Physician-Guided GLP-1 Weight Loss
Dr. Lara Samourjian provides physician-led medical weight loss care for patients in Long Beach. Schedule a free consultation with RefineMD today to learn more about our weight loss services including, GLP-1 prescriptions, personalized treatment plans and ongoing progress monitoring.
Dr. Lara Samourjian provides physician-led medical weight loss care for patients in Long Beach who want professional guidance with prescription treatment, including GLP-1 and GLP-1-based medications when clinically appropriate.
Your treatment begins with an individual medical evaluation rather than a standard weight loss plan. Dr. Samourjian reviews your health history, current medications, previous weight loss efforts, and goals before determining which options may be appropriate for you.
Patients can connect with Dr. Samourjian through telehealth for convenient access to medical weight loss care without needing to travel for every consultation or follow-up appointment.
GLP-1 and GLP-1-based medications may be considered for patients who need additional medical support with weight management. These prescription medications affect pathways involved in appetite, fullness, digestion, and metabolic regulation.
For some patients, treatment can help reduce persistent hunger and make it easier to feel satisfied with smaller portions. Medication is prescribed only when Dr. Samourjian determines that it is appropriate based on your individual health and medical history.
Medical weight loss involves more than obtaining a prescription. Dr. Samourjian provides ongoing physician oversight so that your treatment can be monitored as your weight, appetite, medication tolerance, and overall health change.
Telehealth makes this type of care accessible from home. You can meet directly with Dr. Samourjian to discuss your progress, ask questions about treatment, review side effects, and determine whether your current medication plan continues to make sense.
If an in-person evaluation or additional testing becomes necessary, Dr. Samourjian can discuss the appropriate next steps with you.
Before prescribing weight loss medication, Dr. Samourjian evaluates whether treatment is medically appropriate for you. A request for a specific medication does not automatically result in a prescription.
Your consultation may include a review of:
Depending on your individual circumstances, additional information, laboratory testing, or an in-person evaluation may be needed before or during treatment.
Semaglutide and tirzepatide are two medications commonly discussed in medical weight management. Although they are frequently grouped together, they are different medications and act on different hormone pathways.
Semaglutide acts on GLP-1 receptors. Tirzepatide acts on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. The medication that may be appropriate for one patient is not necessarily the right treatment for another.
| Medication | How It Works | Medical Oversight |
|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide | Acts on GLP-1 receptors involved in appetite, fullness, digestion, and metabolic regulation. | Requires medical evaluation, appropriate prescribing, and continued monitoring. |
| Tirzepatide | Acts on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors involved in appetite and metabolic regulation. | Requires medical evaluation, appropriate prescribing, and continued monitoring. |
Dr. Samourjian considers your health history, current medications, previous treatments, goals, and medication tolerance when determining which prescription options may be appropriate.
Getting a prescription is only one part of medical weight loss treatment. Follow-up care helps determine how well you are responding to medication and whether your treatment continues to be appropriate.
Weight is monitored over time, but the number on the scale is not the only factor that matters. Dr. Samourjian can also review your appetite, medication tolerance, nutrition, hydration, energy levels, side effects, and changes in your overall health.
| What Is Monitored | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Weight Trend | Shows how your weight is changing over time rather than focusing on isolated daily measurements. |
| Appetite | Helps evaluate how treatment is affecting hunger, fullness, and eating patterns. |
| Medication Tolerance | Helps determine whether the current medication and treatment plan are being tolerated. |
| Nutrition | Helps make sure reduced appetite does not interfere with adequate nutrient intake. |
| Hydration | Supports overall health and can become particularly important when appetite or digestion changes. |
| Overall Health | Allows treatment decisions to be considered alongside your broader medical needs. |
The goal is to evaluate your overall response to treatment rather than focusing only on how quickly your weight changes.
Your medication needs may change during treatment. The medication or dose that is appropriate when you begin may not necessarily remain the same throughout your weight loss program.
Follow-up appointments allow Dr. Samourjian to review your progress and determine whether your current treatment should continue or whether an adjustment should be considered. Medication decisions are based on your individual response, side effects, tolerance, and medical circumstances.
Ongoing physician oversight also gives you a medical provider to contact if you have questions about your prescription, experience new symptoms, start another medication, or notice changes in how you are responding to treatment.
Prescription medication can be an important part of medical weight management, but medication alone does not address every factor involved in long-term progress. RefineMD's approach can also include nutritional guidance, lifestyle changes, and ongoing support.
Because GLP-1-based medications can reduce appetite, adequate nutrition remains important. Eating less should not mean ignoring the protein, nutrients, fluids, and energy your body needs.
Your broader treatment plan may include:
The purpose is to support your health throughout treatment while establishing habits that can contribute to longer-term weight management.
Telehealth provides a convenient way to receive medical weight loss care from Dr. Lara Samourjian without traveling to the RefineMD office for every appointment. Patients can meet with her directly through secure virtual visits for consultations, prescription management, progress reviews, and follow-up care.
During a telehealth consultation, Dr. Samourjian can review your health history, medications, goals, symptoms, and previous treatment before determining whether prescription weight loss medication may be appropriate.
Virtual visits can also make ongoing monitoring more convenient. Instead of managing GLP-1 treatment on your own, you have continued access to a physician who specializes in medical weight management and can evaluate your progress as treatment continues.
GLP-1 and GLP-1-based medications are prescription treatments that should be used with appropriate medical screening and continued oversight. Physician-guided care allows decisions about medication, dosing, continued treatment, and potential changes to be based on your individual health.
Dr. Samourjian works directly with patients throughout treatment. If your weight loss slows, side effects develop, your appetite changes significantly, or another health concern arises, those changes can be reviewed as part of your medical care.
The focus is not simply on receiving a prescription. It is on having a physician involved throughout the weight loss process.
Medical weight loss can change over time. Early treatment may focus on how you respond to medication, while later care may involve monitoring progress, adjusting treatment when appropriate, and planning for longer-term weight management.
Continued follow-up allows Dr. Samourjian to evaluate changes in your weight, appetite, medication response, and overall health rather than leaving you to make treatment decisions on your own.
As you make progress, your care can also shift toward maintaining results and determining what type of continued medical support is appropriate for you.
If you are considering semaglutide, tirzepatide, or another prescription approach to weight management, start with a medical consultation with Dr. Lara Samourjian.
Patients in Long Beach can connect with Dr. Samourjian through telehealth for physician-led medical weight loss care, including GLP-1 evaluation, prescription treatment when appropriate, and ongoing monitoring.
Schedule a consultation with RefineMD to discuss your weight loss goals and determine which treatment options may be appropriate for you.
Prescription weight loss medication may be provided through telehealth when Dr. Samourjian determines that it is clinically appropriate. A virtual appointment is still a medical consultation, so your health history, current medications, symptoms, weight-related concerns, and treatment goals are reviewed before a prescribing decision is made.
Not every appointment requires a trip to the RefineMD office. Telehealth can be used for many medical weight loss consultations, prescription management appointments, and routine follow-up visits.
If Dr. Samourjian determines that laboratory testing, an examination, or another form of in-person evaluation is needed, she can discuss that with you during your care.
Prescription weight loss medication may be considered for adults who meet appropriate medical criteria and for whom treatment is suitable after a medical evaluation.
Dr. Samourjian considers your health history, current medications, weight-related concerns, previous weight loss efforts, and other medical factors before determining whether a GLP-1 or GLP-1-based medication may be appropriate.
No. Your consultation is used to determine whether prescription treatment is medically appropriate. Dr. Samourjian may recommend a GLP-1 or another treatment option based on your individual health and medical needs.
No. Semaglutide acts on GLP-1 receptors, while tirzepatide acts on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. They are different medications and should not be treated as interchangeable.
Dr. Samourjian can review your health and treatment goals to determine which prescription options, if any, may be appropriate.
You can schedule a consultation if you are already using a GLP-1 or GLP-1-based medication and need continued physician-guided care.
Be prepared to provide information about the medication you are taking, your current dose, how long you have been taking it, previous doses, side effects, and changes in your weight or appetite. Dr. Samourjian can review your current treatment and discuss appropriate next steps.
Follow-up care may include reviewing your weight trend, appetite, medication tolerance, nutrition, hydration, energy levels, side effects, and overall health.
The goal is to understand how you are responding to treatment over time rather than focusing on a single weight measurement.
The appropriate frequency of follow-up depends on your medication, response to treatment, side effects, progress, and individual medical needs. Dr. Samourjian can establish a follow-up plan based on your specific treatment.
Your medication plan may change depending on how you respond and tolerate treatment. Dose adjustments should be made under physician supervision rather than based only on how quickly your weight is changing.
Dr. Samourjian can determine whether your current dose should remain the same or whether an adjustment should be considered.
Some patients experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach discomfort, or changes in digestion.
If you develop side effects, discuss them with your physician rather than changing your medication or dose on your own. Severe, persistent, unusual, or concerning symptoms should be evaluated promptly.
Weight loss does not necessarily occur at the same rate throughout treatment. Slower progress does not automatically mean that your medication has stopped working or that your dose needs to increase.
Dr. Samourjian can review your appetite, medication use, nutrition, activity, other medications, and changes in your health before determining whether your treatment plan should be adjusted.
GLP-1-based medications can significantly reduce appetite, but adequate nutrition remains important. Your body still needs appropriate protein, nutrients, fluids, and energy even when you are eating smaller portions.
RefineMD's medical weight loss approach can include nutritional and lifestyle guidance alongside prescription treatment.
Long-term treatment decisions depend on your health, response to medication, weight management goals, and individual medical needs.
Dr. Samourjian can review your progress over time and discuss whether continued medication, changes in treatment, or another maintenance approach should be considered.
Start by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Lara Samourjian. Through telehealth, she can review your health history, current medications, previous weight loss efforts, and goals before determining which treatment options may be appropriate.
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.
