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Episode 255: Ask the Obesity Doctor Part 2: GLP-1 Safety, Counterfeit Medications, Side Effects & Ozempic Face

Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss

Release Date: 09/07/2026

Episode 256: Why Am I Not Losing Weight on a GLP-1? 4 Reasons Why show art Episode 256: Why Am I Not Losing Weight on a GLP-1? 4 Reasons Why

Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss

You’re taking a GLP-1 medication, but the scale isn’t moving the way you expected. Maybe you’ve even watched someone else say they lost 20 pounds in two months and wondered, “Why isn’t this working for me?” If you’ve been asking yourself that question, I want you to know that your experience with a GLP-1 medication may look very different from someone else’s. In this episode, I’m breaking down four reasons you may not be losing as much weight as you expected on a GLP-1, and what I look at when a patient tells me their medication isn’t working. I’ll also talk about...

info_outline Episode 255: Ask the Obesity Doctor Part 2: GLP-1 Safety, Counterfeit Medications, Side Effects & Ozempic Face show art Episode 255: Ask the Obesity Doctor Part 2: GLP-1 Safety, Counterfeit Medications, Side Effects & Ozempic Face

Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss

Have you ever wondered whether compounded GLP-1 medications are as safe and effective as brand-name medications? Or how you can tell if a GLP-1 or peptide product is fake? In this episode of Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss, I’m continuing my Ask the Obesity Doctor series, where I answer real questions you’ve left on my YouTube videos and social media. This time, I’m talking about safety. I’ll answer five questions about compounded GLP-1 medications, counterfeit and black-market products, medication interactions, side effects, and something I hear frequently from patients:...

info_outline Episode 254: Ask the Obesity Doctor Part 1: GLP-1, Contrave, Thyroid, Dosing & Calories show art Episode 254: Ask the Obesity Doctor Part 1: GLP-1, Contrave, Thyroid, Dosing & Calories

Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss

What questions do you have about GLP-1 medications and weight loss? In this episode of Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss, I’m doing something a little different. I’m answering five real questions that viewers have left on my YouTube videos and social media about weight loss medications. I’ll talk about whether you can take Contrave with a GLP-1, whether GLP-1 medications are an option if you have hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s disease, and whether it’s safe to increase your dose faster if you aren’t experiencing side effects. I’ll also explain what to do if you need to...

info_outline Episode 253: One Month Into the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge: What You Need to Know show art Episode 253: One Month Into the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge: What You Need to Know

Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss

One month into the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program, I've learned that getting approved is less complicated once you understand the pathway. But there are several important details that can cause delays if you don't know what to look for. In this episode, I walk you through what I've learned from helping patients navigate the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge during its first month. We cover who qualifies, which medications and formulations are included, when you may need to use Medicare Part D instead, and what your doctor, pharmacy, and you need to do to keep the process moving. I'll also explain why your...

info_outline Episode 252: The Mountain Within: What Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro Taught Me About Weight Loss, Health & Resilience (Part 2) show art Episode 252: The Mountain Within: What Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro Taught Me About Weight Loss, Health & Resilience (Part 2)

Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss

Summit night on Kilimanjaro started at 11:40pm in complete darkness, with nothing but a headlamp and the next step in front of me. Nine hours later, I reached the roof of Africa. If you've ever felt like your health journey is moving backward before it moves forward, this episode is for you. In this part two finale, I'm sharing the final four lessons from my Kilimanjaro climb: why progress sometimes means going higher before you go lower, why trusting the process matters  before you see results, how I made it through the hardest section by focusing on just 15 steps at a time, and why...

info_outline Episode 251: The Mountain Within: What Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro Taught Me About Weight Loss, Health & Resilience (Part 1) show art Episode 251: The Mountain Within: What Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro Taught Me About Weight Loss, Health & Resilience (Part 1)

Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss

Over a week ago, I stood at 19,341 feet on the roof of Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, harder than any Ironman or marathon. But somewhere between the rainforest and the summit, I realized I wasn't just climbing a mountain. I was watching my patients' weight loss journeys play out in front of me. In this episode, I'm sharing the first four lessons Kilimanjaro taught me about health, resilience, and what it actually takes to accomplish something hard. From the invisible prep work no one applauds, to why "pole pole" (slowly) is the secret to going further, this...

info_outline Episode 250: Why Your Weight Loss Has Stalled — 7 Reasons Behind the Plateau show art Episode 250: Why Your Weight Loss Has Stalled — 7 Reasons Behind the Plateau

Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss

I had a patient walk into my office recently looking frustrated. She sat down, crossed her arms, and said, "Dr. Shelly, my medication has stopped working. I lost 32 pounds, but for the last six weeks my weight hasn't budged. Am I immune to this medication?" If you've looked at the scale lately and wondered the same thing, this episode is for you. In this episode, I'm walking you through the seven most common reasons weight loss plateaus happen, from still being on a starting dose to hidden medical conditions like thyroid issues or PCOS that can quietly work against you. I'll also break down...

info_outline Episode 249: Do I Have to Stay on My Medication Forever? What the ATTAIN Maintain Trial Reveals show art Episode 249: Do I Have to Stay on My Medication Forever? What the ATTAIN Maintain Trial Reveals

Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss

"Doc, do I need to take this forever?" It's one of the most common questions I hear in my office, whether it's someone's very first visit or someone who's already lost 30, 40, even 80 pounds and is feeling great. In this episode, I break down why your body fights so hard to regain weight after you lose it, and why that's biology, not failure. I walk through the new ATTAIN Maintain trial, a study of 376 adults who had already lost significant weight on tirzepatide or semaglutide, testing whether switching to an easier once-daily oral GLP-1 could help them keep the weight off, instead of just...

info_outline Episode 248: Am I Going to Go Blind on a GLP-1? Understanding the NAION Headlines show art Episode 248: Am I Going to Go Blind on a GLP-1? Understanding the NAION Headlines

Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss

If you've seen headlines linking Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications to sudden eye strokes, I want to stop the panic right here.  In this episode, I break down what the research on NAION actually shows, who's really at risk, and why the scary relative-risk numbers you're seeing online don't tell the whole story. I walk you through what NAION is, why patients on semaglutide often already carry the underlying risk factors that get left out of the clickbait, and what the difference is between an observational study raising a signal and a randomized trial proving cause and effect. I also...

info_outline Episode 247: The Menopause Metabolism Shift: How Foundayo Changes the Game show art Episode 247: The Menopause Metabolism Shift: How Foundayo Changes the Game

Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss

I hear this from so many of my patients: "Dr. Shelly, I haven't changed anything—not my diet, not my exercise—but I'm gaining weight and my body just doesn't respond the way it used to." If you're a woman in your 40s or 50s, you're probably nodding right now. In this episode, I'm walking you through exactly why menopause causes weight gain, why it has nothing to do with willpower, and what breakthrough new research reveals about Foundayo—an oral GLP-1 medication—and how it helps restore the biological signals that become harder to access during this life stage.  I'm sharing real...

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More Episodes

Have you ever wondered whether compounded GLP-1 medications are as safe and effective as brand-name medications? Or how you can tell if a GLP-1 or peptide product is fake?

In this episode of Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss, I’m continuing my Ask the Obesity Doctor series, where I answer real questions you’ve left on my YouTube videos and social media.

This time, I’m talking about safety. I’ll answer five questions about compounded GLP-1 medications, counterfeit and black-market products, medication interactions, side effects, and something I hear frequently from patients: “Ozempic face.”

I’ll explain the difference between brand-name and compounded medications and why compounded medications have not gone through the same rigorous testing as brand-name medications. I’ll also talk about why you can’t reliably tell whether a GLP-1 or peptide product purchased from the black market is authentic or counterfeit.

I’ll discuss medication combinations that require extra caution when taking GLP-1 medications, including oral birth control and warfarin, and what you should do if you experience symptoms that concern you.

Finally, I’ll explain what people mean when they talk about “Ozempic face,” why it doesn’t happen to everyone, and why you shouldn’t assume your experience with a GLP-1 medication will be the same as someone else’s.

These are questions I hear frequently, and my goal is to help you better understand what to discuss with your own healthcare provider. This episode is for education only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice.

Episode Highlights:

  • The difference between brand-name and compounded GLP-1 medications

  • Why compounded medications have not gone through the same rigorous testing as brand-name medications

  • Why you cannot reliably tell if a black-market GLP-1 or peptide product is authentic

  • Why I recommend avoiding counterfeit and black-market peptide products

  • Medication combinations that require extra caution when taking GLP-1 medications

  • What to do if you experience unusual or concerning side effects

  • What “Ozempic face” actually means and why it doesn’t happen to everyone

  • Why you should not compare your GLP-1 experience to someone else’s

If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, I recommend starting there and then continuing with this episode for the second set of questions.

Listen to Part 1: #254: Ask the Obesity Doctor Part 1: GLP-1, Contrave, Thyroid, Dosing & Calories https://bit.ly/BackOnTrackEpisodes 

If you’re using a GLP-1 medication, considering one, or simply trying to understand the information you’re seeing online, I hope this episode helps you have a more informed conversation with your healthcare provider.

 

Connect with Dr. Alicia Shelly

 

About Dr. Alicia Shelly

Dr. Alicia Shelly was raised in Atlanta, GA. She received her Doctorate of Medicine from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, OH.  Dr. Shelly has been practicing Primary Care and Obesity medicine since 2014.  In 2017, she became a Diplomat of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She is the lead physician at the Wellstar Medical Center Douglasville. She started a weekly podcast & Youtube channel entitled Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight loss,  where she discusses how to get on track and stay on track with your weight loss journey. She has spoken for numerous local and national organizations, including the Obesity Medicine Association, and the Georgia Chapter of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons. She has been featured on CNN, Fox 5 News, Bruce St. James Radio show, Upscale magazine, and Shape.com. She was named an honoree of the 2021 Atlanta Business Chronicle's 40 under 40 award. She also is a collaborating author for the, “Made for More: Physician Entrepreneurs who Live Life and Practice Medicine on their own terms''.

Resources:

FREE! Discover the 5 Reasons Your Weight-Loss Journey Has Gotten Derailed (And How To Get Back On Track!) 👉 Click HERE