Physician-Directed GLP-1 Weight Loss Care
Explore medical weight loss with Dr. Lara Samourjian, a board-certified internal medicine physician who evaluates each patient before recommending treatment. Beverly Hills patients can discuss options such as semaglutide, tirzepatide, and other GLP-1 medications, with ongoing follow-up through RefineMD.
Prescription weight loss has moved well beyond a single medication or a one-size-fits-all approach. Patients now have different active ingredients, different mechanisms of action, injectable and oral options, and several practical considerations that can influence which treatment makes sense.
Dr. Lara Samourjian provides physician-guided medical weight loss through RefineMD for Beverly Hills patients who want those decisions made with their broader health in mind. As a board-certified internal medicine physician with more than a decade of clinical experience, she evaluates the individual patient before recommending prescription treatment.
That distinction matters. Two people may have similar weight loss goals but need very different treatment plans. One may have previously used semaglutide and want to discuss another option. Another may be starting medical weight loss for the first time. Some patients strongly prefer a tablet, while others have no objection to an injection. Medical history, other medications, previous side effects, appetite, metabolic concerns, weight history, and long-term goals can all influence the decision.
Instead of treating a GLP-1 as a product to order, RefineMD approaches weight management as ongoing medical care. When prescription treatment is appropriate, Dr. Samourjian can remain involved as your response develops, your weight changes, and new questions arise.
Patients often arrive knowing the name of at least one popular weight loss medication. What is less obvious is how different these medications can be.
Wegovy contains semaglutide and works through the GLP-1 receptor. Zepbound contains tirzepatide and activates both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Foundayo contains orforglipron and provides another oral GLP-1 option for chronic weight management in eligible adults.
These medications can all be part of a conversation about weight management, but they should not be viewed as interchangeable. The objective of a consultation is to identify which treatment options are medically reasonable for you and then consider the practical differences among them.
Wegovy is a semaglutide medication used for chronic weight management in eligible patients. Semaglutide activates 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 tablet forms. This gives patients more flexibility when discussing how they would prefer to take treatment. Some may favor the routine of a weekly injection, while others may prefer an oral medication.
Semaglutide is also found in Ozempic, but Ozempic and Wegovy are separate prescription products with different approved uses. When weight management is the primary reason for treatment, discussing the specific product rather than simply asking for "semaglutide" helps keep the prescribing decision tied to the appropriate indication.
Zepbound contains tirzepatide. Unlike semaglutide, tirzepatide activates both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. These pathways are involved in appetite, food intake, and metabolic regulation.
Zepbound is an injectable prescription medication used for chronic weight management in eligible adults. Its dual mechanism makes it distinct from medications that work through GLP-1 alone.
Tirzepatide is also the active ingredient in Mounjaro, although Mounjaro and Zepbound have different approved uses. Dr. Samourjian can help patients understand these distinctions instead of choosing treatment based only on brand recognition or what someone else is taking.
Foundayo contains orforglipron, an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist used for chronic weight management in eligible adults. It is taken once daily and can be taken with or without food and without water restrictions.
For patients who have avoided GLP-1 treatment because they do not want injections, an oral option may make the conversation different. However, the convenience of a pill does not automatically make it the right medication for every patient.
Dr. Samourjian can consider your health history, medication use, previous treatment, goals, tolerability, and personal preferences when discussing whether an oral or injectable treatment may be more appropriate.
| Medication | Active Ingredient | How It Works | Form | Why a Patient May Ask About It |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wegovy | Semaglutide | GLP-1 receptor agonist | Injection or tablet | Interest in semaglutide with a choice of injectable or oral treatment formats. |
| Zepbound | Tirzepatide | Dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist | Injection | Interest in a medication that works through two incretin pathways. |
| Foundayo | Orforglipron | GLP-1 receptor agonist | Daily tablet | Preference for a once-daily oral weight management medication. |
The medication that sounds most appealing is not necessarily the medication that should be prescribed. A physician must consider whether treatment is appropriate for the individual patient, as well as each medication's indications, warnings, potential side effects, and other medical factors.
The needs of a patient at the beginning of treatment are rarely identical to their needs several months later. That is one reason RefineMD emphasizes continued medical oversight rather than viewing the prescription as the end of care.
Before treatment is recommended, Dr. Samourjian can review information that helps establish whether medical weight loss is appropriate and which options should be considered.
Some patients may also need laboratory testing, additional medical information, or an in-person evaluation before or during treatment. A request for a particular GLP-1 does not guarantee that it will be prescribed.
One of the most noticeable effects of GLP-1-based treatment can be a change in appetite. Patients may become satisfied with smaller meals, experience less frequent hunger, or find that foods that previously felt difficult to resist become less compelling.
These changes can support a reduced-calorie eating pattern, but appetite suppression is not something that needs to be maximized at all costs. If you are eating substantially less, your physician may want to know how that is affecting nutrition, hydration, energy, and medication tolerance.
The aim is not to make it difficult to eat. The aim is to create a treatment plan that supports weight management while continuing to support your health.
| Area of Care | What Dr. Samourjian Can Review |
|---|---|
| Weight Trend | Whether weight is moving in the intended direction over a meaningful period of time. |
| Appetite | How hunger and food interest have changed since beginning treatment. |
| Meal Size | Whether increased fullness is helping create manageable portions without making adequate nutrition difficult. |
| Side Effects | Whether symptoms remain manageable or suggest that treatment should be reevaluated. |
| Nutrition | Whether reduced food intake still provides adequate protein, nutrients, and energy. |
| Hydration | Whether gastrointestinal symptoms or lower food intake are affecting fluid intake. |
| Overall Health | Whether new medications, symptoms, or health changes affect the weight loss plan. |
GLP-1 and GLP-1-based medications can cause gastrointestinal side effects, including nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and abdominal symptoms. They also have medication-specific warnings and precautions that should be reviewed with a healthcare professional.
If a medication is producing weight loss but is also causing significant symptoms, that is important information. The number on the scale should not be used to dismiss problems with tolerability.
The longer someone uses weight management medication, the more important it becomes to think beyond the initial prescription. Questions about nutrition, plateaus, switching medications, maintaining progress, and longer-term treatment often become more relevant after the first phase of care.
A slower month does not necessarily mean that treatment has failed. Weight reduction often occurs at different rates over time, and day-to-day fluctuations can make short periods difficult to interpret.
Before deciding that a medication needs to be changed, Dr. Samourjian can review the larger picture. Has appetite returned? Has food intake changed? Are you taking the medication as prescribed? Have other medications changed? Has your activity level changed? Are side effects interfering with nutrition or hydration?
Looking at those factors can help avoid making medication decisions solely in response to frustration with the scale.
GLP-1 treatment can make it easier to eat smaller amounts of food. That makes food quality more important, not less important.
A broader weight management plan may include attention to:
Medication can make appetite easier to manage, but the long-term objective is broader than appetite suppression. It is to help create a medically appropriate approach to weight management that can continue as your needs evolve.
Reaching a weight goal creates a new treatment question: what should happen next?
The answer is not automatically to stop medication, continue the same treatment forever, or reduce a dose without medical guidance. Maintenance decisions should be individualized based on your weight trend, health, appetite, treatment response, tolerability, and longer-term goals.
This is where continuity with the physician managing your care can be particularly valuable. Instead of treating the target weight as the end of the process, Dr. Samourjian can help you think through the next phase of weight management.
If you are considering Wegovy, Zepbound, Foundayo, semaglutide, tirzepatide, or another prescription approach to weight management, RefineMD offers free virtual consultations for Beverly Hills patients.
Meet with Dr. Lara Samourjian to discuss your weight history, health, goals, previous treatment, and questions about GLP-1 medications. If prescription treatment is appropriate, she can help determine which options deserve consideration and provide continued medical follow-up throughout your care.
Prefer a face-to-face appointment? You also have the option to visit Dr. Lara Samourjian in person for your medical weight loss consultation and care.
Schedule your free virtual consultation or request an in-person appointment with Dr. Samourjian today.
Yes. Beverly Hills patients can schedule a free virtual consultation with RefineMD to discuss medical weight loss with Dr. Lara Samourjian.
Your consultation gives you an opportunity to discuss your health, weight history, previous treatment, goals, and questions about GLP-1 medications before deciding on the next step.
Yes. Patients who prefer face-to-face care can request an in-person consultation with Dr. Samourjian rather than completing their visit virtually.
You can choose the type of appointment that works better for you, and Dr. Samourjian can also recommend in-person evaluation when your medical circumstances make it appropriate.
There is no single GLP-1 medication that is best for every patient. Wegovy contains semaglutide and works through GLP-1 receptors. Zepbound contains tirzepatide and acts on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Foundayo contains orforglipron and is an oral GLP-1 treatment.
Dr. Samourjian can consider your medical history, current medications, previous weight loss treatment, side effects, preferences, and goals before discussing which options may be appropriate.
You can tell Dr. Samourjian that you prefer oral treatment. Current weight management options include oral medications as well as injectable medications. Wegovy has a semaglutide tablet formulation, while Foundayo is a once-daily oral orforglipron treatment. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Your preference matters, but the final recommendation also depends on whether a particular medication is medically appropriate for you.
Previous GLP-1 treatment can be reviewed during your consultation. It is helpful to know which medication you used, how long you took it, your previous and current doses, how your weight and appetite responded, and whether you experienced side effects.
That information can help Dr. Samourjian evaluate whether continuing the same treatment, considering another option, or taking a different approach should be discussed.
Your care can shift from active weight loss toward maintenance planning. Dr. Samourjian can review your current weight trend, appetite, health, medication response, treatment tolerance, and longer-term goals before discussing what should happen next.
Patients should not automatically stop, restart, reduce, or change prescription medication simply because they reach a particular number on the scale.
Yes. When prescription weight loss treatment is appropriate, continued care can include monitoring your weight trend, appetite, medication tolerance, side effects, nutrition, and changes in your overall health.
Follow-up also gives you an opportunity to discuss questions that develop later, including slower progress, medication changes, maintaining weight loss, or whether your current treatment still fits your needs.
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.
