Hi, I’m Elly Ling and I’m a registered Nutritional Therapist.

I’m working with Weight Loss HQ by Treated to bring you holistic health practices to help you get the most from your weight loss treatment.

Today I’m going to talk about some of the most common problems people face while using weight loss injections, and how to troubleshoot them.

First up: side effects.

Side effects from weight loss treatments can be quite uncomfortable, and even though they tend to ease off after a while, they’re pretty common to have when you first start treatment.

Some of the most common ones are:

  • Nausea
  • Constipation
  • Headache
  • Vomiting
  • and Diarrhoea

And they tend to be worse when starting the medication – while your body’s getting used to it – or when moving up a dose. But just one simple thing can help with all of these side effects: Water.

Now ideally, you should be drinking plenty of water all the time. But it’s especially important when dealing with side effects.

It’s quite common to get nausea when you first start using weight loss injections, and drinking plenty of water can help to alleviate this. Water is obviously important for staying hydrated too. And because dehydration can then cause other problems like headaches and constipation, staying hydrated can help to make most of the really common side effects you’d expect with weight loss treatment less severe, or help prevent them. You’ll normally know if you’re dehydrated, because your urine might be a darker shade of yellow.

Generally, you should try to space your water consumption out over the course of the day. Try to take regular, smaller sips rather than drinking larger volumes less frequently. But if you’re well-hydrated and still getting side effects, there are other things you can try. Such as eating ‘little and often’.

Because weight loss injections slow down digestion, food stays in your system for longer. This means that, by eating smaller portions, you’ll be less likely to ‘overwhelm’ your digestive system. It’s also useful to avoid foods that might worsen your symptoms—like spicy, greasy or processed foods—and get regular exercise in fresh air. Walking outdoors can be a great way to get your body moving and help clear a headache and reduce nausea. And lastly, don’t lie down after eating — it’s not good for digestion.

If you want to add a little something to your diet to help with side effects, I’d recommend ginger. It’s a proven remedy for nausea, so drinking ginger tea or adding some to your meals might help you. Or, if you’re not big on the taste or adding it during cooking, you could try ginger supplements.

For constipation, you’re going to want to make sure you’re eating enough fibre, supporting a healthy gut microbiome, exercising regularly and (of course) drinking lots of water.

Dietary fibre is found exclusively in plant-based foods, especially in fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes. If you’re not eating a whole lot of fruit and veg — start there; and swap out processed grains (like white bread, pasta and rice), for whole-grain alternatives like brown bread and brown pasta where possible.

If you’re not used to having a lot of fibre in your diet, start slow and gradually increase your intake. It can take your body a bit of getting used to.

If you do run into any problems while using weight loss treatment, talking to your prescriber can help. They can give you guidance on what to do to make your journey easier, or point you in the right direction.