Medical Weight Loss, Your Questions Answered

Weight loss medications (also called anti-obesity medications) are prescription drugs for people with obesity or excess weight when diet and exercise alone haven't produced lasting results.

• Appetite suppression — phentermine reduces hunger so you eat less.
• Fullness hormones — GLP-1 medications like semaglutide, tirzepatide, and liraglutide mimic the gut hormones that signal satiety.
• Fat absorption — orlistat lowers the amount of dietary fat your body absorbs.
• Craving control — naltrexone-bupropion works on the brain pathways that drive appetite and reward.

Matching the mechanism to your body and health history is the heart of good treatment — and the reason a supervised program outperforms a prescription alone.

• Semaglutide (Wegovy; Ozempic used off-label) — a weekly GLP-1 injection; one of the most effective options available.
• Tirzepatide (Zepbound; Mounjaro used off-label) — acts on two gut hormones (GLP-1 and GIP); the largest average weight loss in clinical trials.
• Liraglutide (Saxenda) — a daily GLP-1 injection that also reduces diabetes risk.
• Phentermine (Adipex-P) — an appetite suppressant, typically short-term.
• Phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia) — appetite suppression plus enhanced satiety.
• Naltrexone-bupropion (Contrave) — reduces cravings via brain pathways.
• Orlistat (Xenical; Alli over the counter) — blocks a portion of dietary fat; modest results, suitable long-term.

Which one is right for you depends on your health profile, goals, insurance coverage, and side-effect tolerance.

The standard criteria: a BMI of 30 or higher, or a BMI of 27 or higher with at least one weight-related condition such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or sleep apnea. These thresholds reflect clinical evidence about who benefits most.

Your full picture matters too: current medications, thyroid conditions, history of pancreatitis, and pregnancy status all factor in. A single consultation settles whether you qualify and which option fits.

You don't choose alone — that's our job, together. At your consultation, Dr. El Djouzi's team reviews your medical history, checks for interactions with medications you already take, weighs each option's benefits and risks against your health profile, and factors in your goals — whether that's a modest reduction to improve health markers or a larger transformation.

What worked for a friend or a social media testimonial may be wrong, or even unsafe, for you.

With older medications combined with lifestyle changes, patients typically lose 5–10% of starting body weight within six months to a year — for a 200-pound person, that's 10 to 20 pounds. The newer GLP-1 medications average considerably more in trials: roughly 15% with semaglutide and up to 21% with tirzepatide over about 72 weeks.

Signs it's working go beyond the scale: steady weight reduction, improved blood sugar and cholesterol, better energy and mood. We track all of it at regular follow-ups, and if progress stalls or side effects interfere, we adjust the dose or switch medications.

For comparison, bariatric surgery typically produces 25–35% total body weight loss — we offer both, so the comparison you get is honest.

Prioritize protein at meals, add strength training to protect muscle while you lose, keep a consistent sleep schedule, take doses on time, and don't skip follow-ups.

Rapid weight loss can cost you muscle as well as fat — we monitor body composition, not just the number on the scale, so your loss is the healthy kind.

Every medication has them — here's the honest rundown:

• Wegovy/Ozempic (semaglutide): commonly nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, constipation — usually worst during dose increases and often temporary. Rare but serious: pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, kidney injury, possible increased risk of certain thyroid tumors.
• Zepbound/Mounjaro (tirzepatide): similar profile — nausea, diarrhea, reduced appetite, constipation; rare risks include pancreatitis and thyroid tumors.
• Saxenda (liraglutide): nausea, vomiting, digestive changes; low blood sugar in people with diabetes; rare pancreatitis or gallbladder disease.
• Phentermine: dry mouth, insomnia, increased heart rate, nervousness, constipation. Rarely: elevated blood pressure, heart palpitations, and very rarely pulmonary hypertension or mood changes.
• Qsymia: dry mouth, constipation, tingling in hands and feet, altered taste. Must not be taken during pregnancy; rare vision problems.
• Contrave: nausea, headache, dizziness, trouble sleeping. Rare but serious: seizures, elevated blood pressure, mood changes.
• Orlistat/Alli: oily stools and digestive urgency after high-fat meals; rare liver or kidney issues.

This is why our program includes scheduled medical follow-ups rather than a prescription and a goodbye — side effects are monitored, managed, and your plan adjusts when needed.

It depends on the medication. Phentermine is designed for short-term use — weeks to a few months — because of its potential for dependence. GLP-1 medications like Wegovy, Zepbound, and Saxenda are approved for long-term use and can safely be part of your plan for months or years, as long as they're working and you're tolerating them well.

Obesity is a chronic condition; what's unsafe isn't long-term use, it's unmonitored use. Regular check-ins let us confirm the medication is still earning its place in your plan.

The honest answer: appetite returns, and without a maintenance plan most people regain a significant portion of the weight — the medication's effects end when the medication does. Regain is most likely when the lifestyle foundation was never built.

That's why we plan the off-ramp from day one: gradual transition under medical guidance, habits reinforced throughout treatment, and long-term follow-up after. Never stop a medication abruptly without talking to your provider.

No — and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something. Medication turns down the biological volume on hunger so lifestyle changes finally stick, but it's a helping hand, not a magic pill.

Patients who pair medication with a balanced diet and regular activity lose meaningfully more and keep more off. That's why our program wraps nutrition guidance, activity planning, and behavioral support around every prescription.

Sometimes — and coverage varies more by employer plan than by insurer. Some plans cover GLP-1 medications with prior authorization; others still classify weight loss drugs as elective.

If your plan says no at first, a letter of medical necessity from your physician can change the outcome, especially if you have weight-related health conditions. Manufacturer patient-assistance and savings programs can also substantially reduce monthly costs.

Our team verifies your specific coverage before your first visit and tells you the real monthly cost before you commit to anything.

Medication is a strong option for BMI 27–35 with moderate goals, or as a first step. Bariatric surgery remains the most effective and most durable treatment for BMI 35+ (or 30+ with conditions like diabetes): greater total weight loss, higher diabetes remission rates, and no monthly prescription cost for life.

Many of our patients use medication before surgery, or after surgery to protect their results. Because Dr. El Djouzi offers both under one roof, the recommendation you get reflects what fits you.