Turkish physician warns against unsupervised weight‑loss injection use

Internal‑medicine specialist Doç. Dr. Alpay Medetalibeyoğlu warned that weight‑loss injections, increasingly popular for obesity treatment, should be administered only under physician supervision. He stressed that the drugs are not a cosmetic shortcut but a medical therapy for patients with a body‑mass index above the obesity threshold and related conditions such as type‑2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnoea, fatty liver or joint problems.

The specialist explained that the injections work by slowing gastric emptying and signalling satiety to the brain, helping patients control portion size. Treatment is individualized, often lasting months or years, with a low starting dose that is gradually increased. Lifestyle changes are essential; without them, weight is likely to be regained after stopping the medication.

Common side effects are gastrointestinal, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation and abdominal cramps, usually mild and transient. Patients with a history of pancreatitis, gall‑stones or thyroid cancer are advised against use. Medetalibeyoğlu cautioned against “neighbor‑used, I’ll try it too” behaviour driven by social‑media rumors, noting the risk of serious health complications when the drugs are taken without medical oversight.