Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Foundayo: What Actually Separates Them
The Comparison, Without the Marketing
Five drugs, constant headlines, and very little plain explanation of how they differ. Here is the short version: they are not five versions of the same thing. They differ in what they’re approved for, what they target, and now — with Foundayo’s April 2026 approval — whether you take a shot or a pill.
What none of them do is address why you eat the way you eat. That gap is where the Bariatric Counseling Center works. We are an excellent support option alongside GLP-1 treatment, and over half of our clients are on one of these medications. We hold the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval, awarded in 2023, and we are the only program of our kind in Texas. We do not prescribe these medications. We treat the behavior they don’t touch.
| Medication | Active drug | How it’s taken | Approved for | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ozempic | Semaglutide | Weekly injection | Type 2 diabetes | GLP-1 |
| Wegovy | Semaglutide | Weekly injection (oral form approved Dec 2025) | Chronic weight management | GLP-1 |
| Mounjaro | Tirzepatide | Weekly injection | Type 2 diabetes | GIP + GLP-1 |
| Zepbound | Tirzepatide | Weekly injection | Chronic weight management | GIP + GLP-1 |
| Foundayo | Orforglipron | Daily pill | Chronic weight management | GLP-1 |
Ozempic and Wegovy are the same drug. Both are semaglutide. The difference is what they’re approved to treat and how they’re dosed. Same story for Mounjaro and Zepbound — both are tirzepatide.
The tirzepatide drugs hit two receptors, not one. Mounjaro and Zepbound target GIP in addition to GLP-1. Ozempic, Wegovy, and Foundayo are GLP-1 only.
Foundayo is the one that changes the routine. Approved by the FDA in April 2026, Eli Lilly’s Foundayo (orforglipron) is a once-daily pill — and unlike oral Wegovy, which has to be taken in the morning on an empty stomach with limited water and a wait before eating, Foundayo can be taken any time of day with no food or water restrictions. For people who avoided injections or couldn’t work around oral Wegovy’s timing rules, that’s a genuinely different proposition.
Side effects across the class skew gastrointestinal — nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation — and are typically worst during dose escalation. Which drug and which dose is a conversation for your prescribing provider, not for a blog post and not for us.
The Part the Medication Doesn’t Do
GLP-1 medications reduce appetite. That is real, and for many people it is the first time in years that food noise quiets down.
Here is what we see clinically. Appetite suppression creates an opening. It does not, by itself, teach anyone what to do with it. If food has been how you manage stress, grief, boredom, or self-criticism, that machinery is still fully intact underneath a quieter appetite — and it tends to reassert itself, especially when the dose plateaus, when side effects force a change, or when the medication stops.
This is why we describe our program as complementary. Our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) runs alongside your medication, never instead of it. We don’t prescribe, and we don’t tell anyone to stop. Our Registered Nurse coordinates with your prescriber so both halves of your care are informed by each other.
The program is IOP only — not inpatient, not residential, not PHP. Most clients are with us about three months, roughly 30 sessions, two to three times weekly, on a morning (11am–2pm, Tue–Fri), evening (5:30–8:30pm, Mon–Thu), or Saturday (10am–1pm) track. The clinical work uses DBT and Radically Open DBT, CBT and CBT-E, and ACT, delivered through group, individual, and family sessions. You’ll also do cooking classes in our teaching kitchen, guided grocery store tours, and mindful eating practice with a Registered Dietitian.
Your team: Licensed Mental Health Professionals (Clinical Psychologists and LPCs), Registered Dietitians with eating disorder training, a Registered Nurse, and a professional chef. No formal diagnosis is required to start.
Insurance, Access, and Texas Telehealth
We are in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Tricare, Humana, UMR, Carelon, Oscar, Imagine Health, Sana, MultiPlan, Meritain Health, ComPsych, Curative, 90 Degree Benefits, and Healthcare Highways. We accept CareCredit, and we file appeals at no cost if a claim is denied.
Worth noting: your medication coverage and your behavioral health coverage are usually separate benefits. A GLP-1 denial does not mean our program is denied. We check both.
Our center is in the San Antonio Medical Center area, and our telehealth IOP serves all of Texas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between Ozempic and Wegovy?
They’re the same drug — semaglutide. Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes; Wegovy is approved for chronic weight management. The approved indication and dosing differ, the molecule doesn’t.
What’s the difference between Mounjaro and Zepbound?
Same relationship: both are tirzepatide. Mounjaro is approved for type 2 diabetes, Zepbound for chronic weight management. Both target GIP and GLP-1, unlike the semaglutide drugs, which target GLP-1 only.
Is Foundayo the same as Ozempic in pill form?
No. Foundayo is orforglipron, a different molecule from semaglutide. It’s a once-daily oral GLP-1 receptor agonist approved by the FDA in April 2026, and it has no food, water, or time-of-day restrictions — which distinguishes it from oral Wegovy.
Which weight loss medication is best?
That depends on your medical history, your other conditions, your insurance, and how you tolerate side effects — which makes it a question for your prescribing provider. We don’t prescribe medication and won’t recommend one over another.
Do I still need counseling if the medication is working?
Many people find it’s what makes the results hold. GLP-1s quiet appetite; they don’t change the reasons food became a coping tool. Our program is an excellent support option alongside medication, addressing the behavior underneath.
Does Bariatric Counseling Center prescribe GLP-1 medications?
No. We don’t prescribe. Our Registered Nurse coordinates with your prescribing provider so your medication and behavioral treatment work together.
Will my counseling be covered if my GLP-1 isn’t?
Often, yes — they’re typically separate benefits. We’ll verify your behavioral health coverage regardless of what your pharmacy benefit decides, and we file appeals for free.
The Medication Opens the Door. Something Has to Walk Through It.
If you’re on a GLP-1 — or deciding about one — and you can already feel that the appetite piece was never the whole problem, that instinct is worth acting on.
Call the Bariatric Counseling Center. We’ll verify your benefits and tell you honestly whether our program fits alongside your treatment, in San Antonio or anywhere in Texas.