Tirzepatide in Knoxville

Tirzepatide Updates From the FDA

A woman is sitting down and holding a piece of paper as she discusses liposuction in Oak Ridge with Dr. Bass at Shea Aesthetic Clinic.

The FDA announced that, as of March 19, 2025, compounding pharmacies must stop large-scale production of compounded versions of tirzepatide.

So, most compounded versions of the popular weight loss drug tirzepatide (Zepbound), will no longer be available.

How does the FDA’s announcement about tirzepatide affect me?

Prior to March 19, 2025 compounding pharmacies were able to produce tirzepatide and provide it to weight loss & wellness centers and to medical spas like ours. The mass production of tirzepatide created competition in the market. This drove down the cost of tirzepatide which made it fairly affordable for people hoping to lose weight. Because so many pharmacies were making tirzepatide, not only was it affordable, it was also readily available.

In fact, since the FDA approval of tirzepatide for weight loss in 2023, thousands of people have taken tirzepatide for weight loss in Knoxville.

At Shea Aesthetic Clinic, prior to March 19, 2025, we obtained tirzepatide from a compounding pharmacy. This allowed us to provide high-quality compounded versions of tirzepatide to our weight loss patients at a cost much more affordable than the brand-name versions of tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound) provided by Eli Lilly.

However, with the FDA’s announcement that the shortage of tirzepatide is over, the only forms of the medication that are currently available are Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound.

The problem is that these forms of tirzepatide can be very expensive (even with insurance paying a portion of the cost).

Bottom line: If you’ve obtained a compounded version of tirzepatide from a medical spa, weight loss or wellness center, or an online store, please note that the compounded versions of this medication are no longer available and are not FDA approved.

What does this mean for people taking tirzepatide for weight loss in knoxville?

This means that your medical spa, weight loss clinic, or online store will no longer be able to give you compounded versions of tirzepatide weight loss shots anymore.

What am I going to do if I can’t get tirzepatide anymore?

You can still get tirzepatide weight loss shots. We can help. Dr. Kirk Bass and the weight loss team at Shea Aesthetic Clinic are dedicated to providing you not only tirzepatide weight loss shots (from Eli Lilly), but also a trusted weight loss program in the Knoxville area that has helped hundreds of people lose weight and keep it off for good.

How can I get tirzepatide in knoxville?

Now that the FDA has announced that compounding pharmacies must stop the large-scale production of compounded versions of tirzepatide, obtaining your mediation may change in the following ways.

The Simple Answer

To get tirzepatide in Knoxville, you will need a prescription from a physician.

Dr. Kirk Bass will provide prescriptions for Zepbound or Mounjaro (tirzepatide) from Eli Lilly for patients that join Shea’s weight loss membership program.

Joining Shea’s Weight Loss Membership Program starts with a consultation with Dr. Bass. This may be done in person, or virtually.

Call or text to set up your consultation today.

The Detailed Answer

If you’ve been taking a compounded version of tirzepatide, or if you’ve been thinking about taking tirzepatide to lose weight, the following will help explain what the FDA’s decision means for you and how you can continue to receive tirzepatide for weight loss in Knoxville.

Will tirzepatide still be available?

Yes, you will still be able to get tirzepatide in Knoxville. The good news is, per the FDA’s assessment, that tirzepatide and semaglutide are no longer in short supply. Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have ramped up production of tirzepatide (Zepbound) and semaglutide (Wegovy), so the brand-name prescriptions should be readily available at your local pharmacy.

Why is the FDA banning compounded tirzepatide?

Shortly after its production, tirzepatide became wildly popular due to the amazing weight loss results it produced. The supply of Zepbound and Mounjaro was totally insufficient to meet the demand of all the patients that needed and wanted the medications. So, the FDA placed tirzepatide on its drug shortage list and allowed compounding pharmacies to make these medications.

As a result, compounding pharmacies helped fill the supply gap so that people had easy access to tirzepatide for weight loss. Increased supply of the medication made it less expensive to get tirzepatide in Knoxville and everywhere.

A provider holds up a syringe and vial that contains tirzepatide in Knoxville.

 

Since that time, supply has significantly improved for tirzepatide. So the FDA declared that as of March 19, 2025, it’s no longer necessary to allow compounding pharmacies to make tirzepatide.

This means that if you’re currently taking a compounded version of tirzepatide in Knoxville, you’ll need to switch to an FDA-approved version of the medication (Zepbound or Wegovy).

Current Options for Weight Loss if You’ve Been Taking Tirzepatide in Knoxville

We genuinely care about you and your weight loss journey, so we’ve put together a plan to help. Here are your options for weight loss with tirzepatide in Knoxville as of today:

  • Talk to your healthcare professional – Your doctor can give you the most accurate and up-to-date recommendations specific to your individual medical history.
  • If your doctor can’t help you get tirzepatide – Meet with Dr. Kirk Bass who will help you get tirzepatide in Knoxville by providing you a prescription for Zepbound or Mounjaro.
    • To receive the prescription, you will need an in-person, or virtual consultation with Dr. Bass. During the consultation he will review your health history, medications, assess your current diet and exercise, and ensure that it is safe for you to take tirzepatide.
    • You’ll have comprehensive lab work performed to assess for nutritional deficiencies and hormonal imbalances.
    • He will then put together an effective weight loss plan specifically tailored to you.
    • To receive a prescription for tirzepatide you will also need to join the weight loss membership program at Shea.
    • There is a fee for the initial consultation and a monthly fee for the weight loss membership program.
  • Find the right weight loss physician – If you rely on compounded Tirzepatide or semaglutide, it’s time to find a physician that can help you stay on the medications, but more importantly, a physician that will help you change your life.
    • The medications are very effective for weight loss, but if you want to lose weight and keep it off for good, you must learn how to change your choices and improve your nutritional health and exercise. Otherwise, your weight loss with tirzepatide is only going to be temporary.
      • If you truly want to achieve and maintain a healthy weight for the rest of your life, you need a physician that can help make the necessary changes.
  • Transition to semaglutide – Semaglutide remains available at Shea Aesthetic Clinic and other medical spas and weight loss and wellness centers until May 22, 2025.
    • Many of our patients taking tirzepatide in Knoxville are choosing to temporarily transition to Semaglutide.
    • If this is your choice, we’re here to help you make this transition smoothly.
  • Insurance coverage options –  Without insurance coverage, brand-name GLP-1 and GIP weight loss medications are very expensive.
    • Call your insurance company and ask if tirzepatide and/or semaglutide are covered for weight loss by your plan.
      • If the weight loss medications are covered by your insurance, your monthly cost may be as little as $25 per month.
      • If you need help, Dr. Bass and his team can help you figure out whether you insurance company covers the medications or not.
  • Alternative medications –  A qualified weight loss physician can help you decide whether to switch to the brand-name versions of tirzepatide (Zepbound or Mounjaro) or to explore other non-GLP-1, non-GIP weight loss medications.
    • If you’re looking for help with weight loss in Knoxville, or any area, it’s worth looking beyond just GLP-1 and GIP medications. There are several FDA approved weight loss medications available.
    • Dr. Kirk Bass and the weight loss team at Shea Aesthetic Clinic choose from the available weight loss medications to address your individual needs.
    • These include prescriptions for Zepbound (tirzepatide), Wegovy (semaglutide), Qsymia (Phentermine/Topiramate), and Contrave (Bupropion/Naltrexone).After meeting with you one on one (in-person or virtually), Dr. Bass will use these medications to help create a weight loss plan that is tailored exactly to your needs and goals.
    • Regardless of which medication you take, or which weight loss team you choose, to be successful with weight loss you MUST make healthy lifestyle changes.
    • This is the only way to be successful at coming off the weight loss medications and maintaining your goal weight forever.
  • Monitor news updates –  Pay attention to any updates from the FDA. If shortages re-emerge, you may be able to get tirzepatide in Knoxville for a reasonable cost again.

Looking for a place to get tirzepatide in knoxville?

Call or text to set up your consultation, in-person or virtually, with Dr. Kirk Bass at Shea Aesthetic Clinic.

Please take some time to read our Shea Aesthetic Clinic Google reviews.

Are you wondering… what is tirzepatide?

Tirzepatide is a medication, made by Eli Lilly, that treats diabetes, obesity, and sleep apnea. The generic form of the medication is called tirzepatide. The brand names of this medication are Mounjaro and Zepbound. The medication is called ‘Mounjaro’ when tirzepatide is used to treat diabetes and it’s called ‘Zepbound’ when it’s used to treat obesity.

In 2022 Mounjaro (tirzepatide) received FDA approval for the treatment of diabetes. In November of 2023, the FDA approved Zepbound (tirzepatide) for weight loss.

How much does it cost to get tirzepatide in knoxville?

Wondering about the cost of tirzepatide (Zepbound)? Or, if the price of tirzepatide will increase? The answer is, yes. It will. Brand name versions of tirzepatide are more expensive than the compounded versions of the medication. But, the FDA stands behind Zepbound and Mounjaro regarding their safety and efficacy.

In the past the monthly cost of compounded tirzepatide in Knoxville ranged from $250 to $650 per month. Going forward the cost of Zepbound (tirzepatide) will likely cost about $450 to $1500 per month.

Are weight loss medications alone enough for healthy weight loss?

No. They are not. If the weight loss medications are not combined with a change in lifestyle, the weight loss achieved will be temporary… The weight will come back.

If you want healthy weight loss that lasts, you must lose weight properly. This means eating a healthy diet, exercising daily, consuming adequate amounts of protein, eating proper portions of food, drinking adequate amounts of water, limiting carbohydrate intake, and more.

People who take weight loss medications like tirzepatide (Zepbound) in combination with this kind of lifestyle change, are the ones that can lose weight and keep it off for good. If people take tirzepatide (Mounjaro or Zepbound) without this kind of lifestyle change they will simply regain the weight once the medication stops.

With or without tirzepatide – How can a weight loss program help?

At Shea Aesthetic Clinic, we understand your nervousness, your hopes, and how hard you’ve worked to get as far on your weight loss journey as you have. We are here to support you every step of the way. Weight loss drugs are an effective way to lose weight—but once you stop the drug, the weight typically comes back. We know how discouraging this can be.

Whether patients use weight loss medications or not, our experienced weight loss team offers personalized, one-on-one counseling to address individual needs and challenges and to help ensure your long-term success with weight loss.

We monitor patient progress with our Inbody analysis scale. With this device, we track our patients’ weight, percent body fat, muscle mass, metabolism, hydration status, visceral fat, and more.

A woman sits down for a consultation with Shea Aesthetic Clinic's Dr. Bass to learn more about tirzepatide in Knoxville.

 

We provide weekly accountability visits to help our patients change their lives. We review patients weekly dietary intake using the My Fitness Pal App and make adjustments based on this record and the body composition analysis.

We provide weekly emails with healthy meals, exercise tips, and up to date information about the weight loss medications.

As part of our weight loss program you’ll receive comprehensive lab testing to make sure there are no nutritional or hormone imbalances preventing you from losing weight. These tests typically include: testosterone, estradiol, thyroid hormones, comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), vitamin D level, complete blood count (CBC), and a lipid panel.

Our goal for our weight loss patients on Semaglutide or tirzepatide in Knoxville is to teach them how to lose weight well, how to change their behaviors and life-style so that they can obtain their goal weight and maintain that weight for the rest of their lives.

Our goal is to help our patients adjust their lives so that they don’t need weight loss medications.

So, at Shea, we provide you with more than just a weight loss medication. We teach you how to be successful at maintaining a healthy weight, without medications, for the rest of your life.

Our physician, physician’s assistant, expert weight loss coaches, nurses, and certified medical assistants work closely with you to guide your exercise and nutrition plans, ensuring you have the tools and knowledge to keep off the weight you’ve worked so hard to lose.

Let Dr. Kirk Bass and his team at Shea Aesthetic Clinic partner with you on your weight loss journey with tirzepatide in Knoxville.

We sincerely encourage you to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have about receiving a prescription for tirzepatide (Zepbound). We are here to support you!

Why You Should Partner With A Weight Loss Team That Cares

While changes in weight loss medication availability is stressful, it’s important to remember that your weight loss journey is much more about lifestyle changes than weight loss medications.

The goals you’ve been working so hard to achieve are still within reach, and there are many ways to continue your progress.

At Shea Aesthetic Clinic, our expert staff understands your concerns and is ready to support you, with or without tirzepatide. Our comprehensive approach, including personalized nutrition and exercise recommendations, monitoring your progress on our Inbody analysis device, and ongoing support, will help you maintain and even build upon your success.

Remember, you’ve already demonstrated incredible strength and determination in your journey so far. With the right education, guidance, and support, you can continue to reach your health goals, no matter what’s going on in the drug industry!

So, if you’re wondering, “how do I get tirzepatide in Knoxville,” we have the answer!

Please call and set up your consultation with Dr. Bass today.

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