I Got My Prescription — Now What?
You have a prescription for weight loss medication. Here is exactly what to do between now and your first dose.
Quick read · 5 min
- •Pick up your prescription and check storage requirements — injectables need refrigeration
- •Choose your first dose day when you have a lighter schedule (many people pick a weekend)
- •Stock your kitchen with high-protein, easy-to-digest foods in smaller portions
- •The first dose is the lowest — it is designed to let your body adjust, not to produce weight loss
Not at this stage yet?
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Before your first dose
Most of the preparation is practical. Here is a checklist of what to sort out between getting your prescription and taking your first dose.
Pick up and store your medication correctly
If you are on a weekly injection (semaglutide or tirzepatide), the pen must be refrigerated until first use. Do not freeze it. Once you start using the pen, semaglutide lasts 28 days at room temperature, tirzepatide 21 days. If you are on orforglipron (Foundayo), it is a daily pill — store at room temperature, no refrigeration needed.
Choose your first dose day
Pick a day when you do not have a lot on. Nausea is the most common first-dose side effect and usually appears within 24-48 hours. Many people choose a Friday so the adjustment period falls on the weekend.
Stock your kitchen
Your appetite will likely drop within the first week. Have high-protein, easy-to-eat foods ready: Greek yoghurt, eggs, lean chicken, protein shakes, soups, crackers. Avoid stocking up on large portions — you will probably eat less than usual.
Set up a simple tracking method
Weigh yourself once a week (same day, same time, same conditions). Take a front and side photo. Note your waist measurement. These give a fuller picture than the scale alone — especially in weeks when the number does not move.
Review your other medications
If you take other prescriptions, check with your prescriber for interactions. Some medications — especially insulin, sulfonylureas, and oral contraceptives — may need dose adjustments. Tirzepatide in particular can affect how your body absorbs oral contraceptives for the first 4 weeks.
Your first dose — what to expect
The first dose is intentionally very low. It is not designed to make you lose weight — it is designed to let your digestive system adapt to the medication with fewer side effects.
Semaglutide
0.25 mg
Weekly injection
Tirzepatide
2.5 mg
Weekly injection
Orforglipron
3 mg
Daily pill
Do not be discouraged if nothing happens in the first week or two. The starting dose is a fraction of the maintenance dose. Semaglutide does not reach its full dose until about week 17. Tirzepatide takes about 20 weeks. The drug needs time to build up.
The first 48 hours
Here is what most people experience in the first couple of days after their first dose.
Most people feel nothing. Some notice a slight fullness or reduced appetite. If you are injecting, the injection itself is a small needle under the skin — most people describe it as painless.
Appetite reduction often starts to become noticeable. Some people describe it as the volume being turned down on hunger. Mild nausea may appear, especially after eating a large or fatty meal.
If nausea is going to happen, it usually peaks in this window. Eat small, plain meals. Stay hydrated. Ginger tea and peppermint can help. If you feel fine, that is also completely normal — many people have no side effects on the starting dose.
What to eat in week one
Your appetite will probably drop. The goal this week is not weight loss — it is making sure you eat enough to avoid feeling weak, nauseous, or low-energy.
Good choices for the first week:
Foods to go easy on this week:
Aim for at least 60g of protein per day from the very start. Protein protects muscle mass during weight loss — and once muscle is lost, it is very difficult to regain. This is the single most important nutrition habit to build early.
What to track (and what not to)
Tracking helps you and your doctor understand how the medication is working. But tracking too much can become stressful. Here is what matters.
Worth tracking
Not necessary
If you are injecting
Detailed injection site guides for each medication:
Based on clinical trials · No rankings · Every claim linked to source
Last reviewed: April 2026