Everything people ask before they start.

GLP-1 is a hormone your body already makes after you eat. It signals fullness to your brain, slows how quickly food leaves the stomach, and helps regulate blood sugar levels. GLP-1 therapy uses a once-weekly injection that mimics this natural hormone. The result is that you feel full sooner, stay full for longer, and reduce calorie intake without the constant battle of fighting hunger. Clinical research shows most patients lose between 5 and 20 percent of their body weight in the first year when GLP-1 therapy is paired with sensible eating habits and regular movement.

Treatment is appropriate for adults aged 18 and over with a body mass index of 30 or higher, or a BMI of 27 or higher in combination with a weight-related health condition. Weight-related conditions include high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, raised cholesterol, fatty liver disease, and obstructive sleep apnoea. Final eligibility is confirmed by your doctor after reviewing your blood tests and medical history. Some patients are not suitable for GLP-1 therapy regardless of BMI, including those with a history of pancreatitis, certain thyroid conditions, severe gastrointestinal disease, or anyone currently pregnant or breastfeeding.

Most patients lose between 5 and 20 percent of their starting body weight within 12 months. For someone weighing 100 kg, that means 5 to 20 kg. The variation depends on starting weight, response to the medication, dose level, and how seriously the lifestyle side of things is taken. The medication does the heavy work on appetite. Pairing it with a higher-protein diet, strength training, and adequate sleep is what makes the loss sustainable over years rather than weeks.

Prescriptions are emailed within 24 hours of your doctor consultation. The full timeline from starting the eligibility check to having a script in hand is typically four to seven days, depending on how quickly you do your bloodwork. The script can be used at any registered pharmacy in South Africa.

The fee covers your eligibility screening, the lab form for your blood tests, the full online doctor consultation, your prescription, and access to your ongoing health coach. It does not include the cost of the medication itself, which you pay for at your pharmacy, or the blood test cost at your pathology lab. Most medical aid plans cover the lab test from your savings account.

We deliberately do not bundle the medication into the programme fee for two reasons. First, pharmacy prices vary across South Africa, and bundling means you would pay an averaged price that may be higher than your local pharmacy charges. Second, transparency. We want you to see exactly what the doctor consultation is worth, separately from what the medication costs. You should not have to wonder whether you are being marked up on either.

GLP-1 medications have been used in clinical practice for over 15 years, initially for type 2 diabetes and now for weight management. The safety profile is well-established. Most patients experience mild side effects in the first few weeks as the body adjusts, usually nausea, occasional reflux, constipation, or changes in appetite. These typically settle within a month. More serious side effects are uncommon but include pancreatitis and gallbladder issues, which is why your doctor screens for risk factors during the initial consultation.

Nausea is the most reported side effect, particularly in the first week after starting or after a dose increase. It usually settles within a few days as the body adjusts. Other common effects include mild stomach discomfort, occasional reflux, constipation or loose stools, fatigue in the first week or two, and reduced appetite that can feel unusual at first. Your coach will help you manage these as they come up, and your doctor adjusts the dose if side effects persist.

GLP-1 medication is delivered as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection, using a pre-loaded pen. The injection goes into the fat layer just under the skin, usually in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. You take it yourself at home on the same day each week. The pen mechanism is straightforward and most patients are comfortable self-injecting after the first one or two doses. We provide detailed instructions and your coach will walk you through your first injection if you want the reassurance.

Not necessarily. Some patients use GLP-1 therapy to reach their goal weight and then taper off while their lifestyle changes hold the new weight in place. Others find that maintenance requires staying on a lower dose long-term, similar to how a person with high blood pressure stays on medication indefinitely. The decision is made between you and your doctor based on how your body responds. Many people use it for 12 to 24 months and then transition off successfully.

Appetite tends to return to baseline within a few weeks of stopping. Without continued attention to eating habits, exercise, and sleep, some weight regain is common. This is not a failure of the medication, it is a reflection of the body's drive to return to its previous weight set point. The patients who keep the weight off long-term are usually those who use the GLP-1 period to build sustainable habits that hold up after they stop. Your coach focuses on this from week one.

You do not need to follow a restrictive diet, but you do benefit from eating well. The medication reduces hunger, which makes eating less feel natural rather than forced. The two habits that matter most are getting enough protein, around 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, and not skipping meals just because you are not hungry. Skipping meals undernourishes you and accelerates muscle loss. Your coach helps with practical eating guidance throughout.

Some muscle loss happens with any significant weight loss, whether from medication, surgery, or dieting alone. GLP-1 therapy does not cause unusual muscle loss specifically, but the rate of total weight loss it produces means muscle preservation requires active effort. The two interventions that protect muscle are adequate protein intake and resistance training two to three times per week. Even bodyweight exercises or light dumbbell work make a meaningful difference.

It works exactly the same. The programme is online, so your physical location does not matter. Your consultation happens by video or secure message. Your prescription is emailed to you. You collect the medication at any pharmacy in South Africa, including those in smaller towns. We have patients in Limpopo, the Northern Cape, and the Eastern Cape who use the service identically to patients in the major cities.

Currently, most South African medical aids do not cover GLP-1 therapy for weight management, although coverage is gradually expanding for patients with type 2 diabetes. Your blood tests are usually claimable from your medical savings account. We are happy to provide an itemised invoice that you can submit to your medical aid for consideration. The picture is changing as evidence accumulates, and we will let existing patients know if their plan starts covering treatment.

Medication costs vary by pharmacy and by dose, which escalates over the first few months. As a rough guide, you should budget between R2500 and R3500 per month at standard South African pharmacy prices once you are on a therapeutic dose. Your doctor will give you a more accurate estimate during your consultation based on the specific dose you will start with. Some pharmacies offer slightly better pricing than others, which your coach can help you compare.

You pay nothing. The R495 is only charged after you complete the eligibility check and book the consultation. If our doctor reviews your bloods and decides GLP-1 is not appropriate for you, we refund the consultation fee. The aim is to be honest about whether this is the right path. If we say no, it is because we genuinely think you would be better served by a different approach.

Yes. All patient information is handled under the Protection of Personal Information Act. Medical records are stored on encrypted infrastructure and only accessed by the clinical team involved in your care. Your information is never sold, shared with marketing partners, or used for purposes outside your treatment. You can request a copy of your records or have them deleted at any time.

Yes. Switching is common and straightforward. During your consultation, the doctor will look at your current dose, response, and any side effects you have experienced, then prescribe an appropriate continuation plan. There is usually no need to start from the lowest dose again if you have already been on therapy for a while.

If you miss a weekly dose, take it as soon as you remember, provided your next scheduled dose is more than 48 hours away. If you are within two days of the next dose, skip the missed one and take the next as planned. Never double up. Your coach can answer specific scheduling questions, and your dose will not be at risk if you miss the occasional week.

You get medical guidance. Every patient sees a doctor by video or secure message. Every patient has a coach who checks in regularly. The bloods are reviewed, the dose is adjusted as your body responds, and your questions are answered by a person who knows your case. This is not a vending machine for prescriptions, which is part of what justifies the R495 fee compared to the cheaper script-only services.

Your initial consultation is around 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how much your doctor needs to discuss with you. Follow-up check-ins through your coach are usually 10 to 15 minutes. If a clinical issue comes up that needs your doctor, you go back to them directly. The system is designed so that you have the right level of input at each stage rather than wasting either your time or the doctor's.