sugar alone is not sufficient. Blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, glycated hemoglobin, cholesterol, liver function, kidney function, thyroid status You should examine the back to check for any accompanying metabolic abnormalities. If snoring and daytime sleepiness are severe, the possibility of sleep apnea also needs to be evaluated.

 

You must also check for a history of pancreatitis or gallbladder disease, severe gastrointestinal disorders, pregnancy or plans for pregnancy, and current diabetes medications. In particular, if you are using insulin or sulfonylurea drugs, you must also consider the risk of hypoglycemia resulting from reduced food intake.

 

🩺 Should I stop taking the medication if I experience nausea or constipation?

In the early stages of treatment with Maunzaro, gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea may occur. If symptoms are mild, they can be managed by avoiding large amounts of food at once, refraining from greasy foods and excessive alcohol consumption, and drinking fluids in small, divided doses.

 

💡 Cases where you must inform medical staff before the next administration
· Cases where it is difficult to even drink water due to repeated vomiting
· In cases of persistent severe abdominal pain
· Cases accompanied by severe upper abdominal pain spreading to the back, jaundice, and fever
These symptoms should not be dismissed as mere adaptation symptoms.

 

🩺 Can I stop immediately once I reach my target weight?

In the treatment of severe obesity, maintenance is a longer process than weight loss. In the SURMOUNT-4 study, the group that discontinued tirzepatide treatment for the following 52 weeks Average 14.0% weight gain While [showed], the group that continued treatment lost an additional 5.5%.

 

However, this does not mean that everyone must use the same dosage for life. Maintenance doses or dosing plans should be adjusted individually based on changes in target weight, body composition, appetite, and comorbidities. When reducing or discontinuing medication, it is advisable to track appetite and weight rebound, and to establish criteria for early re-intervention if necessary.

 

 

 

🩺 Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can anyone with severe obesity use Maunzaro?
No. The possibility of prescribing must be determined after checking not only the body mass index but also comorbidities, medical history, medications being taken, pregnancy status, and the purpose of treatment.

 

Q2. If my weight doesn't decrease for a week, should I increase the amount?
It is difficult to judge based on weight over just one week. Even if your weight appears to be stagnant due to factors such as water retention and constipation, your body fat can actually decrease.

 

Q3. Should I start exercising after losing a certain amount of weight?
While you must consider your joint and cardiovascular condition, it is advisable to increase your activity level from the beginning as much as possible. In particular, strength training helps protect muscles during weight loss.

 

Q4. Can it be treated even if I have diabetes or high blood pressure?
Treatment may be considered, but changes in blood sugar and blood pressure must be monitored in conjunction with existing medication. Adjustments to existing medication may be necessary as weight is lost.

 

Q5. If I only take Maunzaro, do I not need to manage my diet?
That is not the case. While medication helps control appetite, if you do not consume enough protein, fluids, vitamins, and minerals, it can lead to muscle loss and nutritional imbalances.

 

🩺 Morbid obesity treatment with Mountaro includes 'maintenance after weight loss'.

In cases of severe obesity, the process of steadily reducing body fat, preserving muscle mass and nutritional status, and improving metabolic health—such as blood sugar and blood pressure—is more important than losing a few kilograms quickly. Even with the same weight, treatment plans must vary because comorbidities, appetite patterns, and lifestyles differ.

 

At Jamsil FM Clinic, we determine the timing for starting Maunzaro and increasing the dosage by examining weight, body composition, blood tests, appetite, and lifestyle patterns together. The point at which treatment ends is not the day the target weight is reached, but, When a plan is in place to stably maintain the lost weight This can be viewed as such. If you are struggling with weight issues, I recommend that you have your current condition checked with medical professionals rather than trying to endure it alone.

 

 

Director Jeon Seung-yeop of Jamsil FM Clinic

Family Medicine Specialist at Asan Medical Center
Obesity specialist certified by the Korean Society of Obesity
Secretary General of the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity
Current Chief Director of Jamsil FM Clinic

 

The medical content of this column was written based on the following materials.
· Jastreboff AM, et al. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity. New England Journal of Medicine. 2022.
· Aronne LJ, et al. Continued Treatment With Tirzepatide for Maintenance of Weight Reduction in Adults With Obesity: The SURMOUNT-4 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2024.
· Eli Lilly and Company. ZEPBOUND® Prescribing Information.
※ This column provides general health information, and treatment methods and dosages may vary depending on individual health conditions.