The consultation is the part of online GLP-1 care that varies most between providers, and the part patients prepare for least. At one end it is a genuine clinical assessment by a board-certified specialist. At the other it is a web form reviewed in under a minute.
Why This Matters
Coverage of a study reported that a simulated patient in the United States received GLP-1 prescriptions from 45 of the 49 websites they approached.
Screening exists to catch contraindications — a family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, a history of pancreatitis, an eating disorder, a pregnancy plan, an interacting medication. A consultation that approves almost everyone is not being efficient on your behalf.
This guide covers what to expect, what you need to disclose, and how to tell the difference.
The Formats You Will Encounter
| Format | What It Involves | Typical Providers |
|---|---|---|
| Asynchronous questionnaire | You complete a form; a clinician reviews it without live contact | Many cash-pay compounded platforms; U.S. News notes LifeMD’s intake is primarily form-based |
| Live video visit | A scheduled video consultation with a clinician | PlushCare, Sesame, Walgreens, CVS MinuteClinic |
| In-person visit | Physical examination and vitals at a clinic | CVS MinuteClinic, knownwell |
| Specialist consultation | Board-certified obesity medicine assessment | Form Health |
| Ongoing primary care | Weight management within a continuing clinical relationship | Amazon One Medical, knownwell |
None of these formats is automatically wrong. An asynchronous questionnaire reviewed properly by a clinician who declines unsuitable candidates is legitimate. What matters is whether the review is real, not whether it happens on camera.
What You Will Be Asked — and Must Answer Honestly
A competent intake covers all of the following. If yours does not ask about several of these, that is informative.
- Height, weight and BMI — determining whether you meet the clinical threshold
- Weight history — previous attempts, what worked, what did not
- Personal and family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2 — an absolute contraindication for GLP-1 receptor agonists
- History of pancreatitis or gallbladder disease — requiring careful clinical judgement
- Gastrointestinal conditions including gastroparesis
- Eating disorder history — particularly restrictive patterns
- Current medications — including insulin or sulfonylureas, which raise hypoglycaemia risk, and oral medications whose absorption may be affected by delayed gastric emptying
- Pregnancy status and plans, and contraception
- Comorbidities — hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemia, sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease
- Kidney function and diabetic retinopathy where relevant
Do Not Optimise Your Answers
There is an understandable temptation to shade answers toward approval — overstating weight, omitting a family history, not mentioning the eating disorder from a decade ago.
The screening is the only thing standing between you and a medication that could genuinely harm you. A provider who declines you based on accurate information has done their job. A prescription obtained by omission is a risk you have taken on yourself, silently.
Signs of a Real Clinical Assessment
- It asks about contraindications specifically, not just your weight and goals
- It can decline you — and the provider says so upfront. Fridays states plainly that prescriptions cannot be guaranteed for every patient
- It asks about your other medications and considers interactions
- It addresses contraception if you are of childbearing potential
- It discusses starting dose and titration rather than defaulting everyone to the same schedule
- It may order labs — LifeMD includes these at no cost at Quest or Labcorp; Form Health and 9amHealth build diagnostics into the model
- It explains what the medication is, including whether it is compounded and what that means
- There is a named, identifiable clinician rather than an anonymous ’licensed provider’
Being Declined Is a Good Sign, Not a Bad One
If a provider declines you, they have applied clinical judgement rather than taking your money by default.
If the reason is modifiable — an untreated condition, an interacting medication — address it and reapply. If it is a genuine contraindication, that provider likely just protected you from something the other 44 websites would not have.
Questions to Ask Before You Finish
What will I pay per month at my maintenance dose?
Not the starting dose, not the promotional first month. Most advertised prices are entry-dose rates and manufacturer channels roughly double or triple across titration.
Is my medication compounded or FDA-approved, and which pharmacy makes it?
If compounded, ask for the pharmacy name and whether it is 503A or 503B. This is the single most useful question at any compounded provider.
What is my starting dose and titration schedule?
A slower schedule meaningfully improves the odds of staying on treatment. If you are anxious about nausea, raise it here — providers such as Alloy explicitly offer gentler starts.
How do I reach a clinician, and how fast?
Ask about actual response times, not whether support exists. During the first eight weeks a three-day wait for a nausea question is a common reason people quit.
What is the plan for protecting lean mass?
A portion of weight lost on any GLP-1 is muscle. If the answer is nothing beyond ’eat protein’, you know how much clinical thought sits behind the programme.
What happens if I stop in week three?
Ask about refunds, unused months on prepaid plans and cancellation notice — in writing. Side effects cause a meaningful share of patients to discontinue early.
What should make me contact you urgently?
Severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting and signs of an allergic reaction all warrant prompt contact. A good clinician will raise this without being asked.
After the Consultation
A few practical things worth knowing once you are approved.
- Prior authorisation takes weeks if you are going through insurance. PlushCare states plainly that most GLP-1s require it. This is normal, not a sign something has gone wrong.
- Injectables ship cold-chain and should be refrigerated promptly on arrival. If a shipment arrives warm, photograph it and contact the pharmacy the same day rather than injecting it — see our storage guide.
- Ask a pharmacist to check your injection technique if you are using a provider with retail pickup. It is free and catches errors video instructions miss.
- The first eight weeks are the hardest. Gastrointestinal effects are common and are the leading reason patients discontinue. Contact your clinician rather than pushing through severe symptoms — dose adjustment often resolves it.
The Bottom Line
Answer the screening honestly, even where it might disqualify you. It is the only thing checking for contraindications that can cause real harm, and a provider that approves everyone is not doing you a favour.
A consultation that can say no is a consultation worth having. The reported finding that a simulated patient obtained prescriptions from 45 of 49 websites should shape how you read a frictionless approval.
Ask the maintenance-dose price, the pharmacy name, and the stop-in-week-three terms before you finish. Those three answers determine most of what you will actually experience commercially.
For choosing a provider in the first place, see our guide to vetting a GLP-1 telehealth provider, and eligibility criteria for what the screening is checking against.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a questionnaire-only consultation legitimate?
It can be. An asynchronous intake reviewed properly by a clinician who declines unsuitable candidates is a legitimate model. What matters is whether the review is genuine, not whether it happens on video. U.S. News notes that LifeMD’s initial evaluations are primarily form-based, which suits some patients and not others.
What if I am worried I will be declined?
Answer honestly anyway. The screening exists to catch things that can cause serious harm — a family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, a pancreatitis history, an eating disorder. A decline based on accurate information is the system working. If the reason is modifiable, address it and reapply.
Do I need to disclose an old eating disorder?
Yes. GLP-1s substantially suppress appetite, which can reinforce restrictive patterns. It does not automatically disqualify you, but it requires genuine clinical judgement — and it is a strong reason to choose a provider with real clinical depth rather than a fast-prescribing platform.
Will I need lab work?
It varies. Some providers require none; obesity medicine practices such as Form Health and cardiometabolic programmes such as 9amHealth build diagnostics into the model. LifeMD states labs ordered as part of its weight management programme are at no cost at Quest Diagnostics or Labcorp — worth using where available.
How long does it take to get a prescription?
Cash-pay compounded providers often turn around within days. Insurance routes take considerably longer because prior authorisation is near-universal for this drug class and can take weeks, sometimes requiring an appeal.
Can I ask for a specific medication?
You can raise a preference, but the decision is clinical. Providers carrying multiple options — Levity lists five, Amazon One Medical carries both oral GLP-1s — give the conversation more substance than single-product platforms.
What should I ask about starting dose?
Ask what your starting dose and titration schedule will be, and whether a slower schedule is available if you are concerned about nausea. Starting lower and moving up more gradually meaningfully improves the odds of staying on treatment past the difficult first weeks.
What if I have questions after the consultation?
Ask before you finish how you reach a clinician and how quickly they respond. Providers offering unlimited messaging remove the per-interaction cost that discourages patients from asking; per-visit providers may charge each time. This matters most during the first eight weeks.
⚕️ Medical Disclaimer:
This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. GLP-1 receptor agonists are prescription medications with serious risks and contraindications, including a boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors. Only a licensed clinician who knows your medical history can determine whether any weight-management medication is appropriate for you. See our full medical disclaimer.
Disclosure:
This article is based on publicly available information from provider websites and materials, reputable reporting on online GLP-1 prescribing practices, and general clinical understanding of GLP-1 screening requirements, current as of August 2026. Presidential GLP-1 may receive compensation from some providers featured on this site, which helps us provide free, independent reviews. Consultation formats, lab requirements and screening depth vary by provider and change over time. The list of screening topics is illustrative rather than exhaustive — your clinician determines what is relevant to your situation. Nothing here is medical advice, and this guide is not a substitute for the clinical judgement of a licensed provider who knows your full history.
Related Reading
How to Vet a GLP-1 Provider
Red flags, green flags and the questions to ask before you pay.
Do You Qualify for a GLP-1?
The clinical criteria and contraindications the screening checks against.
How to Start a GLP-1
What the first weeks look like and how to prepare for them.
GLP-1 Storage and Shipping
Handling your medication once it arrives, and what to do if it arrives warm.