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What should I ask my doctor about GLP-1 medicines?

Answer a few questions and get a printable visit sheet for your doctor: what to bring, questions for your situation and emirate, how to check a telehealth app, and when to call 998 or 999.

Takes about 2 minutes Nothing you type leaves your device Every question cites its source
Step 1 of 9Who it's for
Who is this visit sheet for?

We'll write the sheet in the right voice: "my" for you, "their" for someone else.

Age (optional)
Sex (optional; sets the pregnancy questions)
Emirate where you'll be seen (optional; rules differ)
What's the main reason for the visit?

Pick the closest one. It changes which questions come first.

Do you have any of these health conditions?

Tick any that apply and skip the rest. Each one you tick adds a question for the doctor to your sheet.

Linked to weight or sugar
Need extra care with these medicines
Personal or family history
Which medicines do you take now?

Some of these change what the prescriber needs to plan. Tick all that apply.

Could you be pregnant, or are you planning a baby?

These medicines aren't used in pregnancy, and one affects the pill. This step is skipped if you chose "Man".

Which tests have you had in the last 3 months?

Tick the ones with a result you can show, for example on a printout or in an app. The sheet asks about the rest.

What worries you most?

Pick as many as you like. Each adds a sourced question.

Height, weight and waist

Optional. If you add them, the sheet shows BMI on the WHO ranges UAE health authorities use, with the lower Asian cut-offs if you choose an Asian background, and your waist-to-height ratio. Skip this if you'd rather be measured at the appointment.

Height
Weight
Waist (halfway between your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone, after breathing out)
Ethnic background (optional; adds the lower Asian cut-offs for comparison)
Anything else the prescriber should know?

Optional. For example: past attempts at losing weight, side effects so far, or a surgery date. It goes into the "About" box, and you can edit it on the sheet too.

Next, you'll see the sheet. You can tick items, edit any line, add your own questions, then print it, save it as a PDF or email it to yourself.

Private by design: the sheet is built in your browser. Nothing is sent or stored unless you choose to email it to yourself, and nothing goes in the link. Privacy notice

Your visit sheet is ready

Tap any line in "About" or any question to change the words. Remove questions with ×, or add your own. Ticks print too.

What this means

What this doesn't mean

  • It isn't a yes or a no. No tool can tell whether a GLP-1 medicine suits someone. A prescriber decides that after a history, a check-up and tests.
  • It isn't every question. It covers the common ones and those your answers point to. Your doctor may ask about things not listed here.
  • Don't change any medicine on your own. The dose questions are for the prescriber to answer, not for you to act on before the visit.

Why each question is on your sheet

The rule behind each question for your situation, with its source. The numbers match the sources at the foot of the sheet. All checked 12 Oct 2026.

    Read before the visit

    How this works

    You answer up to 9 short questions. Only the first one is needed. The tool then picks questions from a fixed list, and every question is tied to a source: a drug label, a UAE health authority standard or circular, or an insurer's published rules.7,1,2,6,9

    Eight core questions go on every sheet. Your answers add more. For example, insulin or a sulfonylurea (such as gliclazide) adds a question about low blood sugar, because the Ozempic label warns about low sugar (hypos) with that mix.7 Choosing your emirate changes which rules the sheet quotes.

    If you add height and weight, the sheet shows BMI on the WHO ranges UAE health authorities use, plus the lower Asian cut-offs if you choose an Asian background. A waist measurement adds the waist-to-height ratio from Abu Dhabi's standard: 0.5 to 0.59 is increased and 0.6 or more is high.1 These numbers describe weight. They are not a threshold for medicine.

    The "Check your provider" box uses Abu Dhabi's telemedicine standard and the Department of Health's alerts on counterfeit pens.4,5 The red box lists the symptoms that need 998 or 999, and how to report a side effect.8,6

    What this can't tell you

    • Whether a GLP-1 medicine suits you, or which one. That's for a licensed doctor who has checked you.
    • Anything about your dose. The tool never suggests one.
    • Whether your insurance will pay. Dubai's basic plan excludes weight-loss medicines, and other plans set their own rules.9

    Questions people ask

    Is anything I type saved or sent anywhere?

    No. The sheet is built inside your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us or stored, and there is no link that contains your answers. Only if you choose "Email it to me" do we pass the sheet and your address to our email service once, to deliver it.

    Can I make a sheet for my mother or father?

    Yes. Choose "A family member" on the first screen and the sheet is written about them.

    Who can prescribe these medicines in Abu Dhabi?

    Abu Dhabi's obesity standard says a doctor with obesity certification approved by the Department of Health decides when to start medicines for weight, at a BMI of 30 with a weight-related condition, or over 40.1 In Dubai we found no rule limiting them to specialists, and DHA-licensed doctors can also manage obesity by telehealth.2 Every prescriber needs a UAE licence.

    Can I take a GLP-1 during Ramadan?

    Many people do, with a plan agreed before Ramadan starts. UAE doctors advise pausing dose increases during the month, drinking 2 to 3 litres of water between Iftar and Suhoor, and getting help for persistent vomiting, severe stomach pain or signs of dehydration.3 Daily tablets need timing around Suhoor or Iftar; ask your doctor.

    I'm already taking a GLP-1. Is this useful for me?

    Yes. Choose "Already taking one" and the sheet becomes a review: who prescribed it and how they checked you, your dose, whether your pen could be a fake, and whether it's working well enough to continue.1,4,5

    How do I report a side effect?

    Tell your doctor or pharmacist. In Abu Dhabi you can also report side effects and suspected fakes to the Department of Health's pharmacovigilance team at [email protected].6

    Sources

    1. Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Standard for Non-Surgical Management of Obesity, DOH/ST/HPS/Non-Surgical-MO/V1/2025, February 2025. doh.gov.ae. Checked 12 Oct 2026.
    2. Dubai Health Authority. Clinical Guidelines for Virtual Management of Obesity, DHA/HRS/HPSD/CG-53, issue 2, effective 21 April 2024. dha.gov.ae. Checked 12 Oct 2026.
    3. Gulf News. Can you take Ozempic while fasting during Ramadan? UAE experts weigh in, 16 February 2026. gulfnews.com. Checked 12 Oct 2026.
    4. Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Standard on Tele-Medicine, DOH/SA/TLM/0.9/2020, effective 16 September 2020 (real-time audio or video before a prescription). doh.gov.ae. Checked 12 Oct 2026.
    5. Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Circular 208/2024, relaying a MOHAP alert on counterfeit Mounjaro 15 mg packs, 25 October 2024 (summarised, not reproduced, as the circular asks). doh.gov.ae. Checked 12 Oct 2026.
    6. Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Circular 48/2026: GLP-1 medicines are prescription-only; report to [email protected], 16 March 2026 (summarised, not reproduced). doh.gov.ae. Checked 12 Oct 2026.
    7. Novo Nordisk. Ozempic (semaglutide) US prescribing information, revised May 2026: sections 5, 7, 8.3. PDF. Checked 12 Oct 2026.
    8. Government of Ajman, Department of Digital Ajman. Handling emergencies: 999 police, 998 ambulance. ajman.ae. Checked 12 Oct 2026.
    9. Daman. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist adjudication guideline, V5, revised 19 April 2026. damaninsurance.ae. Checked 12 Oct 2026.
    10. Gulf News. UAE weight-loss drug crackdown: 71 sources, 14 influencers face action, 25 July 2026. gulfnews.com. Checked 12 Oct 2026.

    The sheet itself cites up to 30 more sources, listed at its foot. Last checked 12 Oct 2026 · Next review due Jan 2027

    How this tool was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. It's general information, not medical advice. Talk to a licensed doctor before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. In an emergency, call 998 for an ambulance, or 999. How we write