GLP-1 Weight Loss with Ongoing Medical Oversight
Work with Dr. Lara Samourjian to explore prescription weight loss options based on your health, goals, and treatment history. Sherman Oaks patients can access GLP-1 evaluation, medication management, and continued physician follow-up through virtual appointments with RefineMD.
Starting medical weight loss is not just a decision about whether to take medication. It involves deciding whether prescription treatment is appropriate for your health, which medication makes sense, how you will be monitored, and what happens if your response changes over time.
Dr. Lara Samourjian provides physician-guided medical weight loss through RefineMD. As a board-certified internal medicine physician with more than a decade of clinical experience, she evaluates weight management in the context of the whole patient rather than looking only at pounds lost.
Your consultation can include a review of your weight history, current medications, previous treatment, medical conditions, appetite, lifestyle, and goals. When prescription treatment is clinically appropriate, Dr. Samourjian personally manages the plan and remains involved as treatment progresses.
Sherman Oaks patients can meet with Dr. Samourjian through telehealth for appropriate consultations and follow-up visits. RefineMD also has a nearby medical office in Glendale for patients who need or prefer in-person care.
This combination gives patients the convenience of virtual weight loss care while maintaining access to a local physician and physical medical practice.
The number of prescription weight management options has expanded, which makes the initial medication decision more individualized than it once was. A patient may prefer an oral medication, have experience with semaglutide, want to understand tirzepatide, or simply know that they are interested in medical weight loss without knowing which drug is appropriate.
Rather than beginning with a predetermined prescription, Dr. Samourjian can evaluate the available options against your medical history and treatment goals.
Wegovy contains semaglutide, a medication that activates GLP-1 receptors involved in appetite and food intake. It is used for chronic weight management in eligible patients as part of a broader treatment plan that also includes nutrition and physical activity.
Wegovy is available in both injectable and oral formulations. That gives patients an opportunity to discuss not only whether semaglutide is medically appropriate, but also whether the practical differences between a pill and an injection matter for their treatment.
The name of the active ingredient is also important. Semaglutide appears in more than one prescription product, but products containing the same ingredient do not necessarily have the same FDA-approved indications or treatment instructions. Your physician can clarify which product is relevant to your reason for seeking treatment.
Zepbound contains tirzepatide and is an injectable prescription medication used for chronic weight management in eligible adults. Tirzepatide is different from semaglutide because it activates two incretin pathways, GIP and GLP-1.
That difference in mechanism is one reason Zepbound should not simply be treated as another brand of semaglutide. Your previous medication history, health conditions, response to prior treatment, side effects, and individual goals can all influence whether tirzepatide deserves consideration.
Medication selection should also account for whether the treatment is realistic for you to continue. A medication that looks appealing on paper may not be the best choice if another option better fits your medical needs, treatment history, or ability to follow the prescribed plan.
Foundayo contains orforglipron, a GLP-1 receptor agonist available as a once-daily tablet for chronic weight management in eligible adults.
It can be taken with or without food and does not have water restrictions, providing another option for patients who would prefer oral treatment rather than an injection.
A preference for a pill is a reasonable topic to bring to your consultation, but route of administration is only one consideration. Dr. Samourjian can also consider your medical history, other prescriptions, previous GLP-1 experience, treatment response, and potential side effects when discussing available options.
| Medication | Active Ingredient | Medication Type | How It Is Taken | What May Influence the Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wegovy | Semaglutide | GLP-1 receptor agonist | Injection or tablet | Medical history, previous treatment, formulation preference, tolerability, and goals |
| Zepbound | Tirzepatide | Dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist | Injection | Previous GLP-1 use, health history, response, tolerability, and treatment goals |
| Foundayo | Orforglipron | GLP-1 receptor agonist | Daily tablet | Preference for oral treatment, health history, other medications, and tolerability |
No comparison chart can determine which prescription you personally should take. A medication that is appropriate for one patient may not be appropriate for another. The purpose of your consultation is to make that decision using your individual medical information.
Choosing a medication also involves practical considerations. Insurance coverage can vary by plan, indication, medication, and patient. Pharmacy availability and out-of-pocket costs may also differ.
A prescription therefore does not necessarily guarantee that a medication will be covered by your insurance or available at the price you expect. If access becomes an issue, it may be useful to discuss whether another medically appropriate treatment option should be considered instead of abandoning care or changing medications without physician guidance.
Patients often focus on how much weight they hope to lose, but the beginning of treatment provides a different kind of information. It shows how your body responds to the medication.
Your appetite may change considerably. You may feel full earlier in a meal, become less interested in certain foods, or notice that the amount you previously ate now feels excessive. These effects are part of why GLP-1-based medications can support weight management, but they also make continued medical monitoring important.
Before prescribing, Dr. Samourjian can gather information that provides context for later follow-up. This may include:
Depending on your circumstances, additional medical information or laboratory testing may be appropriate before or during treatment.
Body weight matters, but it should not be the only information considered during follow-up. A broader view can help determine whether treatment is working in a way that is both effective and manageable.
| What Is Reviewed | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Weight Trend | Helps evaluate progress across weeks and months rather than reacting to daily fluctuations. |
| Hunger | Shows how strongly the medication is affecting appetite and eating patterns. |
| Fullness | Helps evaluate whether smaller portions are becoming satisfying and sustainable. |
| Side Effects | Helps determine whether treatment is being tolerated or needs further evaluation. |
| Nutrition | Helps make sure a reduced appetite is not leading to inadequate nutrient or protein intake. |
| Hydration | Becomes especially important when food intake changes or gastrointestinal symptoms occur. |
| Overall Health | Allows new symptoms, medications, or medical changes to be considered in the treatment plan. |
Gastrointestinal side effects are common with GLP-1-based medications and can include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and abdominal discomfort. Each prescription also has its own warnings and safety considerations.
The fact that a medication is helping with weight loss does not mean significant side effects should simply be ignored. If symptoms become persistent, difficult to manage, unusual, or concerning, they should be discussed with your physician. Severe symptoms require prompt medical attention.
You should also avoid changing your prescription dose on your own in response to either side effects or slower weight loss. Dr. Samourjian can review what you are experiencing and determine whether the current plan still makes sense.
Weight loss is rarely perfectly linear. Some patients experience faster changes early in treatment and slower changes later. Others progress more gradually from the beginning.
If the scale stops moving for a period of time, Dr. Samourjian can look at several factors before deciding whether treatment should change. These may include your current appetite, eating patterns, medication adherence, activity, treatment duration, other prescriptions, and overall health.
The goal is to understand why progress has changed instead of assuming that the answer is always a higher dose or a different medication.
One of the benefits of physician-managed medical weight loss is having continuity as your treatment questions change.
At the beginning, you may want to know whether you are a candidate for a GLP-1 or whether an injection or pill would be a better fit. Several months later, the questions may be about maintaining nutrition, dealing with slower progress, managing side effects, changing medication, or deciding what long-term treatment should look like.
RefineMD's program is designed so that Dr. Samourjian remains involved in those decisions rather than simply providing a prescription and leaving the patient to manage the rest alone.
Appropriate medical weight loss consultations and follow-up appointments can be completed through telehealth. You meet directly with Dr. Samourjian by secure video to discuss your progress, medication, symptoms, questions, and treatment plan.
This can make routine follow-up more convenient while still keeping your care connected to a local Los Angeles medical practice. When an examination, testing, or in-person assessment is needed, RefineMD's Glendale office is nearby.
GLP-1 treatment can make eating less easier, but eating less is not the same as eating well. When appetite decreases significantly, maintaining good nutrition becomes increasingly important.
Your broader medical weight loss plan may include attention to:
The objective is not to reduce appetite as aggressively as possible. It is to use prescription treatment, when appropriate, in a way that supports weight management while continuing to support your overall health.
Reaching a target weight does not automatically answer what should happen with medication. Long-term treatment decisions depend on your health, response to therapy, appetite, weight trend, treatment goals, and whether the medication continues to be medically appropriate.
Those decisions should be discussed with your physician rather than based solely on a number on the scale. Dr. Samourjian can review how your needs have changed and discuss an appropriate next phase of care.
If you are considering Wegovy, Zepbound, Foundayo, or another prescription approach to weight management, schedule a consultation with Dr. Lara Samourjian at RefineMD. Sherman Oaks patients can begin through telehealth and receive continued physician oversight when medical weight loss treatment is appropriate.
Yes. Dr. Lara Samourjian personally oversees medical weight loss treatment at RefineMD. She reviews your medical history and treatment goals, determines whether prescription therapy is appropriate, and remains involved in follow-up and medication management.
This allows questions about side effects, progress, dosing, and changes in your health to be addressed by the physician managing your treatment.
There are now oral prescription options for chronic weight management in addition to injectable medications. Wegovy has an oral semaglutide formulation, and Foundayo contains oral orforglipron.
Your preference for a pill can be discussed during your consultation, but Dr. Samourjian will also consider your medical history, other medications, previous treatment, and overall suitability before recommending a prescription.
The evaluation needed before treatment depends on your individual health history and medical circumstances. Dr. Samourjian reviews your history, current medications, and relevant health concerns and can determine whether laboratory testing or additional evaluation is appropriate.
Not every patient's evaluation will necessarily look exactly the same.
Insurance coverage varies by plan, medication, and indication, and receiving a prescription does not guarantee coverage. If access or cost becomes a problem, discuss it with Dr. Samourjian rather than switching medications on your own.
She can review whether another medically appropriate treatment option should be considered based on your health and treatment goals.
Yes. You can schedule a medical consultation and have your current treatment reviewed. Be prepared to provide the medication name, current dose, previous doses, how long you have been using it, your response, and any side effects or concerns.
Dr. Samourjian can evaluate the treatment in the context of your current health and discuss appropriate next steps.
There is no single treatment duration that applies to every patient. How long prescription weight management remains appropriate depends on your health, response to treatment, weight trend, goals, medication tolerance, and other individual factors.
Do not stop or change prescription treatment solely because you have reached a particular weight. Dr. Samourjian can discuss the longer-term plan with you as your goals and needs change.
RefineMD offers secure telehealth consultations with Dr. Lara Samourjian for California patients. Appropriate medical weight loss consultations and routine follow-up appointments can be completed virtually.
If your care requires an examination, laboratory testing, or another in-person assessment, RefineMD also has a nearby office in Glendale.
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.
