Compounded Semaglutide Tablets for Weight Loss

Compounded semaglutide tablets are prescribed to help manage Type 2 diabetes.¹ The medication is also prescribed for weight loss.²

Semaglutide comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken on an empty stomach once a day when you wake up. Take semaglutide with a sip of water (no more than 4 ounces) at least 30 minutes before eating any food, drinking or taking any other medications. The drug works best if you eat a meal or snack 30 minutes after you take the drug. Your doctor may gradually increase your dose, depending on your response to semaglutide. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take semaglutide exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than directed by the package label or prescribed by your doctor. Swallow the tablets whole; do not split, chew or crush them.³

Compounded semaglutide is legal. The FDA audits compounding pharmacies to ensure health and safety compliance.⁴

RedBox Rx prescribes compounded semaglutide in 2 mg rapid dissolving tablets. Dosage will vary depending on an individual’s prescription.

Weight loss can vary among patients. Some notice weight loss right away, others can take one month or more. Consistency is important. Continue to take as directed and your provider will adjust your dose as needed to promote optimal weight loss tailored to your clinical needs. On average, 1-2 pounds per week (or 6-8 pounds per month) of weight loss is typically considered safe. That said, individual targets may vary and should be discussed with your weight management clinician.

RedBox Rx can prescribe compounded semaglutide tablets for weight loss. Start with an online assessment to see if you qualify.

With RedBox Rx, compounded semaglutide tablets are $189 per month with a 6 month subscription – no intro pricing and no cost increase based on dosage. This includes everything – your monthly medication supply and unlimited provider follow-ups through messaging or video.

The $279 per month compounded semaglutide tablets subscription from RedBox Rx includes everything – your monthly medication supply and unlimited provider follow-ups through messaging or video. You also get one comprehensive metabolic panel (to be completed in the first two months) and one 30-minute one-on-one dietitian discovery session through our parent company Hy-Vee’s dietitian services.

Oral compounded semaglutide is a GLP-1 antagonist with the same active ingredient as Rybelsus. The difference is that compounded medications are not made by a manufacturer like name brands. Instead, the medications are compounded at a licensed pharmacy.⁵

In clinical research, the weight loss results from semaglutide oral tablets were similar to semaglutide injections.⁶ Semaglutide tablets are taken orally, once per day. Semaglutide injections are administered once per week.⁷

With RedBox Rx, one comprehensive metabolic panel to be completed at a Quest Diagnostics lab location is included with the monthly prescription costs. During your first consultation, your provider will order one metabolic panel for you. The test needs to be completed within 60 days to avoid disruption in eligibility for the program.

If done ahead of your first refill visit, you may be eligible to receive a stronger dose. Your provider will customize your medication plan based on the lab results. If there is a need for a separate lab facility, please let your clinician know. If you’ve had labs done previously, you can submit them to the clinician. For any questions related to labs, please contact our customer service team at (979) 315-1012.

RedBox Rx can prescribe compounded semaglutide tablets in 48 states. Our compounded GLP-1 weight loss medications are not available in Louisiana or Mississippi due to state regulations.

Eligibility for a semaglutide tablet prescription is determined by licensed providers with RedBox Rx.

General requirements for patients include:

• Are 18-75 years of age. 

• Have BMI greater than 27 if not already taking a GLP-1 medication.

• Are not pregnant or currently breastfeeding.

As part of program eligibility, the patient’s health history is an important factor in qualifying for this program. Patients will be asked to complete an online intake assessment that will be reviewed by a medical provider to ultimately determine program eligibility.

Compounded semaglutide tablets are taken once per day by dissolving between the cheek and gums in the mouth. The medication should be taken on an empty stomach at least 30 minutes before eating or drinking.⁸

Before taking semaglutide,

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy), albiglutide (Tanzeum; no longer available in U.S.); dulaglutide (Trulicity), exenatide (Bydureon, Byetta), liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza, in Xultophy), lixisenatide (Adlyxin, in Soliqua), any other medications or any of the ingredients in semaglutide tablets. Ask your pharmacist or check the Medication Guide for a list of the ingredients.

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. It is especially important to tell your doctor about all the medications you take by mouth because semaglutide may change the way your body absorbs these medications.

• Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), diabetic retinopathy (damage to the eyes caused by diabetes), gall bladder disease or kidney disease. Also tell your doctor if you have recently had diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or if you cannot drink liquids by mouth, which may cause dehydration (loss of a large amount of body fluids).

• Tell your doctor if you plan to become pregnant. Your doctor may tell you to stop taking semaglutide for two months before a planned pregnancy.

• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking semaglutide, call your doctor.

• If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking semaglutide.

• Ask your doctor what to do if there is a large change in your diet, exercise or weight; or if you get sick, develop an infection or fever, experience unusual stress or are injured. These changes and conditions can affect your blood sugar and the amount of semaglutide you may need.⁹

Unless your provider recommends a specific diet, thereare no foods you must avoid or eat while taking semaglutide. There are a few dietary guidelines you can follow to avoid negative side effects and better achieve weight loss goals:¹⁰

• Eat smaller meals and eat slowly.

• Avoid fatty foods, fried foods, unhealthy fast-food and foods high in sugar.

• Avoid or limit alcohol consumption.

• Stay hydrated with plenty of water.

• Limit excess sugar intake.

If you stop taking semaglutide, it is likely you will gain back the weight lost within 12 months of stopping. Oral semaglutide is generally used as a long-term treatment.¹¹

Common side effects of semaglutide include:¹²

• Nausea.

• Vomiting.

• Diarrhea.

• Abdominal pain.

• Constipation.

• Heartburn.

• Burping.

Contact your provider if side effects become too bothersome.

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children, as many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location – one that is up and away, and out of their sight and reach.

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA's Safe Disposal of Medicines website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p) for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.¹³

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.¹⁴

Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

It is important for you to keep a written list of all the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.¹⁵

There are no brand names of compounded semaglutide. The comparable brand of oral semaglutide is Rybelsus®.

Semaglutide may increase the risk that you will develop tumors of the thyroid gland, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC; a type of thyroid cancer). Laboratory animals who were given semaglutide developed tumors, but it is not known if this medication increases the risk of tumors in humans. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had MTC or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2; condition that causes tumors in more than one gland in the body). If so, your doctor will probably tell you not to take semaglutide. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: a lump or swelling in the neck, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing or shortness of breath.

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor may order certain tests to check your body's response to semaglutide.

Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer's patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with semaglutide tablets and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm) or the manufacturer's website to obtain the Medication Guide.

Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking semaglutide.¹⁶

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16. National Library of Medicine