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GLP-1 & GIP Weight Management London at Tower Bridge Hospital, East London
Weight management · GLP-1 & GIP · Doctor-led

GLP-1 & GIP weight management.

How the GLP-1 and dual GIP/GLP-1 medication classes work, who they suit, and the safety and monitoring that come with them — prescribed only after an in-person medical assessment.

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What we check before discussing treatment

Every patient. Every time. We make sure this is the right service for you — safely — before we talk about any treatment options.

  • Your relationship with food A short, sensitive conversation so we can support you well.
  • How you’re feeling mentally Mood, anxiety, sleep, and any current support you’re receiving.
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding If this applies, we’ll plan around it and still look after you.
  • Your medical history Thyroid, diabetes, heart, gallbladder or any other conditions.
  • Anything you’re currently taking Other treatments, supplements — so we can keep you safe.
  • Examination & blood tests Blood pressure, body composition, and blood tests where helpful.
Once everything is clear, we discuss your treatment options with you in clinic.
Initial consultation £150
Monthly review £99
Format In-person, Whitechapel
Length 45 minutes
Treatment classes

GLP-1 & GIP weight management.

Modern weight-management medicines work with your body’s own appetite hormones. Understanding the classes — rather than a single brand — is the right way to think about treatment.

GLP-1 receptor agonists mimic a natural gut hormone (glucagon-like peptide-1) that is released after eating. They increase feelings of fullness (satiety), reduce appetite, and slow the rate at which the stomach empties, so you feel satisfied with less food. Examples of the drug substances in this class include semaglutide and liraglutide.

Dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists act on two hormone pathways at once — GLP-1 and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) — which can have additional effects on appetite and metabolism. Tirzepatide is the drug substance in this dual-agonist class.

Injectable and oral options

Not all treatment is injectable. Historically these medicines were weekly or daily injections, but the UK now also has an authorised oral (tablet) GLP-1 option as well. That matters for choice: the right route for you depends on your medical situation and preference, and our service is built to remain valid whether treatment is a weekly injection, a daily tablet, or another authorised obesity medicine.

“Newest” or “strongest” is not automatically best

There is no single “best” medicine for everyone. Selecting a treatment — or deciding that medication is not appropriate at all — depends on the licensed indication of the specific medicine, your medical history and comorbidities, contraindications, other medicines you take, how you respond, side effects, and your own preference. A slower, well-tolerated approach is often better than the strongest option.

These are prescription-only medicines. They are licensed for medical weight management — not for cosmetic weight loss in people without an appropriate clinical indication — and are prescribed only after an in-person clinical assessment. In line with UK rules we discuss specific medicines with you in consultation rather than advertising brands here. See safety & contraindications and eligibility below.

Safety first

Safety, contraindications & reproductive health.

This is where a hospital service should be stronger than a commercial weight-loss website. Read this carefully.

Common side effects

Most side effects are gastrointestinal: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation, usually mild-to-moderate and often easing as your body adjusts. Occasionally these can cause significant dehydration, which can affect the kidneys — staying hydrated matters, and severe or persistent symptoms should be reviewed.

Acute pancreatitis — strengthened MHRA warning

In January 2026 the MHRA strengthened its warnings on acute pancreatitis for GLP-1 and dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists, including rare necrotising and fatal cases. This is uncommon but serious.

Red flag — act now. Seek urgent medical attention if you develop severe, persistent abdominal (tummy) pain that may spread to your back, with or without nausea and vomiting. If pancreatitis is suspected the medicine is stopped immediately, and it is not restarted if pancreatitis is confirmed.

Treatment is used with particular caution in anyone with a history of pancreatitis. We assess this before prescribing.

Other important risks

  • Gallbladder / biliary problems (including gallstones), which can occur with rapid weight loss
  • Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), especially if combined with insulin or sulfonylurea diabetes medicines — doses of those may need adjusting
  • Delayed stomach emptying: tell any surgeon or anaesthetist that you take one of these medicines before an operation or procedure, as current guidance may advise pausing it around surgery
  • A very rare eye condition affecting the optic nerve (NAION) has been reported with semaglutide — report sudden vision changes

Do not buy these medicines from unregulated sources — beauty salons, gyms or social media. Counterfeit and unsupervised products carry real risk. They should be prescribed by a healthcare professional after assessment and dispensed by a legitimate pharmacy.

Pregnancy, breastfeeding & contraception

Weight-management GLP-1 and GIP medicines are not used in pregnancy, when trying to conceive, or while breastfeeding. If you are planning a pregnancy, treatment should be stopped beforehand — but the recommended interval differs between medicines, and one medicine’s washout does not apply to another. As a guide, the product information advises stopping semaglutide around two months before a planned pregnancy and tirzepatide around one month before, while liraglutide is stopped when pregnancy is being attempted. We will advise you on the specific medicine you are prescribed.

Contraception matters too: with the dual GIP/GLP-1 medicine (tirzepatide), oral contraceptives may be less reliable, particularly around starting treatment and each dose increase. Current advice is to add a barrier method (such as condoms) for four weeks after starting and after every dose increase, or to use a non-oral contraceptive. We will discuss what applies to you.

Ready when you are

Book a private weight management consultation.

In-person, 45 minutes, £150. GMC-registered doctor. CQC-registered clinic. Whitechapel, central London.

Book a consultation Speak to the clinic team
The Tower Bridge difference

Care built around the visit, not the volume.

One clinician, enough time to be understood, and a written summary to take away — on every appointment.

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Insurance accepted
Bupa AXA Health Vitality Aviva Cigna + more — check yours
Trusted partners
CQCCare Quality Commission GMCGeneral Medical Council PabauPractice management & online booking TDLThe Doctors Laboratory
In an emergency, call 999. Tower Bridge Hospital London is not an emergency service. Your nearest A&E is The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel Road E1 1FR — 5 minutes’ walk from our front door.

Related reading

Areas we serve

GLP-1 & GIP Weight Management in London & East London — Whitechapel, the City & Canary Wharf

Our GLP-1 & GIP Weight Management service at Whitechapel, E1 cares for patients from right across London and East London, the City and the Docklands — including Aldgate, Bethnal Green, Bow, Shoreditch, Canary Wharf, Stratford, Bermondsey and the surrounding areas. Same-day and walk-in appointments are available and you do not need a GP referral.

Easy to reach — minutes from the Royal London Hospital and Aldgate East, Whitechapel, Aldgate and Liverpool Street stations, and one stop from Canary Wharf on the Elizabeth line.

Looking for glp-1 & gip weight management near me? If you are searching for a private glp-1 & gip weight management near me, a doctor, clinic or specialist near me in East London, our Whitechapel practice is on your doorstep — walk-in and same-day appointments, no GP referral, and no long NHS waiting list.

Book a same-day appointment or call 020 7916 0029. See our transparent fees. Open 7 days a week, 9am–7pm. Private clinic on Whitechapel Road, London E1 — serving Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Newham, Islington, the City of London and Southwark.

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