Safety, in plain language.
Who shouldn't take GLP-1 medications, what to tell your clinician, what to expect and when to get help.
Led by Dr. Devan Partridge, DO, a board-certified Utah physician
Not emergency care. For severe symptoms, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Is this right for you?
Your clinician checks all of this before anything is prescribed.
You may be a fit if
- You're 18 or older
- You live in Utah
- Your BMI and health history meet program criteria
- You can check in every four weeks
This isn't the right path if
- You're pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to become pregnant
- You or a family member has had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), a rare thyroid cancer
- You have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
- You've had a serious allergic reaction to semaglutide, tirzepatide or any ingredient in them
- You already take another GLP-1 medication, including one prescribed for diabetes
Tell your clinician first.
These don't always rule treatment out, but your clinician needs to know before deciding.
- PancreatitisNow or at any time in the past.
- Gallbladder problemsIncluding gallstones.
- Kidney diseaseOr vomiting or diarrhea that could leave you dehydrated.
- Diabetes on insulin or a sulfonylureaA higher risk of low blood sugar.
- Diabetic eye diseaseAlso called retinopathy.
- Severe digestive conditionsSuch as gastroparesis.
- DepressionOr past thoughts of self-harm.
- A planned surgery or sedationThese medications slow digestion. Tell that team, too.
- Birth control pillsTirzepatide can weaken them for a while after a dose starts or changes.
Side effects to know.
Most involve digestion, especially when a dose starts or changes, which is why doses start low.
Commonly reported
- Nausea
- Less appetite
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Heartburn or burping
- Stomach discomfort
- Vomiting
- Tiredness
- Redness where you inject
Less common, more serious
- Pancreatitis
- Gallbladder problems
- Dehydration that can harm the kidneys
- Low blood sugar with certain diabetes medicines
- Serious allergic reactions
- Thyroid C-cell tumors were seen in animal studies; it isn't known whether these medications cause them in people.
General information, not medical advice or a complete list. Your clinician covers your own risks before you start.
When to get help.
HZN Wellness is not emergency care. Here's who to call, and how soon.
- Trouble breathing, or swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat
- A severe rash or hives with dizziness or a racing heart
- Severe stomach pain that won't go away, with or without vomiting
- Chest pain, fainting or feeling like you might pass out
Thoughts of harming yourself: call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or call 911.
Message your care team the same day
Getting worse and can't reach anyone? Go to urgent care or an emergency room.
- Vomiting or diarrhea that won't stop, or can't keep fluids down
- Pain in your upper right belly, fever, or yellow skin or eyes
- A neck lump, trouble swallowing or lasting hoarseness
- Shakiness, sweating or confusion on a diabetes medicine
- Changes in your vision
- New or worsening depression or mood changes
- You find out you're pregnant
Bring it to your check-in
Or message us anytime something worries you.
- Mild nausea, constipation or heartburn
- Feeling more tired than usual
- Mild redness where you inject
- Questions about your dose
Every four weeks a licensed clinician reads your check-in before anything refills, and can keep or lower your dose, pause, ask for labs or a video visit, or stop the medication.
- Side effects and medical questions
- Message your care team in the secure patient portal. Patient sign-in
- General questions
- Use our contact page, and please leave health information out.
Where your medication comes from.
Prescribed by a licensed clinician, prepared in Utah and checked by a pharmacist on your care team.
- Prescribed
- Only when a licensed clinician decides it's appropriate for you. Never without a prescription.
- Prepared and shipped
- By a licensed compounding pharmacy in Utah, then shipped to your door.
- Compounded, not FDA‑approved
- Compounded medications are prepared by a licensed pharmacy for an individual patient. They are not FDA‑approved, which means the FDA does not review them for safety, effectiveness or quality before they're used.
- Checked by a pharmacist
- A pharmacist on your care team answers questions and checks it against everything else you take.
Start with a few questions.
Pick a program from $69 for your first month, or let a clinician recommend one. Either way you start the clinic's secure assessment online.
Eligibility and prescription required. Charged only if a clinician approves you.
Dr. Devan Partridge, DOBoard-certified Utah physician. He sets the medical standard for every HZN plan.