What happens in your first weight loss consultation

Before the appointment

The questionnaire that arrives in advance asks about your weight history, what diets or medicines you have already tried, your current health conditions and the medicines you take, your eating patterns, alcohol, sleep, and shift work. It is not a test you can fail. It is there so the pharmacist knows your situation before you walk in, and can spend the appointment talking rather than asking you to fill forms.

Bring the boxes or repeat slips for everything you take regularly, including inhalers, the contraceptive pill, and anything you have bought over the counter. The pharmacist needs to know what you are on because some medicines affect weight, and some weight loss medicines interact with other treatments.

Height and weight

You will be weighed and measured on the day rather than from what you remember. This matters because the threshold that decides whether treatment is appropriate sits at a specific number. Generally, weight loss medicines are suitable if your BMI is 30 and above, or 27 and above if you also have a weight-related condition such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnoea, or cardiovascular disease. If you are of South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African, or African Caribbean family background, those thresholds are lower by 2.5 points, because cardiometabolic risk rises at a lower BMI in those populations.

The pharmacist will calculate your BMI from the height and weight measured in the room. Waist measurement is often taken too, and blood pressure is checked.

The conversation

The pharmacist will ask what you have already tried: previous diets, exercise programmes, other medicines. They will ask about your eating patterns now: what a typical day looks like, what you snack on, how often you eat out, whether you eat when you are stressed or bored. They will ask about alcohol, because it adds calories and affects appetite signals. They will ask about sleep and shift work, because both affect hunger hormones. They will ask what you are actually trying to achieve: whether it is a target weight, fitting into certain clothes, improving a health condition, or just feeling better.

This is not a lecture. It is a conversation. The pharmacist is working out which medicine, if any, will help you, and which one fits your life.

Explaining the options

Once the pharmacist knows your situation, they will explain which medicines are suitable for you and how they work. The main options are Mounjaro (tirzepatide), Wegovy (semaglutide), Foundayo (oral semaglutide), or Orlistat. Each works differently and suits different people.

Mounjaro is a weekly injection started at 2.5mg for four weeks, then increased in steps to a maximum of 15mg. Wegovy is a weekly injection stepped up monthly from 0.25mg to a maximum of 2.4mg. Foundayo is an oral tablet, started at 0.8mg and stepped up to 17.2mg. Orlistat is a capsule taken with meals that blocks absorption of some dietary fat.

The pharmacist will be honest: none of them work without changes to eating and activity alongside. That is not a failure on your part. That is how they work. They help you eat less and move more, but you have to do the eating and moving.

They will also explain side effects. Nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, reflux, burping and tiredness are common on the GLP-1 medicines (Wegovy, Mounjaro, Foundayo), usually worst in the few days after a dose increase and settling after that. They are not suitable if you are pregnant, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding. If you take the contraceptive pill, absorption can be affected, and additional precautions are advised around starting and each dose increase. If you take insulin or a sulfonylurea for diabetes, your diabetes treatment will need reviewing.

The first injection

If an injectable is right for you, the pen will be supplied on the day. The pharmacist will show you how it works, how to store it, and how to dispose of the needle safely. Most people give themselves the first injection in the room, with the pharmacist there. It takes seconds. The needle is very small and most people say it does not hurt, or hurts less than they expected.

After the appointment

A follow-up appointment is booked for roughly four weeks later. At that appointment, your weight will be checked, side effects will be reviewed, and the decision will be made about whether to stay on the same dose or move up. This pattern continues until you reach a dose that is working for you, or until you and the pharmacist decide together that this medicine is not the right fit.

Weight regain after stopping is common if eating and activity habits have not changed. That is not a failure either. It is why the conversation at the start matters: the medicine works best when it is part of a plan that makes sense for your life.

Common questions

Will I definitely qualify?

Broadly yes if your BMI is 30 and above, or 27 and above with a weight-related health condition. The pharmacist will calculate it on the day and explain if you do not meet the threshold. If you are close, they can discuss what might happen if you lose a small amount of weight first and come back.

Do I have to inject myself?

Yes, once you leave the room. But you will be shown how, and most people find it easier than they expect. If needles genuinely terrify you, Foundayo is an oral tablet instead.

What if I have a side effect I cannot cope with?

Tell the pharmacist at your review appointment. They can hold the dose where it is, lower it, or switch you to a different medicine. Side effects usually settle after a few days, but if they do not, there are options.

How long does it take to work?

That varies. Some people notice appetite changes within days. For others it takes a few weeks. Weight loss itself typically starts within a few weeks but varies between people.

What if I stop?

Weight regain is common if habits have not changed, which is why the eating and activity part matters as much as the medicine. Some people stay on a maintenance dose long-term. Others stop and maintain through habit change. The pharmacist will discuss what makes sense for you.

Is it safe?

These medicines have been used for years and are prescribed widely. They are not suitable in pregnancy, when breastfeeding, or when trying to conceive. If you have a history of pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, severe gut problems, eating disorders, or a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN2, you need to discuss this with the pharmacist before starting. For any chronic health condition, personalised advice is important.

How much does it cost?

Prices vary by medicine and dose. Kenmakos Medical is offering £40 off your first consultation, and the team will confirm the ongoing cost for the medicine that suits you.

Kenmakos Medical in Bletchley can book you in within days, and the pharmacist will walk you through everything on the day. Same-day appointments are often available, so you do not have to wait weeks wondering what to expect.

Pricing

Wegovy

Wegovy Pill

From £129 / 4 weeks.

Mounjaro

Foundayo Pill

From £99 / 4 weeks.