15 Questions to Ask Your Doctor When Starting a GLP-1

Most GLP-1 prescribing visits are 10–15 minutes. Most prescribers are excellent but have to cover a lot in that window. The patients who leave best-prepared bring a list.

This is the list. Print it, take it, and check off the answers as you get them.

Before the visit — bring this with you

Current weight and goal weight
Current medication list (every prescription, OTC supplement, and over-the-counter regular)
Major health history (especially: diabetes, gallstones, pancreatitis, thyroid history, MEN2 family history, eating disorder history)
Insurance card and any pharmacy benefit information
Phone notes app or paper for answers

The 15 questions

Indication and dose

1. Which GLP-1 are you prescribing for me, and why this one over the alternatives?

The right answer should reference: your specific health profile, what your insurance covers, supply availability, and your goals. "Just because" is not enough.

2. What is my titration schedule, and what should I do if I can't tolerate a step-up?

The default schedules are published, but real titration often goes slower. Confirm the dates of your dose increases and the protocol if symptoms are too severe (hold dose? step down? slow titration?).

3. What is the realistic weight loss target and timeline for me specifically?

Ask for a specific number, not a range. "5–10% in six months" is not the same as "15–20% in a year." This anchors expectations.

Side effect management

4. What over-the-counter medications should I have on hand for nausea, reflux, constipation, and sulfur burps?

Standard recommendations: ginger candies, Pepcid (famotidine), magnesium, psyllium husk, Pepto Bismol. Confirm.

5. When should I call your office vs go to the ER?

Get specific thresholds. Severe abdominal pain that radiates to the back? When can it wait until morning vs immediate ER?

6. Are there any signs I should stop the medication immediately?

Confirmed pancreatitis, severe allergic reactions, certain pregnancy scenarios, signs of pancreatic or thyroid problems.

Monitoring

7. What baseline labs should we do before starting?

A reasonable baseline: TSH, fasting insulin, lipid panel, CBC with ferritin, vitamin D, comprehensive metabolic panel, HbA1c, lipase. Some prescribers do less; some do more.

8. What ongoing labs should we monitor and how often?

After 3 months and then at 6-month intervals is reasonable. Specifically check: HbA1c (if diabetic), kidney function, liver enzymes, lipid panel.

9. Should I get a baseline DEXA scan?

For older patients, postmenopausal women, or anyone with osteoporosis risk factors: yes, if accessible. Provides reference for monitoring lean mass and bone density.

Diet and supplements

10. What protein target do you recommend for me?

Most evidence-based answer: 0.7–1.0 g per pound of your goal weight. If you get a vague answer ("just eat enough protein"), push for a specific number.

11. Are there any supplements you recommend or warn against on this medication?

Useful supplements: magnesium glycinate, vitamin D, creatine, omega-3, electrolyte mix. Reasonable to avoid: very high-dose vitamin E, anything that can stress the liver during weight loss.

12. Any specific foods I should be careful with?

The big ones: alcohol (worse hangovers, hypoglycemia risk in diabetics), fried foods (worsen nausea), very large portions. Confirm based on your specific health profile.

Exercise

13. What kind of exercise do you recommend for muscle preservation?

The evidence-based answer: 2–3 resistance training sessions per week, plus daily walking. Long high-intensity cardio sessions are not the right fit. If your prescriber doesn't have a strong opinion here, that's okay — but you need to know that lifting matters.

The longer plan

14. What does the maintenance phase look like? When and how would we taper or stop?

Most prescribers now treat GLP-1 as long-term medication. Confirm whether your prescriber sees this as 12 months or chronic. Discuss what tapering would look like if you wanted it.

15. If I have a setback (significant side effects, plateau, life event), what's the plan?

Clear protocols for: slowing titration, holding dose, switching medications, taking a planned break.

Bonus questions for specific situations

If you're a woman of reproductive age:

Should I be on contraception? (Often yes, especially with PCOS where fertility may rapidly return)
What's the protocol if I want to become pregnant? (Standard: stop 8+ weeks before attempting)

If you have diabetes:

Will I need to adjust my other diabetes medications?
What blood sugar monitoring do you want me to do?
Could this medication eventually replace some of my other medications?

If you have a history of mental health conditions:

Should I coordinate with my psychiatrist?
What mood symptoms should I watch for?

If you have an eating disorder history:

Is GLP-1 appropriate for me given my history?
Should we coordinate with my eating disorder treatment team?

What to do if your prescriber is dismissive

Some primary care doctors are excellent GLP-1 prescribers. Some are not — they may have started prescribing recently and are still learning. Signs you might want a second opinion or specialist referral:

Refusing to discuss titration in detail
No baseline labs ordered
No protein floor recommendation
"Just take the medicine and don't worry about lifting"
No clear plan for what to do at year 1
Dismissing your specific concerns ("everyone gets that")

A specialist (endocrinologist, obesity medicine specialist) often runs more thorough programs. Worth the wait if you're in this for years.

After the visit — set yourself up

Schedule the first follow-up before you leave — typically 4–8 weeks in. Don't wait until you're already struggling.

Pick up the prescription that day if possible. GLP-1 supply still varies.

Set up your tracking tool. Download Sharpy for iPhone, set your goal weight, and the protein floor, hydration target, and lifting plan are configured automatically. Daily Shape Score baselines start day one.

Read up on side effects before they happen. Knowing what nausea management looks like before week one is much easier than figuring it out at 11 pm with active nausea.

Bottom line

A 15-minute GLP-1 visit can either be hugely helpful or leave you with more questions than answers. The difference is bringing the list. Print this article, write your specific answers in the margins, and you'll leave with a real plan. Sharpy handles the daily execution after the visit — protein, hydration, lifting, sleep — so the medication has a chance to do what your prescriber hopes it will.