When I went to see my doctor Friday about another matter, he gave me another four-week sample. I had lost 3.5 pounds over the month, but as I posted earlier I traveled for eight days over Tgiving and then had the flu and couldn’t eat but also couldn’t exercise. This month will have Christmas and traveling so still not ideal, but if I could lose at least another 3.5 pounds I’d be pretty happy. I’m still not able to exercise as I normally do. I tried some light jogging Friday and started coughing and wheezing. The good news is that I’ve gotten older I am more patient with myself.
3 Likes
I know you’re right but it’s hard to see such significant changes on some people but feel your own have stalled.
I do need to add the weight training. Even when I do have a Christmas cookie after dinner, I can barely finish one where previously, I could eat several - so I think it’s working. Thanks for the insight!
That’s what I found on Ozempic. Although I was not at all hungry on the dose I was on, I moved up hoping to accelerate the weight loss. It didn’t work that way for me either.
When I went on Wegovy, I considered the long-term prevention of heart, liver, and kidney disease the studies point to, as well as the reduction in A1C. I talked to my physician and asked her if this was going to become a lifelong drug, and all data pointed in that direction. I adopted that mindset and decided that because I’d likely be on this for life, I didn’t care how slowly I lost the weight. I’ve only lost 15 lbs in 21 weeks (with no side effects), and I’m more than okay with that. Until I start comparing myself to others…
4 Likes
It’s the comparing that’s killing me a little. There’s a woman at my office, who started later than me, who was bigger than me, who is now a size 4. I’m a 16 now, at best (mostly an 18 except for one magic pair of pants). I don’t want to get to 4. I’d be thrilled to get to a real 14 or a 12. And it just stings so much that she’s all “I can’t seem to stop losing weight, I keep losing a few pounds every week”. And I’m all WHY AM I NOT DOING THAT!!! I mean, I’m pretty sure I know why - I’m 50, she’s 30. I don’t work out, she walks a lot. I can’t fix the age thing, but I can do something about the activity. I just… don’t. Sigh.
6 Likes
I have moved very slowly but my doc encouraged it. Also hearing when you are older the skin doesn’t respond well and will be more likely to sag if loss too quick. I have been on 7.5 for 5 months (after starting at 2.5, 5, then) with not much after the initial response but overall about a pound a week. Had better time with side effects at 5. I am sensitive to the meds but starting 10 this week. I struggle with all the side effects so if I cannot tolerate I will drop back.
I asked about how the progression moves afterwards. She said it’s more about spacing than dosage. Meaning you do not go back to 2.5 necessarily but instead space out the dose that works for you over more days. Hoping the costs will start to drop as it’s a huge investment. That said I am down a lot and my tests came back looking much better. My exercise has increased in intensity because I am not hauling around so much and my weights help. Comparison is the thief of joy (I have to remind myself daily).
1 Like
I’m on 2.5 mg of Zepbound. I was on it from February to May and now August to the present. I tried 5 mg for one week but it gave me insomnia. I’m pretty much at my goal weight now. I eat a lot of protein and I do a little weights and a decent amount of walking.
1 Like
Could the difference in weight loss by diff people the same dosage at the same weight might have anything to do with if you are taking it for diabetes management or if you are taking it for weight loss only?
1 Like
A number of studies have found that people with diabetes on average lose less weight on GLP1 drugs than people with obesity who do not have diabetes. The mechanisms underlying this difference is not well understood.
2 Likes
I just got an end o the year “Wrapped” from my shot and weight tracking app.
In case anyone needs to know, I’ve lost the equivalent of 251 medium sized bananas.
10 Likes
Organic or regular?
I’m 3 shots in of the 2.5 Zepbound (not compounded). I don’t have as much of the “feeling full” as I did on the max dose of the compounded Ozempic but I’m still full enough and not feeling drawn to sweets. I’m going to stay on this dose for another month before deciding whether to move to the 5 (which will cost me an extra $100/month).
The good thing is I’ve had no side effects on the Zepbound on this dose. Pretty much from day 1 of the compounded Ozempic, I had the nausea.
3 Likes
Thank you to everyone who has share their experiences! It was interesting to me to read about the food noise going away because I think that is a lot of my issue.
Does anyone have experiences from when they have gone off the meds?
Anyone who has been on phentermine.
How long were you on it? Any side effects when you stopped? Did it stop working at some point? Did you go back on it after a break? How long of a break? Did it work the second time?
Thanks all
I’ve been on phentermine and Wellbutrin since early March. As of this morning, I’ve lost 38.5 pounds. 11.7 more to go. Wow, I feel so much better. I can fit into my old clothes! 
From what my doctor says, I’ll probably stay on phentermine when I reach my goal weight, at a lower dosage. My optometrist is at the maintenance stage, and he said he takes it every other day.
1 Like
I have gone off Wegovy a couple of times, although not intentionally.
The first time was due to the change in calendar year in 2025 (started taking Wegovy in 2024). I didn’t know my insurance company would require another full authorization, which ended up taking 6 weeks. I had out of town travel scheduled for both work and personal reasons so scheduling with a new provider took a while, and I went 4 weeks with no medication.
The second time was due to our move to a new state, and needing to find a new health care provider to prescribe the medication. Again, about 4 weeks with no medication.
My experience both times was remarkably consistent - I gained about 1 lb per week while not on the medication, due to eating more.
1 Like
It will be interesting to see how GLP-1s continue to affect the different areas of our lives. They are already having an impact on the food industry (people are definitely purchasing less food at grocery stores and manufacturers are amping up the protein levels in their products).
I had heard that at this point, users could only stay on them for 4 (?) years. So what happens after people go off them? Have they learned healthy eating patterns and exercise habits, etc?
My neighbor (male in his 40s) has been on them and has lost a lot of weight. He loves the meds and says he is going to stay on them for life. But his wife says he doesn’t really eat and when he does, it is sugary snacks/foods. I don’t see that boding well for his future health.
Conversely, I have a friend using them and is eating well, exercising religiously etc.
A researcher I know studies GLP-1s says one of his concerns is muscle loss. Women can lose (check my numbers!) 30% (?) muscle by the time they reach 60. So, if women in their 30s (or earlier) start using GLP-1s for an extended period of time, what effect does that have on their muscle mass? (And remember, the heart is a muscle.) He stressed that you do not want to be frail when you are older.
It is a very interesting time indeed.
My understanding is it’s not the drug itself causing muscle loss. It’s weight loss itself, from any cause. I have never heard of a four year limit for these medications. I see it as a lifelong med. Once a person is using it for maintenance, not active loss, there’s no reason to expect muscle loss outside of from normal aging. All people should do weight routines to preserve muscles, and that’s especially true for those on glp-1 medications or otherwise losing weight.
2 Likes
That’s how my doctor explained it.
1 Like
This year Thanksgiving to Christmas lost a pound instead of gaining. Now for Christmas to New Years. Not being tempted by all the goodies helps😀
5 Likes
So because of some travel I went 12 days after my last shot until today, when I could have a shot. Which meant that yesterday, Christmas, was the longest I’ve been without meds in almost 18 months. And BOY did I notice. I’m always a grazer at holiday time - the appetizers and snacks are a big eating temptation for me. At Thanksgiving I was fine, had a few snacks, but could walk away without much difficulty. Yesterday though - I couldn’t seem to stop. I ate so much Brie that it wasn’t even funny. Even when I walked away so I wasn’t next to the table, I kept walking back. So yeah, lots of food noise.
In other news, while on vacation I had to go to urgent care (was afraid it was strep, was just a bad cold) so I got weighed for the first time since October. And… I haven’t lost any weight. Maybe two pounds. So that’s not great. I really need to get moving more because that’s definitely what’s missing.
1 Like