Your questions, answered.

Medical weight management is a structured, evidence-based approach to treating overweight and obesity that combines nutrition, physical activity, behavioural support, lifestyle changes and, where appropriate, prescription medication.

Obesity is influenced by many factors, genetics, hormones, metabolism, sleep, stress, environment, medications and psychological health. Treatment focuses not only on weight loss but on improving overall health, metabolic function, quality of life and long-term sustainability.

Prescription treatment may be considered for adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27 or above with a weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, sleep apnoea, pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol or fatty liver disease. Suitability is always assessed individually following a medical consultation.

BeyondBMI is suitable for most people living with obesity. It is not suitable if you: are living with Type 1 Diabetes; are under 18; are pregnant, planning a pregnancy in the next three months, or breastfeeding; have end-stage kidney or liver disease; have a history of pancreatitis not due to gallstones; or are not living in the Republic of Ireland.

No. BeyondBMI is a medically-led weight management clinic. We provide access to doctors and a full clinical team, we don’t sell medication. If your doctor prescribes medication, we send your prescription to a pharmacy of your choice at pharmacy cost, or we can manage this for you at no extra charge: we help find a competitively priced pharmacy and arrange delivery straight to your door.

No, you don’t need a GP referral to join BeyondBMI. We’re specialists in obesity medicine, so you can come to us directly. If you do have a referral from a GP or another healthcare provider, we’re happy to accept it, but it’s never required. You can book your €89 doctor consultation directly, and if you’d rather talk things through first, our care coordinator offers a free care call with no obligation.

We are medically-led. A team of doctors, dietitians, nurses and health coaches, all of whom are SCOPE certified in obesity medicine.

We are fully digital. You can access the programme from the comfort of your home without commuting or taking days off work for medical appointments.

There are no diets. The best diet is the one you can realistically stick to and enjoy. Our team is skilled in medical nutritional therapy and eating behaviours, and wants to support you to develop a better, healthier relationship with food.

Specialist-led care. Our doctors are among the leading experts in obesity medicine in Ireland, dedicated specifically to this field rather than treating it as one part of general practice.

All of our doctors are SCOPE certified in obesity medicine. They have different backgrounds (Professors, GPs, Endocrinologists and more) but they have all done further study in obesity medicine. We thoroughly screen all doctors, who are then approved by our Medical board. Every prescribing doctor is registered with the Irish Medical Council.

No. We don’t offer one-off consultations because we take a long-term view to help clients achieve sustainable, lasting weight loss. The programme includes quarterly doctor or nurse consults, quarterly dietitian consults and monthly health coaching for support and accountability.

Your journey begins with a consultation with one of our expert clinicians specialising in weight management. Together, you’ll explore your health history and goals to create a personalised treatment plan, which may or may not include medication. You’ll then meet a Health Coach, your consistent guide throughout the programme, with regular 30-minute check-ins and ongoing support through messaging.

You’ll meet one of our dietitians for personalised nutritional therapy and a sustainable dietary plan, and gain access to the Learning Library to build your understanding of metabolic health. As changes show, you’ll review progress with your doctor and refine your plan. By the second half of the year the focus shifts to future-proofing your habits, lasting behaviour change and relapse prevention.

These medications are approved for medical use when prescribed appropriately and monitored regularly by a healthcare professional. All medications your specialist clinician may prescribe are EMA approved and prescribed only if clinically eligible. Your doctor will assess your medical history, medications and overall suitability before treatment begins.

The most common side effects are usually digestive and often improve gradually over time, these may include nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, acid reflux, fatigue or headache. Most are dose-related and transient. Your doctor will discuss potential side effects and strategies to minimise them safely.

We request certain routine blood tests within 1 month of starting the programme. If you’ve had blood tests done in the last 12 months, you don’t need to get your blood drawn again. The minimum blood tests needed are: HbA1c, liver panel, TFTs and renal panel (lipid panel optional).

Yes. Medication is designed to support lifestyle change, not replace it. Long-term success depends on developing sustainable habits around nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management and behaviour change. Maintaining muscle mass through adequate protein intake and resistance exercise is particularly important during weight loss.

Dietitians play an important role in helping you achieve safe, sustainable and nutritionally balanced weight loss, building realistic eating habits, preventing nutritional deficiencies, improving protein and fibre intake, managing emotional or binge eating patterns, supporting gastrointestinal side effects and preserving muscle mass. Combining medical treatment with professional nutrition support improves long-term outcomes.

Health coaches help support long-term behaviour change and consistency with treatment. While medication can help regulate appetite and cravings, sustainable weight management also depends on daily habits, routines and coping strategies, building accountability, setting realistic goals, improving motivation, managing stress-related eating and supporting long-term maintenance.

Even modest weight loss can produce important health benefits. Around 5% is generally considered clinically significant and may improve blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar control, fatty liver disease, joint pain, sleep quality and mobility. Greater loss brings greater benefit: on a medically supervised programme patients typically lose 10–20% , which is associated with significant metabolic and cardiovascular improvement.

Weight loss may improve a range of obesity-related conditions including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, sleep apnoea, joint pain, cholesterol levels and mobility. Some modern obesity treatments have also demonstrated cardiovascular and metabolic health benefits in clinical studies.

Obesity is considered a chronic medical condition, similar to high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes. Some patients benefit from longer-term treatment to help maintain weight loss and metabolic health, while others transition to lower maintenance doses over time. Treatment plans are individualised and reviewed regularly with your doctor.

Your body has a biological defence system that tries to protect its highest comfortable weight. Medication works by turning down hunger signals; once it’s removed, those signals can return, making some weight regain likely if the underlying drivers persist. For many people, maintaining weight loss requires an ongoing strategy that may include nutrition support, exercise, coaching and sometimes continued medical treatment.