GLP-1 Questions, Answered

The usual clinical threshold is a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 or above with a weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea or high cholesterol. A physician decides after reviewing your full history.

Typically within 24 hours of completing the assessment at CoreAge Rx. If the physician needs clarification, it may take a little longer — that is a good sign, not a delay.

No. This is a self-pay programme. Insurance rarely covers compounded medication anyway — the details are in What GLP-1 Medication Costs in 2026.

Not for the consultation itself. You should still have a primary care physician, and you should tell them you are starting a GLP-1 — see How Telehealth Weight Loss Actually Works.

It means the screening found a reason GLP-1 treatment is not appropriate for you right now. Ask what it was; sometimes it is addressable, and sometimes it is a firm no for good reasons.

You can state a preference and it will be considered, but the recommendation is the physician's. The comparison is in Semaglutide vs. Tirzepatide: Which Is Right for You?.

Month one is an adaptation dose and produces little. Steady loss usually begins in month two, with the fastest stretch around months three to six. The real curve is in The GLP-1 Results Timeline, Month by Month.

Frequently, yes — because it acts on appetite signalling rather than willpower. Most of our patients arrive after years of diets, as CoreAge Rx Success Stories shows.

Not in the traditional sense. You will eat less automatically. What matters far more is *what* you eat — protein especially. See Eating Well on a GLP-1.

For weight loss, not strictly. For keeping muscle and holding the result, yes — twice a week of resistance training. Protecting Muscle While You Lose Fat explains why.

Almost certainly, for two to four weeks somewhere between months four and seven. It is normal and usually self-resolving.

There is no absolute prohibition, but most people find they want much less. Physically, alcohol worsens nausea and reflux and hits harder on a smaller food intake.

Yes. Keep it in your carry-on, not checked baggage, in an insulated bag with a cold pack. Bring your prescription label. TSA permits medication and cold packs; declare them at screening. Full guidance, including time zones and international travel, is in Travelling With GLP-1 Medication.

Within four days, take it and resume your usual day. More than four days late, skip it. Never double up. Full guidance in GLP-1 Dosing and Titration, Week by Week.

Yes — shift by a day or two at a time and keep the new day consistent.

Generally yes. Follow the specific storage instructions supplied with your medication, and keep it out of direct light.

Do not use it. Contact your provider — a compromised cold chain is a replacement, not a judgement call you should make yourself.

Usually yes, but the dose may need reducing as you lose weight. That is your prescribing doctor's decision — tell them you are starting. See GLP-1 Benefits Beyond the Scale.

This needs careful coordination. GLP-1 medication does not cause low blood sugar alone, but it can amplify those that do. Your diabetes prescriber must be involved.

Slowed gastric emptying can affect absorption of oral medication. Discuss it with your prescriber — this is a real question and worth asking rather than assuming.

Absorption timing may need adjusting. Mention every medication and supplement you take during your consultation.

Rapid weight loss increases gallstone risk generally. Tell your physician your history; it is a factor in the decision, not automatically a bar.

This is a significant contraindication and requires specialist input. Do not omit it.

No. GLP-1 medication is not for use in pregnancy. If you are trying to conceive, planning to, or become pregnant, tell your physician immediately.

Weight loss can restore ovulation in people with PCOS, and pregnancies have occurred unexpectedly. If you could become pregnant, use reliable contraception and discuss it with your prescriber. See GLP-1 Medication and PCOS.

Not recommended. Talk to your physician about timing.

Yes, usually — slowed gastric emptying raises aspiration risk under anaesthesia. Tell your surgeon and anaesthetist that you take a GLP-1 well in advance; guidance on timing varies.

Speak to your provider first. After two or more weeks off, tolerance fades and you may need to restart at a lower dose.

In the STEP 4 trial, people who stopped semaglutide regained about two-thirds of their lost weight within a year. This is the most important thing to know before you start, and it is why Maintenance: Keeping the Weight Off exists.

Many people move to a lower maintenance dose long-term. Others taper with physician guidance. What works poorly is stopping abruptly with no plan.

The GLP-1 class has been in clinical use since 2005 and has large safety datasets, including the 17,604-patient SELECT trial. Ongoing monitoring with a prescriber is part of doing it properly.

Yes, and it is common. Expect to re-titrate from a lower dose.

Same active ingredient, different regulatory status and supply chain. The honest full answer is in Compounded GLP-1 Medication, Explained.

Prescribed by a licensed physician, dispensed by a licensed pharmacy, screened against real contraindications — this is mainstream care. The risks that matter are covered in Managing GLP-1 Side Effects.

Very short and very fine, into the fat layer just under the skin. Most people describe the first injection as anticlimactic. Your First Month on a GLP-1: What to Expect walks through it.

Some people experience temporary thinning around month three or four. It is caused by rapid weight loss rather than the medication, and it resolves. Adequate protein reduces it.