How to start GLP-1 weight loss in Charlotte: who qualifies and what to expect
You may qualify for GLP-1 weight loss medicine if your BMI is 30 or higher, or 27 or higher with a weight-related condition such as high blood pressure. Here’s how to check, what happens at your first visit with a OneSpotMD provider in Charlotte, and what the first year looks like.
- ✓ BMI of 30 or higher, or 27 or higher plus a weight-related condition
- ✓ Adults (18 and older) in our program
- ✓ First visit in person at Steele Creek or Plaza Midwood
- ✓ Dose starts low and goes up about every 4 weeks
- ✓ Already on a GLP-1? We can take over your care
- ✓ Insurance plans may have extra rules
Call a clinic to arrange a visit. A provider reviews your eligibility at your in-person visit and checks that the medicine is safe for you. Insured patients are billed like any other visit. No insurance? Ask about our self-pay GLP-1 program.
What happens next: 1. Call either clinic. 2. Our team helps arrange your visit. 3. See a provider in person at Steele Creek or Plaza Midwood.
Cost: no insurance? Visits and labs are $99 a month. If individually prescribed and permitted, self-pay compounded tirzepatide is $199 or $299 a month, depending on your dose. With insurance, visits and labs are billed to your plan; your cost depends on your coverage. See what you’d pay
Never tried a GLP-1? Call a clinic to book a visit, and ask whether we have a sample you can try at your first appointment, before you sign up for the full program. Call to ask about a sample
- A provider you see in person, not just an online form
- Insurance billed for your visits, with help on prior approval
- No insurance? Visits and labs for $99 a month
- Open 7 days, weekdays until 8pm
- Same-day help if side effects hit, because we’re also an urgent care
- Labs, blood pressure and diabetes care in the same clinic
On this page
Do I qualify?Who should notFirst visitFirst yearThe shotSwitchingCost and insuranceOur clinics
Do I qualify for GLP-1 weight loss medicine?
Zepbound and Wegovy are FDA-approved for adults with:
- A BMI of 30 or higher, or
- A BMI of 27 or higher plus at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol
Source: FDA: FDA approves new medication for chronic weight management (Nov 2023); Wegovy prescribing information, FDA (rev. 5/2026)
Other weight-related conditions your provider may consider include prediabetes, sleep apnea, heart disease and fatty liver disease.
BMI chart: height and weight
Find your height. If you weigh at least the number in the first column and have a weight-related condition, or at least the number in the second column, you’re in the range where these medicines are approved.
| Height | BMI 27 starts at | BMI 30 starts at |
|---|---|---|
| 4’10” | 129 lb | 144 lb |
| 5’0″ | 138 lb | 154 lb |
| 5’2″ | 148 lb | 164 lb |
| 5’4″ | 157 lb | 175 lb |
| 5’6″ | 167 lb | 186 lb |
| 5’8″ | 178 lb | 197 lb |
| 5’10” | 188 lb | 209 lb |
| 6’0″ | 199 lb | 221 lb |
| 6’2″ | 210 lb | 234 lb |
| 6’4″ | 222 lb | 246 lb |
Weights are rounded, using the standard BMI formula (weight in pounds x 703, divided by height in inches squared). The CDC defines obesity as a BMI of 30 or higher. Your height and weight at your visit decide it.
Source: CDC: Adult BMI categories
Call to start weight loss care
Who shouldn’t take GLP-1 medicines
- Anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, or with MEN 2
- Anyone who has had a serious allergic reaction to the medicine
- Anyone who is pregnant, or planning a pregnancy soon
Source: Zepbound prescribing information, Eli Lilly (rev. 8/2026); Wegovy prescribing information, FDA (rev. 5/2026)
Your provider also asks about pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, kidney problems, severe stomach emptying problems, diabetic eye disease, eating disorders and your other medicines. Some of these mean extra care, not a no. If a GLP-1 isn’t right for you, our providers can still help with eating and activity changes and check for health problems that affect weight, such as thyroid problems. See our primary care.
Your first visit
- Height, weight, BMI, blood pressure and heart rate
- Your health history, family history and current medicines
- Labs if needed, often blood sugar and kidney function
- What you’ve tried before and what you want to reach
- Choosing a medicine together and checking your insurance
- Learning how to give your shot, if you want to do it at home
What to bring
- Your insurance card and a list of all your medicines
- Any recent lab results
- If you’re already on a GLP-1: the medicine name, your dose, the date of your last dose, and a photo of the pen, vial or pharmacy label
After your visit, we send your prescription to your pharmacy and help with any prior approval your plan asks for. See insurance coverage.
Call to start weight loss care
Your first year, step by step
| When | What usually happens |
|---|---|
| Weeks 1 to 4 | Lowest starting dose, mainly to let your stomach adjust. Many people notice they get full sooner. Weight loss is often small. |
| Months 2 to 5 | Dose goes up about every 4 weeks if you’re doing well. Side effects may flare for a few days after each step. |
| Months 3 to 6 | Your provider checks your progress. If you haven’t lost at least 5% after about 12 weeks on your full dose, they may suggest a change. |
| Months 6 to 12 | Weight loss continues, then gradually slows and levels off. |
| After year 1 | You and your provider set a long-term dose to help keep the weight off. |
Source: Zepbound prescribing information, Eli Lilly (rev. 8/2026); Wegovy prescribing information, FDA (rev. 5/2026); NIDDK (NIH): Prescription medications to treat overweight and obesity
In the main studies, people lost an average of about 15% to 21% of their body weight, with most of it coming off over the first 60 weeks. Results vary.
Source: Jastreboff AM, et al. Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity (SURMOUNT-1). NEJM 2022; Wilding JPH, et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 1). NEJM 2021
How to give your weekly shot
- Give it under the skin of your belly, thigh or upper arm (upper arm is easier if someone helps you)
- Use a different spot each week
- Take it on the same day each week, at any time, with or without food
- Follow the storage and handling directions that come with your medicine
Source: Zepbound prescribing information, Eli Lilly (rev. 8/2026); Wegovy prescribing information, FDA (rev. 5/2026)
We show you how at your visit, or you can come in to either clinic for your shot each week.
Missed a dose?
| Medicine | What to do |
|---|---|
| Zepbound or Mounjaro | Take it within 4 days. After 4 days, skip it and take the next dose on your usual day. |
| Wegovy shot | If your next dose is more than 2 days away, take it now. If it’s less than 2 days, skip it. |
| Wegovy pill | Skip it and take the next one the next morning. |
Source: Zepbound prescribing information, Eli Lilly (rev. 8/2026); Wegovy prescribing information, FDA (rev. 5/2026)
Missed 2 or more weeks? Call your provider before your next dose. You may need to restart at a lower dose.
Everyday life
- Birth control pills: tirzepatide can make them work less well for 4 weeks after starting and after each dose increase. Use a backup method.
- Pregnancy: tell your provider if you’re planning one. Wegovy should be stopped at least 2 months before trying.
- Procedures: tell any team doing anesthesia or sedation that you take a GLP-1.
Source: Zepbound prescribing information, Eli Lilly (rev. 8/2026); Wegovy prescribing information, FDA (rev. 5/2026); Multisociety guidance on GLP-1 medicines before surgery and procedures (HealthDay summary, Oct 2024)
Already on a GLP-1 from an online program?
We can take over your care in person, with a provider who checks your blood pressure, orders labs and sees you the same day if side effects hit. Schedule your visit before you run out so there’s no gap. If you’ve missed 2 or more weeks, don’t restart on your own, since your provider may need to restart you at a lower dose.
Source: Zepbound prescribing information, Eli Lilly (rev. 8/2026); Wegovy prescribing information, FDA (rev. 5/2026)
Taking a compounded GLP-1? Let us know and bring your vial label, syringes and dosing instructions. Compounded medicines are not FDA-approved, and the FDA doesn’t review them for safety, effectiveness or quality. Strengths can be written in units or milliliters instead of milligrams, and the FDA has reported people taking 5 to 20 times the intended dose by mistake. Your provider works out what you’re actually taking and talks with you about your options.
Source: FDA: Concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss; FDA: Dosing errors with compounded semaglutide
- Severe stomach pain that won’t go away, with or without vomiting. It may spread to your back.
- Signs of a serious allergic reaction: swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat, trouble breathing or swallowing, or a fast heartbeat with dizziness
- Fainting, or chest pain
- Anything that seems life-threatening
- Sudden loss of vision: seek emergency medical care immediately.
Call to start weight loss care
Cost and insurance
What you pay each month
Your visits and your medicine are priced separately, so you only pay for what your insurance doesn’t cover.
| Your situation | Visits and labs | Medicine | Each month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-pay program, individually prescribed compounded dose 2.5–7.5 mg | $99 | $199 | $298 |
| Self-pay program, individually prescribed compounded dose 10–15 mg | $99 | $299 | $398 |
| Insurance covers your medicine | Your plan-dependent cost | Your plan-dependent pharmacy cost | Your plan-dependent cost |
| Insurance does not cover medicine; compounded treatment individually prescribed if appropriate | Your plan-dependent cost | $199 or $299 | Your plan-dependent visit/lab cost plus eligible prescribed medicine |
- $99 a month, no insurance needed: a visit with your provider every month and lab work every 3 months. Self-pay patients can sign up for this program.
- With insurance: we bill your plan for your visits and labs. Your cost depends on your plan, including copay, coinsurance and deductible.
- If your plan covers tirzepatide (Zepbound or Mounjaro): we send your prescription to your pharmacy, and your out-of-pocket cost depends on your plan. Many plans need prior approval first, and we help with the paperwork.
- If prescribed for your individual medical need: compounded tirzepatide is $199 a month at 2.5, 5 or 7.5 mg, or $299 a month at 10, 12.5 or 15 mg. Compounded medicine is considered only when an individual medical need cannot be met by an FDA-approved drug and applicable requirements permit it. Cost or lack of insurance coverage alone does not determine eligibility. Your provider determines your dose and follow-up plan.
Compounded tirzepatide is not FDA-approved. The FDA does not review compounded medicines for safety, effectiveness or quality. Your provider talks with you about whether it’s right for you. Prices as of November 2026. HSA and FSA cards are accepted. Compounded medicine is considered only when an individual medical need cannot be met by an FDA-approved drug and applicable requirements permit it. Cost or lack of insurance coverage alone does not determine eligibility.
How insurance coverage for GLP-1 medicine works →
Insurance we take: Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO plans, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana and TRICARE East, plus Original Medicare and most Medicare Advantage plans. We don’t take HMO plans tied to one doctor or hospital system. HSA and FSA cards are accepted. See all the insurance we accept.
Our weight loss clinics in Charlotte
Injectable prescriptions sent to a pharmacy are self-injected at home as instructed. Oral medicines are taken as prescribed. Patients prescribed compounded medicine through our program receive weekly injections at the clinic. A routine provider evaluation is not required at every weekly injection; follow-up and dose changes remain directed by your provider.
| Clinic | Address and phone |
|---|---|
| Steele Creek | 2114 Freeman Park Dr, Suite 105, Charlotte, NC 28273. (980) 880-5588 |
| Plaza Midwood | 2017 Central Ave, Suite 103, Charlotte, NC 28205. (704) 731-8656 |
| Hours (both) | Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm; Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5pm |
Weight loss visits and in-clinic injections are available at both clinics. Close to Steele Creek, Ballantyne, Rivergate, Lake Wylie, Fort Mill, Plaza Midwood, NoDa, Uptown, Midtown and Elizabeth.
Call either clinic to discuss weight loss care and arrange your first visit.
Frequently asked questions
What BMI do you need for Zepbound or Wegovy?
A BMI of 30 or higher, or 27 or higher with at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol.
Can I get a GLP-1 with a BMI of 27?
Yes, if you also have a weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol. Your provider confirms it at your visit.
Can I get a GLP-1 with a BMI under 27?
These medicines aren’t FDA-approved for weight loss below a BMI of 27. Your provider can talk with you about other ways to reach your goals.
How do I get a prescription for a GLP-1 in Charlotte?
Call either clinic to arrange a visit, then see a provider in person at our Steele Creek or Plaza Midwood clinic. If a medicine fits, we send your prescription and help with prior approval.
What happens at my first GLP-1 weight loss visit?
Your provider checks your height, weight, blood pressure, health history and medicines, orders labs if needed, and chooses a medicine with you. You can learn how to give your shot at the visit.
Who should not take GLP-1 medicines?
Anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2, anyone who has had a serious allergic reaction to the medicine, and anyone who is pregnant.
How long does it take to see results on a GLP-1?
Many people feel less hungry in the first weeks, but weight loss is gradual because the dose goes up slowly. Most weight comes off over the first year.
Where do I inject a GLP-1?
Under the skin of your belly, thigh or upper arm. Use a different spot each week.
What if I miss a dose of Zepbound?
Take it within 4 days. If more than 4 days have passed, skip it and take your next dose on your usual day.
What if I miss a dose of Wegovy?
If your next dose is more than 2 days away, take it now. If it’s less than 2 days away, skip it and take the next one as planned.
Can I switch my GLP-1 care from an online program to OneSpotMD?
Yes. Call either clinic to arrange a visit, then see a provider in person. Bring your medicine name, dose, date of last dose and a photo of the label.
Can teenagers get weight loss shots here?
Our weight loss program is for adults 18 and older. Wegovy is approved for some teens 12 and older, so talk with your child’s pediatrician.
Can I try a sample before I sign up for the full program?
Often, yes. We usually have samples in the clinic. Call either clinic to book a visit and ask whether one is available. If your provider decides a GLP-1 medicine is right for you, you may be able to try a sample at your first appointment before you sign up for the full program. Samples depend on what we have in stock.
Sources
Additional safety information: FDA: compounded GLP-1 medicines; FDA: November 2026 vision warning; Wegovy prescribing information.
- FDA: FDA approves new medication for chronic weight management (Nov 2023)
- Wegovy prescribing information, FDA (rev. 5/2026)
- Zepbound prescribing information, Eli Lilly (rev. 8/2026)
- CDC: Adult BMI categories
- NIDDK (NIH): Prescription medications to treat overweight and obesity
- Jastreboff AM, et al. Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity (SURMOUNT-1). NEJM 2022
- Wilding JPH, et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 1). NEJM 2021
- FDA: Concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss
- FDA: Dosing errors with compounded semaglutide
- Multisociety guidance on GLP-1 medicines before surgery and procedures (HealthDay summary, Oct 2024)
This page is general information, not medical advice for your situation. Your provider decides with you whether a medicine is right for you. Results vary from person to person.
Ozempic® and Wegovy® are registered trademarks of Novo Nordisk A/S. Mounjaro® and Zepbound® are registered trademarks of Eli Lilly and Company. OneSpotMD is not affiliated with or endorsed by these companies.
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Side effectsDiet, exercise and keeping it off
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