GLP-1 medications explained
How GLP-1 receptor agonists work, how they are dosed, and what to expect month by month.
Overview
GLP-1 medications explained
What GLP-1 medicines such as Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Wegovy (semaglutide) actually do, who NICE says they are for, how much weight loss to expect, and the side effects that matter.
In this topic
BMI and ideal body weight when you have kidney disease
Why BMI can mislead in CKD and dialysis, and how ideal body weight is calculated.
Comparing GLP-1 medicines available in the UK
Semaglutide, tirzepatide, liraglutide and oral options compared for people with kidney disease.
Dose escalation: what to expect
Why the dose goes up slowly, what each step feels like, when to stay put, and how dose changes are recorded and reviewed at this clinic.
Dose escalation: why it is slow and what to expect
Why GLP-1 doses step up over months, and what to do when a step is not tolerated.
Food noise: why GLP-1 medicines quieten constant thoughts about food
What 'food noise' means, why it fades on treatment, and how to use that window well.
GLP-1 medicines and alcohol
How alcohol interacts with GLP-1 therapy, kidney disease and hydration.
GLP-1 medicines and your other prescriptions
Delayed gastric emptying, oral medicine absorption and the drugs that need review.
GLP-1 medicines, type 2 diabetes and kidney disease
How GLP-1 therapy affects glucose control and diabetes medicines when you also have CKD.
GLP-1 myths and facts
Ten common claims about weight-loss injections, checked against NICE and NHS guidance.
GLP-1 treatment in older adults with kidney disease
Frailty, sarcopenia and falls risk when using weight-loss medicines over 70.
How GLP-1 receptor agonists work for weight loss
A plain-English explanation of how GLP-1 medicines change appetite, gastric emptying and blood glucose.
How to inject a GLP-1 medicine correctly
Step-by-step injection technique, site rotation and safe sharps disposal in the UK.
Liraglutide (Saxenda) in CKD patients
The role of daily injections in renal weight management and how it compares to weekly options.
Oral weight loss medications: Rybelsus and beyond
Comparing oral GLP-1 tablets with injectable options for patients with kidney disease.
Private GLP-1 treatment: what you are actually paying for
How booking, medication supply, follow-up payment and clinical monitoring are separated.
Semaglutide (Wegovy) explained
How semaglutide is dosed, what results to expect, and the NICE two-year treatment limit.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) explained
What tirzepatide is, how it differs from semaglutide, and how doses are stepped up safely.
What happens when you stop a GLP-1 medicine
Appetite rebound, weight regain and how a structured stop protects your results.
What realistic weight loss looks like on GLP-1 therapy
Typical percentage weight loss over 12, 26 and 52 weeks, and how we judge success beyond the scale.
Who is eligible for GLP-1 weight-management treatment
BMI thresholds, comorbidity criteria and the extra checks used for kidney patients.
Your GLP-1 monitoring schedule
Weekly weights, six-weekly clinical review and the 26-week outcome assessment explained.