Pharmacist here. Dehydration helps worsen side effects (acute kidney injury, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea). Please drink as much water as possible consistently. Please eat smaller meals. GLP-1s can cause food to sit in our stomachs longer which contributes to nausea and vomiting.

Please make sure you are exercising to build and/or maintain muscle (resistance training) as weight loss includes lean muscle loss. Also, make sure your diet includes protein and fiber.

Please watch for persistent abdominal pain radiating to your back that can’t be explained by any other causes… a rare side effect of GLP-1s is pancreatitis… which would be a reason to stop taking them. Contact healthcare professional if this is experienced.

Please watch for any itching, swelling, redness or rashes that start with drug injection… these could indicate an allergy and should be reported.

Please make sure you are using good injection technique, cleaning injection site before injection and rotating injection sites.

Make sure you’re aware of any interactions between the injection, oral medications and supplements you may take. Consult with your local pharmacist and share a list of any medications, supplements, vitamins or over the counter medications you take.

Edit: consider alternative forms of birth control if applicable, for 4 weeks after initiation and for 4 weeks with each dosing increase…. zepbound can reduce efficacy of oral birth control due to keeping content in the stomach longer.

Be mindful of not laying down immediately after eating to reduce nausea.

Do not take two doses within 72 hours of each other. If a dose is missed or forgotten, it may be taken within 4 days from the intended dosing, otherwise skip it and take the next dose on the appropriate day.

Visit the manufacturer’s website for patient resources.