Weight Loss Medications: Why Comprehensive Medical Care Matters

Increasing access and reducing barriers to weight management medications is a good thing. Many people turn to online services because their medical condition has not been adequately addressed, or because they have experienced weight stigma or bias in traditional healthcare settings. It is important to acknowledge these realities and recognize that everyone deserves respectful, expert care.

In today's world, it can seem quick and easy to order weight loss medications online. A few clicks, a short questionnaire, and you're set. But while convenience is tempting, it's important to understand that weight loss is about more than just taking a medication. It is a medical issue that deserves comprehensive, expert care.

Here's why seeing a board-certified Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine physician offers a very different - and much safer, more effective - experience than ordering medication online.

1. Comprehensive Evaluation

When you work with a board-certified physician, your care starts with a full medical evaluation, not just a brief survey. This includes:

• Blood work to check for underlying problems like thyroid disorders, insulin resistance, or nutrient deficiencies.

• Heart testing to screen for cardiovascular risks.

• Sleep testing to detect sleep apnea, which is very common in patients struggling with weight.

• Body composition testing to measure not just weight, but muscle, fat, and water percentages.

• Bone density testing to assess your skeletal health and minimize future fracture risk.

2. Expert Monitoring and Diagnosis

A physician doesn’t just hand you a prescription and send you on your way. They:

• Interpret your labs to ensure medications are safe for you.

• Monitor your other medications and conditions to prevent dangerous interactions.

• Diagnose new conditions that may be uncovered during evaluation (and treat them properly).

When you order online, none of this happens. Risks can be missed, and opportunities to improve your overall health are lost.

3. Personalized Support

In a comprehensive program, individual guidance is available on finding an eating style and pattern that works for you, if needed. You’re not left to figure it out alone.

Plus, your physician monitors your progress closely, adjusting medications as needed and supporting you through challenges. Online services usually offer minimal to no follow-up, leaving you without guidance if things don't go as planned.

4. True Relationship-Based Care

Weight management is a lifelong journey, not a quick transaction. A board-certified Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine physician treats the whole person, building an ongoing relationship with you. Your care becomes part of your overall Electronic Medical Record (EMR), ensuring seamless coordination with the rest of your health care team.

That means focusing not just on weight loss, but on improving your overall health, reducing your risk for chronic disease, and helping you feel your best, inside and out.

Additionally, when you work with a board-certified physician, you are often able to utilize your health insurance benefits to help cover the cost of visits, tests, and treatments. You also benefit from an ethical practice structure, where the physician’s compensation is not tied to the medications prescribed or the tests ordered, ensuring that all medical decisions are made purely with your best interests in mind.

The Bottom Line:

If you're serious about losing weight safely and improving your health long-term, there's no substitute for seeing a true expert. Online services may offer fast prescriptions, but they cannot replace the personalized, relationship-based medical care you deserve.

For some people, ordering online leads to great results, and that is fantastic. But it's important to recognize that monitoring during weight loss is crucial to ensure optimal health. Long-term care is especially important because weight regain occurs in about 85% of people without ongoing treatment, typically regaining around two-thirds of the weight they initially lost. Additionally, some people experience side effects that go unaddressed, ongoing fatigue, or variable results that could benefit from a more individualized medical approach.

Whether you get your care with Rainier Medical, another specialist, or your primary care provider, consider all your options and find the best fit for you. Here is a link to the American Board of Obesity Medicine website where you can search for a board-certified physician near you: https://www.abom.org/

Your health is worth it.

Take Back Your Health,

Valerie Hope-Slocum Sutherland, MD