Which GLP-1 Is Right for You? 5 Questions to Decide

Choosing between personalized compounded semaglutide and personalized compounded tirzepatide comes down to five questions: how each works, what the research shows, your health history, how you handle side effects and what fits your budget. Both are weekly injections for weight loss, and your provider helps you weigh them and recommends the one that fits you.

At Padgett Medical Center in Tampa, personalized compounded semaglutide starts at $149 a month and personalized compounded tirzepatide at $229 a month at the starting dose. Book online with a card on file and take 15% off your first month of medication, and your $100 visit is free when you start medication. Nothing is charged when you book. Compare every dose and price.

1. How do the two medications work differently?

Semaglutide acts on one appetite hormone, GLP-1. Tirzepatide acts on two, GIP and GLP-1. Both slow stomach emptying and help you feel full with less food.

MedlinePlus explains that semaglutide slows stomach emptying and may decrease appetite, and tirzepatide's prescribing information describes it acting on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Day to day, both are a once-a-week injection, with the dose started low and increased gradually by your provider. For the basics, read how GLP-1 medications work.

2. What does research show when they're compared?

In a 2025 head-to-head trial of the FDA-approved products, adults taking tirzepatide lost more weight on average than those taking semaglutide: about 20% of body weight versus about 14% over 72 weeks.

That trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, studied adults with obesity who did not have type 2 diabetes. Averages describe groups, not individuals: some people do very well on semaglutide, and some tolerate one medication better than the other. The trial studied FDA-approved products rather than Padgett's compounded medications, so treat it as background for your conversation, not a prediction of your result.

3. What in your health history matters?

Your medical history can rule either medication out or point toward one. Tell your provider about thyroid cancer in you or your family, pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, serious digestive problems, pregnancy plans and every medication you take.

A personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN2 rules out both. If you take birth control pills, tirzepatide needs an extra step: its prescribing information advises switching to a non-oral method, or adding a backup method, for four weeks after starting and after each dose increase. Insulin and some other diabetes medicines can raise the risk of low blood sugar with either option.

4. How do you handle side effects?

Both commonly cause nausea, diarrhea, constipation or stomach discomfort, especially when starting or increasing a dose. If digestive side effects have been hard for you before, tell your provider, since it can shape the choice and the pace of dose changes.

Most side effects are manageable with smaller meals, slower eating and good hydration. If you've taken either medication before, share what happened: the dose you reached, how you felt and why you stopped. That history is one of the most useful things you can bring. Our side effects guide covers what helps.

5. What fits your budget over time?

Both are priced by dose, so compare the price at the dose you're likely to reach, not just the starting price. Personalized compounded semaglutide starts lower, at $149 a month, and personalized compounded tirzepatide at $229.

Both come with the same offer: 15% off your first month of medication when you book online with a card on file, and a free $100 visit when you start medication. The dose-by-dose comparison shows what each costs as your dose changes.

Can you switch from one to the other later?

Yes. Your provider can switch you if one medication isn't working well for you or causes side effects you can't manage. Don't switch or change doses on your own.

A slow week on the scale isn't, by itself, a reason to switch. Your provider looks at your progress over time, your side effects and how you feel. If you're leaning toward tirzepatide, read is personalized compounded tirzepatide right for you.

How do you decide with your provider at Padgett?

Bring your answers to these five questions to your visit with Morgan Colee, PA, in person at our Tampa clinic or by telehealth anywhere in Florida. Together you'll choose a medication and a starting dose that fit you.

Our clinic is at 6904 W. Linebaugh Ave, Tampa, FL 33625. For telehealth, you need to be in Florida during the visit and show a valid Florida driver's license or ID on camera. Book your visit to talk it through.

Personalized compounded semaglutide and personalized compounded tirzepatide are compounded drugs that have not been approved by the FDA. They have not been reviewed by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or quality. FDA-approved products containing semaglutide and tirzepatide are available. Individual results vary.

This article is educational and is not medical advice. Talk with a licensed provider about your own health, medications and treatment options.