At Phoenix NP, our Medical Weight Loss program is designed to address your individual needs with a combination of safe and effective prescription weight loss medications, healthy eating and exercise coaching, and continuous support.
Whether you're in your 20s or your 50s, trying to lose weight for the first time or been struggling with your weight for years, with a focus on personalized individual plans and weight loss medications, we’ll help you find the right combination of tools to make real progress.
Understanding Medical Conditions Affecting Weight
Certain medical conditions can significantly impact weight management and loss. Conditions such as hypothyroidism, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), insulin resistance, and hormonal imbalances often contribute to weight gain or make weight loss more challenging. Hormone changes are also common contributors to weight gain, such as new birth control pills or pre-menopause and menopause for aging women. Addressing these conditions in a hollistic manner can sometimes be the difference maker in seeing actual results for weight management!
Other weight loss clinics charge you for the medications and leave you on your own. Our Arizona licensed Nurse Practitioner, Jenny, will factor in your underlying conditions and overall medical history to provide a treatment and wellness plan that works for you, with regular follow ups appointments and messages to give you the best support for long-term success.
What are GLP-1 Medications?
GLP-1 medications, or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, are a class of medications primarily used in the management of type 2 diabetes. However, they've also gained attention for their significant impact on weight loss in individuals with obesity. Brand name medications such as Wegovy/Ozempic (active ingredient: Semaglutide) and Zepbound/Mounjaro (active ingredient: Tirzepatide) are classified as GLP-1 Medications.
These medications mimic the action of a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1, which is naturally produced in the intestines in response to food intake. Here's what they do:
1. Regulating Appetite:
GLP-1 medications work in the brain to reduce feelings of hunger and increase the sensation of fullness. This helps individuals feel more satisfied with smaller portions, reducing overall food intake.
2. Slowing Gastric Emptying:
They slow down the rate at which the stomach empties, which can lead to prolonged feelings of fullness after meals, further assisting in controlling appetite.
3. Improving Blood Sugar Control:
Originally developed for managing blood sugar levels in diabetes, these medications also have the beneficial side effect of improving insulin sensitivity and lowering blood sugar levels.
4. Aiding Weight Loss:
One of the most significant effects observed with GLP-1 medications is their ability to assist in weight loss. They have been found to help people lose weight by decreasing appetite, reducing food intake, and potentially increasing the body's ability to burn fat.
5. Potential Impact on Metabolism:
There's ongoing research into how GLP-1 medications might impact metabolism, potentially leading to increased energy expenditure or fat burning.
6. Considerations and Usage:
These medications are typically prescribed in conjunction with lifestyle modifications, including diet and exercise, for optimal results. They're often considered for individuals with a body mass index (BMI) above a certain level who struggle with weight management despite lifestyle changes.
Safety and Side Effects:
While generally well-tolerated, they can have side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, especially when starting treatment. However, these side effects often improve over time.
Always consult with a healthcare provider to understand if GLP-1 medications are suitable for your specific health needs and to manage any potential side effects.
Understanding Costs
We understand cost considerations are important. The typical cost of branded weight loss medications like Wegovy (semaglutide) or Zepbound / Mounjaro (tirzepatide) without insurance can vary but are typically $1000 to $1200 per month (4 doses, taken 1 per week). Although these medications have been FDA approved and clinical trials have demonstrated their safety and effectiveness for weight loss, many insurance companies still do not cover the cost of these medications. There are some manufacturer coupons available but they are typically temporary (e.g. can be used for only 3 months), you must meet certain criteria to qualify for them (e.g. Type II Diabetes diagnosis and commercial insurance), and can face difficulties getting pharmacies to apply them to your orders.
If you're interested in our all inclusive Medical Weight Loss programs, we have the price of the compounded medications included without any of the hassles of fighting with pharmacies with coupons, or worrying that the coupon won't work next month where you'll have to suddenly pay over $1000!
Our pre-negotiated prices with our Arizona licensed compounding pharmacy partners provide safe and effective medications at a significantly more affordable price.
All GLP-1 medications covered by our plans require an Initial Consultation and prescription from our licensed medical provider. Prescriptions to our partner pharmacies are for compounded GLP-1 medications with the active ingredients of either semaglutide or tirzepatide. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved, but are compounded by Arizona licensed and regulated pharmacies.
Medications are manufactured in the USA and shipped directly to you from an Arizona licensed and regulated compounding pharmacy. In addition, we strive to provide additional value and support for healthy eating, coaching, exercise planning, and providing Women's Healthcare.
Schedule your free introduction appointment to discuss your individual needs or check out our upfront and transparent Plans & Pricing page.
How does this membership process work?
1
Free Introduction Call (Optional)
Schedule an appointment with our Nurse Practitioner on our booking page for an online Zoom video/phone call to meet and understand your weight loss goals and journey. We will screen your medical history and determine if you are a candidate for our weight loss program, which includes GLP-1 medications if applicable. You'll have a chance to get to know our Nurse Practitioner more, ask any questions, and see if Phoenix NP is the right fit for you!
2
Sign Up and Membership Processing
After signing up for one of our monthly plans, we will create a patient account for you within our electronic medical record system, which will give you patient portal access. We will send you consent forms and an intake form to fill out once you create your patient portal account.
3
Initial Consultation
Once all forms and intake has been completed, the initial consultation is scheduled to discuss and prescribe GLP-1 medications based on your medical history, goals, and preferences. Typically, GLP-1 treatment is started with a low dosage and then gradually rise to the higher doses, if tolerable. Other initiatives, such as nutrition logs and exercise regimen will be discussed so that we can understand what your normal lifestyle is like so we can create a personalized plan that you will be comfortable with. No forced calorie counting or strict food diets.
4
Initial Prescription and Training
The semaglutide or tirzepatide prescription is sent to our pharmacy partners, which we've vetted to ensure the medications are made in the USA and dispensed from a compounding pharmacy located in AZ. Once the medication is received by you, a follow up appointment is scheduled to teach/educate on how to prepare and administer the medication to yourself, and answer any questions/concerns.
5
Continued Follow Up and Membership
Follow up appointments will typically be every 3-4 weeks at your convenience, where your overall progress and goals are discussed or adjusted as needed. A personalized health and wellness plan is provided to you each month with updates on what to focus on for that month. The prescription may be increased over time depending on whether you are tolerating the dosage well and whether more is needed for continued weight loss.
6
Cancel at Anytime
If you're not satisfied with our provider, service, or hopefully have lost so much weight you don't need to continue your membership plan, you are able to cancel at anytime. Once medications have been shipped, they can not be returned to us or the pharmacy, so no refunds can be provided for a paid month that medications have shipped already. If medications have not been shipped yet, then you will receive a full refund of the most recent month regardless of any coaching or appointments you have had already. We want everyone to find the right provider for them, so we don't lock anyone into long term contracts and do our best to provide upfront pricing and fair billing practices.