To get weight loss injections, you need a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider, either through an in-person visit or a telehealth appointment. These medications are not available over the counter. The process typically involves a medical evaluation, a BMI check, and sometimes insurance pre-approval before you can fill your first prescription.
Who Qualifies for Weight Loss Injections
The standard criteria for a prescription are straightforward: a BMI of 30 or higher, or a BMI of 27 or higher combined with at least one weight-related health condition. Qualifying conditions include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, and a form of liver inflammation called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
Certain health conditions rule out these medications. You should not use GLP-1 weight loss injections if you have a history of pancreatitis, medullary thyroid carcinoma, or a rare genetic condition called multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN2). They’re also not recommended during pregnancy. Your provider will ask about these specifically before writing a prescription.
What Happens at Your Appointment
Whether you see your primary care doctor, an obesity medicine specialist, or a telehealth provider, the visit follows the same general pattern. A clinician reviews your medical history, performs a physical exam, discusses potential side effects, and checks whether you meet the BMI and health criteria. Expect questions about your family history of thyroid cancer, any past episodes of pancreatitis, and digestive issues like gastroparesis (a condition where the stomach empties too slowly).
If you’re a candidate, the provider writes a prescription and starts you on a low dose that gradually increases over several months. Wegovy (semaglutide), for example, starts at 0.25 mg once per week and steps up every four weeks through progressively higher doses until reaching a maintenance dose of 2.4 mg. This slow ramp-up helps your body adjust and reduces side effects like nausea. The full escalation takes roughly four to five months.
In-Person vs. Telehealth Prescriptions
You have two main paths: visiting a doctor in person or using a telehealth platform. Primary care physicians, endocrinologists, and obesity medicine specialists can all prescribe these medications during a standard office visit. If you already have a relationship with a doctor, this is often the simplest route.
Telehealth services have become a popular alternative, especially for people who don’t have easy access to a specialist. Several platforms connect you with licensed providers who can evaluate you virtually and prescribe brand-name medications. Novo Nordisk, the maker of Wegovy, lists independent telehealth providers on its NovoCare website that the company recognizes for legitimate sourcing and patient support. When choosing a telehealth service, look for one that requires a real medical evaluation (not just a questionnaire), uses licensed providers in your state, and prescribes only FDA-approved medications from verified pharmacies.
Navigating Insurance Coverage
Insurance coverage for weight loss injections varies widely and often requires prior authorization, a process where your insurer reviews your medical information before agreeing to pay. A typical prior authorization, based on UnitedHealthcare’s criteria, requires documentation that you meet the BMI thresholds and that you’re participating in lifestyle modifications like dietary changes, exercise, or a behavioral support program alongside the medication.
Reauthorization adds another layer. Many insurers require you to demonstrate measurable progress to keep coverage. For Wegovy and Zepbound (tirzepatide), the threshold is typically at least 5% of your baseline body weight lost. If you started at 250 pounds, that means losing at least 12.5 pounds to continue receiving coverage.
If your insurance denies coverage or you don’t have insurance, expect to pay around $499 per month for either Wegovy or Zepbound purchased directly from the manufacturers. Zepbound’s lowest starter dose is available at $349 per month. These direct-purchase options became available in 2025 and brought the price down significantly from earlier retail costs, which often exceeded $1,000 monthly.
What to Avoid When Sourcing These Medications
The popularity of weight loss injections has created a market full of shortcuts, and some of them carry real risks. Compounded versions of semaglutide and tirzepatide, made by specialty pharmacies that mix their own formulations, are not FDA-approved. The FDA has flagged adverse events from compounded products and has warned that some ingredients being marketed as weight loss drugs, like retatrutide and cagrilintide, have never been found safe or effective for any condition.
Counterfeit products are also circulating. The FDA has identified counterfeit Ozempic (a diabetes medication containing semaglutide that is frequently used off-label for weight loss) being sold in the U.S. Purchasing from unverified online sellers, overseas pharmacies, or social media ads puts you at risk of receiving a product with incorrect dosing, contamination, or no active ingredient at all. Stick with prescriptions filled at licensed U.S. pharmacies, whether brick-and-mortar chains or verified mail-order services linked to your prescriber.
What the First Few Months Look Like
Once you have your prescription and fill it, you’ll inject the medication yourself at home using a prefilled pen. The injection is subcutaneous, meaning it goes just under the skin, typically in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. Most people find it straightforward after the first time.
During the dose escalation period, the most common side effects are gastrointestinal: nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and reduced appetite. These tend to be most noticeable in the first week or two after each dose increase and often ease as your body adjusts. Eating smaller meals and avoiding greasy or heavy foods can help manage the discomfort during this phase.
Your provider will typically schedule follow-up visits (in person or virtual) during the escalation months to check on side effects, monitor your progress, and decide whether to move to the next dose. Once you reach the maintenance dose, visits may shift to every few months. Keep in mind that these medications are designed for long-term use. Weight regain after stopping is common, so the decision to start is worth discussing with your provider as an ongoing commitment rather than a short-term fix.