Questions to ask your prescriber

Labels and trials use body mass index and weight-related health conditions, such as high blood pressure or sleep apnea. The BMI page shows the cutoffs and what BMI misses.

The American College of Physicians' 2026 guideline covers medicines used together with lifestyle changes, so ask what eating, activity and follow-up support comes with the prescription.

Trials report the average for a whole group, and people in the same trial ranged from little change to far more than the average. The trial results explorer shows the averages in pounds.

The medicines differ in how they are given, what they are approved for and which side effects are common. The compare page sets them side by side.

The Wegovy and Zepbound labels carry a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents and list a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2 as a reason not to use the medicine. They also warn about pancreatitis, gallbladder disease and kidney injury from fluid loss.

The labels warn about low blood sugar, especially with insulin or sulfonylureas. The Wegovy label advises against using it together with other semaglutide or GLP-1 products.

The Zepbound label says tirzepatide can make oral hormonal contraceptives less effective, and advises a non-oral method or a barrier method for 4 weeks after starting and after each dose increase.

The labels say weight loss offers no benefit in pregnancy and the medicine may harm the baby. The Wegovy label advises stopping at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy.

Both labels warn about food or liquid entering the lungs during general anesthesia or deep sedation. Tell the anesthesia team you take the medicine.

Some clinicians order blood tests and some do not. A 2026 dietitian-led review suggested a panel that includes vitamin D, B12, iron studies, folate and zinc. That is one proposal from one review, not a rule.

A 2025 advisory from four U.S. nutrition and obesity societies calls for screening and care around eating disorders, mental health, substance use and sleep as part of weight-loss treatment. See mood and the FDA's 2026 label change for the evidence on mood and suicidal thoughts.

The FDA says compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, and it does not verify their safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed. The compounded versus brand-name page explains the difference.

A pharmacy dispenses the medicine, and it might be a local pharmacy, a mail-order pharmacy or one connected to the service you use. Where the medicine comes from matters, so ask for it in plain words.

Doses start low and rise in steps. The labels describe at least four weeks on each Zepbound step and four-week steps for the Wegovy injection.

For a brand-name pen, the maker's written instructions are the reference. The pen instructions page walks through them and links the originals.

Common early side effects involve digestion, and side effects week by week covers the timing. The labels warn about dehydration and kidney problems, so vomiting or diarrhea that keeps going is worth a call, and so is severe stomach pain or any sign of an allergic reaction.

The Atlas pages on nausea and fullness and constipation keep what trials show apart from what is only popular online.

A good first visit ends with a named contact and a date for your first follow-up. Clinics and online services differ, so ask before you start.

A 2025 expert advisory says structured strength training is well established to help preserve lean mass during weight loss. It also proposes protein ranges, which are proposals and were not tested as targets in people taking these medicines. See protecting muscle and the protein reference.

The advisory says the right body weight to base protein on is unclear, so a dietitian can tell you which applies to you.

Weight usually comes back after stopping a GLP-1 medicine. In the STEP 1 extension people regained about two thirds of the weight they had lost within a year. See weight regain after stopping for the trials and eating after you stop for food and habits.

Hair loss is listed on the Zepbound, Wegovy injection and Foundayo labels, and it was reported more often by women. See hair loss on GLP-1 medicines for the label rates and what studies found.

Ask for the first follow-up date before you leave. Doses step up over weeks or months, so the plan changes as you go.

Extra fees can change the total a lot. The cost tool adds your extras to a listed price over the months you choose.

Lilly's Zepbound self-pay page counts a month as 28 days. A year has about 13 of those periods, so $299 a month on a 28-day fill adds up to about $3,900 over a year, not $3,588.

Some prices rise with the dose, and introductory offers end. For example, Novo Nordisk listed its Wegovy pen at $199 for the first two fills for new patients and $349 a month after that, and says it can change or cancel the program at any time.

Novo Nordisk says its Wegovy self-pay amounts do not count toward a deductible or out-of-pocket limit. The guide to paying covers insurance, Medicare and savings offers.

Services vary. Some hold a video or phone visit and some use a written review by a clinician, so ask which one you will get.

A 2025 study of more than 153,000 patients found compounded use documented for about 8% of them, while surveys suggested about 23% were getting these medicines outside regular care. Care outside your regular clinician can go unrecorded.

The Atlas does not rate any service, so the answer has to come from the service itself. The online services page lists more questions and signs to slow down on.

Pressure to buy a long plan up front is one of the signs to slow down on. Ask for the total cost over your first six months.