What to ask before you start, how to prepare for your first dose, and what to cover at follow-up.
You might go into an appointment expecting to ask, “Am I a candidate for a GLP-1 medication?” That’s a good place to begin. But the questions that matter once you get home are often more specific. What should you do if you miss a dose? Who do you call if nausea makes it hard to drink water? Will the medication still fit your budget after the first refill?
Whether you’re considering treatment for type 2 diabetes, long-term weight management, or another approved use, ask for a plan you can follow on an ordinary day and on a day when something goes wrong. The questions below use U.S. prescribing information and are organized around the decisions you’ll make with your clinician. NIDDK
Before your appointment, bring the details that could change the decision
Bring a list of your prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, and supplements, including what you take only occasionally. Write down the dose and timing where you know them. Photos of the labels can be handy. If you have diabetes and already track glucose, bring recent readings or a device report, especially if you’ve had lows. Mention upcoming procedures, pregnancy plans, and any medication changes since your last visit. NIDDK
Write down why you’re considering treatment in your own words. “I want to get my blood sugar closer to target” and “I’ve lost weight before, but I’ve struggled to maintain it” give your clinician different places to start. If cost, needles, or side effects are a concern, bring that up early. It can change which option makes sense for you.
1. What are we treating, and why are you recommending this option?
Start with the goal. For type 2 diabetes, your clinician may focus on blood glucose and A1C. For weight management, they may discuss weight trends and how treatment could affect a related health condition. Some medications have additional approved uses for specific groups, so ask how the evidence applies to you. NIDDK
Good follow-up questions include:
- Which part of my health history makes this medication worth considering?
- What benefit would you expect for someone in my situation?
- What other options could address the same goal?
- If I decide to wait, what should we monitor in the meantime?
If the discussion starts with a brand name you’ve seen online, ask your clinician to explain the choice in terms of your health goal. You’ll have a better basis for deciding than you would from a general comparison of which drug produces the most weight loss.
2. What is the exact medication, and how would I take it?
Write down the brand, active ingredient, and formulation. Semaglutide, for example, is available in products with different indications and instructions. Some GLP-1 medications are weekly injections, while some are daily tablets. Certain oral semaglutide products have specific instructions about taking the tablet on an empty stomach and waiting before eating, drinking other beverages, or taking other oral medicines. A pharmacist can help you work out the timing if you already take medication first thing in the morning. www.accessdata.fda.gov
For an injection, ask someone to show you how to use the device you’ll actually receive. Find out where to inject, how to rotate sites, how to store the medication, and how to dispose of needles or used pens. If you’ll be using a vial and syringe, ask for a demonstration of how to measure the prescribed dose. Have the clinician or pharmacist confirm that you’ve understood it before trying it at home. www.accessdata.fda.gov
Think through one ordinary week. If you work shifts, travel frequently, or take several medicines at the same time, explain that now. The details that make a prescription manageable are easier to sort out before the first dose.
3. How will we know if it’s helping?
Ask what you’ll measure and when it’s reasonable to assess progress. Many medications start at a low dose and increase in steps. An early check-in might focus on whether you can tolerate the medicine. A later visit may be a better time to assess changes in glucose, A1C, or weight. Ask which changes would lead your clinician to continue treatment, revise the dose, or discuss another option. NIDDK
Ask for two things you can write down: your next follow-up date and the information to bring. If you’re asked to track glucose, find out which times of day are useful. If you’re asked to track weight, agree on how often and discuss whether weighing yourself is comfortable for you. Note side effects that affect eating, drinking, or daily activities, even if the number you’re tracking is moving in the hoped-for direction. NIDDK
4. Does my medical history change the risks?
Tell your clinician about significant digestive problems, previous pancreatitis or gallbladder problems, kidney disease, and diabetic eye disease. These details can affect the choice of medication or how closely you need to be monitored. If you’ve been told you have gastroparesis, meaning your stomach empties slowly, mention that specifically. www.accessdata.fda.gov
Ask about the boxed thyroid warning if it applies to the product you’re considering. Wegovy and Zepbound are contraindicated in people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, or with multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN2). The warning is based on tumors seen in rodents. Whether these medications cause such tumors in humans is unknown. If you know a relative had thyroid cancer but don’t know the type, tell your clinician what you know and ask what records would help clarify it. www.accessdata.fda.gov
5. Do I need to change or monitor any other medications?
Ask your clinician or pharmacist to review your full medication list. Insulin and sulfonylureas deserve particular attention because combining them with some GLP-1 medications can increase the chance of low blood sugar. If this applies to you, ask whether you need more frequent glucose checks, whether another dose needs adjustment, and what to do if you eat less than usual. Get instructions for treating a low, and ask whether you should have glucagon available. www.accessdata.fda.gov
Some GLP-1 medications also slow stomach emptying, which can affect the absorption of certain oral drugs. Ask whether any of yours need a different schedule or additional monitoring. A useful way to raise the question is, “Here’s everything I take in the morning. Can you walk me through the order and timing if I start this medication?” www.accessdata.fda.gov
6. What should I do if I feel unwell or miss a dose?
Ask for the dose schedule in writing, including when an increase is planned. Then ask what to do if you’re still nauseated or constipated when the increase is due. Digestive symptoms can occur when starting or increasing the dose, and your prescriber may want to review symptoms before you move ahead. Missed-dose instructions vary by product. Ask what to do after one missed dose and who to call if you miss several. www.accessdata.fda.gov
It’s easier to discuss side effects if you have examples. “I felt queasy after dinner for two days and could still drink normally” is different from “I’ve been vomiting since last night and can’t keep water down.” The following examples can help you prepare for that conversation. www.accessdata.fda.gov
| If this happens | What to do or ask |
|---|---|
| Mild nausea, constipation, or diarrhea | Ask what you can try at home, what remedies are appropriate with your other medications, and when to call if symptoms continue. |
| Symptoms persist before a planned dose increase | Contact your prescriber for instructions before increasing the dose. |
| Severe abdominal pain that doesn’t go away, especially if it spreads to your back, or repeated vomiting that prevents you from keeping fluids down | Seek urgent medical care. |
| Trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat | Call emergency services. These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction. |
Ask which number to call during office hours and how to reach someone after hours. If you have diabetes, keep your sick-day and low blood sugar instructions alongside the medication plan. www.accessdata.fda.gov
7. What if I’m planning a pregnancy or having a procedure?
Tell your clinician if you’re pregnant, planning a pregnancy, breastfeeding, or using hormonal contraception. Instructions vary by drug and by the reason you take it. For example, Wegovy prescribing information advises stopping semaglutide at least two months before a planned pregnancy when it’s used for weight reduction. Zepbound labeling advises people using oral hormonal contraception to switch to a nonoral method or add a barrier method for four weeks after starting and for four weeks after each dose increase. Ask for guidance for your exact product and circumstances. www.accessdata.fda.gov
If you’re scheduled for a procedure involving anesthesia or deep sedation, tell the procedure team which medication you take. These drugs can delay stomach emptying. The team may ask about your last dose, recent dose increases, and any digestive symptoms. Follow their instructions about fasting and medication timing. If they ask you to change the schedule and you take the drug for diabetes, ask who will help you manage your blood sugar around the procedure. www.accessdata.fda.gov
8. What will treatment cost after the first fill?
Ask about the ongoing cost before you settle on a medication. A first-month discount or a quote for the starting dose may give you an incomplete picture. Find out what a refill would cost under your insurance, whether you need prior authorization, and who will submit it. If you’ll pay out of pocket, ask whether the quote includes the medication, visits, supplies, and follow-up. NIDDK
If you’re using a telehealth service, ask who will follow up with you and which pharmacy will dispense the prescription. Find out whether the product is FDA-approved or compounded. Compounded drugs don’t go through FDA premarket review for safety, effectiveness, and quality. The FDA has reported dosing errors with compounded injectable GLP-1 products and advises patients to fill prescriptions at a state-licensed pharmacy. If a compounded version is proposed, ask what medical need it addresses and who will teach you to measure the dose. www.fda.gov
Also ask whom to contact if you can’t get the next refill. Give yourself time to discuss a delay or switch before you run out, particularly if the medicine is part of your diabetes treatment. www.cdc.gov
9. What is the plan if I need to stop, restart, or switch?
Ask how long your clinician expects to continue treatment if it helps and you tolerate it. Then talk through the practical reasons a plan might change. You may have side effects, lose coverage, or need another approach to meet your goals. Ask whether you’d need additional monitoring or a different medication if you stop. If you’re switching, get specific instructions about the last dose of the old medicine and the first dose of the new one. NIDDK
Weight regain can occur after treatment ends. In the STEP 1 trial extension, people who had taken semaglutide regained about two-thirds of the weight they’d lost, on average, in the year after the drug and the trial’s structured lifestyle intervention ended. Individual experiences vary. If you’re taking the medication for weight management, ask when to follow up if appetite returns or your weight begins to trend upward. If you’re taking it for diabetes, ask what glucose changes to watch for and what to do if they occur. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
10. Who can help me between visits?
Ask who handles medication questions, refills, and side effects. Your pharmacist may be the best person to show you how to use the device or clarify the storage instructions. Your prescriber can advise on dose changes and whether to switch treatments. A registered dietitian can help if appetite changes make it hard to put together meals you can tolerate. If you have diabetes, ask whether a diabetes educator can help with monitoring and planning for lows. NIDDK
At follow-up, bring one or two specific examples of what’s working and what’s hard. You might say, “I can take the tablet as directed at home, but I struggle to fit it in on early shifts,” or “My readings have improved, but I’ve had two lows since the dose changed.” Those details help your care team decide whether the routine, monitoring, or medication needs attention.
If you only have time for five questions
- What are we treating, and why does this exact product fit my health history?
- How should I take it, and what should I do if I miss a dose or feel unwell before an increase?
- Do my other medications, health conditions, or upcoming procedures change the plan?
- Which symptoms need a call or urgent care, and who do I contact after hours?
- When will we review progress, and what’s the plan if I can’t continue?
Before you leave, read the plan back in your own words. You should know what you’re taking, how to take the first dose, what to watch for, and who to call if something changes. If any of those answers is still unclear, ask your clinician to write it down.