GLP-1 Medications: A Beginner's Guide to Semaglutide and Tirzepatide
An introduction to treatment options and the questions to discuss with a licensed provider before starting.
Trimi Health publishes this guide and offers compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide. Plan and process sources checked October 29, 2026 (UTC); this is an editorial update, not a clinical review.
Starting GLP-1 treatment requires an individual review by a licensed provider. Trimi offers compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide when prescribed. Choosing a treatment or completing an assessment does not mean it will be prescribed. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved; they should not be treated as equivalent to an FDA-approved brand product.
The FDA explains the distinction and concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs. For Trimi's current treatment details, review compounded semaglutide or compounded tirzepatide before completing your assessment.
What You'll Learn in This Guide
- • What GLP-1 medications are and how they work
- • The difference between semaglutide and tirzepatide
- • Common brand names explained (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, etc.)
- • What clinical trial results can and cannot tell you
- • Questions about side effects and follow-up care
- • Costs and billing terms
- • How a provider assesses treatment options
- • How to get started with treatment
What Are GLP-1 Medications?
GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1. Semaglutide activates the GLP-1 receptor. Tirzepatide activates both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors. These medicines affect appetite and blood-sugar regulation, but they are different medicines with their own prescribing information.
The STEP 1 semaglutide trial and SURMOUNT-1 tirzepatide trial describe the medicines studied. A licensed provider should explain the specific prescription, its risks and how to use it.
Understanding the Brand Names
The medication landscape can be confusing because the same drugs have different brand names for different uses. Here are several names you may encounter:
Semaglutide Products
Wegovy
A prescription semaglutide brand. Ask your provider about the current prescribing information and whether it is appropriate for you.
Ozempic
A prescription semaglutide brand used in diabetes care. Its indication and dosing should be discussed with your provider.
Rybelsus
An oral semaglutide brand used in diabetes care. Trimi offers compounded injections, not this branded product.
Tirzepatide Products
Zepbound
A prescription tirzepatide brand. Ask your provider about its current indications and prescribing information.
Mounjaro
A prescription tirzepatide brand used in diabetes care. Brand names, indications and prescriptions are not interchangeable.
Semaglutide vs Tirzepatide: Key Differences
The biggest question beginners have is: which medication is better? Read our comparison of tirzepatide vs semaglutide.
A licensed provider reviews your health history, current medicines and treatment goals to decide whether to prescribe. You may express a treatment preference, but a comparison table cannot determine which medicine is suitable for you. Ask about the benefits, risks and follow-up plan for the specific prescription being considered.
How GLP-1 Medications Actually Work
These medicines act on pathways involved in appetite and blood-sugar regulation. Ask your provider how these effects relate to the medicine prescribed for you:
Brain
GLP-1 receptor activity can reduce appetite. Changes in hunger vary, and an article cannot predict your response.
Stomach
These medicines can slow stomach emptying. Discuss symptoms and any concerns about digestion with your provider.
Pancreas
These medicines affect insulin and glucagon, hormones involved in blood-sugar regulation. Tell your provider about all medicines you take.
What Results Can You Expect?
Published trial averages describe specific study populations, doses and follow-up periods. In STEP 1, participants receiving semaglutide 2.4 mg had a mean body-weight reduction of 14.9% at 68 weeks. In SURMOUNT-1, the tirzepatide 15 mg group had a mean body-weight reduction of 20.9% at 72 weeks. These were separate trials, not a head-to-head comparison, and they did not test Trimi's compounded products.
Read the original STEP 1 semaglutide study and SURMOUNT-1 tirzepatide study. Individual results vary. These averages do not predict your result or establish equivalence between compounded and FDA-approved products.
Discuss Side Effects and Follow-Up Before Starting
Ask your provider about the risks of the specific medicine prescribed, what symptoms to report and how to contact the care team. Your prescription instructions and provider's advice determine your dose and any changes. This guide does not set a dose-increase schedule or replace an individual clinical assessment.
Review Trimi's important safety information and bring your questions to your provider. For further reading, see our semaglutide side effects guide and tirzepatide side effects guide.
What is Trimi?
Trimi Health (trytrimi.com) is a US telehealth service founded in May 2024 and operated by TRYTRIMI LLC. It offers compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide when a licensed provider prescribes them: providers in Arora Health's 50-state network review each assessment, and BelieveRx, a Texas-licensed 503A pharmacy (license #35264), prepares prescriptions. Trimi has a commercial relationship with BelieveRx. Trimi Health and TrimRx are separate, unaffiliated companies.
How Much Does a GLP-1 Cost at Trimi?
Compounded semaglutide is $175 billed monthly or $99 a month equivalent on the annual plan ($1,188 upfront, 12-month commitment). Compounded tirzepatide is $235 billed monthly or $125 a month equivalent on the annual plan ($1,500 upfront, 12-month commitment). Every plan is the same price at every prescribed dose and includes medication if prescribed, injection supplies, provider access and shipping, with no separate enrollment, consultation, membership or shipping fee.
| Plan | Compounded semaglutide | Compounded tirzepatide |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $175 billed monthly$175 a month | $235 billed monthly$235 a month |
| Quarterly, 3-month commitment | $435 billed every 3 months$145 a month equivalent | $597 billed every 3 months$199 a month equivalent |
| 6-month, 6-month commitment | $720 billed upfront$120 a month equivalent | $1,050 billed upfront$175 a month equivalent |
| Annual, 12-month commitment | $1,188 billed upfront$99 a month equivalent | $1,500 billed upfront$125 a month equivalent |
Main-catalog prices checked October 29, 2026 (UTC). Review the selected agreement and renewal terms before purchasing.
If the provider determines treatment is not appropriate, the order is refunded in full. The 6-month money-back policy has one qualifying path: complete six continuous months on an active, paid prescribed plan, take the medication as directed, complete provider check-ins, and log a starting weight and a six-month weight in the patient portal. If there is no net weight loss between those logged weigh-ins, Trimi refunds the plan fees paid over those six months. Request it within 30 days of the six-month mark through the contact page; one claim per patient. Stopping early or dissatisfaction alone does not qualify. Results vary. This is a commercial commitment, not a medical guarantee or a promise of a treatment outcome. Read every condition in the refund policy. Trimi does not bill insurance; see the pricing guide for payment information.
Should you start with one month?
A monthly plan costs more per month but has no multi-month commitment. Prepaid plans cost less per month and are billed upfront for the whole term. Choose a payment commitment you understand; choosing a plan does not determine whether a provider will prescribe.
Review the semaglutide plan options and tirzepatide plan options for the full terms.
How Is Eligibility Decided?
A licensed provider determines eligibility individually after reviewing your assessment and may request additional information. Selecting semaglutide or tirzepatide does not establish eligibility or guarantee a prescription. Discuss your medical history, current medications and treatment goals with the provider.
How to Start GLP-1 Treatment Online with Trimi
- Complete the online assessment. It takes about 5 to 10 minutes and covers your health history, current medicines and goals. You must be a US resident aged 18 or older.
- Choose your requested medication and plan. Review compounded semaglutide or compounded tirzepatide, the full charge and the terms at checkout. If the provider determines treatment is not appropriate, the order is refunded in full under the refund policy.
- A licensed provider reviews your assessment. A provider in Arora Health's network typically reviews it within 12 to 24 hours and may ask for more information. A prescription is not assured.
- The pharmacy prepares medication if prescribed. BelieveRx, a 503A compounding pharmacy licensed in Texas under #35264, prepares your prescription. Trimi has a commercial relationship with BelieveRx. Medication ships free overnight once compounded, with Hawaii excluded from overnight shipping. Signup to delivery typically takes 2 to 4 days; timing can vary.
- Use the patient portal for ongoing care. Message your care team, request refills and dose reviews, and schedule a video check-in at no extra cost when you or your provider want one. Your provider decides any treatment change.
The traditional route: see a primary care doctor or specialist, check whether insurance covers the medicine and requires prior authorization, then fill the prescription at a pharmacy.
Start a clinician-guided program
New to GLP-1s? Begin with a licensed provider, not guesswork
Trimi connects you with a licensed provider who reviews your eligibility and, if appropriate, prescribes compounded semaglutide or compounded tirzepatide. Review the plan commitment, amount due and policy terms before enrolling. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved, and results vary by person.
Check your eligibilityWhat does compounded mean?
Compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide is prepared by a state-licensed pharmacy for your individual prescription, and it is not FDA-approved. It is also not a generic: generics go through FDA review before approval, while FDA does not review compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed.
Dr. Sean Arora, MD, Provider, Arora Health (Trimi's clinical partner)
Approved by Dr. Sean Arora, MD on
What to Expect Your First Month
Before your first dose, confirm that you understand the prescription instructions and how to reach your provider. Ask how follow-up works, what information the provider needs and what to do if you have questions about your medication or symptoms. Do not use an online timeline to change your dose or judge whether treatment is working for you.
Our first-month guide offers additional questions to discuss with your provider. Your own care plan remains individual.
I tell new patients the first month on a GLP-1 is for getting used to it, not for judging it. If nausea comes, eat smaller meals, stop when you feel full and go easy on greasy food. If you can't keep fluids down, contact your care team promptly or seek urgent care.
Dr. Sean Arora, MD, Provider, Arora Health (Trimi's clinical partner)
Approved by Dr. Sean Arora, MD on
Your Next Step
Use this guide to prepare for a conversation, not to self-prescribe. Compare the treatment information, billing terms and support available, then complete an assessment if you want a licensed provider to review your situation.
Ready to Start Your GLP-1 Journey?
Start an assessment and ask a licensed provider about your treatment options and follow-up care.
Get Started TodayMore on getting started
Sources & References
- Wilding JPH et al. STEP 1. New England Journal of Medicine, 2021.
- Jastreboff AM et al. SURMOUNT-1. New England Journal of Medicine, 2022.
- FDA: Concerns with Unapproved GLP-1 Drugs Used for Weight Loss. Accessed October 29, 2026 (UTC).
- FDA: Compounding and the FDA, Questions and Answers. Accessed October 29, 2026 (UTC).
- ZEPBOUND (tirzepatide) prescribing information, DailyMed, revised August 2026. Accessed October 29, 2026 (UTC).
- WEGOVY (semaglutide) prescribing information, DailyMed. Accessed October 29, 2026 (UTC).
- FDA alerts health care providers, compounders and patients of dosing errors associated with compounded injectable semaglutide products. Accessed October 29, 2026 (UTC).
- Texas State Board of Pharmacy: public license search. Accessed October 29, 2026 (UTC).
- Trimi main-catalog billing terms and refund policy.
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any medication or treatment program.