Question 1

Can you drink alcohol on Wegovy?

Accepted Answer

No hard contraindication, but alcohol tolerance often drops sharply on GLP-1. Many patients also report reduced desire for alcohol — likely a secondary effect of GLP-1 on the brain reward system.

Question 2

Does GLP-1 affect oral birth control?

Accepted Answer

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) has documented reduced absorption of oral contraceptives during the first 4 weeks of each dose increase. Use backup contraception for ~4 weeks after starting + after each step-up. Semaglutide has no documented effect.

Question 3

Can I take GLP-1 while pregnant?

Accepted Answer

No. All FDA-approved GLP-1s carry a pregnancy contraindication. Stop GLP-1 at least 2 months before planned conception due to its long half-life.

Question 4

Is it safe to take GLP-1 long-term?

Accepted Answer

Liraglutide has 15+ years of post-marketing data (Victoza approved 2010). Semaglutide has 8+ years (Ozempic approved 2017). No new class-wide safety signals have emerged in extended follow-up. Chronic use is the FDA-approved indication for both T2D and obesity.

Question 5

Do I need to exercise on Wegovy?

Accepted Answer

Yes — resistance training specifically. Without it, 25-40% of weight lost on GLP-1 comes from lean muscle. Cardio is a bonus; resistance is the non-negotiable.

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