GLP-1 Medications Like Ozempic and Wegovy: What Michigan Families Should Know Before Starting Weight-Loss Treatment

Few medications have gotten as much attention as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound. Patients ask about them every week, often after a friend or family member has lost a significant amount of weight. These medications can be very effective for the right person. They also come with real side effects, costs, and long-term commitments, and those are worth understanding before your first dose.

What GLP-1 medications are and how they work

GLP-1 receptor agonists mimic a hormone your gut naturally releases after eating. They signal fullness to your brain, slow how quickly your stomach empties, and help your body regulate blood sugar. Most patients describe the effect as the "food noise" quieting down: they feel satisfied with smaller portions and think about food less between meals.

The most common options include:

• Semaglutide: sold as Ozempic (approved for type 2 diabetes) and Wegovy (approved for chronic weight management). Wegovy is now available as a weekly injection or a daily pill.
• Tirzepatide: sold as Mounjaro (diabetes) and Zepbound (weight management). It acts on two hormone pathways, GLP-1 and GIP.
• Orforglipron: sold as Foundayo, a newer once-daily GLP-1 pill approved for weight management.

In clinical trials, people taking semaglutide for weight loss lost about 15% of their body weight on average over roughly a year and a half, and tirzepatide users lost about 20% at the highest dose. Results vary widely from person to person, and they depend on staying on the medication.

Who is a good candidate?

The weight-management versions of these drugs are FDA-approved for adults who have:

• A body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or
• A BMI of 27 or higher plus at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, or heart disease.

Some of these medications are also approved for adolescents 12 and older with obesity. For teens, the decision involves the whole family and close follow-up.

GLP-1s are generally not appropriate if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, or if you or a close family member has had medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2). A history of pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, severe stomach problems, or diabetic eye disease calls for a careful conversation before starting.

Side effects to expect

Most side effects are digestive and are worst when you start or increase a dose. That's why doses are raised gradually over several months.

• Common: nausea, reduced appetite, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, and fatigue. These usually ease over a few weeks.
• Less common but important: gallbladder problems, pancreatitis (severe, persistent abdominal pain that may spread to the back), dehydration that can strain the kidneys, and low blood sugar if you also take insulin or certain diabetes pills.
• Muscle loss: rapid weight loss includes some muscle. Eating enough protein and doing regular strength training help protect it, which matters most for older adults.
• Surgery and procedures: because these drugs slow stomach emptying, always tell your surgeon or anesthesiologist that you take one.
• Birth control: tirzepatide can make oral contraceptives less reliable for a period after starting or increasing a dose. Ask us about backup options.

It's usually a long-term medication

This is the part many people don't hear about until later. Obesity is a chronic condition, and these medications treat it while you take them. In studies, people who stopped regained much of the lost weight within a year. That doesn't mean you can never stop, but you should start with a realistic plan for long-term use, cost, and what tapering might look like.

Cost and coverage in Michigan

Coverage changes often, so treat this as a snapshot as of fall 2026 and verify with your plan:

• Commercial insurance: coverage for weight loss, as opposed to diabetes, varies widely by employer plan. Many require prior authorization, documented BMI and conditions, and sometimes proof of a structured lifestyle program.
• Michigan Medicaid: since January 1, 2026, Medicaid coverage of GLP-1s for weight loss alone has been limited to patients with a BMI of 40 or higher who meet strict criteria. Coverage continues for type 2 diabetes and certain other conditions, such as Wegovy for cardiovascular disease.
• Medicare: a federal Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program, which began July 1, 2026, lets eligible Part D enrollees with obesity get certain GLP-1 medications for a flat copay of about $50 per month through the end of 2027.
• Paying cash: manufacturers now sell several of these drugs directly to consumers at much lower prices than a year or two ago, often a few hundred dollars per month depending on the drug and dose.

A word of caution about online and compounded versions

During the national shortages of 2022 to 2024, compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide became widely available. Now that the shortages are over, the FDA has sharply restricted mass compounding, and it continues to warn about counterfeit and unapproved products sold online, including "research-grade" peptides. Dosing errors with these products have sent people to the emergency room. If a price looks too good to be true, talk with us before you buy.

What starting treatment looks like at WellHealth

We don't hand out prescriptions after a five-minute conversation. A responsible start includes:

• A review of your weight history, medications, and goals.
• Baseline labs, typically A1c, cholesterol, kidney and liver function, and often thyroid tests.
• Screening for conditions that make GLP-1s unsafe, and for weight-related problems that may need their own treatment, such as sleep apnea or fatty liver disease.
• A gradual dosing plan with regular check-ins, in person or by telehealth, to manage side effects and adjust as you go.
• Nutrition and activity guidance focused on protein, hydration, and strength, so the weight you lose is mostly fat, not muscle.

For some patients, a GLP-1 is the right tool. For others, a different medication or a structured lifestyle plan is the better fit. Our customized weight loss plans start with that conversation, not with a predetermined answer.