Well done. I get that some doctors aren't the most useful, but my regular doc actually knew when to send me to an endocrinologist who could actually dig into my specific stuff.
You're probably losing fat and building lean tissue. Are you lifting or doing any strength work? My trainer always says pay attention to how clothes fit more than what the scale shows. Since muscle takes up less space than fat even if the number doesn't move your body composition is changing...
That's solid. Around a pound weekly is the sweet spot for staying consistent, especially after those first couple weeks while you're dialing things in. The 20-pound stories are often water weight or anomalies. What you're on now? That sticks.
The study itself admits some gaps in the conclusion. It's basically proof of concept at this stage. Shows that some people can maintain on lower dosing schedules, but way bigger trials are needed.