Weight Loss at Citrin Wellness

Maintaining a healthy weight is oftentimes people’s most vexing health struggle throughout their life. Between fad diets and the constant temptation of unhealthy foods, it can be a struggle to lose weight and keep it off. At Citrin Wellness, we provide personalized, medically assisted approaches that provide our patients with the tools to remain at their target weight for good.

Our Weight Loss Process

Everything at Citrin Wellness revolves around personalized care, and that means getting to know you on a deeper level first. This begins with a thorough consultation, followed by labs (typically including hormone analysis and/or other functional markers like food sensitivities, gut health, etc.), and then a personalized weight loss plan.

01
Initial Consult
We use this time to discuss your medical history, lifestyle factors, and any medical issues that you may have so that we can help you lose weight in the most sustainable way possible. 
02
Run Labs
We start our diagnostic process with blood work and possibly other advanced comprehensive tests that will help determine any physical issues that could be preventing weight loss.
03
Customized Weight Loss Plan
Our mission is to get the weight off and keep it off for good. That means providing robust targeted treatments that address weight loss holistically so that we can make sure you’re able to stay at your new weight for a long time. We work with patients to choose 1 of the 3 following programs listed below. These are crafted specifically for you based on your weight loss goals and current medical condition.

Three Approaches to Weight Loss

 

We work with patients to choose 1 of the 3 programs listed below. These are crafted specifically for you based on your weight loss goals and current medical condition.

01 Natural Approach

This program optimizes detox, hormones, nutrition, and gut health in order to help achieve weight loss.

Detoxification Pathways
All our treatments involve a specific and formulated detox program that allows your body to start opening the pathways for proper weight loss.
Nutritional and Dietary Support
We have a nutritionist on staff to support your nutrition goals and needs. All our treatments involve a personalized weight loss plan to meet the needs for proper weight loss.
Hormonal Assessment
Ensuring the thyroid, sex hormones (estrogen, testosterone, etc.), and adrenal glands are optimized significantly aids with weight loss.
Gut Health
Ensuring the gut is working optimally also significantly plays a part with weight loss. This includes possible advanced functional analysis on the gut, food sensitivities, or other factors that can play into weight gain.

02 HCG 2.0 Diet Program

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, otherwise known as hCG, is a hormone that has been shown to decrease appetite and help patients achieve ketosis. Ketosis is the metabolic process your body initiates when it lacks sufficient carbohydrates for energy. Instead, it turns to its fat reserves, generating ketones that serve as a potent fuel source. While the internet buzzes with controversy, the undeniable truth is that hCG can safely usher you into a state of ketosis by providing effective appetite suppression. This dynamic combination paves the way for swift and sustainable weight loss, making your weight loss goals within reach.

How does our HCG 2.0 program work?
Introducing hCG 2.0, an intricately designed, 40-day dietary program that boasts exceptional effectiveness. Born from the foundation of hCG 1.0, which originated in 1954, this updated version stands as a testament to ongoing advancements driven by cutting-edge research. The heart of hCG 2.0 lies in advancements to the concepts of nutrition that are more specific to the individual. Our medical staff will help you understand the full program. Our approach is created by initially understanding your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR, which we determine in office) to craft an individualized program, setting the stage for your transformation. We create a personalized nutritional program. This program features specific allocations of proteins and vegetables, but asks that patients adhere to an overall caloric restriction diet that omits fats and oils and sugars from their diet completely for the duration of the program. Embrace hCG 2.0 and unlock the door to a healthier, fitter you. Your personalized path to success awaits. 
What can I expect?
We typically expect and see patients lose about a ½ pound per day of weight loss resulting in approximately 15-20 lbs of weight loss during the 40 day program, with some exceptions of patients seeing upwards of 30 lbs of weight loss during the program.
Is it safe?
Our successful program stands as a testament to its low-risk, high-reward nature. Dr. Citrin, with experience gained during his residency and with countless of his patients in his private practice, has witnessed patients seamlessly embark on their hCG journey, encountering little to no adverse effects. Rest assured, the current body of evidence does not definitively label hCG as hazardous. The bulk of concerns and negative publicity revolve around the restricted calorie intake associated with the program. It’s true that low-calorie diets harbor potential risks, including gallstone formation and imbalances in electrolytes that may lead to heart palpitations. However, if done correctly, we can help offset these risks with proper guidance. Our commitment to tailored care and a deep understanding of each patient’s unique needs enables us to proactively mitigate these concerns. Moreover, hCG 2.0 boasts improved responses compared to its predecessor, addressing the issues that contributed to its earlier negative publicity. Schedule a discovery call to see if this program is right for you.

03 Peptides: Semaglutide and Tirzepatide

Semaglutide and Tirzepatide are the active ingredients in the recent popular anti-weight/anti-diabetic drugs known as Ozempic®, Wegovy®, and Mounjaro®.

What are these peptide medications?
These peptides are glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1 receptor agonist). They work by mimicking the hormone responsible for sending signals of fullness to the brain while also reducing the speed at which food passes through the digestive system. This results in the body responding by suppressing the appetite. Simply put, these medications prolong digestion helping to maintain your feeling of fullness for a longer period, so you feel fuller faster and are less likely to overeat. In addition to regulating appetite, they help the body break down and use fat more efficiently, aiding in weight management. These medications are clinically proven as treatment for patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes, but have also shown remarkable results for healthier people struggling with maintaining a healthy body weight. We supply these popular weight loss medications from a compounded pharmacy rather than through a traditional pharmacy. We do this because it allows us to control dosing and keep costs down for our patients. 
What is the difference between Semaglutide (Ozempic) vs Tirzepatide (Monjouro): 
Tirzepatide uses the same mechanism as Semaglutide but has been shown to be more effective at reducing A1C levels, achieving greater weight loss with less GI (gastrointestinal) issues.
Blood Sugar Regulation: Healthcare professionals rely on the A1C test to gauge average blood sugar levels over time. In a head-to-head clinical trial involving individuals with Type 2 diabetes, Mounjaro® (tirzepatide) demonstrated a more significant reduction in A1C compared to Ozempic® (semaglutide). This suggests that Mounjaro® may excel in blood sugar regulation.
Weight Loss: Two separate studies have shown that individuals using Mounjaro® (tirzepatide) achieved greater weight loss compared to those using Ozempic® (semaglutide). People typically achieve up to 18% weight loss within 6 months with Semaglutide and up to 24% for Tirzepatide.
How does the program work?
This is our most popular program as it typically works well without needing patients to significantly alter their lifestyles to achieve weight loss. The amount of time on this program is not fixed and depends on each individual’s weight loss goals. It is administered once a week through a self-injectable baby insulin needle, which is applied to the abdomen or buttocks. We help teach you how to self-administer this process. Rest assured this is a very easy and painless process. The goal of this program is to either keep patients on a tiny maintenance dose, or if desired, to switch them to our natural weight maintenance program (detailed above). This ensures their weight loss but also instills healthy lifestyle choices that keep the weight off.

Semaglutide and Tirzepatide FAQs

How long do I need to be on it?
It’s typically several months for the average weight loss patient but depends on the amount of weight a patient needs to lose or how other factors affect the weight loss process.
How do I wean off of it? 
This is patient specific but typically we decrease the dose each week while we optimize for your specific nutritional needs and hormonal balance. 
Is it safe? 
While both Tirzepatide and Semaglutide are generally well-tolerated and safe, they can lead to side effects. Common side effects shared by both drugs include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Notably, Tirzepatide carries a heightened risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) compared to Semaglutide, especially among individuals with type 2 diabetes. Another potential side effect of Tirzepatide is an increased risk of thyroid tumors, if medullary thyroid cancer has been found genetically to occur in the family, but the risks are generally considered very low. Nevertheless, individuals with a personal or family history of thyroid cancer should exercise caution when contemplating the use of Tirzepatide or Semaglutide.
Why do we use the compounded version?
The compounded version allows us to dose precisely, which is important, as too high of a dose increases side effects. This is not possible with the present amounts in the conventional versions. Also, it is much cheaper for the patient when insurance does not cover the medication.

The Citrin Experience

I have been seeing Dr. Guy for a few years now. Initially, we were focused on balancing my thyroid and hormone levels. Once we had a good handle on that, he started me on semaglutide. I have had success losing 30 pounds over a one year period. Before this, I couldn’t get the scale to budge even though I always ate healthy and exercised consistently. Luckily I didn’t experience any of the terrible side effects you read about. I am currently slowly weaning myself off of the semaglutide under his care and hoping to maintain the weight loss. I am so happy that Dr. Guy recommended this protocol to me and I look forward to trying some of his anti-aging regimens. I tell all my friends that they should schedule an appointment to go see him!

J.S.

When I was in my 20s and mid 30s I would eat in-n-out multiple times a week, ice cream most nights, a spread of Indian food (you get the idea) and not gain a pound. Fast forward to my late 30s, I couldn’t eat a fraction of that. Brain fog and fatigue were also a regular part of my day. I tried so many things – none of which gave me the sustainable natural feeling of health and wealth I have today. Those include a personal trainer 4x week, a questionable mix of “supplements” throughout the day, modafinil (dangerous), cutting alcohol, power walking 4 miles a day, b-12 injections, infrared saunas and many more desperate attempts to just feel light on my feet and good. Thank god I wasn’t willing to accept the way I felt as “aging” or “that’s just how it is”. I found Doctor Guy through a friend. He helped me understand 1) I needed a thyroid medicine 2) how to eat for nutrition not taste 3) an injectable weight loss medicine that I did at home to give me the discipline to choose healthy foods. Doctor Guy was hands down the best experience I’ve had yet. Not only were the prices so fair (I paid out of pocket because I don’t believe in health insurance and I was raised as a Christian Scientist) but his patient portal system to book appointments or communicate with his staff was so modern and so easy to manage with my busy schedule. 8 weeks later, I feel amazing. I’ve lost 32 lbs and have a renewed natural source of energy. As I write this review I’m sipping a matcha latte and snacking on some mixed nuts feeling very grateful for Doctor Guy. He’s a modern doctor who believes in blending east and western medicine while still offering affordable prices. Customer for life right here. Highly recommend.

Julia D