What Your Healthcare Provider Should Know Before You Start Semaglutide or Tirzepatide

Are you ready to try FDA-approved semaglutide or tripeptide to help you reach your weight-loss goals? Here’s what you need to talk to your provider about before beginning these injectable medications.

Considering trying semaglutide or tirzepatide for weight loss? When combined with other weight loss strategies, like a healthy diet and exercise, these medications are highly effective at helping people lose significant amounts of weight.

Our team at Physicians WEIGHT LOSS Centers Pompano Beach in South Florida specializes in medical weight loss, including prescribing injectable drugs semaglutide (brand names Ozempic® and Wegovy®) and tirzepatide (brand names Mounjaro® and Zepbound®).

These FDA-approved medications mimic hormones released in your digestive tract when you eat. These hormones have several key functions, including signaling to your brain that you’re full and triggering insulin release to help keep your blood sugar levels in check.

Tirzepatide works on another hormone, so you get extra help feeling full and regulating your blood sugar.

However, these prescription-only medications aren’t right for everyone seeking to shed some pounds, and they can have serious side effects if taken by people who aren’t good candidates. For this reason, it’s important to talk to our team before starting either drug.

We’ve compiled this informative guide to help you better understand what your health care provider needs to know before prescribing these medications. Take a moment to review the details.

Tell us which medications and supplements you take

As with any drug, certain medications can interact with semaglutide or tirzepatide. For example, be sure to tell us if you take:

Oral hormonal birth control
Insulin or insulin secretagogues
Oral diabetes medications
Metformin
Oral contraceptives
Bexarotene
Gatifloxacin
Steroid medications

This is NOT a comprehensive list. Be sure to tell us about any medications or nutritional supplements and vitamins you take so we can evaluate your treatment plan.

If you take a medicine or supplement, it doesn’t mean you can’t take semaglutide or tirzepatide. However, we need to know about what you take because we may need to change the dose or recommend other precautions.

Review any allergies

It’s important to talk to your Physicians WEIGHT LOSS Centers Pompano Beach provider about any allergic or unusual reactions you’ve had to medications, including semaglutide or tirzepatide. You should also tell us if you have allergies to any preservatives, dyes, or food products.

Discuss any underlying health conditions or symptoms

Some medical issues can affect t semaglutide or tirzepatide. Be sure to tell your Physicians WEIGHT LOSS Centers Pompano Beach specialist if you have a history of or currently have these health conditions:

Pancreatitis
Thyroid cancer
Thyroid conditions
Depression
Kidney disease
Type 2 diabetes
Diabetic ketoacidosis
Diabetic retinopathy
MEN2 (multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2)
Digestive problems (e.g., chronic constipation)
Alcoholism
Gallbladder disease
Eye disease/vision problems

Having one of these conditions doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t take semaglutide or tirzepatide. Still, we need to know if you have these or any other medical issues so we prescribe the proper medication and dose for you.

Tell us if you’re pregnant or plan to become pregnant because these medications increase your risk of miscarriage, preeclampsia, and other serious complications.

Talk about your weight-loss goals.

Semaglutide and tirzepatide are generally prescribed for people with significant weight loss.

Usually, people with obesity (a body mass index of 30 or higher) or are significantly overweight (BMI of 27 or higher) with at least one weight-related health issue (e.g., hypertension) are the best candidates.

Meet with a weight-loss specialist to get started.

At Physicians WEIGHT LOSS Centers Pompano Beach, we develop personalized weight-loss plans, taking into account the above factors as well as your preferences and lifestyle.

This may include semaglutide or tirzepatide along with personal counseling, help planning meals and snacks, meal replacement options, injections to boost wellness and help you burn fat, an achievable fitness plan, and more.

We meet with you each week to discuss what’s working and where you need help. We also check your progress and reading from a body composition analysis.

To talk to us about semaglutide or tirzepatide, schedule a consultation online or over the phone with a specialist at Physicians WEIGHT LOSS Centers in Pompano Beach South Florida.