Frequently Asked
Questions

Frequently Asked
Questions

Most Common Questions:

Sustain’s approach to food is flexible and works with nearly all dietary restrictions, including gluten-free, vegan, and lactose-free (to name just a few). Each person has a different weight loss journey, your doctor will help you create a custom diet plan that caters to your individual lifestyle & body.

Return Policy for Sustain:

If you decide to cancel at least 24 hours prior to your Initial Consultation, or prior to completing any diagnostic lab tests, you may request a full refund for the Initial Consultation.

If you purchased a Treatment Program and are not completely satisfied with your experience, you have the right to cancel and receive a refund for any unused visits.

To initiate a refund, please contact us at info@mdnancy.com

Refunds
If approved, you’ll be automatically refunded on your original payment method within 10 business days. Please remember it can take some time for your bank or credit card company to process and post the refund too.

If more than 15 business days have passed since we’ve approved your refund, please contact us at info@mdnancy.com 

Everyone has a different weight loss journey, with Sustain we focus on keeping weight off for the long-term.  

When combined with Dr Nancy’s proven approach, her patients have seen an average loss of 15% of their body weight in the first year.

Sustain prescribes GLP-1 medications including Wegovy® (semaglutide),  Saxenda® (liraglutide), Trulicity® (dulaglutide), and other forms of semaglutide (Ozempic® and Rybelsus®). All GLP-1s are FDA-approved, stimulant-free, and non-habit forming. Prescription costs through your insurance depend on co-pay and if you have reached your deductibles. Sustain strives to keep max out of pocket prescription costs at $25.

With Sustain, we are bringing our proven approach to you. With our combination of prescription medication and lifestyle modification, we guide you to a healthy body and healthy weight. Sustain is not a temporary solution to weight loss, it is a long-term solution. It is not a fad diet that will starve you or that won’t work. Sustain is a 3-month commitment to making long-term weight loss possible, with the combination of doctor 1 on 1 and medication you can lose 7% of your body weight in 3 months. 

Sustain never prescribed stimulants and only prescribes GLP-1 medications that are safe for long term use, that won’t cause withdrawals.

Everyone has a different weight loss journey, with Sustain we focus on keeping weight off for the long-term.  

When combined with Dr Nancy’s proven approach, her patients have seen an average loss of 15% of their body weight in the first year.

We recommend checking your eligibility by taking our eligibility quiz. If you find that you are not eligible for Sustain, please enter your email address to join our waitlist and be notified when Sustain is available for you.

GLP-1 Questions:

GLP-1 is a hormone that makes you feel full.  It’s made by your gut and has receptors in your brain.  When the GLP-1 hormone activates the GLP receptors in your brain, it tells you that you’re not hungry anymore.  Following  a meal, levels of GLP-1 rise for up to 2 hours which slows digestion, curbs appetite, and improves insulin function.

Every time you lose more than 5% of your body weight, your levels of naturally produced GLP-1 drop, triggering increased hunger and decreased satiety. 

Even worse, this drop is permanent.  Even if you regain the weight, GLP-1 levels do not restore to their original level. 

The impact? Yoyo dieting and previous attempts at weight loss can dramatically lower levels of naturally produced GLP-1, leading to increased hunger.  (The result: your biology makes succeeding at weight loss almost impossible)

GLP-1 medications are the most effective solution ever offered to achieve long term, sustainable weight loss, when combined with lifestyle modification.

GLP-1 medications are synthetic proteins that act just like the natural hormone and make you feel full.  GLP-1 medications act by providing your body with the protein that it is missing, due to genetics, yoyo dieting or previous weight loss attempts.

When combined with Dr Nancy’s proven approach, her patients have seen an average loss of 15% of their body weight in the first year.

Obesity medication has recently become highly effective. GLP-1 medications are clinically proven to provide long term, sustainable weight loss.

In February 2021, Semaglutide was shown to be highly effective in tackling obesity: a mean change in body weight over 68 weeks of 14.9%.

This February 2021 paper builds on earlier similar results in May 2020

Semaglutide was FDA-approved for weight management in  2021.Liraglutide (also a GLP-1 medication) has been FDA-approved for weight management since 2014.

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 medication. GLP-1s have few side effects and have been FDA-approved for Diabetes since 2010. Semaglutide has been FDA-approved for Diabetes since 2017.

GLP-1 medications are safe, proven and effective with numerous peer-reviewed clinical studies on the safety and efficacy of these medications. 

GLP-1 medications require medical supervision and when used properly have minimal side effects. 

GLP-1 medications are not stimulants or controlled substances.

GLP-1 medications have no adverse effects on the heart or brain, are not habit forming and can be discontinued at any time.

GLP-1 medications work with your body’s biology to adjust your set-point weight. 

These medications come in injectable and oral forms; our healthcare providers will help you decide which one is right for you.

GLP-1 medication provides 24/7 assistance in weight loss efforts. 

Previous generations of prescription weight loss medications were often stimulants or appetite suppressants to mask hunger. These quick fixes did not address the underlying issue of increased hunger hormones. 

GLP-1 medications work to reset the metabolic pathway to an optimal function, reducing hunger at its source, leading to long lasting weight loss.

Once you reach your goal weight and have sustained it, you can taper off the medication.

Insurance/Pricing Questions:

We’ll work with your insurance and the costs should be capped at $25 or less per month, after any copay or deductible is met.

We’re able to work with the vast majority of commercial insurance plans in order to get coverage for your doctor-prescribed medication and labs. Copays and deductibles vary by plan, but your doctor-prescribed medication is usually capped at $25 per month after any deductible is met. 

To help you sign up with confidence, we guarantee the cost of your GLP-1 medication with insurance will be $25/month or less (after any deductible is met) or you’re eligible for a refund (the cost of the program minus the cost of your first appointment).

We’re sorry that you had this experience, but we’re optimistic that Sustain could help. Many of our patients—including individuals who had their claim for a GLP-1 denied before—have been able to get a GLP-1 covered at $25/month (after any deductible was hit). This is because our Medical Team explores all GLP-1 medication options that are clinically appropriate for you, our team uses proprietary tools and data to help get your GLP-1 covered, and we take ownership over communicating with your insurance company for you. 

To help you sign up with confidence, we guarantee that the cost of your GLP-1 medication with insurance will be $25/month or less (after any deductible is met) or you’ll be eligible for a refund (the cost of the program minus the cost of your first appointment)—even if your claim for a GLP-1 has been denied in the past. 

To see Sustain detail pricing in detail, see our Pricing page.

Our Initial Consultation is a 45-minute Telemedicine session with a trained health care professional to evaluate your metabolic health and costs $550.  

Our Treatment Program includes 6 Bi-weekly Follow-up appointments over 3 months. The cost is $999.

Yes, you can use HSA or FSA funds to pay for the Initial Consultation or your Treatment Program. 

Sustain Questions:

Sustain is a telehealth clinic for women and men who struggle with weight loss.    

Sustain combines doctor-prescribed medication, along with a customized diet program and lifestyle modification coaching to treat obesity.

Your biweekly, Telemedicine Follow-up appointment with your trained health care professional helps keep you accountable.  You’ll always meet with the same partner, to track progress and celebrate success too.

Each Follow-up appointment is 20 minutes, typically every other week. During this meeting you can discuss what’s important to you, the challenges you had and find a way to create solutions with our expert help.

Our practitioner’s have experience obtaining clinical outcomes with multiple pathways, and plans are always customized to fit your individual preferences.

Sustain is a specialty clinic for obesity and weight loss.  It is important that you continue to be treated for existing medical conditions by your primary care provider. We will monitor your weight loss results and can coordinate your treatment plan with your primary care provider and/or other specialists.

Lab panels are necessary to assess your metabolism, hormones and micronutrients.

During intake, we will provide lab orders to assess your metabolism, hormones and micronutrients. Testing can be completed locally by your primary care practitioner or any convenient national lab facility such as Quest or LabCorp. 

With Sustain patients lose on average 7% of their body weight in 3 months, and 15% within 1 year. We strive to offer a long-term weight loss solution while also promoting lifestyle changes to improve your overall nutrition, gut health, micronutrient levels, and emotional health too.

Food - Improve nutritional habits and create a plan that is right for you. Making healthier choices that include protein, fiber, and healthy fats—without restricting or counting calories 

Gut Health - Improving overall gut health and supporting your microbiome with good bacteria.

Micronutrients - Optimizing your nutrient intake, we need these vitamins and minerals to convert the food we eat into energy, as well as repair cells and other essential functions in the body. 

Emotional Health - Improving your emotional health which has a huge effect on your weight. It’s worth noting that this category doesn’t just include whether you feel happy or sad, it also encompasses sleep deprivation, stress, depression, and other factors that impact our physical and mental health.

You will meet with the same health care professional each meeting you have throughout Sustain’s program. Sustain’s team is made up of a diverse group of staff qualified to offer you the best service for your weight loss journey.

Sustain is founded by Dr. Nancy Rahnama. Dr. Rahnama pioneered the use of GLP-1 weight loss medications in Beverly Hills. She is a leader in the field of using GLP-1 medications to treat obesity and trains other doctors how to effectively prescribe them. Dr. Rahnama’s unique clinical protocol is proven, safe and effective, with a track record of patient success. She has 8 years of experience using this class of medications in a clinical setting to transform people's lives. Dr. Nancy Rahnama is double Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine. She started her private practice in 2013 after completing Internal Medicine Residency at Cedars Sinai Medical Center and a Clinical Nutrition Fellowship at UCLA. 

After purchasing Sustain you will book your onboarding phone call to complete your intake within 72 hours. After you complete your preliminary lab work and onboarding that typically takes 1 week, your first consultation with your provider typically occurs within 72 hours after we receive your labs.

After purchasing the 3 month treatment program you can purchase a welcome kit!


Included in the welcome kit you can request the following items:

- Inbody Smart Scale

- Craving Healthy Cookbook

- GI Stool Test

- SIBO Breath Test

Ask a member of our team to learn more or email us at info@mdnancy.com

Medication Questions:

Your Sustain doctor will review your required lab work and entire health history and can answer any questions you might have about medication interactions during your initial video doctor visit. GLP-1s (the medications that Sustain doctors prescribe) can be safely taken with other common prescription medications—including those for blood pressure, thyroid, and diabetes—and have no contraindications with other prescription or over-the-counter medications. 

There is one oral GLP-1 option. Your Sustain doctor will use your medical history and insurance coverage to prescribe the best GLP-1 option for you. GLP-1s are self-administered either daily or weekly depending on the medication. Your Sustain doctor can walk you through how it works and can also send you a short video to help! While an injection may sound scary, most members actually report it being painless, quick, and easy. Any questions you have, our Sustain team is happy to help answer!

Yes, Wegovy® (semaglutide) is one of several GLP-1 medications your Medical Team will consider based on your health history and insurance coverage. Sustain doctors may also use other forms of semaglutide (the molecule used in Wegovy®, marketed under the brand names Ozempic® and Rybelsus®), as well as liraglutide (Saxenda®), and dulaglutide (Trulicity®).

Wegovy® is one of several GLP-1 medications the Sustain Team will consider based on your health history and insurance coverage in our program. Sustain doctors may also use semaglutide (marketed under the brand names Ozempic®,  and Rybelsus®, as well as Wegovy®), liraglutide (Saxenda®) and dulaglutide (Trulicity®). 

We cannot commit to medication preferences prior to joining. After reviewing your health history and labs, Sustain doctors will prescribe a GLP-1 medication that is clinically appropriate and covered by your insurance with a copay of $25/month or less (after any deductible is met). 

Wegovy® (semaglutide) is one of the GLP-1 medications that Sustain doctors prescribe, along with liraglutide (Saxenda®), dulaglutide (Trulicity®), and other forms of semaglutide (Ozempic® and Rybelsus®). The primary difference between Wegovy® and other GLP-1s is that it’s a higher dose of semaglutide, a GLP-1 that is also prescribed under the brand names Ozempic® and Rybelsus®. All GLP-1s are FDA-approved, stimulant-free, and non-habit forming.

In your body, GLP-1s are powerful hormones made by your gut that send signals to your brain and other key parts of your metabolic system to influence your blood sugar response and insulin, and regulate your appetite and digestion so you can feel full longer and maximize nutrient absorption. Semaglutide (marketed under brand names Wegovy®, Ozempic® and Rybelsus®), along with all other GLP-1s, addresses systems core to metabolic health and helps lower your set point, or the weight your body fights to stay at.

We do not recommend taking any weight loss medication that is not a GLP-1 during your time with Sustain. Sustain doctors prescribe GLP-1s because research shows that when combined with accountability coaching, GLP-1s are the most effective and safe long-term option for weight loss. 

The FDA-approved medications that Sustain prescribes are called GLP-1s, and are clinically-tested, stimulant-free, and non-habit forming. Side effects are extremely rare, and most individuals who take a GLP-1 do not experience any. For those who do, nausea is the most common, and this typically resolves over the first few weeks of being on the medication. If you do experience any side effects, you’ll be able to reach out to our team directly for support.

In the most recent clinical trials, less than 5% of people discontinued GLP-1 medications because of side effects. However, in the incredibly rare case that you have side effects that make you ineligible to participate in the program, you’d be offered the choice to stay in the program with a non-GLP-1 medication called metformin (if clinically appropriate) or to partially refund your program based on the amount of time you were able to participate.

The Sustain team is available to provide easy communication between patients and doctors to ensure any questions you have are answered.

WE NAVIGATE INSURANCE
So you don't have to.

Sign up with confidence with our Medication Coverage Guarantee.
We help you get GLP-1 medications covered by your commercial medical insurance. If we can't help you, you're eligible for a refund (less the cost of your first doctor appointment, $550). See details here.