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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Yes, for eligible adults: medical weight loss is assessed by video, with GLP-1 medicines prescribed only when the criteria are met and reviews booked; pregnancy, breastfeeding, trying to conceive, an active eating disorder or a BMI already in the healthy range rule them out.
- What it is: doctor-led treatment for obesity combining eating and activity changes with, where appropriate, prescription medicines; obesity affects about 1 in 6 adults in Europe and is a long-term condition, not a lack of willpower.
- Eligibility: GLP-1 weight loss injections are licensed in the EU for a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more with a weight-related condition such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnoea.
- Results: in trials, adults using a weekly GLP-1 injection alongside diet and activity changes lost about 15% of their body weight on average over 15 months, and newer dual-action injections around 20%; results vary widely.
- Side effects and stopping: nausea and other gut symptoms are the rule rather than the exception, worst around dose increases; appetite returns when the medicine stops, and much of the weight is regained within a year without lasting habit change.
- Emergency: severe, persistent abdominal pain while using a GLP-1 medicine can signal pancreatitis or gallbladder disease and needs urgent in-person care; call 112 for pain with collapse, vomiting blood or severe breathlessness.
Prescription weight loss medicines help some people and are unsafe for others. The doctor will not prescribe them if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive, if you have an active eating disorder, or if your BMI is already in the healthy range, though you can still book for honest advice. Severe, persistent abdominal pain while using a GLP-1 medicine needs urgent in-person care, not a video call.
How an online consultation helps with medical weight loss
- An honest eligibility check: BMI, weight-related conditions and your medical history decide whether medication is licensed for you at all. You find out where you genuinely stand before spending anything on treatment.
- A lifestyle foundation, not a shortcut: every licensed weight loss medicine works alongside changes to eating and activity, not instead of them. The plan starts there, whatever else is prescribed.
- Side effects managed, not glossed over: nausea and other gut symptoms are the rule rather than the exception with GLP-1 medicines, especially as doses rise. You are told what to expect and how doses are stepped up to keep it manageable.
- Follow-up built in: weight loss treatment is reviewed over months: dose titration, weight and side-effect checks, and a clear decision point if treatment is not working. It is a programme, not a one-off script.
Can you get weight loss injections online?
Only with a prescription, and only after a proper medical assessment. GLP-1 weight loss injections such as semaglutide are prescription-only medicines across the EU, licensed for people who meet BMI and health criteria and always alongside diet and activity changes.[1] Rules on prescribing them remotely, and pharmacy stock, vary by country, so availability differs across Europe.
What a video consultation adds is the assessment itself. On Mobi Doctor, the doctor checks whether you meet the criteria, screens for the conditions that make these medicines unsafe, and is equally clear when the answer is no. Anyone promising weight loss injections without that conversation is not prescribing responsibly, and a doctor who starts you on treatment also owes you follow-up, dose adjustments and an exit plan.
What the doctor checks in an online medical weight loss consultation
The assessment follows the same criteria an in-person clinic would use. In a medical weight loss consultation, the doctor will typically assess:
- BMI and weight history: your current height and weight, how your weight has changed over the years, and what you have already tried, from diets to previous medication.
- Weight-related conditions: type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, sleep apnoea and joint problems, because these change both eligibility and the urgency of treatment.[2]
- Possible medical drivers: thyroid problems, polycystic ovary syndrome, and medicines that promote weight gain, such as some antidepressants, antipsychotics and corticosteroids.
- Contraindications: pregnancy, breastfeeding or plans to conceive, a history of pancreatitis or gallbladder disease, significant gut disease, and, in diabetes, retinopathy that needs monitoring before GLP-1 treatment.[1]
- Your relationship with food: screening for binge eating and other eating disorders, because appetite-suppressing medication in that setting can cause harm rather than help.
- Expectations and goals: what a realistic loss looks like, over what timeframe, and whether medication genuinely fits your situation, since cosmetic use in the healthy BMI range is declined.
How do GLP-1 weight loss medicines work?
GLP-1 medicines copy a natural gut hormone that signals fullness. Taken as a weekly injection, semaglutide reduces appetite and slows stomach emptying, so smaller meals satisfy you and the constant pull of food quietens.[1] In the licensing trials, adults using semaglutide 2.4 mg alongside diet and activity changes lost around 15% of body weight on average over about 15 months, though individual results vary widely.[1] The effect lasts only while treatment and habits continue, which is why the medicine is a tool inside a programme rather than a cure, and why obesity itself is best understood as a long-term medical condition rather than a willpower failure.[3]
Which weight loss medicines exist in Europe?
Three groups matter in practice. GLP-1 and related injections include semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide, a newer dual-hormone medicine; both are licensed in the EU for weight management within BMI criteria.[1][5] Orlistat, a capsule that blocks some dietary fat absorption, is an older option with modest results, available at lower strength without prescription in some countries. Naltrexone-bupropion tablets are also licensed in parts of Europe. Which of these your doctor can actually offer depends on your country's rules and on pharmacy stock, both of which the doctor confirms with you rather than assuming.
Ozempic, Wegovy and the supply problem
Ozempic contains semaglutide too, but it is licensed for type 2 diabetes, at different doses; Wegovy is the weight-management licence. Demand for these medicines has caused repeated shortages across Europe, at times leaving people with diabetes struggling to fill prescriptions, so responsible prescribing sticks to the licensed product where it is available and never treats the diabetes supply as a slimming resource. Be equally wary of "semaglutide" sold through social media or unregulated websites: falsified pens have been found in circulation, and the only safe route is a prescription dispensed by a pharmacy.
Who is eligible for weight loss injections?
Under the EU licence, GLP-1 weight management medicines are for adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more with at least one weight-related condition such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnoea, always combined with a reduced-calorie diet and increased activity.[1] National health systems often apply stricter access rules than the licence, and who may start treatment differs by country.[2]
Eligibility is also about safety, not only thresholds. Pregnancy and breastfeeding rule treatment out, and so does an active eating disorder. If your weight has risen quickly without explanation, or comes with symptoms such as marked fatigue, feeling cold all the time or irregular periods, the doctor may investigate first, because treating an unrecognised thyroid or hormonal problem matters more than starting an injection. Those work-ups sit alongside our care for nutrition and metabolism disorders.
What are the side effects of GLP-1 weight loss medicines?
Gut symptoms are the most common: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation affect a large share of users, typically worst in the weeks after each dose increase and easing as the body adjusts.[1] Less common but more serious risks include gallstones and inflammation of the pancreas, which is why severe, persistent abdominal pain is a stop-and-seek-care symptom rather than something to push through. Rapid weight loss from any cause can also thin hair temporarily and, in people on diabetes medication, doses may need adjusting to avoid low blood sugar. The practical answer to most side effects is the slow titration schedule: starting low, increasing monthly, and holding or dropping back a step when symptoms bite. Report mood changes to your doctor too; you should never feel that symptoms have to be endured in silence for the sake of the scale.
Which weight loss route might the doctor recommend?
Treatment follows your starting point and your health, not a one-size funnel. This is the decision framework the doctors use, aligned with the cited European licensing and guidance:[1][2]
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Presentation | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When referral or in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMI 30+, or 27+ with a weight-related condition, ready to change habits | Structured plan: diet and activity foundation plus assessment for GLP-1 medication | Usually yes, where national rules allow remote prescribing | Poor response after an adequate trial, or complex disease needing specialist input |
| BMI 25–30 without weight-related conditions | Lifestyle-first plan; weight loss medicines are generally not licensed here | Yes, for advice, planning and review | If weight keeps rising despite changes, or an underlying cause is suspected |
| Weight gain with a possible medical driver (thyroid, PCOS, medicines) | Targeted history, blood tests and a medication review before any weight loss drug | Yes, for the initial work-up | When physical examination or specialist endocrine care is needed |
| Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or a history of an eating disorder | Weight loss medicines are not appropriate; supportive, specialist-led care instead | Online for honest advice and signposting only | Promptly, especially for an active eating disorder |
| BMI 40+ with poorly controlled complications | Specialist weight-management assessment, sometimes including surgery | Assessment and referral online | Usually; hospital-level pathways are the right setting |
Not sure which row is you? A doctor can tell you in one consultation. €43.
See available times →Treatment options for weight loss
What you can do yourself
The foundation is simple and non-negotiable: a sustainable calorie deficit built on meals you can live with, protein and fibre that keep you full, at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, and enough sleep, since short nights push hunger hormones the wrong way.[3] Alcohol is dense, easy-to-miss calories. Crash diets produce fast losses that reverse just as fast; a steady 0.5–1 kg a week holds far better.[4] Even a 5–10% loss meaningfully improves blood pressure, blood sugar and sleep apnoea, so the target does not have to be dramatic to be worthwhile.
Prescription treatment after your consultation
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. If you meet the criteria and nothing in your history rules it out, the doctor can prescribe where your country's rules allow, starting at the lowest dose with monthly increases and reviews along the way.[1] Treatment that is not delivering, commonly judged around 5% loss after roughly six months on a full dose, is reconsidered rather than continued indefinitely.[2] Mobi Doctor does not sell or ship medicines: any prescription goes to a pharmacy near you, which is also your protection against the falsified products sold online. And because appetite tends to return when a GLP-1 medicine stops, stopping is planned, with the eating and activity habits doing the long-term work.
When we treat weight online, and when we refer you
We treat online: eligibility assessment and honest advice at any BMI; starting GLP-1 treatment where you meet the criteria and national rules allow remote initiation; ongoing titration, side-effect management and reviews; orlistat where it suits you better; investigation of medical drivers of weight gain with blood tests arranged locally; and plateau or regain planning, including for people who started treatment elsewhere. All of this sits within our wider weight loss support.
We refer or redirect you: BMI 40+ with poorly controlled complications, where specialist weight-management or bariatric surgery assessment is the honest next step; suspected endocrine disease needing examination; active eating disorders, which need specialist services rather than appetite suppression; pregnancy and breastfeeding; anyone under 18; and countries where starting these medicines remotely is not permitted, where we tell you plainly and point you to the right local route rather than bending the rules.
When to get in-person care
Seek urgent in-person care for severe, persistent abdominal pain, with or without vomiting, while using a GLP-1 medicine, as this can signal pancreatitis or gallstones, and for vomiting that stops you keeping fluids down. If you develop signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face or throat or difficulty breathing, call 112 immediately.
Losing weight at home: what helps and what does not
The fundamentals genuinely work and cost nothing: a modest calorie deficit you can actually sustain, more protein and fibre, strength in the legs and arms a few times a week, and proper sleep, which quietly regulates the appetite hormones that sabotage willpower.
What home care cannot do: it cannot overcome biology by effort alone for everyone. Weight that returns after every honest attempt is not a character flaw, it is how metabolism defends itself, and medical treatment now exists for exactly that situation: prescription options alongside a real plan, with eligibility judged properly by a doctor rather than an advert. If years of doing it right keep ending in the same place, assessment is the rational next step, not another identical attempt.
Staying at home is the point of Mobi Doctor: a licensed doctor on video, usually within 15 minutes, with no waiting room. If medication is the right answer, the prescription follows. Book a video consultation: €43.
How Mobi Doctor works
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Book a time that suits you:
open daily 7am–11pm CET. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. €43 flat, no subscription.
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Speak to a licensed doctor about weight loss:
a private video call from anywhere in Europe about your weight, your health and your goals, without judgement, at your pace.
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Leave with your plan:
everything agreed before you hang up: your plan, and a prescription to use at a pharmacy near you where medication is clinically right for you.
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Frequently asked questions about weight loss
What is medical weight loss?
Medical weight loss is treatment for overweight and obesity led by a doctor: an assessment of your weight history, health and previous attempts, a structured plan for eating, activity and sleep, treatment of conditions that drive weight gain, and, where the criteria are met, prescription medicines such as GLP-1 injections that reduce appetite. Obesity is a long-term condition, so medical weight loss is managed over months and years rather than weeks.
Do I qualify for weight loss injections?
GLP-1 weight loss medicines are licensed for adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more with a weight-related condition such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnoea. They are not prescribed for cosmetic weight loss, in pregnancy or breastfeeding, with an active eating disorder, or with certain thyroid, pancreas or gallbladder histories, which the doctor checks at the first medical weight loss consultation.
How do GLP-1 weight loss injections work?
GLP-1 medicines copy a gut hormone released after eating: they slow stomach emptying, act on appetite centres in the brain so you feel full sooner and for longer, and reduce cravings. Newer injections add a second gut hormone for a stronger effect. Taken weekly and increased gradually, they make the eating changes of medical weight loss far easier to sustain, which is where the weight loss comes from.
How much weight do people lose with medical weight loss?
In the licensing trials, adults using a weekly GLP-1 injection alongside diet and activity changes lost about 15% of their body weight on average over about 15 months, and newer dual-action injections around 20%. Individual results vary widely: some people lose much less, the effect plateaus after a year or so, and lifestyle treatment alone typically achieves 5 to 10%.
Can an online doctor prescribe GLP-1 injections in Europe?
Sometimes, after a consultation. A prescription is never issued without one: the doctor first assesses your BMI, health history and contraindications by video, and prescribes only when a GLP-1 medicine is clinically right for you, with the prescription sent to a pharmacy near you and reviews booked. Where it is not right, you still leave with a medical weight loss plan.
What are the side effects of weight loss injections?
Most people on GLP-1 injections get nausea, and many get constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, burping or reflux, usually worst in the weeks around dose increases and easing as the body adjusts. Less common risks include gallstones, pancreatitis, dehydration from vomiting and low blood sugar in people on diabetes medicines. Severe persistent abdominal pain needs urgent in-person care.
Are weight loss injections safe?
Weight loss injections are licensed medicines with well-documented side effects, not cosmetic products, and in eligible adults their benefits for weight, blood sugar, blood pressure and heart risk are well established. Safety in medical weight loss depends on honest screening, gradual dose increases, scheduled reviews and a genuine pharmacy supply; unmonitored use and unofficial sources are where harm happens.
How long do you take weight loss medication?
Medical weight loss medicines are taken for as long as they are helping and well tolerated, typically at least a year and often longer, because obesity is a long-term condition. Trials ran for up to two years, and treatment is reviewed every few months for weight, side effects, dose and whether to continue. Stopping is planned, with the eating and activity habits in place first.
Will I regain weight when I stop the injections?
Often, yes, at least partly: appetite tends to return when a GLP-1 medicine stops, and trial participants regained much of the lost weight in the year after stopping. That is why medical weight loss is built on eating and activity habits from the start, why stopping is gradual and planned, and why some people continue long-term, as they would with blood-pressure treatment.
What should I eat and do alongside weight loss medication?
Alongside medical weight loss medication, eat smaller protein-rich meals with vegetables and fibre to protect muscle and limit nausea, drink plenty of water, avoid fatty and fried food, which worsens side effects, limit alcohol, and build in regular movement with some strength work two or three times a week so the weight lost is fat rather than muscle. Sleep and stress affect appetite too and are part of the plan.
Can I use weight loss injections if I am pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding?
No. GLP-1 medicines are not used in pregnancy or while breastfeeding, and they are stopped at least two months before trying to conceive. Weight loss before pregnancy still helps fertility and a healthy pregnancy, so medical weight loss in that situation is built on eating, activity and treating conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, with medicines reconsidered after breastfeeding.
What happens if I do not meet the criteria for medication?
You still get medical weight loss: a structured plan for eating, activity, sleep and stress, treatment of conditions that make weight loss harder such as hypothyroidism, sleep apnoea or medicines that cause weight gain, and follow-up to keep the plan on track. Lifestyle treatment typically achieves 5 to 10% weight loss, which measurably improves blood pressure, blood sugar and joint pain.
Sources & further reading
- Wegovy (semaglutide): European public assessment report, EMA, European Medicines Agency, 2022 (updated).
- Semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity (TA875), NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2023.
- Obesity and overweight: fact sheet, WHO, World Health Organization, 2024.
- Obesity: Clinical Knowledge Summary, NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries, revised 2024.
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide): European public assessment report, EMA, European Medicines Agency, 2022 (updated).
- Obesity, NHS, National Health Service (UK), accessed October 2026.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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