GLP-1 Candidacy Check
Whether the criteria for semaglutide or tirzepatide apply to you — and the contraindications that rule it out.
A few questions covering the indications and contraindications for GLP-1 receptor agonists. It is a screening tool, not a prescription — but it will tell you whether this is a conversation worth having.
Do I meet the criteria for GLP-1 treatment?
Three questions to place your situation against the criteria used in clinic.
This is not a diagnosis and not a prescription. It is a way to arrive at the consultation with the question properly framed.
Who these medicines are for
GLP-1 receptor agonists — semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy), tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) and liraglutide (Saxenda) — are indicated for:
- BMI of 30 or above, or
- BMI of 27 or above with at least one weight-related condition — type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, obstructive sleep apnoea, metabolic fatty liver disease or polycystic ovary syndrome
They are also indicated for type 2 diabetes independently of weight, where several of them have demonstrated cardiovascular and renal benefit beyond glucose control.
They are not appropriate for cosmetic weight loss at a normal BMI. That is not a moral position — it is that the risk-benefit calculation which justifies these drugs does not hold when there is no metabolic risk to offset.
The absolute contraindications
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding, and they should be stopped before a planned pregnancy
- Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2)
- Active pancreatitis
- Hypersensitivity to the active ingredient
Situations requiring caution rather than exclusion: gallstone disease, a history of pancreatitis, severe gastroparesis, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and inflammatory bowel disease.
What proper supervision involves
The drug is the easy part. What determines whether treatment works is everything around it:
Baseline laboratory work before starting — HbA1c, lipids, kidney, liver and thyroid function. Without it, you cannot tell later what the treatment achieved.
Gradual dose escalation. The schedule exists to keep side effects tolerable, and rushing it is the most common reason people stop within the first two months.
Protecting lean mass. Adequate protein and resistance training are not optional here. Rapid weight loss without them includes muscle you will want back.
An exit plan. How the medication is tapered and what maintains the result afterwards. Some regain after stopping is common; how much depends heavily on what was built during treatment.
Buying them in Peru
Both semaglutide and tirzepatide are available through licensed Peruvian pharmacies, and counterfeit product circulates alongside them. Buy against a prescription, from a licensed pharmacy, and refuse compounded or repackaged vials — legitimate product comes in sealed manufacturer pens. There is a fuller guide in getting Ozempic or Mounjaro safely in Peru.
If this tool says you're not a candidate
That does not mean nothing can be done. It means these particular medicines are not the right tool for your situation, and there are others — including addressing an underlying thyroid, insulin or hormonal problem that may be driving the weight in the first place.
Common questions
Does this tool prescribe anything?
No. It runs through the standard criteria so you know whether you are likely to be a candidate. A prescription requires a consultation, a full history, and in most cases baseline laboratory work.
I already started on my own. Should I still see someone?
Yes, and without any lecture attached. Bring the pen and the box and the dose you are on. We confirm the product is legitimate, run the baseline labs that should have been done at the start, and put the escalation and follow-up on a proper footing from where you are now.
How long does treatment last?
Obesity is a chronic condition, and these medicines treat it while they are being taken. Some people use them for a defined period to reach a target and then taper with a maintenance plan; others continue longer term. It is decided case by case, and the decision should be made deliberately rather than by running out.
Further reading
Medical Weight Loss & GLP-1 Treatment
Physician-supervised GLP-1 treatment (semaglutide, tirzepatide, liraglutide) in Lima. English-speaking endocrinologist in San Borja — proper candidacy assessment, dose escalation and follow-up.
Getting Ozempic or Mounjaro in Peru, Safely
Semaglutide and tirzepatide are available in Peru — and so are counterfeits. How to verify what you are buying, what a legitimate prescription involves, and what supervision should actually look like.
5 min readTools point you in a direction. Diagnosis happens in the consulting room.
If your result raised more questions than it answered, book an evaluation in San Borja or a video consultation from wherever you are.