Guides
Weight-loss medicines in New Zealand, explained
Straight answers on how the main GLP-1 medicines work, cost, funding, access and day-to-day life on treatment — written plainly, specific to New Zealand. General information, not medical advice.
How the medicines work
How GLP-1 medicines work, and what the trials show
The mechanism in plain terms, the STEP and SURMOUNT trials, and what happens when treatment stops.
Wegovy vs Mounjaro vs Saxenda
How the main weight-management medicines differ, and who each suits.
How long does it take to see results?
Why the first weeks are slow, what changes as the dose builds, and why plateaus are normal.
Cost and access in New Zealand
How much does Wegovy cost in New Zealand?
Why it's a private cost, what you actually pay, and what changes the price.
Is Wegovy funded by Pharmac?
The short answer, what Pharmac does and doesn't fund, and what it means for you.
How to get Ozempic or Wegovy for weight loss in NZ
Ozempic vs Wegovy, who can be prescribed, and the routes to a script.
Life on treatment
Food noise: what it is, and why medicine can quiet it
The biology behind constant thoughts about food, and what to do with the quiet.
Foods to eat and foods to go easy on
What tends to sit well on GLP-1 medicines, and why.
Can you drink alcohol on GLP-1 medicines?
Why a drink can feel different on treatment, and how to go about it.