Your first visit and what comes next

Before the call

A little preparation makes a short visit go further.

• Test the link and your camera and microphone ahead of time, on the device you will use. A phone or laptop with a charged battery and a steady connection is enough.
• Pick a private spot where you can speak openly. Headphones help.
• Have your filled-in worksheet open, along with your medicine list and your pharmacy name.
• Know your recent weight, and your blood pressure if you have a home cuff.
• Be ready to confirm who you are. Services often ask for this at the start.
• Write your questions down so you do not lose them once the call starts.

What a good visit covers

The American College of Physicians says that when starting a weight-loss medicine, clinicians and patients should discuss these things. In plain terms:

• Benefits: how much weight people lose in trials and how that compares with doing nothing.
• Harms: the common side effects and the rarer serious ones.
• Cost, access and availability: what you will pay and whether the medicine is in stock near you.
• Your other health conditions: for example diabetes, kidney problems or heart disease.
• Your weight goals and life expectancy: what you want, and what is realistic.
• Your values and preferences: for example injection or pill, or how you feel about long-term treatment.
• Contraindications and warnings: reasons the medicine may not be safe for you.

What to leave with

Before you hang up or close the video, make sure you can answer these.

• Which medicine am I starting, and why this one?
• What is my starting dose, when will it go up, and who decides?
• How do I take it, and what do I do if I miss a dose?
• What side effects are normal in the first weeks, and which mean I should call?
• Who do I contact with questions, and how fast do they reply?
• When is my first follow-up?
• What will it cost each month, and what happens if my insurance changes?

Blood tests

Some clinicians order blood tests, and some do not. A 2026 dietitian-led review suggested a structured lab panel that includes vitamin D, B12, iron studies, folate and zinc, and thiamine for people at higher risk of low levels. That is one proposal from one review, not a rule, so ask your clinician what makes sense for you.

The first weeks

Expect to start at a low dose and to hold at each step for several weeks. The labels describe at least four weeks on each Zepbound step and four-week steps for the Wegovy injection. Common early side effects involve digestion, and the beginner guide covers them in chapter 6. Protein and constipation are the two food topics that come up most.

Tell your clinician about vomiting or diarrhea that keeps going, because the labels warn about dehydration and kidney problems. Call right away about severe stomach pain, or signs of an allergic reaction.

What comes next

Over the following months your dose will step up until you and your clinician reach the dose that works for you. That is also the time to think about muscle, eating and the long-term plan. See exercise and strength training and chapters 9 and 10 of the beginner guide.

Questions to ask

• What results are realistic for me, and over what time frame?
• What would make us change the dose or stop?
• Can I see a registered dietitian during the dose increases?
• What is the plan if I want to stop later?

What is still unknown

• How often clinicians check in varies, and no single schedule is standard.
• Whether routine blood tests help most people on these medicines is not settled.