If you’ve been using semaglutide treatments or you’re about to start them with the release of generic semaglutide in Canada, you may not know how to talk to your loved ones about these treatments – if you’re choosing to tell them about the treatments at all, which is also a reasonable option.
Whether you’re afraid of judgment or pushback from the people you’re telling, there are ways to soften this conversation and help them understand why semaglutide could be a valuable part of your health management plan. This article will cover everything you need to know about how to tell your loved ones that you’re using semaglutide – and do it with your chin held high!
Generic semaglutide is now available in Canada!
Generic semaglutide has officially hit the Canadian healthcare market!
One of the biggest obstacles facing patients with brand-named semaglutide treatments has been the price and accessibility, especially without insurance in Canada. However, the cost of generic semaglutide has not only decreased the cost of some brand-name versions; it’s significantly cheaper than what patients were previously paying.
Some patients have also been skeptical, because these types of treatments are relatively new. But new research has solidified that not only are these medications safe to use (under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner), but they are consistently providing patients with positive results.
Due to these previous obstacles, some patients have expressed concerns about how to talk to loved ones about starting semaglutide treatments, which is where this page can help.
If you’re interested in requesting a prescription for generic semaglutide, we’d invite you to submit a short online assessment, so that one of our healthcare practitioners can determine if these types of treatments would make sense for your unique health needs.
READ THIS BEFORE TALKING TO ANYONE:
It’s very important to keep in mind that you don’t owe anyone else an explanation about the ways you choose to improve your health and wellbeing, as well as maintain your quality of life.
If you don’t want to talk to certain people in your life, or anyone for that matter, about the fact that you’re going to be using semaglutide treatments, that’s your choice, and it’s a reasonable one to make.
No one else lives in your body or has control over it – only you do.
Be proud of yourself for making the choice to take control of your health, and never let anyone take that away.
Key questions to ask yourself before you start the conversation:
If you’re nervous about telling a family member, partner, or loved one that you’re starting semaglutide (or have been using it for a while, but haven’t told them yet), there are some important questions you should ask yourself before you broach the topic.
Here are 4 questions you should take time and reflect on, before trying to start a conversation with the person you have in mind:
1. Who are you considering telling?
The type of person that you’re telling about your semaglutide treatments, and their respective roles in your life, can have a major impact on the way that the conversation goes.
Are you telling your parents? Your kids? Spouse? Best friends? All of these conversations need to look a little different, based solely on the person that you’re talking to.
Try to keep in mind the type of conversation that you’re going to have, so that you can anticipate the kind of questions or concerns that may be brought up during your talk.
2. Are you nervous to talk to them about semaglutide?
Is there a particular reason that you’re nervous about talking to this person about your semaglutide treatments? Or are you just concerned the conversation will be awkward?
Do you believe they will judge you harshly for it? Have they been vocally opposed to these types of treatments in the past? Are they fearful of something happening to you, due to a lack of understanding about how the treatments function?
Identifying how you’re feeling about the conversation ahead of time can help you keep a level head throughout the talk, instead of rushing into a conversation about semaglutide and then being caught off-guard by a person’s reaction.
Which leads us to our next question…
3. How do you think they will react when you tell them?
Do they have a firm opinion on semaglutide or these types of treatments in general? Or perhaps, they don’t have an opinion at all, and you’re afraid you’ll be met with disinterest.
Trying to anticipate a reaction from the person that you’re telling will make it easier for you to manage the conversation during that period, especially if you believe the person will react negatively or judgmentally for any reason.
4. What are the best and worst-case scenarios that you can foresee?
Is the conversation going to devolve into a fight? Will you be met with anger and confusion, or perhaps you’ll get nothing but love and support as a response?
As with all things, when we anticipate both the best and worst-case scenarios about a situation, usually the true end result ends up somewhere comfortably in the middle of those two potentials.
In turn, even a challenging conversation can feel manageable compared to aggressive language or outright dismissiveness.
Before you talk to them: Do your research
Now that you’ve asked yourself some very important questions about what to expect when you do have the conversation, is it time to talk yet? Not quite.
First, you need to make sure that you come armed with all the information at your disposal about what semaglutide is, how it works, why you’re choosing to use these treatments, and the potential, realistic benefits that you’re hoping to achieve by using them.
Of course, this information is useful if you’re having the conversation in person, but what about if you’re planning to talk to your loved one via text? Not to worry, because there are some resources you can send them, which will give them their own homework to do on the subject:
Resources for them to check out:
- Mayo Clinic – A great resource for a range of semaglutide information.
- Web MD – An easy-to-read blog that covers basic semaglutide information.
- Canadian Medical Association – A blog that covers accessing semaglutide safely in Canada.
- Pub Med – A study that explores the realistic risks vs benefits of semaglutide treatments.
And remember: Mild side effects are normal
There may be some side effects as you start semaglutide treatments. These are normal and to be expected for some patients. When they do occur, most often they will lessen or disappear over time, as your body adjusts to the medication.
Don’t let conversations about potential side effects deter you from trying these treatments, and be sure to do your reading about them ahead of time, so that you know how to respond to potential concerns from loved ones.
What to expect during the conversation:
Think positively – people can surprise you:
Don’t forget that, despite what you may be expecting from the conversation, there are also a lot of positive reactions that you could get from your loved ones when you broach the topic of using semaglutide treatments, like:
- Happy for you
- Supportive of your choice
- Relieved that you’ve found a medication that can help
- Proud of you for making positive health choices
Even if the conversation starts out feeling challenging, with time and the right education, you should be able to help your loved ones understand why you’re choosing to use semaglutide, and hopefully, they’ll be glad to see you improving your health and quality of life.
Worst-case scenarios:
There are several ways your loved one may respond, depending on their personality and personal beliefs about semaglutide. There are several negative reactions you could face during your conversation:
- Dismissiveness about the topic
- Disinterest in discussing it
- Judgment of you for taking it
- Disappointment or even anger
Any of these negative reactions should be met with patience and calmness. It’s important not to let their feelings about the situation cloud your emotions or draw you into negative feelings/thoughts about yourself.
Once they’ve shared their perspective, use education to show them why you’re making this choice for the sake of your health. Dispute any of their arguments about semaglutide with cold, hard facts. It’s much harder to dispute something that’s been proven (i.e., semaglutide is safe to use, effective, etc.).
At the end of the day
Even if your loved one doesn’t come around right away, don’t let it get you down or make you question your choice to use semaglutide treatments. Give it time. Sometimes new concepts take a little while to really sink in, especially for those raised in different times, when certain parts of our health simply weren’t understood.
You have to keep telling yourself that you’re making the right choice for you and your future. When it comes to our health and quality of life, it’s something we should never let others make us compromise on, regardless of their personal beliefs.
Felix is here to help you educate yourself, so that hopefully, these conversations go much more smoothly and positively than you may be expecting. Our team is working hard to help continue destigmatizing these types of treatments, as well as give you the tools to make educated decisions about your health and treatment choices.
Since generic semaglutide is now available in Canada, if you don’t yet have a prescription and you’d like to find out if these treatments would be right for you, consider submitting a secure online assessment and having a virtual consultation with one of our healthcare practitioners.
They can help you determine whether generic semaglutide could be beneficial for you, based on your health and medical history, so that you can access these treatments if you’re interested. This way, you can continue improving your health and quality of life, while living life on your terms – the way it should be.
