Disclaimer: The information in this guide applies to Weight Loss and Obstructive Sleep Apnea patients.
At Felix, we offer a wide variety of weight management treatment options. This blog will provide an overview of all the treatments offered, including:
- Intended use
- Dosage
- Administration
- Cost
Injectable Semaglutide (Ozempic,Wegovy or generic semaglutide)
Intended Use:
Injectable semaglutide is a drug that goes by two different brand names, as well as in generic form. Ozempic is authorized for sale by Health Canada to manage type 2 diabetes while its counterpart, Wegovy, is indicated for long-term weight management. Generic semaglutide is also available and contains the same active semaglutide compound as all of the brand name products. All forms work the same way on the body.
Semaglutide helps the body better regulate blood sugar levels. It does this by mimicking natural hormones secreted from the GI tract that control blood sugar production. Injectable semaglutide does many things in the body to support weight management and the most common is that it slows down stomach emptying, making your body feel “full”. It’s important to note that injectable semaglutide is intended to be used with healthy nutrition and activity.
In studies, those who took 2.4mg of semaglutide and had a BMI ≥ 30 or a BMI of ≥27 in persons with ≥1 weight-related coexisting condition, who did not have diabetes,, saw a mean body weight reduction of almost 15% compared to a reduction of 2.4% in the placebo group over a period of 68 weeks. Patients in the studies were treated with semaglutide plus lifestyle interventions.
Dosage:
Injectable semaglutide dosing for weight management is generally higher than the dosing for diabetes. Generally speaking, injectable semaglutide dosing starts at 0.25 milligrams (mg) every week. Dosing typically increases every 4 weeks depending on your body’s response to the medication. Once you reach a dosage of above 1mg, the dosage starts to differ depending on if you are using it for diabetes or weight management.
The maximum dose for the treatment of diabetes is 1mg. The maximum weight management dose is 2.4 mg. From 1mg, the dosage increase is different for different brands. For Wegovy brand, it will generally be increased to 1.7mg, then the maximum dose of 2.4mg. For Ozempic or generic semaglutide, it will increase to 1.5mg, then to a maximum of 2mg. This is because of the differences in the pens and what doses they can administer
Above 1 mg, Ozempic and generic semaglutide patients will need to administer two separate injections at the same time per week, rather than one injection for Wegovy.
Administration:
Semaglutide is injected subcutaneously (under the skin). Semaglutide is administered using an injection pen that is pre-filled with your medication. You will need to select your dose using the dose selector on the pen before administering the injection.
Full instructions on how to administer your medication, will be included in the Weight Management Patient Resources that comes with your shipment.
Oral Semaglutide (Rybelsus)
Intended Use:
All forms of semaglutide function and work on the body the same way. Semaglutide helps the body better regulate blood sugar levels. It does this by mimicking natural hormones secreted from the GI tract that control blood sugar production.Semaglutide does many things in the body to support weight management and the most common is that it slows down stomach emptying, making your body feel “full”. It’s important to note that oral semaglutide is intended to be used with healthy nutrition and activity.
Dosage:
Dosing for weight management is generally the same as dosing for diabetes. Generally speaking, oral semaglutide (Rybelsus) dosing starts at 3 milligrams (mg) once daily for 30 days. Dosing typically increases every 30 days depending on your body’s response to the medication. The maximum dose for the treatment of diabetes is 14 mg. The maximum dose for weight management is 25mg, however this has not been authorized by Health Canada yet and is therefore not available.
The goal of dose increases isn’t to reach the maximum dose available, but to find the lowest possible dose that provides effective results for you. This means that the dose that’s right for you may not be the same as someone else.
Administration:
Rybelsus is the oral form of semaglutide and is taken by mouth as a table once a day. Rybelsus has to be taken in a very specific way, so please refer to your treatment guide for more details.
Full instructions on how to administer your medication, will be included in the Weight Management Patient Resources that comes with your shipment.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound)
Intended Use:
Like injectable semaglutide, tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) functions and works on the body in many similar ways. The gut secretes hormones called GLP-1 and GIP. Tirzepatide medications mimic both of these natural hormones, whereas semaglutide only mimics the GLP-1 hormone. The effects of this, however, are similar in that tirzepatide does many things in the body to support weight management and the most common is that it slows down stomach emptying, making your body feel “full”. However, in studies, tirzepatide was found to be more beneficial for both glucose control and weight management compared to semaglutide. Tirzepatide is a newer medication, and so it has less long-term data than medications like semaglutide or Contrave.
Tirzepatide is also an injectable drug that goes by two different names. One form of this drug, Mounjaro, is authorized for sale by Health Canada to manage type 2 diabetes mellitus. Its counterpart, Zepbound, has been authorized for sale in Canada. Tirzepatide is administered once a week using a KwikPen. It’s important to note that tirzepatide is intended to be used with healthy nutrition and activity.
In studies, those who took 15mg of tirzepatide, saw a mean body weight reduction of 20.9% compared to a reduction of 3.1% in the placebo group over a period of 72 weeks in people with obesity or overweight and at least one weight-related complication, but without diabetes. Patients in the studies were treated with tirzepatide plus lifestyle interventions.
Dosage:
Tirzepatide dosing for weight management and for diabetes are the same and typically start at 2.5mg every week. Dosing generally increases every 4 weeks depending on your body’s response to the medication. The maximum tirzepatide dose for weight management and diabetes is 15mg.
Administration:
Tirzepatide is injected subcutaneously (under the skin) using an injection pen that is pre-filled with the medication (also known as the KwikPen).
Full instructions on how to administer your medication, will be included in the Weight Management Patient Resources that comes with your shipment.
Contrave
Intended Use:
Contrave is a medication that can help with weight management. It is a pill that has two medicines in it: naltrexone and bupropion. Naltrexone can block the effects of opioids, and bupropion is an antidepressant. These two medicines work together in different parts of your brain to help you feel less hungry and have fewer cravings. It does not help with blood sugar management and in most patients is not as effective for weight management as tirzepatide or semaglutide. It does interact with some other medications and can’t be used with certain medical conditions, so please make sure to discuss that with your health care practitioner if you are interested in Contrave. It’s important to note that tirzepatide is intended to be used with healthy nutrition and activity.
In studies, those who took 32mg naltrexone plus 360mg bupropion per day saw a mean bodyweight reduction of 6.1% compared to a reduction of 1.3% in the placebo group over a period of 56 weeks in people with obesity or overweight with high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol Those who took 16mg naltrexone plus 360mg bupropion per day saw a mean bodyweight reduction of 5%..Patients in the studies were treated with tirzepatide plus lifestyle interventions.
Dosage:
Each Contrave tablet contains 8mg of naltrexone and 90mg of bupropion. Typically, you will start with a low dose and slowly increase your dose each week, if necessary:
- Week 1: Take 1 pill each day.
- Week 2: Take 1 pill in the morning and 1 pill at night.
- Week 3: Take 2 pills in the morning and 1 pill at night.
- After 4 weeks: Take 2 pills in the morning and 2 pills at night.
Administration:
Contrave tablets are taken orally. Do not cut, chew, or crush the tablets.
In clinical trials, Contrave was administered with meals, but it should not be taken with a high-fat meal.
Saxenda
Intended Use:
Saxenda (liraglutidehelps the body better regulate blood sugar levels. It does this by mimicking natural hormones secreted from the GI tract that control blood sugar production. It also does many things in the body to support weight management and the most common is that it slows down stomach emptying, making your body feel “full”
Saxenda is administered using a pre-filled injection pen daily.
In studies, those who took 3mg of liraglutide saw a mean bodyweight reduction of 5-10% over a period of 56 weeks in people with overweight or obesity, but without diabetes. The lifestyle changes in the studies included both dietary and physical activity changes.
It’s important to note Saxendae is intended to be used with healthy nutrition and activity.
Note: Saxenda has been discontinued. The manufacturer expects supply to continue through 2026, but availability may vary. Felix doesn’t recommend Saxenda for patients starting treatment. Patients already on Saxenda can continue while supply allows.
Dosage:
The starting dose of Saxenda is 0.6mg per day. The dose is typically increased by 0.6mg each week depending on your body’s response and side effects. Your healthcare practitioner’s aim is to find the lowest effective dose for you — up to a maximum of 3mg.
- Week 1: Start with a 0.6mg injection once a day.
- Week 2: Increase to 1.2mg once a day.
- Week 3: Increase to 1.8mg once a day.
- Week 4: Increase to 2.4mg once a day.
- After 5 weeks: The shot will be 3mg once a day.
The goal of dose increases isn’t to reach the maximum dose available, but to find the lowest possible dose that provides effective results for you. This means that the dose that’s right for you may not be the same as someone else.
Administration:
Saxenda comes in a pre-filled pen that delivers a daily injection, typically injected into the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm.
Full instructions on how to administer your medication, will be included in the Weight Management Patient Resources that comes with your shipment.
How much does treatment cost?
Treatment costs would depend on your treatment plan, medication brand, dose, pharmacy and province.Please check with your insurance provider to determine coverage and eligibility requirements and tell your practitioner so that they can prescribe the correct medication and brand. Without insurance, the cost can range from $149 to $889 per month.
Potential costs for injectable semaglutide:
| Dosage | Potential Costs for Ozempic* | Potential Costs for Wegovy* | Potential costs for generic semaglutide* |
| 0.25 mg | Starts at $149 | Starts at $395 | Starts at $149 |
| 0.5 mg | Starts at $149 | Starts at $395 | Starts at $149 |
| 1 mg | Starts at $149 | Starts at $395 | Starts at $149 |
| > 1 mg | Starts at $286 | Starts at $395 (1pen) | Starts at $286 |
Please note that there are 4 doses in each Wegovy pen. The number of doses per Ozempic and generic semaglutide pens varies depending on the dose. Prices listed are per pen unless otherwise specified.
Potential costs for Rybelsus:
| Dosage | Potential Costs for Rybelsus* |
| 3 mg | Starts at $317.90 |
| 7 mg | Starts at $317.90 |
| 14 mg | Starts at $317.90 |
Potential costs for Tirzepatide KwikPens:
| Dosage | Potential Costs for Mounjaro KwikPen* | Potential Costs for Zepbound KwikPen* |
| 2.5 mg | Starts at $483 | Starts at $483 |
| 5 mg | Starts at $483 | Starts at $483 |
| 7.5 mg | Starts at $637 | Starts at $637 |
| 10 mg | Starts at $637 | Starts at $637 |
| 12.5 mg | Starts at $889 | Starts at $889 |
| 15 mg | Starts at $889 | Starts at $889 |
Please note that there are 4 doses in one KwikPen. Prices listed are per pen.
Learn more about the financial assistance programs for Mounjaro, Zepbound, Rybelsus and Contrave.
Potential costs for Contrave:
| Dosage | Potential costs for Contrave* |
| 8mg naltrexone/90mg bupropion | Starts at $388 |
Please note there are 120 tablets of Contrave per order. The usual maximum dose is 4 tablets per day.
Potential costs for Saxenda:
| Dosage | Potential costs for Saxenda* |
| 18mg | Starts at $550 |
Please note there are 5 Saxenda pens per order per month.
Reminder: Saxenda has been discontinued by the manufacturer.
*Prices shown for all of the weight management medications listed do not reflect provincial or private insurance coverage and may vary by province.
How much is covered by insurance? Will Felix help fill out my insurance forms to help cover it?
Depending on your private insurance plan or provincial health plan, you may be covered for your treatment. Before speaking with your healthcare practitioner about your treatment, ensure you contact your insurance provider for more information regarding your coverage so that they are able to prescribe the correct medication and brand.
If your insurance provider requires special authorization in order to provide coverage, your prescribing practitioner may be able to complete this form. If the required information is limited to your care through Felix (i.e. does not require information regarding past treatments received externally), and if your practitioner deems it appropriate to do so, they can complete this for a fee.
To learn more about insurance form completion at Felix, please submit your insurance request form here. If the healthcare practitioner agrees to complete the form, a $35 fee per insurance form will apply. Read more here for full details about the insurance special authorization form process.
If you run into any issues, please reach out to our Patient Support team through the chat bubble in the bottom right corner of your account or our Contact Us page.
We recommend that you upload your private and/or provincial benefit card and any other savings cards during your online visit so that our pharmacy partner can apply any coverage you are eligible for, before shipping your treatment.
Eli Lilly’s Care Program
Eli Lilly offers assistance for patients that are taking tirzepatide. They offer patient resources to help you better understand your treatment, as well as financial assistance if eligible. Learn more about the Eli Lilly Care programs for Mounjaro and Zepbound.
Mounjaro Patient Support Program
Zepbound Patient Support Program
Novo Nordisk’s Care Program
If you’re having trouble determining whether you have insurance coverage for your medication, Novo Nordisk has patient support programs that can help navigate your coverage options.
OzempicCare Patient Support Program
WegovyCare Patient Support Program
Saxenda Care Patient Support Program
Contrave Patient Support Program
The Contrave Patient Support Program provides educational resources as well as financial assistance programs for eligible patients.
Contrave Patient Support Program
If you have any questions, please reach out to our Customer Support team through the chat bubble in the right corner of your page or our Contact Us page.
