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Obesity treatment, diagnosis & prescriptions

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Talk to a doctor about Obesity treatment online

See a doctor or nurse practitioner today to get a new prescription or refill, at their discretion.

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After your consultation, if you have received a medical diagnosis and prescription for a medication, your prescription can be faxed to the pharmacy of your choice for pick-up or delivered to your home.

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Get your medications delivered to your door anywhere in Canada within 1-3 business days.

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Maple members get 24/7 access to primary care online and more. Our doctors and nurse practitioners are available to see you in minutes, anytime.

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Our network of Canadian-licensed doctors and nurse practitioners is here for you.

Golbarg Araghi

Family Physician

Dr. Araghi has been practicing medicine for 17 years. She graduated from McGill University medical school in 2002 and completed her family medicine residency at the University of Toronto. She did a fellowship in low risk obstetrics shortly after graduating. She has been practicing since 2004 and has provided care for patients of all ages. She is a great addition to our team!

Jonathan Clayton

Family Physician

Dr. Clayton practices family medicine in urban and rural areas, emergency care, and hospital care in New Brunswick. He is also an expedition physician. Dr. Clayton holds a Bachelor of Science with distinction from the University of New Brunswick and a Doctor of Medicine from Memorial University, where he made the Dean's list.

Paul Cusack

Family Physician

Dr. Cusack has been practicing Family Medicine in Charlottetown for the past 15 years. He also works in a busy walk-in clinic two days a week and heads up to the Surgical Assist group at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown.

Michael Verbora

Médecin de famille

Dr. Verbora practices family medicine in Toronto, specializing in student health. He holds a BSc from the University of Windsor, an MBA from Odette School of Business, and an MD from the University of Western Ontario. He completed specialty training at Toronto Western Hospital and served as OCFP Chair of the Residents Committee.

Joe Fragapane

Family & ER Physician

Dr. Fragapane practices Emergency and Family medicine for the Cree Nation in James Bay, Quebec, focusing on rural emergency care and pediatrics. He handles complex medical and psychosocial issues in isolated regions. Certified in advanced life support and interested in AI, he teaches at McGill and UQAT. He graduated from McGill in 2012 and 2005.

Mazin Yousif

Family Physician

Dr. Yousif completed medical school in Baghdad, Iraq in 1998. He practiced until 2005 then moved to Canada where he has practiced in Newfoundland from 2007-2009 then Ontario from 2009 until now.

Why Canadians love Maple

A fantastic way to get medical advice when you are unable to see someone in person. The app is so simple to use. Highly recommend. I am not a tech savvy person but the doctor was kind enough to patiently walk me through every step of the process. Thank you.
—Google Play Store

Saved me hours waiting in the ER.
—Vanessa, Trustpilot

Fast and effective tool for getting a diagnosis and prescription.
—Katie, Google Reviews

The doctor willingly took the time to explain things to me.
—Diana, Google Reviews

Very easy to book a therapist and get appointment receipts.
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Frequently asked questions

Maple 101

Maple is a virtual care platform that connects you with doctors and other healthcare providers via text, audio, or video. After you log in to your Maple account, you can request an online consultation.

Consultations work similarly to in-person appointments — the doctor can complete an assessment by asking questions about your symptoms, going through your health history, and determining what treatment is right for you. If they think your condition is more serious, they may tell you to go to a clinic for an in-person examination.

As a Maple member, you get 24/7 access to virtual primary care online and more. You can connect with our network of providers via text, audio, or video call within minutes.

Pricing and Payment

Our membership costs $79.99/month and covers virtual care for patients and their families, including the primary account holder's spouse and any dependents.

For patients in eligible provinces, our membership includes:

  • Access to daily primary care provider visits: One daily visit with a primary care provider for each family member in their household.
  • Paediatric care: Covered paediatric primary care visits, available by appointment.
  • Second medical opinions: access to a network of experts for a second opinion if diagnosed with a complex condition (e.g. cancer).
  • Personal Health Check-Ins: A series of personalized, evidence-based proactive care screenings to maintain and improve health.
  • iCBT courses: Access to iCBT (internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy) self-assessment and courses.
  • Access to specialists in eligible provinces: Easy access to specialists on Maple within days, not months. No referral is needed.
  • Specialist referrals in eligible provinces: Ability to be referred to a physician specialist for in-person care, if needed.
  • Credit discounts: An $80 credit per month to be applied to a Maple specialist visit.

Please note that our membership cannot be combined with other offerings, such as private insurance coverage and provincial programs, where available. In some cases, membership fees can be covered by a Healthcare Spending Account (HSA) — check with your HSA provider for more details.

We accept all major credit cards, including AMEX cards, as well as Google and Apple Pay.

Security and Privacy

At Maple, we proudly prioritize privacy as a cornerstone of our virtual care services. We strictly adhere to privacy and healthcare legislation in Canada, such as PIPEDA and PHIPA regulations, to ensure patients' personal and health information remains completely private and safeguarded.

Our policies and consent processes are designed to be simple and easily understood, empowering individuals with control and a clear understanding of their healthcare journey. When using our services, a patient’s session is protected by a comprehensive security infrastructure and stringent data policies.

Patients also retain full control of their personal health information, medical records and test results at all times. Our approach is reinforced by consultations with leading experts, guaranteeing comprehensive policy frameworks that are reviewed at a regular cadence.

All providers delivering healthcare through Maple are licensed in Canada and governed by their licensing regulatory colleges, and in all instances, must act in accordance with the governing principles set out in the telemedicine policies of each medical regulator in the applicable province.

Regulators across Canada support and recognize the value of services like ours, and the way in which they can benefit patients, physicians, and Canada’s broader healthcare system by improving access to care and increasing efficiencies in the delivery of care.

About Obesity

Yes, you can. The provider will want to discuss your medical history, your current condition, and any symptoms or signs of obesity you’re experiencing.
In most cases, the provider will calculate your body mass index (BMI) to determine if you’re obese based on your current BMI.

Once the provider has given an obesity diagnosis, they will be able to suggest an obesity treatment plan to begin losing weight. If you live in Ontario or Alberta, you can see a weight management consultant online with Maple.

Yes, our weight management consultants can prescribe obesity medications online during your consultation. Once you accept a prescription for obesity, you’ll have the option to pick it up from any pharmacy or to have it delivered right to your door at no additional cost.

You can visit our How it Works page to learn more.

Obesity is a chronic disease that involves retaining a large amount of body fat. It’s considered a global epidemic that is a major contributor to poor health in men and women of all ages.

Being overweight is not merely a cosmetic issue. When you’re obese, it can increase the risks of experiencing other health problems, like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
Obesity is calculated using the body mass index (BMI). BMI is measured by calculating body weight (in kg) divided by height (in metres) squared. If the resulting number is 30 or higher, the weight is considered obese.

You can also calculate obesity by measuring waist circumferences. It’s best used in patients who have a BMI that’s considered overweight (between 25 to 29.9 kg/m2), and increased abdominal girth, to assess cardiometabolic risks.

The most prominent symptom or sign of obesity is weight gain, pushing your BMI to 30 or higher. However, there are other associated obesity symptoms that can accompany weight gain, such as:

  • Fatigue or lack of energy
  • Easily exhausted by physical activities
  • Difficult sleeping or sleep apnea
  • Intolerance to heat
  • Shortness of breath
  • Excessive sweating
  • Stretch marks on skin
  • Joint or back pain
  • Depression
  • Infections in skin folds
  • Varicose veins in lower limbs

In many cases, obesity is caused when you continually take in more calories per day than you burn through exercise and normal activities. These calories are stored in the body as fat.

North American diets are often too high in calories, particularly due to high-calorie beverages and regular fast-food consumption. If you’re experiencing signs of obesity, you may even require more calories before feeling full. You may also eat more due to stress or anxiety, or feel hungry more often.

There are other underlying issues which can add to causes of obesity, such as:

  • Genetics
  • Metabolic issues (not processing calories efficiently)
  • Lifestyle choices (binge eating habits, excessive drinking, etc.)
  • Hormonal influences (particular the thyroid)
  • Inactivity
  • Age
  • Pregnancy
  • Microbiome (stomach bacteria)
  • Quitting smoking (replacing smoking habits with eating habits)

Before offering a diagnosis for obesity, the weight management consultant will want to check your BMI, as well as measure the circumference of your waist. They’ll also most likely schedule a general physical exam and blood tests to check for any underlying conditions causing or caused by your obesity.

Once they’ve been able to offer a clear obesity diagnosis, the provider will be able to suggest obesity treatments that will work best for you. Although rare, this could include prescription obesity medications.

The goal with obesity treatments is to help you reach a healthy weight, and then maintain it to prevent obesity from recurring. They’ll do this by first suggesting a weight-loss program that will work for you, and may refer you to a dietician to help you create a healthy meal plan. All weight-loss programs will involve reducing calories, practicing better eating habits, and increasing the volume of physical activities you perform.

Additionally, you may need to work on modifying your routine behaviors to help you stick to your weight loss program. These types of obesity treatments involve participating in support groups or counseling.

If your obesity is being caused by a hormone imbalance, they may suggest an obesity prescription to help return hormones to normal levels.

Less commonly, when a healthy diet and regular exercise aren’t enough to reduce obesity symptoms, the provider may suggest prescription obesity medications. However, these obesity medications may not work for everyone. You may also regain some or all of the weight you lost when you stop taking the medication.

In some people, weight-loss surgery (also known as bariatric surgery) may be an option. These surgeries either reduce the amount of food that can be eaten comfortably or reduces the absorption of calories. These surgeries are typically only offered when all other weight-loss methods have proved ineffective. Keep in mind, not every patient is a candidate for this surgery. 

Some potential weight-loss surgeries include:

  • Adjustable gastric banding
  • Gastric sleeve
  • Gastric bypass surgery
  • Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch

If you’re beginning to show signs of obesity, and believe you need help managing your weight, it’s a good idea to talk to a provider.

Losing weight can be a long, frustrating process for some people. A weight management consultant can help you develop a weight-loss plan. This can assist you in taking the first steps towards weight loss, as well as monitoring your results, to ensure the plan is working.

As well, because certain other conditions can cause obesity, they can help provide you with a clear obesity diagnosis. Some people may find that dietary changes and exercise don’t work for them, and may require obesity treatments like prescription obesity medications or surgery.

A weight management consultant from Maple will be able to determine the most effective obesity treatments to fit your personal needs.

Do you need medical care today?

Trusted, experienced doctors and nurse practitioners are ready to see you.
Maple is safe and effective for common non-emergency issues. If you believe you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911 or proceed to your nearest emergency room.