Patient information centre

Patient guides

You were given a prescription. You probably weren't given much else. These guides cover every aspect of monitoring your health on GLP-1 medications — liver scans, nutrition, blood tests, specialists, and what Australian clinical guidelines actually require.

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FibroScan results explainedDo I need a liver scan?GLP-1 & liver healthGLP-1 blood tests guideNutrition on GLP-1Find a clinic

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Practical guides for people navigating liver and metabolic testing in Australia — written to answer the questions that come up before, during and after an appointment.

If you've been told you have a fatty liver, been referred for a scan, or found something unexpected on a blood test, these are the pages that explain what happens next.

Before you're tested

  • Do I need a FibroScan? — who benefits from liver stiffness testing, and who doesn't
  • Fatty liver testing in Australia — how assessment usually works
  • Liver fibrosis test options — the tests available and how they differ

Understanding the tests

  • Transient elastography explained — how liver stiffness measurement works
  • Elastography compared with alternatives — how it compares with ultrasound, blood scores and biopsy
  • Limitations of elastography — when results are unreliable, and why some scans fail

Costs and access

  • What a liver scan costs in Australia — fees, rebates and what determines your out-of-pocket cost

After your results

  • Understanding your scan results — what kPa and CAP values mean
  • When FIB-4 is indeterminate — what to do with a result in the middle range

Tools: FIB-4 calculator · kPa to fibrosis stage converter Next: Find a clinic offering liver assessment →

Start here

Start here — what every GLP-1 patient needs to know

500,000 Australians are on GLP-1 medications. Most have received almost no monitoring guidance. These three guides cover the essentials — what Australian clinical guidelines require, what blood tests to ask for, and whether you need a liver scan.

Liver monitoring

Your liver on GLP-1 — scans, results and next steps

From FibroScan numbers to fatty liver treatment — every guide you need for the FIB-4 to elastography pathway in Australia.

Find a scan clinic

Liver health is the most clinically urgent monitoring need for GLP-1 patients. These guides cover the FIB-4 to elastography pathway — what tests involve, what results mean, and where to get scanned.

Full monitoring

The full monitoring picture

Kidneys, thyroid, heart, sleep, mind, and your GP — what to track beyond liver health when you are on Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro.

Complete monitoring guide

Liver health is the most urgent monitoring priority — but GLP-1 medications affect multiple body systems. These guides cover kidney function, thyroid health, cardiovascular risk, sleep apnoea, psychology, and finding a monitoring GP.

Nutrition & weight

Eat well, keep muscle, protect your liver

Protein targets, Mediterranean eating, dietitian support — nutrition guides built for reduced appetite on GLP-1 therapy.

Nutrition guide

Dietitians Australia is calling for dietitian referral on every GLP-1 prescription. These guides cover protein targets, muscle preservation, fatty liver diet, and finding an Accredited Practising Dietitian.

Medications

Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro — compared

Side-by-side guides on cost, availability, PBS rules, and how each injection affects your liver and weight.

Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro — what each drug does, how they compare, what they cost, and what Australian regulations say.

Access & bariatric pathways

Access, plateaus & post-bariatric care

Prescription pathways, clinic quality checks, and what to do when GLP-1 alone is not enough — or when weight returns after sleeve or bypass.

Complete monitoring guide

How to access Mounjaro and Wegovy, telehealth vs in-person monitoring, private clinics, weight regain after surgery, and when to see a bariatric surgeon — full Australian patient guides.

Starting, staying on & switching GLP-1

The full picture before you start — or switch

Medication access, real costs, safety considerations, and the monitored care that helps you stay on treatment long-term.

True cost of GLP-1 therapy

Saxenda withdrawal, PBS vs private, compounded ban, pregnancy and surgery safety, oral options, true annual cost, MJA screening, persistence, and muscle preservation.

Directory

Find the right specialist or clinic

Hepatologists, gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, scan clinics and dietitians — search the Metabolic Health Australia directory near you.

Browse all specialists

Not sure where to start?

Tell us what brings you here and we'll point you in the right direction.

I need a liver scanI want to understand my FibroScan resultI want to know what monitoring I need on GLP-1

Medical disclaimer: All content on this page is educational and is not intended as medical advice. Diagnosis and treatment decisions must be made by a qualified healthcare professional.