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I'm already taking a GLP-1. What should I check?

Four checks for anyone already on semaglutide, tirzepatide or a generic, plus what to read next.

GLP Guidebook teamUpdated 5 Oct 20264 min read18 sourcesWritten from published sources
The short answer

Check four things. First, that a registered specialist prescribed it and you know exactly what you're injecting. Second, that your batch hasn't been recalled. Third, which side effects need a call to your doctor, and which need 112. Fourth, plan a review at about 3 months and again at 6 months.

Read this page first. It covers the checks that matter once you've started: your prescription, recalls, side effects and when to review how it's going. At the end, three guides take you further, in order.
On this page
  1. Check your prescription
  2. Check for recalls
  3. Side effects to watch
  4. Your 3- and 6-month review
  5. What to read next
  6. Sources

1. Is my prescription from the right doctor?

It should come from a registered doctor, and in India from one of three kinds of specialist: an endocrinologist, an internal-medicine specialist or a cardiologist.

A government statement of 1 April 2026 said only endocrinologists, internal-medicine specialists and cardiologists can prescribe GLP-1 medicines.16,1 Minutes of expert committees at CDSCO, India's central drug regulator, attach a similar condition to some approvals (endocrinologist or internal-medicine specialist), but we found no rule covering every brand.17,18 We found nothing saying what happens to a prescription from a GP (general practitioner, or family doctor). They can't be bought over the counter.1

Every doctor must print their medical council registration number on prescriptions.2 Online doctors must show it too, including on WhatsApp and email.3

You can check that number on the National Medical Commission's Indian Medical Register. Search by the doctor's name, registration number or state council.4

Red flags

  • No doctor's name or registration number on the prescription.2
  • You never spoke to a doctor, only filled in a form. Telemedicine rules say a consultation should not be anonymous.3
  • "No prescription needed." These medicines aren't sold over the counter.1
  • Guaranteed weight loss. India's drug regulators treat such claims as misleading promotion.5
  • Pens from unknown online sellers or social media. The WHO warns against unverified sources.6

2. Has my batch been recalled?

In July 2026, three companies recalled some semaglutide products in India.

  • Dr Reddy's: some batches of Obeda, after an impurity was found.7
  • Torrent: Semalix 2 mg and 4 mg disposable pens, as a precaution.7
  • USV: Usema.7

Dr Reddy's said there were no patient safety concerns.7 Find the batch number on your pen or box, and ask your pharmacist whether your batch is affected. We could not find a public list of batch numbers. Guide 6 covers the recalls.

Don't stop or switch on your own. If your batch is affected, ask your doctor what to use instead and how to restart.

3. Which side effects should I watch for?

Stomach upsets are common early on and usually fade.8 A few symptoms need help fast.

Get help now: call 112 or go to an emergency department if you have:
  • Possible pancreatitis (an inflamed pancreas): severe stomach pain that won't go away, sometimes spreading to your back, with or without vomiting.9
  • Signs of a serious allergic reaction: swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat; trouble breathing; fainting; or a very fast heartbeat.10
  • Signs of very low sugar, like confusion or drowsiness, if you also take insulin or a sulfonylurea (an older diabetes tablet such as glimepiride).10
Call your doctor soon if you have:
  • Possible gallbladder problems: pain in the upper stomach, yellow skin or eyes, fever, or pale clay-coloured stools.10
  • Vomiting or diarrhoea that stops you keeping fluids down.10
  • Changes in your vision, if you have diabetes.10
  • Possible thyroid problems: a lump in your neck, hoarseness, or trouble swallowing.9

Report a side effect. Tell your doctor first. You can also report it yourself to the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI), the government's medicine-safety system. Call the toll-free helpline on 1800 180 3024, on working days from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, or use the "ADR PvPI" app for Android phones.15

On Mounjaro and taking the contraceptive pill? Its label advises switching to a non-pill method, or adding a barrier method such as condoms, for 4 weeks after starting and after each dose increase.11

4. When should I review how it's going?

At about 3 months, and again at 6 months.

India's obesity guideline from the Endocrine Society of India (ESI) suggests a 3-month trial period to check whether a medicine works and suits you.12 In the UK, NICE (the body that advises England's health service) says to consider stopping semaglutide if less than 5% of weight is lost after 6 months.13 For someone who started at 90 kg, 5% is 4.5 kg.

If you have diabetes, HbA1c (a blood test of your average sugar over 2 to 3 months) is usually checked every 3 to 6 months.14

Take this to your review

  • The brand, strength and dose you're on, and the batch number
  • Your weight and waist notes since you started
  • Any side effects, and when they happen
  • All your other medicines, including ayurvedic or herbal ones
  • Your questions about the long term, and about stopping
Life on a GLP-1StoppingRecall list

What to read next, in order

These three guides go deeper. Each one ends with a link to the next, so you can read them one after another.

  1. 1Side effects and risksGuide 5 of 9DecideWhat's normal in the first weeks, what isn't, and what helps.
  2. 2Life on a GLP-1Guide 8 of 9Live with itEating enough protein, missed doses, storage in Indian heat, festivals and fasting.
  3. 3Stopping and the long termGuide 9 of 9Live with itWhat happens if you stop, and how to plan for the long term.
Was this page easy to understand?

Sources

  1. Outlook India. Inspections, surveillance to continue against unauthorised sale, promotion of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs: Govt. 1 April 2026. Link
  2. Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, regulation 1.4.1 (display of registration numbers). Text via Indian Journal of Medical Ethics. Link
  3. Board of Governors in supersession of the Medical Council of India, with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Telemedicine Practice Guidelines, March 2020. Sections 3.2.1, 3.2.5, 5.2. PDF
  4. National Medical Commission. Indian Medical Register: search doctors by name, registration number or State Medical Council. Checked 5 October 2026. Link
  5. Medical Dialogues. No ads for prescription drugs: panel flags surrogate advertising, misleading promotions of GLP-1 obesity drugs (68th Drugs Consultative Committee). 18 April 2026. Link
  6. World Health Organization. WHO issues warning on falsified medicines used for diabetes treatment and weight loss. 20 June 2024. Link
  7. Medical Dialogues. Recalls by Dr Reddy's, Torrent put spotlight on quality standards in India's semaglutide market. 10 July 2026. Link
  8. Wilding JPH et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 1). NEJM, 2021;384:989–1002. 1,961 adults without diabetes, 68 weeks. DOI
  9. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide) US prescribing information, revised June 2026. Sections 1, 2.2, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5, 8.3, 17. (US label.) PDF
  10. Novo Nordisk. Ozempic (semaglutide) injection, US prescribing information and Medication Guide, revised May 2026. Sections 4, 5.3, 5.5, 5.6, 7.2, 8.5. (US label; India's CDSCO label is not published online.) PDF
  11. Eli Lilly. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) US prescribing information, section 7 (oral contraceptives). (US label.) PDF
  12. Madhu SV, Kapoor N, Das S et al. ESI clinical practice guidelines for the evaluation and management of obesity in India: an update (2025). Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2025;29(4):355–365. Recommendations B.1 and D.3. DOI
  13. NICE (UK). Semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity. Technology appraisal TA875, recommendation 1.2. Declared interests: some invited clinical experts declare fees or grants from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly (NICE's own register of interests for this appraisal). Link
  14. Makkar BM, Kumar CV, Saboo B, Agarwal S, for the RSSDI 2022 Consensus Group. RSSDI clinical practice recommendations for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus 2022. International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries, 2022. DOI
  15. Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission. Pharmacovigilance Programme of India: ADR reporting (helpline, app and patient forms). IPC
  16. Press Information Bureau (PIB Research). GLP-1 Drugs: Use, Risks, and Regulation ("In India, GLP-1 drugs can only be prescribed by endocrinologists, internal medicine specialists, and cardiologists"). 1 April 2026. PDF
  17. CDSCO. Subject Expert Committee (Endocrinology & Metabolism), recommendations of 20–21 April 2023, tirzepatide ("The drug should be sold by retail under prescription of Endocrinologist or internal medicine specialists only"). PDF · Archived copy
  18. CDSCO. Subject Expert Committee (Endocrinology & Metabolism), recommendations of 13–14 February 2024, semaglutide (approved warning: "To be sold by retail on the prescription of an Endocrinologist, and Internal medicine"). PDF · Archived copy

Last checked 5 Oct 2026 · Next review due Jan 2027

How this page was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above: drug labels, published trials, Indian and international guidelines, and named news reports. It's general information, not medical advice. Talk to a qualified doctor before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write