Who the program is for
Our medical weight loss program is for adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, or 27 or more with a weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, sleep apnea or osteoarthritis. Those are the criteria the FDA uses for the medications we prescribe, and the ones insurers apply when they decide whether to cover them.
Most people who come to us have already tried diets, apps and gym memberships. That is not a failure. Appetite and body weight are regulated by hormones, and willpower alone rarely beats them for long. The GLP-1 medications we use act on those hormones directly, which is why the results in clinical trials look so different from anything diet programs have produced.
How the program works
- Consultation. The doctor takes a full medical history, reviews your medications, measures weight, BMI and blood pressure, and orders labs if you do not have recent ones (blood sugar and A1c, kidney and liver function, lipids, thyroid). You talk through your goals and what has and has not worked before.
- Medication. If a GLP-1 is appropriate, the doctor chooses between semaglutide and tirzepatide based on your history, your other conditions and what your plan covers. Both are a once-weekly injection from a small pen that you give yourself at home. The medical assistant shows you how at the first visit.
- Monthly check-ins. You start on a low dose and step up roughly every four weeks. At each check-in we record weight and side effects and decide whether to increase, hold or lower the dose.
- Nutrition and activity. The medication lowers appetite. What you eat still matters, especially enough protein to protect muscle, and so does regular walking or strength work. We give you plain guidance, not a rigid diet.
- Maintenance. Most patients stay on medication for a year or more. Weight tends to return when a GLP-1 is stopped, so we plan for the long term with you rather than a short course.
Why losing weight helps pain
AffordaHealth is a pain practice first, and that is why we run this program. Each extra pound of body weight adds roughly four pounds of load across the knee with every step. Extra weight also drives low-grade inflammation that makes arthritis and back pain feel worse. Patients with knee arthritis who lose around ten percent of their body weight usually report meaningful improvement in pain and function, and the same applies to hips and the lower back.
Semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic)
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist taken once a week. In its main trial, adults without diabetes lost an average of about 15 percent of their body weight over 68 weeks. It is sold as Wegovy for weight management and Ozempic for type 2 diabetes. Read about semaglutide.
Tirzepatide (Zepbound, Mounjaro)
Tirzepatide acts on two hormone receptors, GIP and GLP-1. In its main trial, adults at the higher doses lost an average of around 20 percent of their body weight over 72 weeks. It is sold as Zepbound for weight management and Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes. Read about tirzepatide.
Vitamin injections and IV infusions
B12 injections for documented deficiency, lipotropic (MIC) injections as an adjunct during a weight loss program, and IV vitamin infusions as a wellness service. We are honest about what these can and cannot do. Read about vitamin injections and infusions.
Does insurance cover it? Coverage for GLP-1 medication varies more than for anything else we prescribe. Some commercial plans cover Wegovy or Zepbound for obesity with prior authorization, which our front desk handles. Medicare does not cover medication prescribed for weight loss alone as of 2026, although it may cover Ozempic or Mounjaro when prescribed for type 2 diabetes. The consultation and follow-up visits are usually covered as medical visits. If your plan does not cover the medication, we have self-pay program options that we explain on the call. Read more about insurance and self-pay.
Who should not take a GLP-1
You should not take semaglutide or tirzepatide if you or a close family member has had medullary thyroid cancer or the genetic condition MEN2, if you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding, or if you have a history of pancreatitis. The doctor will also want to know about gallbladder disease, severe stomach or bowel problems, diabetic eye disease, kidney disease and any history of depression. If a GLP-1 is not right for you, we say so and talk through what is.
How do I get started?
Book online through Zocdoc or phone either clinic. The front desk checks whether your plan covers GLP-1 medication, explains the self-pay option if it does not, and books your consultation at Davie or Boynton Beach.
Do I have to come to the clinic every week?
No. You give the weekly injection yourself at home after we teach you. Visits are usually monthly while the dose is being adjusted, then less often once you are stable.
How much weight will I lose?
Results vary. Trial averages were around 15 percent of body weight with semaglutide and around 20 percent with tirzepatide at the higher doses, over roughly a year and a half.
Do you use compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide?
Our doctors start with FDA-approved products. A compounded version is discussed only where it is clinically appropriate for you and permitted under current federal and Florida rules, and we explain plainly that compounded products are not FDA-reviewed.
Which clinic offers medical weight loss?
Both. Davie serves Broward County and Boynton Beach serves Palm Beach County. The same physicians and the same program run at each, so choose whichever is closer.