The skinny on weight loss drugs.
Losing weight and getting healthy may top the list of some people’s new year’s resolutions.
For some people, they are making their goals a reality, thanks to Krystle Jaynes, APRN of Enhanced Healthcare, located at 5308 US Hwy. 92.
People have been seeing less of Kayla Howell Roper, 38, who was born and raised in Plant City but now lives in Keystone Heights between Jacksonville and Gainesville, a fact that makes her tickled pink. Roper, who had unsuccessfully tried many different types of diets and workouts over the years, steadily gained weight after giving birth to her children. “I’m only 5’ 1” and I weighed more than 180 pounds,” she said.
Once she joined a gym and lost 40 pounds but as soon as she stoped going to the gym, she gained the weight back. “I was ready to try anything at that point,” she said.
She turned to Jaynes, who following a Telehealth visit, was prescribed semaglutide, an injectable medication that was shipped to her home.
Originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, semaglutide helps regulate blood sugar levels and can also promote weight loss. In 2021, a higher dose of semaglutide was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related condition (such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol).
Roper was skeptical that a once-a-week shot could achieve weight loss. “Once I started giving myself the weekly injections, which don’t hurt at all, I stopped being skeptical,” she said.
That’s because she saw results. “When I ate I got full quickly and stayed full longer,” said Roper. “When I’d go out to eat at restaurants and for the first time I had leftovers to take home.”
She bought a scale for her home to track her progress. She is now 129 pounds. She went from wearing a size 10 to a 0, a size she hasn’t seen since before she had children.
“People see me and ask what I did and then they sign up too,” she said.
Along with the shots, she also made lifestyle changes. “I make better eating choices, adding more salads and protein to her diet and drinking more water, but still eat the foods I love but in moderation,” she said.
She has also seen improvements to her overall health. “I used to take blood pressure medication for high blood pressure but my blood pressure is normal again,” she said. “I’m also not as tired all the time. Once you get healthy again there’s a lot that just falls into place. Your self-esteem is better. I’m sharing clothes will my 18-year-old girlfriend and that’s kind of fun.”
Another satisfied patient is Lakeland resident Rebecca Lofton. She started Jaynes’ program on Black Friday 2022. She weighed 233 pounds and wore a size 2x. So far, she’s lost 95 pounds and wears a size small. She gave up soda and eats smaller portions. Her BMI was a 49; now it’s 25.6. Her A1C was 10.9; now it’s 5.2. “I feel like a different person but I’m still a work in progress,” she said. “Krystle is amazing and take such good care of her patients. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
Lofton loves Jaynes’ office scale, an InBody scale, an innovative tool that goes beyond traditional weight measurements to provide patients with a comprehensive understanding of their body composition, including muscle mass, body fat percentage and more.
While her medical weight loss services aren’t covered by insurance, Jaynes said the $399 per month cost (no matter the dose) is well worth the results. She is not just the prescriber but a patient, having lost more than 70 pounds using the program.
“I think it’s great that it worked for me and I can make it more affordable so it’s more attainable for everyone,” she said.
In addition to weight loss, Enhanced Healthcare offers a wide range of services, including Direct Primary Care, Telehealth, IV therapy, vitamin injections, testosterone replacement therapy, peptide therapy, Botox and fillers and more.
For more information about Enhanced Healthcare visit enhancedhealthcarefl.com or call (813) 441-4952.
