Basics
How the medicines work, and what to expect.
Almost everything that happens on this treatment traces back to a small number of mechanisms. GLP-1 is a hormone your gut releases when food arrives; these medicines are engineered copies of it that last days instead of minutes. Activating its receptor amplifies insulin release when glucose is high, slows the rate at which your stomach empties, and changes appetite signalling in the brain.
Those three actions explain the benefits and almost all of the side effects. They also explain the timeline — why the first month feels like nothing, why the dose climbs on a fixed schedule, why a missed dose is survivable, and why stopping is gradual whether you intend it to be or not. The pages here cover that foundation.
How GLP-1 medicines actually work
Not appetite suppressants, not fat burners. They are copies of a gut hormone your body already makes — which explains almost everything.
How long GLP-1 medicines stay in your system
Half-lives, steady state, and the arithmetic behind a missed dose — including why stopping does not mean the effect ends that week.
What to expect, month by month
A realistic timeline of the first year — what usually happens when, and which of it means something.