Do I Qualify for Prescription Weight Loss Treatment?

If you are finding it difficult to lose weight, there are a number of prescription weight loss medications available that you can use to make losing weight easier. Weight loss medication usually works in one or two ways; it can either be used to suppress your appetite so that you won't feel the need to overeat, or it can work in your digestive system by preventing your body from absorbing some of the fat, from your diet.

Weight loss medication has been proven to be a successful in helping many people to lose weight. However, it is not suitable for everyone. Before you decide to take a medication to help you lose weight you should make sure you have considered the following:

Is your weight risking your health?

Weight loss medication is designed to help people who have a serious weight problem, not people who are just a little overweight. Most medication will only be prescribed for people who have a BMI that is greater than 30, which classifies you as clinically obese.

In some cases, if you suffer from health related conditions that are either caused by, or related to you being overweight or obese, you could be eligible for a prescription weight loss treatment. However, you will still need to have a BMI that's over 27. If your BMI is between 25 and 27, you are only a little overweight and should try to reduce your weight by eating a healthy diet and taking regular exercise instead.

Have you already tried to lose weight?

Weight loss medications are usually only prescribed to people who have tried to lose weight through other means. If you have tried to lose weight through dieting and exercise alone, but have not been able to reduce your weight and improve your health, you may be eligible for a prescription for weight loss treatment.

Are the available medications suitable for me?

Like any other prescription medication, weight loss medication has a number of precautions and is not suitable for everyone to use.

If you are currently pregnant or breast feeding, or plan to become pregnant in the near future some prescription treatments will not be suitable for you to use. If you currently suffer from anorexia or any other type of eating disorder, or have epilepsy, a prescription weight loss medication may not be safe for you to take.

If you suffer from diabetes, high cholesterol, or if you have a rare hereditary problem involving galactose intolerance, lapp lactase deficiency, or glucose-galactose malabsorption, prescription weight loss treatment may also not be the appropriate solution for you.

How to find out if you qualify?

If you want to see whether you are suitable for prescription weight loss medication, visit our Obesity page to explore the available options. You can also find out whether a prescription weight loss treatment is suitable for you by completing our online consultation, which will be reviewed by a certified doctor.