Patient-Friendly Explanation

GLP-1 weight-loss medications such as semaglutide and tirzepatide are effective but can cause side effects, especially in the first few weeks. The most common are nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and constipation, which usually ease as your body adjusts. Your doctor starts at a low dose and increases it slowly to minimise these effects.

Clinical Definition

GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy is associated with dose-dependent gastrointestinal adverse events, including nausea (approximately 20-40%), vomiting, diarrhoea, and constipation, plus gallbladder disease and rare cases of pancreatitis and acute kidney injury. Gastrointestinal effects typically lessen over 4-8 weeks; slow dose titration, smaller lower-fat meals, and antiemetic support improve tolerability. A personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma remains a contraindication.

Why It Matters

Knowing what to expect helps patients stay on treatment long enough to benefit instead of stopping early. The NuLifeCare medical team guides dose titration and manages side effects as part of the programme.