Every answer is a starting point — your consultation goes deeper, personally.
Is this the same as a weight-loss injection from an online service?
No. An online service typically ships a standard dose after a questionnaire. Here treatment begins with laboratory work and is designed and adjusted by a physician who examines you — because the same dose produces very different results in two people with different thyroid function, insulin resistance or hormone levels.
Which medications are used?
The approved incretin therapies — semaglutide and tirzepatide — are the foundation of most protocols, often alongside hormone optimization, peptides and nutritional correction. Newer agents are in late-stage development and Dr. Sibaja follows them closely. What is appropriate for you is decided in consultation, once she has seen your results.
What bloodwork is needed before starting?
Fasting glucose and insulin, HbA1c, a full thyroid panel, sex hormones, lipids, liver and kidney function, and inflammatory markers. Recent results from your own physician are welcome and may be enough — send them ahead of your consultation and Dr. Sibaja will tell you what, if anything, is missing.
How much weight can I expect to lose?
Published trials of the approved incretin therapies report average reductions of roughly 15–22% of body weight over about a year, with wide individual variation. Dr. Sibaja will give you a realistic picture for your own starting point rather than a headline figure — results depend on your metabolism, your baseline and how the protocol is followed.
What are the side effects?
Most are digestive — nausea, reflux, constipation — and they are usually worst in the first weeks after a dose increase, which is why doses are raised gradually. Tell Dr. Sibaja about anything that persists; the protocol can be slowed or adjusted rather than abandoned.
Will I lose muscle as well as fat?
Some lean mass is lost with any substantial weight reduction. Protocols here are built to limit it — adequate protein, resistance training, and where appropriate peptide and hormone support. Body composition is tracked alongside weight, so progress is measured by what you are actually losing.
What happens if I stop?
Weight is commonly regained after stopping, because the metabolic drivers behind it return. This is approached as a long-term condition with a maintenance plan, not a course with an end date. Dr. Sibaja will discuss what maintenance looks like before you begin, not afterwards.
Can I do this if I live abroad?
Yes — most patients do. Many begin in Santa Ana and continue at home, with laboratory work done locally, treatment shipped where appropriate, and follow-up directly with Dr. Sibaja by WhatsApp.
Is this suitable if I only want to lose a little?
It can be, but it is not the right tool for everyone. If your bloodwork is healthy and the goal is modest, Dr. Sibaja will say so and suggest a simpler route. The consultation exists to determine whether a metabolic protocol is warranted, not to sell you one.
Can I combine it with other treatments?
Yes, and it is often better that way. Hormone optimization, peptide therapy and IV nutritional support address the same system from different directions, and significant weight loss changes the face and skin in ways that aesthetic treatments can address once your weight has settled.
