Obesity is chronic, and in trials most people regain much of the weight within a year of stopping GLP-1 treatment. Many patients stay on a maintenance dose long-term, like treatment for blood pressure. We review benefits, side effects, and cost with you regularly and plan any stop carefully — never stop suddenly without a plan for appetite returning.

Wegovy and Ozempic contain the same drug, semaglutide — Wegovy is the FDA-approved weight-management brand/dose, Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes. Zepbound and Mounjaro both contain tirzepatide — Zepbound for weight management (and sleep apnea in adults with obesity), Mounjaro for diabetes. Using a diabetes brand purely for weight loss is “off-label” and affects insurance; we prescribe the right product for your diagnosis.

Coverage varies widely by plan, diagnosis, and drug, and prior authorization is common. At your visit we check your benefits, document medical criteria, and discuss legitimate manufacturer savings programs and lower-cost oral options (like phentermine or orlistat) if injections aren't covered. We will always tell you the expected cost before you start.

Slowly and unevenly is normal. Doses increase over 4–5 months for GLP-1 medicines; most loss happens over 12–18 months. A safe pace is roughly 1–2 lb per week at most. Rapid loss raises gallstone and muscle-loss risk, which is why follow-up matters.

Any large weight loss — drug, diet, or surgery — includes some lean-mass loss, and facial fat loss can make skin look looser. We reduce it with protein targets, resistance training, and the slowest effective dose, and we monitor strength, not just the scale.

Often yes, but it changes the choice and monitoring. GLP-1 drugs lower blood sugar (hypoglycemia risk rises if you also take insulin or sulfonylureas), oral contraception absorption can be reduced by tirzepatide around dose changes, and Contrave interacts with several antidepressants and opioids. Bring a full medicine list — including supplements — to your first visit.