Wegovy 2.4 mg
14.9%Wegovy (semaglutide)
2.4%Placebo
Average weight loss after 68 weeks in 1,961 adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes.
STEP 1. Wilding et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 2021.
Filled by a licensed US pharmacy we chose. See which one
GLP-1 therapy
Compounded semaglutide
Semaglutide + B12, weekly injection
A once-weekly GLP-1 that works on the hormone that tells your brain you have eaten. Prescribed by a Seattle provider and filled by a licensed US pharmacy we chose.
$159.67/month
With the 3-month plan. $179 month to month.
- Online or video visit with a Seattle provider
- Medication from a pharmacy we chose
- Follow-ups in your patient portal, as often as you'd like
Already on semaglutide? Our providers can match the dose you're on if it's right for you. How switching works
You only pay if a provider prescribes.
Injection supplies come with every order.
Every prescription gives 50 meals a month to those in need.
What it is
How semaglutide works
Semaglutide is a once-weekly injection that copies GLP-1, a hormone your gut releases after you eat.
In the brainAppetite
Acts on the parts of the brain that control hunger, so you feel satisfied with less.
In the gutFullness
Slows how fast your stomach empties, so you feel full sooner and stay full longer.
Tirzepatide works on GLP-1 and a second hormone, GIP. Semaglutide works on GLP-1 alone. Compare with tirzepatide
Finding the right dose, with your provider
Semaglutide is taken once a week. The standard schedule builds from 0.25 mg to a maintenance dose of 2.4 mg, about four weeks per step. Where you start and where you settle is a decision you make with your provider.
New start0.25mg
0.5mg
1mg
1.7mg
Maintenance2.4mg
Weekly doses
- Where you start
New to semaglutide, most people start at 0.25 mg, the dose meant to get your body used to the medication. Already taking it, your provider can continue you at the dose you're on now if it's right for you. How switching works
- When to move up
Steps usually come about four weeks apart. Your provider looks at how you're feeling, any side effects, and how things are going toward your goals before suggesting a step.
- Staying put or stepping back
Plenty of people stay on a dose that's working rather than climbing to the top. If side effects are hard to manage, you can ask to hold a dose longer or step back down.
- How you talk it through
Message your provider in your patient portal, or book a video visit at no extra cost.
Dose steps as described in the FDA prescribing information for Wegovy (semaglutide). Your provider's directions and your pharmacy label come first.
Switching to BrightSide
Do you know which pharmacy made your semaglutide?
Many online GLP-1 platforms don't say which pharmacy makes their medication.
BrightSide offers high-quality treatment from pharmacies we grade and choose, prescribed by providers in Seattle.
"Consumers who purchase compounded drugs online, such as through online pharmacies and telehealth platforms, may not know the identity of the compounder that produced the drug"
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Ask your current providerBrightSide
BrightSideWhich pharmacy made it?A licensed US pharmacy we choseNamed on our pharmacy network page.
Can you look the pharmacy up?YesOur pharmacy network page names each one and its licenses.
Who prescribed it?Arora Health, SeattleA physician-led medical group. Every visit is reviewed by a licensed provider.
How do you reach your provider?Your patient portalMessage your provider as often as you'd like, or book a video visit at no extra cost.
Does your order give back?50 meals a monthEvery prescription gives to those in need through Feeding America.
Keep the dose you're on
You don't have to start over at 0.25 mg. If you're on a maintenance dose now, our providers can match it if it's right for you, so you pick up where you left off.
Your dose now1.7mgWeekly, from another provider
With BrightSide1.7mgMatched, if it's right for you
An example. Your provider reviews your history and current dose before prescribing.
Coming from tirzepatide?
Tirzepatide and semaglutide doses don't convert one to one. Your provider works out your semaglutide starting dose with you.
Missed a couple of weeks?
After two or more missed doses in a row, your provider may restart you lower and build back up.
- Tell us what you take now
The medication, your dose and when you took your last one.
- A Seattle provider reviews it
They can match the dose you're on if it's right for you.
- Your pharmacy fills it
A licensed US pharmacy we chose fills your prescription and ships it to your door.
You only pay if a provider prescribes.
The researchCompared with placebo Head to head
What the studies found
Semaglutide has been tested in large clinical trials as the brand-name drug Wegovy. Compounded semaglutide was not the drug studied in these trials.
Wegovy compared with Zepbound
13.7%Wegovy (semaglutide)
20.2%Zepbound (tirzepatide)
Average weight loss after 72 weeks in 751 adults with obesity, each on the highest dose they could tolerate.
SURMOUNT-5. Aronne et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 2025.People in both trials also followed a reduced-calorie diet and increased their physical activity. Results from Wegovy trials do not predict results with compounded semaglutide, which is not FDA approved. Individual results vary.
About photos
You will not find before‑and‑after photos here
State attorneys general and reporters have both reported altered and AI-generated before-and-after photos in weight-loss advertising.
In December 2025, 35 state attorneys general wrote to Meta about weight-loss ads. Their announcement said:
"Often, these ads use unlabeled AI-generated content including fake before and after images and nonexistent spokespeople."
On a GLP-1 telehealth company's first website, The New York Times reported:
"before-and-after weight-loss photos from around the web with the faces changed"
The results on this page are clinical trial averages for Wegovy and Zepbound, each linked to its source.
The only people pictured are Dr. Shannon Arora and Dr. Sean Arora.
Month one
What to expect in your first month
The first month is about getting used to the medication. Here's what happens, in order.
- Before week 1Your medication arrives
Your pharmacy ships your vial with injection supplies. Put it in the refrigerator when it arrives and follow the storage directions on the label.
- Week 1Your first injection
Pick a day of the week you can stick with. The injection goes just under the skin of your stomach or thigh, or the back of your upper arm if someone else gives it. Switch spots each week.
- Weeks 1 to 4Getting used to your dose
New to semaglutide, your first month is usually at 0.25 mg. Switching from another provider, you may continue at the dose you're on now.
Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation and stomach pain are the most common side effects, and they tend to show up when you start and after a dose increase.
Smaller meals, stopping when you feel full, less greasy food and more water all help. If side effects don't settle, message your provider in your patient portal.
- Around week 4Your dose check-in
Your provider reviews how the first month went and decides with you whether to stay at your dose or move up to the next step.
Missed a dose?
If your next dose is more than two days away, take it as soon as you can. If it's less than two days away, skip it and take the next one on your usual day.
Planning a procedure?
Tell your provider before any surgery or procedure that uses anesthesia or sedation.
Get medical help right away
For severe stomach pain that won't go away, or signs of an allergic reaction like swelling of your face, lips or throat.
Dosing and side effect details from the FDA prescribing information for Wegovy (semaglutide). Your provider's directions and your pharmacy label come first.
How it works
Choose how you meet your provider
StartPick a treatmentAnswer a few health questions online. No office visit and no insurance needed.
OnlineProvider reviewA Seattle provider reviews your answers and messages you if they have questions.
VideoMeet your providerBook a video visit if you'd rather talk it through face to face.
PrescriptionPay only if prescribedYour visit, online or on video, is included in the treatment price. If a provider doesn't prescribe, you're not charged.
DeliveryFilled and shippedThe pharmacy we chose for your treatment fills it and ships it to your door.
After deliveryOngoing careFollow up with your provider in your BrightSide patient portal as often as you'd like.
Who is behind itYour pharmacy 
Your providers
Who fills it and who prescribes it
Our pharmacies
We grade the pharmacies we work with in five categories. More than eighty compounding pharmacies have been through our grading so far.
- What we look atWho they are, what they can make, their record, where the ingredients come from and whether it works in practice.
- Named on our siteOur pharmacy network page names each pharmacy that fills orders today and why we chose it.
- Licensed US pharmaciesEvery prescription is filled by a licensed US pharmacy we chose.
Arora Health, Seattle
A physician-led medical group. A licensed provider reviews every visit and every dose change.
- Dr. Shannon Arora, MDChief medical officer, Arora Health
- Dr. Sean AroraFounder, Arora Health
Support
Support once you start
Your patient portalFollow up with your provider in your BrightSide patient portal as often as you'd like.
Video visitsBook a video visit with a provider at no extra cost.
A person, by emailEmail hello@jointhebrightside.com and a person answers.
The same providers, after you start
A licensed provider from Arora Health in Seattle reviews every visit and every dose change. Questions about your dose, side effects or what comes next go to them in your patient portal.
Questions
Semaglutide questions
Is compounded semaglutide the same as Wegovy or Ozempic?
No. Wegovy and Ozempic are FDA-approved drugs made by Novo Nordisk. Compounded semaglutide is made by a state-licensed pharmacy for one patient, from a prescription. It is not FDA approved, and the FDA does not review compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness or quality.
Should I choose semaglutide or tirzepatide?
Semaglutide costs less and has been used for weight loss longer. Tirzepatide acts on two hormones instead of one, and in a head-to-head trial of the brand-name drugs, adults on Zepbound lost more weight on average than adults on Wegovy. Compounded semaglutide was not the drug studied. Your provider can help you decide which fits you.
I'm already on semaglutide. Do I have to start over at 0.25 mg?
Not necessarily. Tell us what you take now and your current dose. A licensed provider reviews it and can match the dose you're on if it's right for you.
Can I switch from tirzepatide?
Yes. Tirzepatide and semaglutide doses don't convert one to one, so your provider works out your semaglutide starting dose with you.
What is the difference between the B12 and glycine versions?
Both are weekly compounded semaglutide. One vial is made with vitamin B12 and the other with glycine, an amino acid. You choose the version with your provider during your visit. See semaglutide + glycine
Which pharmacy fills my prescription?
A licensed US pharmacy we chose. Our pharmacy network page names each pharmacy that fills orders today and its licenses.
How is it shipped?
Cold. Your pharmacy packs your medication to stay at the right temperature on the way to your door. Put it in the refrigerator when it arrives. If anything about your delivery looks off, email hello@jointhebrightside.com before you use it.
Do I need insurance?
No. Insurance isn't needed, and your visit, online or on video, is included in the treatment price.
What if the provider says no?
You're not charged. Your card is only charged if a licensed provider prescribes your treatment.
Compounded semaglutide, prescribed in Seattle
$159.67/month
With the 3-month plan. $179 month to month.
You only pay if a provider prescribes.
Important safety information
Semaglutide may cause thyroid tumors. In studies in rodents, semaglutide caused thyroid C-cell tumors. It is not known whether it causes these tumors in people. Do not use semaglutide if you or a family member has ever had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), or if you have Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
Other serious side effects can include inflammation of the pancreas, gallbladder problems, low blood sugar, kidney problems, serious allergic reactions, increased heart rate and, in people with type 2 diabetes, changes in vision. Tell your provider about every medication you take, and if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant. Tell your provider before any surgery or procedure that uses anesthesia or sedation.
Based on the FDA prescribing information for Wegovy (semaglutide). Compounded semaglutide is not FDA approved, and the FDA does not review compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness or quality.