Nervous About Starting a GLP-1? A Doctor Shares What to Expect

This article is part of a Q&A series in which a healthcare professional answers your frequently asked questions.

We asked Tama Porter, M.D., an endocrinologist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, to share her insight for people starting GLP-1 medication who are experiencing nervousness.

We've noticed that some people are nervous about the potential side effects of taking a GLP-1. What tips can you offer?

Dr. Porter: Side effects are possible with any medication. Luckily, there are some strategies that can help minimize the common side effects, which are gastrointestinal (GI) issues like nausea, vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea. These strategies include having smaller meals more often, limiting carbohydrate intake, limiting fatty or greasy foods, and starting the medication at a low dose and slowing down the schedule for increasing their dose.

The idea of taking medication long-term may feel intimidating. Are people going to have to take a GLP-1 for the rest of their lives?

Obesity is a chronic condition, so generally, treatment is not considered short term, but GLP-1 medication can be taken temporarily, depending on the person’s response and the goals of their treatment.

Some people have a fear of needles or of injection pain. Do you have information that may ease some of that fear?

Taking an injection medication can be daunting, but some of the GLP-1 medications are administered via a prefilled syringe, so the person never sees the needle. Many people describe the injection as a quick pinch or pressure-like feeling as opposed to being painful. Some GLP-1 are administered once a week, so they don’t have to be injected every day.

Change, in general, can be hard. What sorts of changes to one’s life might they expect when taking a GLP-1 medication, and how can they handle the change?

Many people describe “food noise” being eliminated while on GLP-1 medication, which helps them make healthier diet choices and gives them motivation to work on exercise or activity as an adjunct to diet changes.

I would encourage people to ask their healthcare provider for resources for maintaining a healthy diet while on a GLP-1 and to discuss a plan for how to adjust the medication dose depending on treatment goals.

You will also want to make sure you don’t have any contraindications to taking a GLP-1 medication based on your personal and family medical history.

The cost of these medications can also be significant, depending on insurance coverage. Understanding how the treatment will affect you financially is important to consider.