{"id":592,"date":"2024-08-23T17:11:10","date_gmt":"2024-08-23T17:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reflexmd.com\/?p=592"},"modified":"2025-11-14T16:04:14","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T21:04:14","slug":"glp-1-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reflexmd.com\/blog\/glp-1\/glp-1-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Questions to Ask Your Doctor About a Prescription GLP-1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When you look at the numbers, it\u2019s clear that the United States has a collective health problem. Every year, doctors diagnose 1.2 million Americans with diabetes. In fact, more than 11% of the U.S. population has diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<\/a>. Another 97 million adults have prediabetes, which puts them at high risk of developing the disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This explains the sense of excitement and hope in the medical community when a medication called GLP-1 received FDA approval a few years ago for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These feelings were supercharged when the medication was also found to help with other serious health issues. These include obesity as well as heart disease and stroke in certain people. GLP-1 was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration<\/a> to reduce the risk of developing these conditions.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re interested in talking to a doctor about the medication, it helps to educate yourself. To get you started, here are five GLP-1 questions to ask your doctor. Read on to learn how the medication works, what you can (and should) expect, and much more.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GLP-1 Question #1: What is GLP-1 and how does it work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Knowing how a medication works helps you understand why it\u2019s being prescribed. And what benefits you can expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the basics. GLP-1 is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, which means it mimics a hormone in your body called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1). This hormone tells your body to release insulin and keep your blood sugar at a good level.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This offers tremendous benefits for weight loss and maintaining a healthy blood sugar. It also lowers the risks of cardiovascular issues like heart attacks and strokes, according to Mayo Clinic<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more about the medication and how it works, and get answers to other GLP-1 questions, in The Ultimate Guide To GLP-1<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GLP-1 Question #2: Am I a good candidate for GLP-1?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can talk to your doctor about whether GLP-1 is a good fit for you, based on your personal medical history.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You want to discuss whether you\u2019ll have any issues with the medication. For example, if you have a history of medullary thyroid cancer, that would make you a bad candidate. Or if you have a normal BMI [body-mass index] and you\u2019re interested in GLP-1 for weight loss, as opposed to diabetes treatment, you\u2019re not going to qualify.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n