Here are the most common ones we've observed and how to avoid them
Whether youre looking to lose 5 or 10 pounds or working toward a bigger health goal like 20, 50, or even 100 pounds, knowing what to expect makes the process feel more manageable
Patients should always confirm that the pharmacy is licensed by their state board of pharmacy, which can often be checked online
Ideally, the prescriber is someone you can work with long term, says John Morton, MD, MPH, chief of Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery at Yale Medicine and a board-certified obesity medicine specialist
Other shared contraindications: history of pancreatitis (inflamed pancreas), pregnancy or breastfeeding, and severe gastroparesis (a condition where the stomach empties too slowly)
While rare, more serious conditions like pancreatitis require prompt evaluation and cannot be self-managed