Physician-Led GLP-1 Prescriptions & Monitoring by a Local Doctor
Dr. Lara Samourjian provides physician-led medical weight loss care for patients in Pasadena, including personalized treatment plans, GLP-1 prescriptions, and ongoing progress monitoring. Schedule a consultation with RefineMD to discuss your weight loss goals and treatment options.
Dr. Lara Samourjian provides physician-led medical weight loss care for patients in Pasadena who are interested in prescription treatment, ongoing medical monitoring, and a more individualized approach to weight management. Treatment begins with a medical consultation so that recommendations can be based on your health history, current medications, previous weight loss efforts, and personal goals.
Dr. Samourjian is the founder and head physician of RefineMD and a board-certified internal medicine physician with more than a decade of clinical medicine experience. Her background in internal medicine allows weight management to be approached in the context of your overall health rather than focusing only on a number on the scale.
For patients who may benefit from medication, treatment can include GLP-1 and GLP-1-based prescriptions when clinically appropriate. Continued care can include monitoring your response, reviewing side effects, managing medication, and making adjustments when medically necessary.
Patients in Pasadena can meet directly with Dr. Samourjian through telehealth, giving you access to a Los Angeles-area physician without needing to travel for every routine appointment. RefineMD also has a nearby medical office in Glendale for in-person care when appropriate.
GLP-1 and GLP-1-based medications have become an important option in medical weight management for eligible patients. These prescription medications affect pathways involved in appetite, fullness, food intake, and metabolic regulation. For some patients, that can make it easier to manage persistent hunger and maintain smaller portions as part of a broader weight management plan.
A GLP-1 prescription is not automatic. Dr. Samourjian first evaluates whether medication is medically appropriate for you and whether there are health conditions, current medications, previous reactions, or other factors that should influence treatment. The goal is to select treatment based on the individual patient rather than placing everyone on the same medication or dosing plan.
Semaglutide and tirzepatide are two medications commonly discussed for medical weight management. Semaglutide acts on GLP-1 receptors, while tirzepatide acts on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Although they are often discussed together, they are different medications and should not be treated as interchangeable.
| Medication | How It Works | Role of Your Physician |
|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide | Acts on GLP-1 receptors involved in appetite, fullness, food intake, and metabolic regulation. | Evaluation, appropriate prescribing, medication management, and continued monitoring. |
| Tirzepatide | Acts on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors involved in appetite and metabolic regulation. | Evaluation, appropriate prescribing, medication management, and continued monitoring. |
Which medication may be appropriate depends on your individual medical circumstances. Dr. Samourjian can review your health history, current prescriptions, previous weight management treatment, potential side effects, and treatment goals before discussing your options.
Your medical consultation gives Dr. Samourjian an opportunity to understand the factors that may affect both your eligibility for treatment and the way your care should be managed. Depending on your situation, this may include:
Additional information, laboratory testing, or an in-person evaluation may be recommended when needed. This medical screening is an important part of determining whether a GLP-1 medication or another weight management approach makes sense for you.
Medical weight loss at RefineMD is led directly by Dr. Lara Samourjian. As a board-certified internal medicine physician, she brings more than a decade of clinical medicine experience to the evaluation and management of patients seeking help with their weight.
Dr. Samourjian completed her internal medicine residency at LAC + USC, where she was recognized for outstanding performance and dedication to patient care. Her broader medical background is particularly relevant to weight management because body weight can intersect with medications, metabolic health, nutrition, medical conditions, lifestyle, and other aspects of a patient's health.
Her approach is based on clinical evaluation, evidence-based treatment, safety, and personalization. Rather than viewing GLP-1 treatment as simply obtaining a medication, RefineMD uses physician oversight to determine whether prescription treatment is appropriate and to monitor how patients respond after treatment begins.
Two patients seeking help for the same amount of weight loss may have very different medical needs. One may already be taking several prescription medications, another may have experienced significant side effects from previous treatments, and another may primarily need help controlling appetite after repeated attempts at lifestyle-based weight loss.
Those differences matter when deciding how to proceed. Dr. Samourjian evaluates the individual patient and can develop a treatment plan based on what is medically appropriate rather than using a standardized program for everyone.
Pasadena patients can receive medical weight loss care through telehealth with Dr. Samourjian. Virtual appointments can be used for appropriate consultations, progress reviews, prescription management, and routine follow-up care.
This provides the convenience of online medical care while still allowing you to establish an ongoing relationship with a physician who practices locally in the Los Angeles area. If your care requires laboratory testing, an examination, or an in-person evaluation, RefineMD's Glendale clinic is available for in-office appointments.
Medical supervision does not end when a prescription is written. Your response to a GLP-1 or GLP-1-based medication can change throughout treatment, which makes continued follow-up an important part of physician-guided weight management.
Dr. Samourjian can monitor your progress, medication tolerance, appetite, nutrition, and overall health while evaluating whether your current treatment remains appropriate. This also gives you an opportunity to discuss questions or changes rather than adjusting prescription medication on your own.
| What Is Monitored | What It Helps Evaluate |
|---|---|
| Weight Trend | How your weight is changing over time rather than relying on individual daily measurements. |
| Appetite and Fullness | How the medication is affecting hunger, eating patterns, and your response to meals. |
| Medication Tolerance | Whether you are tolerating treatment and whether medication changes may need to be considered. |
| Side Effects | Whether symptoms require additional guidance, treatment changes, or further medical evaluation. |
| Nutrition and Hydration | Whether appetite changes are interfering with adequate food, nutrients, or fluid intake. |
| Overall Health | Whether changes in your health or other medications affect your weight management treatment. |
The medication plan that is appropriate when you begin treatment may not remain the same throughout the entire process. Dr. Samourjian can evaluate how you are responding and determine whether your current treatment should continue or whether an adjustment should be considered.
Medication changes should be based on medical evaluation rather than simply trying to lose weight more quickly. Your treatment may be influenced by medication tolerance, side effects, appetite response, weight trend, changes in your health, and other medications you may be taking.
GLP-1-based medications can cause side effects, including gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, or abdominal discomfort. How an individual patient tolerates medication can vary.
If you experience side effects, Dr. Samourjian can review your symptoms and treatment rather than having you manage them by changing your medication on your own. Severe, persistent, unusual, or concerning symptoms should receive prompt medical attention.
Regular follow-up is valuable even when treatment is going well. Monitoring helps determine whether your medication remains appropriate and gives your physician a more complete picture of your progress over time.
Prescription medication can be a valuable component of weight management, but a GLP-1 prescription does not replace attention to nutrition, activity, and long-term health. RefineMD's medical weight loss approach can incorporate these areas alongside medication and physician monitoring.
GLP-1-based medications can significantly change appetite. When patients begin eating less, it becomes important to make sure smaller meals still provide appropriate nutrition. Hydration can also become particularly important for patients experiencing changes in appetite or gastrointestinal symptoms.
A broader medical weight management plan may address:
Weight loss does not necessarily occur at a consistent rate throughout treatment. A slower period or plateau does not automatically mean that medication has stopped working or that the dose should immediately be increased.
Dr. Samourjian can review the broader picture, including appetite, medication use, nutrition, activity, other medications, side effects, and changes in your health. This allows treatment decisions to be based on more than a single number on the scale.
Reaching a lower weight is only one stage of weight management. Maintaining progress can require a different strategy than actively losing weight.
Continued medical care provides an opportunity to discuss what happens as your goals change. Depending on your individual health and response to treatment, Dr. Samourjian can review whether continued medication, a change in treatment, or another maintenance strategy should be considered.
The objective is to make those decisions intentionally with medical guidance rather than abruptly changing or discontinuing prescription treatment without discussing it with your physician.
If you are considering semaglutide, tirzepatide, or another prescription approach to medical weight management, you can begin with a consultation with Dr. Lara Samourjian.
Pasadena patients can meet directly with Dr. Samourjian through telehealth for a medical evaluation, GLP-1 prescription treatment when clinically appropriate, and continued progress monitoring. In-person appointments are also available at RefineMD's nearby Glendale office when needed.
Schedule a consultation with RefineMD to discuss your weight loss goals, medical history, and whether physician-guided GLP-1 treatment may be appropriate for you.
Dr. Lara Samourjian is the founder and head physician of RefineMD. She is a board-certified internal medicine physician with more than a decade of clinical medicine experience and provides medical weight loss, wellness, and aesthetic care.
Her medical background allows her to evaluate weight management in the context of your broader health, current medications, symptoms, and individual treatment needs.
Prescription weight loss medication may be provided through a telehealth consultation when Dr. Samourjian determines that it is clinically appropriate. Your virtual appointment includes a review of your health history, current medications, weight-related concerns, previous treatment, and goals before a prescribing decision is made.
Some patients may need laboratory testing or an in-person evaluation depending on their individual circumstances.
Semaglutide and tirzepatide are among the medications that may be considered in medical weight management. Whether a particular prescription is appropriate depends on your individual medical evaluation.
Semaglutide acts on GLP-1 receptors, while tirzepatide acts on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Dr. Samourjian can discuss available treatment options and determine which medication, if any, may be appropriate for you.
Dr. Samourjian reviews your health history, current medications, previous weight loss efforts, medical conditions, symptoms, and treatment goals. She may also discuss nutrition, activity, previous medication reactions, and other factors relevant to weight management.
The purpose of the consultation is to determine whether prescription treatment is medically appropriate and develop an individualized plan rather than automatically prescribing a requested medication.
Follow-up care can include monitoring your weight trend, appetite, medication tolerance, side effects, nutrition, hydration, and overall health. Dr. Samourjian can also review whether your current medication and treatment plan remain appropriate as your response changes.
Monitoring is intended to provide continued physician oversight rather than leaving patients to manage prescription treatment on their own.
Do not change your medication or dose on your own. If you experience side effects or your progress changes, Dr. Samourjian can review your symptoms, medication use, appetite, nutrition, and other health factors before determining whether your treatment should be adjusted.
Severe, persistent, unusual, or concerning symptoms should receive prompt medical attention. A weight loss plateau also does not automatically mean that your medication needs to be increased.
RefineMD's medical office is located in Glendale, and Pasadena patients can also meet directly with Dr. Samourjian through telehealth. Many appropriate consultations and follow-up visits can be completed virtually.
If Dr. Samourjian determines that an examination, testing, or another type of in-person evaluation is needed, an appointment can be arranged at the Glendale clinic.
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.
