GLP-1 Weight Loss Care From a Board-Certified Physician Near You
Dr. Lara Samourjian works with Studio City patients to evaluate GLP-1 options, choose treatment, and provide continued physician oversight as your progress and needs change. Contact us for a free consultation today.
Prescription weight loss treatment can be useful for the right patient, but choosing a medication is only one part of the process. Dr. Lara Samourjian provides medical weight management through RefineMD for Studio City patients who want their treatment evaluated and managed by a physician rather than treating a GLP-1 prescription as a stand-alone service.
Dr. Samourjian is a board-certified internal medicine physician with more than a decade of clinical medicine experience. Her medical background allows her to consider weight management alongside the rest of your health, including medications you already take, previous treatment, metabolic concerns, digestive history, lifestyle, appetite, and your reasons for seeking treatment now.
The number of prescription options has also grown. Patients may come to a consultation asking about Wegovy, Zepbound, semaglutide, tirzepatide, oral GLP-1 medications, or a drug they have previously used. Instead of beginning with a predetermined prescription, Dr. Samourjian can help determine which choices are actually relevant to your medical situation.
Studio City patients can meet directly with Dr. Samourjian through telehealth for appropriate medical consultations and follow-up visits. RefineMD also has a nearby medical office in Glendale when an in-person appointment is needed or preferred.
One reason medical guidance matters is that drug names can be confusing. The brand name you hear in an advertisement is not necessarily the same thing as the active ingredient, and medications containing the same active ingredient can be sold under different brands for different approved uses.
It is also increasingly inaccurate to think of GLP-1 treatment as one type of weekly injection. Weight management options now include medications that act on GLP-1 alone, a medication that acts on both GIP and GLP-1 pathways, injectable treatments, and oral medications.
Wegovy contains semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist used for chronic weight management in eligible patients. Semaglutide works with GLP-1 receptors involved in appetite and food intake, helping some patients experience less hunger and greater fullness.
Wegovy is available in both injectable and oral forms. The injectable formulation is taken on a weekly schedule, while the tablet provides a daily oral option. That means a discussion about semaglutide can now include not only whether the medication is medically appropriate, but also which formulation may make sense for the patient.
Semaglutide is also the active ingredient in other prescription products, including Ozempic. The fact that two medications share an active ingredient does not mean their approved indications, formulations, or dosing should be treated as identical. For someone specifically seeking medical weight management, it is useful to discuss the actual product and its intended use with a physician.
Zepbound contains tirzepatide and is an injectable prescription treatment for chronic weight management in eligible adults. Tirzepatide is different from semaglutide because it activates both GIP and GLP-1 receptors.
These hormones are involved in metabolic regulation and appetite. Acting on two pathways gives tirzepatide a different mechanism from medications that target GLP-1 alone.
Tirzepatide is also the active ingredient in Mounjaro. However, Zepbound and Mounjaro are separate brands with different approved indications. This distinction matters when patients compare medications based only on what they have heard from friends, social media, or online discussions.
Foundayo contains orforglipron and is an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist used for chronic weight management in eligible adults. It is taken once daily and may appeal to patients who strongly prefer a pill over an injectable medication.
Foundayo can be taken with or without food and does not require the same food and water timing restrictions associated with some other oral GLP-1 formulations.
Convenience can be important, but medication format should not be the only factor in the decision. Your health history, previous GLP-1 experience, other prescriptions, treatment goals, potential side effects, and ability to follow the treatment plan over time may be more important than whether the medication comes as a tablet or injection.
| Medication | Active Ingredient | Drug Type | Form | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wegovy | Semaglutide | GLP-1 receptor agonist | Injection or tablet | GLP-1 treatment with both injectable and oral weight management formulations. |
| Zepbound | Tirzepatide | Dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist | Injection | Acts through both GIP and GLP-1 pathways rather than GLP-1 alone. |
| Foundayo | Orforglipron | GLP-1 receptor agonist | Daily tablet | Oral small-molecule GLP-1 that can be taken with or without food. |
The purpose of comparing these medications is not to select one without a medical evaluation. It is to understand why there are several legitimate treatment paths and why the appropriate choice can differ from patient to patient.
Medical weight loss does not end when the prescription reaches the pharmacy. The months after treatment begins provide important information about how your body responds, how manageable the medication is, and whether the plan continues to fit your health and goals.
Before treatment, Dr. Samourjian can review factors that may influence whether prescription weight management is appropriate and how it should be managed.
Additional medical information, laboratory testing, or an in-person examination may be appropriate depending on your circumstances. The purpose is to make an informed treatment decision, not simply approve whichever medication was requested.
The first phase of treatment can involve noticeable changes in hunger and fullness. Meals that previously felt normal may become larger than you want, you may feel satisfied more quickly, or your interest in food may decrease.
Some patients also experience gastrointestinal side effects. Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and abdominal symptoms are among the issues associated with GLP-1-based medications. Individual medications have additional warnings and precautions that should be reviewed before treatment.
This period is also why medication dosing should follow the prescribed plan rather than being accelerated in pursuit of faster weight loss. Some GLP-1-based treatments use gradual dose escalation to improve tolerability. Dr. Samourjian can evaluate your response before determining whether a treatment change should be considered.
The scale provides useful information, but it does not explain everything happening during treatment. A patient can be losing weight while also struggling with poor nutrition, dehydration, or significant medication side effects. Another patient may experience a slower period of weight loss while still benefiting from better appetite control and sustainable eating patterns.
| Part of Treatment | What Follow-Up Can Evaluate |
|---|---|
| Weight | The direction and pace of change across a meaningful period of time. |
| Appetite | Whether hunger has changed and how strongly medication is affecting food intake. |
| Fullness | How portion size and satisfaction after meals have changed. |
| Side Effects | Whether symptoms are manageable or require additional medical attention. |
| Nutrition | Whether smaller meals continue to provide adequate protein and nutrients. |
| Hydration | Whether reduced appetite or gastrointestinal symptoms are affecting fluid intake. |
| Medication Fit | Whether the current medication and treatment plan remain appropriate as your needs change. |
Weight loss rarely occurs at exactly the same rate every week. Progress may slow after an initial period of loss, and that does not automatically mean the medication has stopped working.
Before changing treatment, Dr. Samourjian can look at several possible explanations. Appetite may have changed, nutritional habits may have shifted, another medication may have been started, activity may be different, or the body may simply be moving into a slower phase of weight reduction.
The same principle applies when a medication is difficult to tolerate. Treatment decisions should be based on what is happening medically rather than independently increasing, decreasing, stopping, or switching prescription medications.
One advantage of working with a physician rather than treating GLP-1 care as a one-time transaction is continuity. The questions patients have at the beginning are often very different from the questions they have several months later.
At first, you may want to know whether you qualify for medication and whether a pill or injection makes more sense. Later, you may want to discuss a side effect, a weight plateau, a refill, a change in appetite, a different medication, or how to maintain progress after reaching a healthier weight.
Studio City patients can meet with Dr. Samourjian through RefineMD's telehealth service for appropriate weight loss consultations and follow-up appointments.
This allows routine medical care to fit more easily into your schedule while maintaining access to the physician managing your treatment. A virtual appointment can be used to discuss medication response, progress, symptoms, prescription management, and questions about the next phase of care.
If Dr. Samourjian determines that laboratory testing, a physical examination, or another type of in-person evaluation is needed, RefineMD also has a medical office in nearby Glendale.
A medication that reduces hunger can make weight loss easier for some patients, but reduced appetite creates a different nutritional challenge. When you are eating less, the nutritional quality of those smaller meals becomes more important.
Medical weight management may therefore involve attention to:
The objective is not simply to suppress appetite as much as possible. It is to use medication, when appropriate, in a way that supports both weight management and overall health.
Eventually, the question changes from "How do I lose weight?" to "How do I maintain the progress I made?" That transition should also be part of medical weight management.
There is no single maintenance plan that applies to every GLP-1 patient. The right approach can depend on how much weight you lost, your health, how you responded to medication, your current appetite, and whether continued prescription treatment remains appropriate.
Dr. Samourjian can review these factors with you instead of having you make long-term medication decisions based solely on reaching a particular number on the scale.
If you are considering Wegovy, Zepbound, Foundayo, or another prescription weight loss treatment, schedule a consultation with Dr. Lara Samourjian through RefineMD. Studio City patients can begin through telehealth and receive continued physician guidance when medical weight loss treatment is appropriate.
You can discuss current prescription weight management options with Dr. Samourjian, including medications such as Wegovy, Zepbound, Foundayo, and other treatments that may be relevant to your health.
You do not need to decide which medication you want before your appointment. Determining whether medication is appropriate and which option may fit your medical needs is part of the consultation.
Yes. Wegovy is available as both semaglutide injections and semaglutide tablets for weight management. The injectable form follows a weekly schedule, while the tablet is taken daily.
The two formulations have their own dosing and administration instructions, so switching formats or starting treatment should be discussed with your prescriber.
Zepbound and Mounjaro contain the same active ingredient, tirzepatide, but they are separate prescription products with different FDA-approved uses. Zepbound is used for chronic weight management in eligible adults and also has an indication for certain adults with obesity and obstructive sleep apnea.
Dr. Samourjian can help clarify which prescription products are relevant when your primary goal is medical weight management.
The decision is based on an individual medical evaluation. Dr. Samourjian can review your weight history, previous treatment, current medications, medical conditions, metabolic concerns, gastrointestinal history, medication reactions, appetite, and treatment goals.
Additional testing or an in-person evaluation may sometimes be needed. A consultation does not guarantee that a particular medication will be prescribed.
Weight loss alone does not determine whether a treatment plan is working well for you. Medication tolerance and overall health are also important.
If you develop significant or persistent side effects, contact your physician rather than changing your dose on your own. Dr. Samourjian can evaluate your symptoms and determine whether your current treatment should continue or be reassessed. Severe or concerning symptoms require prompt medical attention.
You can schedule a consultation with Dr. Samourjian if you are already using a GLP-1 or GLP-1-based medication and want physician-guided follow-up care.
Have information available about the medication you are taking, your current dose, previous doses, how long you have used it, your results, and any side effects. Dr. Samourjian can evaluate your current treatment and discuss appropriate next steps.
Yes. RefineMD provides telehealth consultations with Dr. Lara Samourjian for California patients. Appropriate initial consultations and follow-up appointments can be completed virtually so you can meet directly with the physician managing your treatment.
If laboratory testing, an examination, or another in-person evaluation is appropriate, RefineMD also has a medical office in nearby 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.
