What to expect from your first consultation, what labs you'll need, how injections actually feel, and how to track results.
You've decided to try peptide therapy. Before you book your first consultation, here's an honest preview of what to expect — from the initial visit through the first injection and beyond.
Your first appointment should involve a real intake — health history, current medications, goals, and ideally a review of recent labs. Red flag: a consultation that jumps straight to a product recommendation without health history. Green flag: a provider who asks what you've tried before and why you're looking at peptides specifically.
Bring: a list of current supplements and medications, any recent bloodwork you have, and your specific goals (fat loss, recovery, energy, sleep improvement, etc.). The more specific you are, the better a quality provider can tailor a protocol.
A quality clinic will order labs before starting any protocol. What you need depends on the peptide:
Baseline labs aren't just a safety check — they give you a benchmark. If your IGF-1 starts at 120 and reaches 200 after three months of sermorelin, that's meaningful data. Without a baseline, you're flying blind on whether the protocol is working.
Most peptides are delivered via subcutaneous injection — a very small insulin-type needle injected into the fat layer (usually abdomen, thigh, or upper arm). It's much less intimidating than it sounds.
Your clinic should walk you through the process in person or via video. If they just mail you supplies without instruction, that's not adequate support.
Peptides are not instant. Here's a realistic timeline:
Peptide therapy isn't magic. It works best when combined with good sleep, training, and nutrition. A clinic that promises dramatic results in week one is setting you up for disappointment. Quality clinics talk about 3–6 month timelines and emphasize the lifestyle factors that amplify the protocols.