GLP-1 Weight Loss Care From a Board-Certified Physician
Work directly with Dr. Lara Samourjian for medically supervised weight loss from the convenience of telehealth. Santa Monica patients can be evaluated for GLP-1 options, receive prescription treatment when appropriate, and continue with physician-led monitoring throughout their care.
Medical weight loss gives patients an opportunity to address weight with the help of a physician rather than relying only on diets, commercial programs, or medication obtained with limited follow-up. Dr. Lara Samourjian provides physician-led weight management through RefineMD for patients who want to find out whether prescription treatment may be appropriate for them.
Dr. Samourjian is a board-certified internal medicine physician with more than a decade of clinical medicine experience. As the founder and head physician of RefineMD, she approaches weight management by looking at the individual patient, including medical history, current medications, previous weight loss efforts, appetite, lifestyle, metabolic concerns, and treatment goals.
For eligible patients, medical weight loss may include a GLP-1 or GLP-1-based prescription. These medications have expanded significantly in recent years, giving physicians several different options to consider. Treatment is no longer limited to one injectable medication. There are now traditional GLP-1 receptor agonists, dual GIP and GLP-1 medications, weekly injections, and oral weight management options.
Santa Monica patients can meet directly with Dr. Samourjian through virtual consultations for appropriate medical weight loss care and follow-up. Patients who need or prefer in-person care also have access to RefineMD's medical office in the Los Angeles area.
GLP-1 medications work with biological pathways that play a role in appetite, fullness, food intake, digestion, and metabolic regulation. For some patients, treatment can reduce persistent hunger and help them feel satisfied with less food, making it easier to maintain the calorie reduction needed for weight loss.
Not every medication commonly referred to as a "GLP-1" is the same. The active ingredient, mechanism of action, approved use, route of administration, dosing schedule, side effects, and patient eligibility can differ considerably. That is why treatment should begin with a medical evaluation rather than selecting a medication based only on popularity.
Wegovy contains semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist used for chronic weight management in eligible patients. Semaglutide acts on GLP-1 receptors involved in appetite and food intake, which can help reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness.
Wegovy is available in both injectable and oral forms. The injectable version is administered weekly, while the Wegovy tablet provides a daily oral option. The availability of a pill gives patients another treatment format to discuss with their physician, particularly when injections are a concern or preference plays an important role in long-term adherence.
It is also useful to distinguish Wegovy from Ozempic. Both contain semaglutide, but the products have different FDA-approved uses and treatment considerations. For weight management, the appropriate product and treatment plan should be determined with a physician rather than assuming that medications containing the same active ingredient are interchangeable.
Zepbound contains tirzepatide. Unlike medications that activate only the GLP-1 receptor, tirzepatide acts on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. These incretin pathways are involved in appetite and metabolic regulation, which is why tirzepatide is often described as a dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist.
Zepbound is administered as an injection and is used for chronic weight management in eligible adults. Treatment is physician-directed, with the patient's response and medication tolerance considered as care continues.
Tirzepatide is also the active ingredient in Mounjaro. However, Mounjaro and Zepbound have different FDA-approved indications. For patients primarily seeking medical weight management, discussing the specific medication, indication, medical history, and treatment goal with a physician helps avoid confusion between related brand names.
Foundayo contains orforglipron and provides another oral option for chronic weight management. It is a GLP-1 receptor agonist taken as a once-daily tablet for eligible adults.
Foundayo is a small-molecule oral GLP-1 and can be taken with or without food and without the food and water restrictions associated with some other oral GLP-1 formulations. This makes it meaningfully different from simply putting an injectable GLP-1 into pill form.
For patients who strongly prefer an oral medication, this may be an option worth discussing. However, convenience is only one factor when selecting treatment. Medical history, other medications, previous treatment, side effects, weight-related conditions, insurance coverage, and individual response may all affect the decision.
| Weight Management Medication | Active Ingredient | How It Works | Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wegovy | Semaglutide | GLP-1 receptor agonist | Weekly injection or daily tablet |
| Zepbound | Tirzepatide | Dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist | Injection |
| Foundayo | Orforglipron | GLP-1 receptor agonist | Once-daily tablet |
These are prescription medications and are not appropriate for every patient. A medical consultation is used to determine whether prescription weight management should be considered and which available treatment, if any, best fits the patient's needs.
Choosing a medication is only one part of medical weight loss. Dr. Samourjian's role begins with determining whether prescription treatment is appropriate in the first place and continues with monitoring how the patient responds after treatment starts.
During an evaluation, Dr. Samourjian can review factors that may influence treatment selection, safety, and long-term management. These can include:
Depending on your circumstances, additional medical information, laboratory testing, or an in-person evaluation may also be appropriate. Requesting a specific medication does not guarantee that it will be prescribed. The purpose of the consultation is to determine what is medically appropriate for you.
The growing number of medications gives patients more choices, but it also makes physician guidance increasingly valuable. A patient may be deciding between semaglutide and tirzepatide, between a pill and an injection, or between continuing a medication they already use and considering another option.
Dr. Samourjian can look at more than the medication name. Treatment decisions may involve the medication's approved use, your medical history, other prescriptions, how frequently the medication is taken, how it is administered, previous side effects, and how realistic it will be for you to continue the treatment plan.
Cost, insurance coverage, and pharmacy access may also affect which prescription can practically be used. Coverage varies by plan and indication, so receiving a prescription does not necessarily mean that a particular medication will be covered by insurance.
Medical monitoring continues after treatment begins. Weight is one measurement, but it should not be the only measurement used to judge whether a GLP-1 treatment plan is working well for the patient.
| What Can Be Monitored | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Weight Trend | Shows how your weight is changing over time rather than focusing on isolated daily measurements. |
| Appetite and Fullness | Helps evaluate how strongly treatment is affecting hunger, portions, and food intake. |
| Medication Tolerance | Helps determine whether the medication continues to be appropriate for you. |
| Side Effects | Allows symptoms to be reviewed and treatment changes to be considered when necessary. |
| Nutrition and Hydration | Helps make sure reduced appetite is not interfering with adequate nutrition or fluid intake. |
| Overall Health | Allows new medications, symptoms, or health changes to be considered as part of weight management. |
GLP-1-based medications commonly cause gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, or abdominal discomfort. These medications also have important warnings and precautions that vary by product. Dr. Samourjian can review relevant risks before prescribing and discuss symptoms or concerns that develop during treatment.
If your weight loss slows or you experience side effects, the solution is not automatically to increase your medication. Your physician can look at your appetite, medication use, nutrition, activity, treatment duration, tolerance, and broader health before deciding whether a change is appropriate.
Medical weight loss does not necessarily require traveling to a clinic for every appointment. RefineMD offers virtual consultations that allow Santa Monica patients to work directly with Dr. Lara Samourjian for appropriate weight management evaluation and follow-up care.
This provides an alternative to large online prescription platforms where patients may have little continuity with the physician managing their treatment. With RefineMD, your virtual visits can be used to discuss your health history, treatment options, current medication, progress, side effects, and questions directly with Dr. Samourjian.
Telehealth may also make routine monitoring easier. Once treatment has started, appropriate follow-up appointments can be completed virtually instead of requiring an office visit each time. When laboratory testing, examination, or in-person assessment is needed, Dr. Samourjian can discuss those next steps with you.
A GLP-1 can change appetite significantly, but medication does not remove the need to pay attention to nutrition and overall health. In fact, eating less can make the quality of what you eat even more important.
Medical weight management may also include attention to:
As treatment progresses, your goals may also change. Early care may focus on determining how you respond to medication. Later care may involve managing a plateau, maintaining progress, reassessing medication, or deciding what longer-term treatment should look like.
The goal is not simply to receive a GLP-1 prescription. It is to have a physician involved in determining whether treatment is appropriate, monitoring how it affects you, and helping guide the next stage of care as your needs change.
If you are interested in Wegovy, Zepbound, Foundayo, or another medical weight management option, begin with a consultation with Dr. Lara Samourjian of RefineMD.
You can discuss your health history, previous weight loss efforts, current medications, goals, and preferences with a board-certified internal medicine physician before deciding whether prescription treatment is right for you.
Virtual consultations are available for patients in Santa Monica and throughout California, with in-person medical care also available through RefineMD in the Los Angeles area. Schedule a consultation to find out which medical weight loss options may be appropriate for you.
You can discuss current medical weight management options with Dr. Samourjian, including Wegovy, Zepbound, Foundayo, and other prescription treatments that may be relevant to your health and goals.
Discussing a specific medication does not mean it will automatically be prescribed. Dr. Samourjian first evaluates whether prescription treatment is appropriate and which option best fits your individual medical circumstances.
Wegovy contains semaglutide and acts on the GLP-1 receptor. It is available as an injection and a tablet. Zepbound contains tirzepatide and acts on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Foundayo contains orforglipron and is a once-daily oral GLP-1 receptor agonist.
The right medication depends on more than whether you prefer a pill or injection. Your health history, current medications, previous treatments, potential side effects, and treatment goals all matter.
Yes. Oral options for chronic weight management now include the Wegovy tablet, which contains semaglutide, and Foundayo, which contains orforglipron.
These are different medications with different administration instructions and treatment considerations. Dr. Samourjian can discuss whether an oral or injectable treatment may be more appropriate for you.
Yes. RefineMD provides telehealth consultations with Dr. Lara Samourjian for patients in California. During your virtual visit, she can review your health history, medications, previous weight loss efforts, symptoms, and goals to determine whether prescription weight management may be appropriate.
If laboratory testing, an examination, or another type of in-person evaluation is needed, Dr. Samourjian can discuss that with you as part of your care.
No. The purpose of the consultation is to determine whether prescription treatment is medically appropriate for you. Dr. Samourjian reviews your individual health and treatment needs before recommending medication.
If a GLP-1 is not appropriate, she can discuss other considerations or treatment options rather than prescribing a medication simply because it was requested.
Follow-up can include reviewing your weight trend, appetite, medication tolerance, side effects, nutrition, hydration, and changes in your overall health. Dr. Samourjian can also assess whether the medication and treatment plan continue to make sense as your response changes.
If your progress slows or you develop side effects, treatment can be reviewed before decisions are made about changing medication or adjusting the plan.
Yes. You can schedule a consultation if you are already taking a GLP-1 or GLP-1-based weight management medication and want physician-guided follow-up care.
Be prepared to provide the medication name, current dose, how long you have been using it, previous doses, side effects, weight changes, and any other concerns. Dr. Samourjian can review your existing treatment in the context of your overall health and discuss appropriate next steps.
Call or message us directly to learn more about our medical weight loss services.
Whether you’re ready to start a treatment or want to learn more through a consultation, our expert team is here to help.
