GLP‑1 Shots (and Tirzepatide) in North Florida: What's Happening Locally

GLP‑1 (glucagon‑like peptide‑1) receptor agonists — such as semaglutide, liraglutide, and the newer dual agonist agent tirzepatide — have gained traction as powerful tools in medical weight management. They work by slowing gastric emptying, reducing appetite, and modulating metabolic signals in the brain.

These services suggest an increasing acceptance and accessibility of these injectables in the region, though cost, insurance coverage, and provider experience still present hurdles.



Understanding the Weight-Loss Plateau with Tirzepatide

Even with powerful medications, many people hit a weight loss plateau — a phase where weight loss slows or stalls despite continued adherence. On tirzepatide, clinical trials and patient experience show this is common.

What the research says

  • In post hoc analysis of the SURMOUNT-1 and SURMOUNT-4 trials, the time to weight plateau (TTWP) among tirzepatide-treated participants (i.e., the time to when weight change becomes < 5% over 12-week intervals) averaged 24 to 36 weeks, depending on BMI category. 

  • In the SURMOUNT-4 trial, investigators observed a plateau around week 70 in the tirzepatide arm, even as overall weight loss remained remarkable. 

  • Modeling studies show that both GLP‑1 receptor agonists and tirzepatide weaken the “appetite feedback control circuit” (i.e. the body's tendency to resist further weight loss), but that the persistent magnitude of the intervention is lower than for metabolic surgery. In the SURPASS (diabetes) trials, many participants achieved reductions of 10–15% of body weight at 40 weeks; higher doses and certain baseline predictors were associated with greater weight loss. 

Why do plateaus occur?

From both physiology and patient‑perspective, plateaus happen because:

  • As you lose weight, your resting energy expenditure tends to fall; you burn fewer calories at rest or during activity.

  • Appetite-regulating feedback mechanisms intensify (i.e. hunger signals increasingly “push back”).

  • Adaptations in hormones (leptin, ghrelin, insulin sensitivity) influence where your body “wants” to stabilize.

  • Behavioral drift: over time, even subtle increases in calorie intake or declines in activity can creep in.

  • Medication ceilings: beyond a certain dose, further increases may yield diminishing returns.

Panniculectomy Surgery: When Excess Skin Becomes More Than Cosmetic

After major weight loss—whether through lifestyle, medications, or bariatric surgery—many patients are left with excess, hanging abdominal skin (a “pannus”). When this skin causes irritation, poor hygiene, rashes, or restricts mobility, a panniculectomy may become a medical option rather than just aesthetic.

What is a panniculectomy?

  • A panniculectomy removes the overhanging apron of skin and fat in the lower abdomen (below the belly button) but does not tighten abdominal muscles or necessarily address skin above the navel. 

  • Unlike a full tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), a panniculectomy is more focused on symptom relief (skin folds, hygiene, interference) than on contouring. 

  • It may be deemed a medically necessary procedure in cases of chronic irritation, recurrent infections in the skin folds, or functional impairment.

Indications & timing

  • Most often, candidates have already reached a stable weight (often for six months or more) so that more weight loss does not compromise surgical results. 

  • The pannus may rub against thighs or genitals, cause intertrigo (skin-on-skin fungal or bacterial irritation), interfere with clothing or mobility. 

  • In post-bariatric patients, combining contouring with hernia repair or other abdominal interventions is sometimes practiced.