GLP-1s making me kinda mad

Wolf_Dad604

Wolf_Dad604

Active member
I just hit the big 3-0, and I've been struggling with weight and blood sugar for a DECADE. Grew up without much, then went wild on cheap, sugary foods once I was on my own. Prediabetes by 20.

Ten years of counting every single calorie, skipping sweets, and busting my butt at the gym. Still, I gained weight every year. Non-alcoholic fatty liver, which is just great. Keto was the ONLY thing that worked, but it was SO restrictive and isolating.

So many years of dieting, missing out on meals with friends, no alcohol...and STILL all these health issues. Thousands spent on trainers and nutritionists. Gym 3x a week, minimum. Still gaining, and nobody knows why. (Probably hormones, but healthcare access is a joke out here.)

Doctor suggested Ozempic last year, but $1000 a month? No way. I'm doing okay, but that's insane, more than my house payment.

Two months ago, a family member hooked me up with a provider who got me a GLP-1 sema script and a pharmacy that ships direct.

Four weeks in, I'm down 8 pounds. 222 to 214, and I could cry.

For the first time in years, something is actually WORKING.

I'm hopeful this'll help the fatty liver.

I'm hopeful I can actually enjoy a meal with friends.

I'm hopeful I won't get full blown type 2.

Just so relieved to see progress, even early on.

It's life-changing, and this is just the start. I have a hernia that gets worse with weight, and it already hurts LESS. I'm so hopeful it'll keep improving.

I don't care about looks, this is for my health. And it's paying off.

If you're fighting weight-related medical stuff, give it a try. I just wish I'd done this sooner.
 
Thanks for posting! Please remember our rules: no discussion of non-FDA approved semaglutide, and no buying/selling of medications. If you're new, check out the FAQ. This is just to help, not discourage discussion.
 
Your story is very common here. Many have discovered how 'normal' people function. How easy shedding weight can be when you're doing everything right, but the core issue isn't addressed. Enjoy your new chapter!
 
I really appreciate your post. I've got crazy high triglycerides. Not just 'eat better', but 'how are you even alive?' levels. These meds got me almost to normal in the last checkup. Nothing else ever worked. These meds can seriously improve health, and it's awful that a) they cost so much and b) insurance fights coverage.
 
I've fought my weight forever. I've done alright, not super heavy, but it's a daily struggle. Just starting this, and I really hope the food noise quiets down so I can feel 'normal' around food. Honestly, if I could lose 10-15 pounds and just stay there without a fight, that'd be a HUGE win. I've been there before without medication and could never maintain it.
 
Your first thought made me wonder if I was malnourished growing up. My mom was obese, which seems ironic, but we mostly got, well, watered down sugar, lol? Milk and juice were always cut 50%. Spaghetti and macaroni were staples because they were cheap. And donuts...someone donated a YEAR's worth of donuts, so we had them every day.

On my own, I bought food based on PRICE ONLY. Cheapest went in my mouth. My wife put a stop to that and bought based on nutrition. I thought we'd go broke, but it worked out.

Still, my food relationship is messed up, and here I am. I'm glad for some good habits, but I must avoid added sugars for life.
 
I had a ton of health issues after kids. Low carb/keto kept me from gaining (not even losing!). But I couldn't stick with it, and even though I ate better than most, I hit my highest weight. Eight years ago, I found a doctor who listened. Before that, it was just clinics. With no insurance, seeing a regular doctor was scary. That switch started the healing. She found thyroid problems and vitamin deficiencies. Treating that got me functioning, and then she talked insulin resistance and put me on metformin a year ago. Over 8 years, I lost about 50 lbs, but it was still a struggle. Every ounce was a battle. Doctor pushed semaglutide, and I caved. Three months, and I've shed another 30. Eight years for 50, three months for 30. I'm 12 pounds from being back in the 100s, which hasn't happened since before kids. And it wasn't torture! I'm doing the same stuff I've done for years, but it's actually working. Shocking. Diet, counting calories, low-ish carb (not keto)...it's just...working??? I always felt like I was doing it wrong because that's what people said. Not counting ALL calories. Not in a REAL deficit. Wrong exercise plan. But I'm doing the same things LESS strictly (not panicking about going over calories, not keto, not 2x daily workouts) and losing??? And not starving??? I wasn't wrong. I wasn't crazy. I just needed help for my body to work right.
 
I tell people this is like a diabetic needing metformin or insulin, or someone with high blood pressure needing meds. I have a metabolic disease that causes obesity, and this drug is what I need. Down 24 pounds in 3 months.
 
The amount of shame I've gotten from doctors, fitness fanatics, friends, family, and strangers makes me furious. And the gaslighting: "Just stop eating when you're full!" "You must be sneaking in calories!" "I know you SAY you eat healthy, but I can't help you if you lie!" "You say you work out, but it needs to be consistent!" "You have such a pretty face!" "Watch what you eat now, before it's too late. You want to get married, right?" "Just don't want you to struggle! Get it under control!" Forty+ years of gaslighting, suspicion, and contempt. Even when I was relatively thin, I still got it. Society's weaponization of obesity is disturbing.
 
I had fatty liver and elevated enzymes. Enzymes are normal now, and I have another fibroscan later this year. My doctor and GI are thrilled with my 40-pound loss and bloodwork. Both say doctors are pushing for a fatty liver indication for GLP-1s so insurers cover it. I hope they succeed because I pay over $300 monthly for sema. But the results are AMAZING and I'll cut back elsewhere to get it. I don't drink at all. Diagnosed with NASH. No longer on BP meds. Now I look forward to labs! LOL
 
Nine months in, and it still feels unreal. Almost down 50 pounds. The most I ever lost before was 10, which I immediately gained back. Traditional dieting never worked for me.
 
This med is a miracle. Similar story here. Tried everything, kept getting bigger. Eight months in, down 50 lbs. This is simple. I eat what I want and exercise like before. Weight just keeps dropping.
 
It makes me angry too. In the US, we're surrounded by cheap, easy "food" that's processed junk that makes us gain and gets us sick.
 
I'm starting to see my collarbone again! I didn't even realize it was missing, lol. Its like I'm rediscovering myself.
 
The-AF said:
The amount of shame I've gotten from doctors, fitness fanatics, friends, family, and strangers makes me furious. And the gaslighting...
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Oh my god, YES. I've heard all of those. It's infuriating. I'm so glad I finally said 'enough' and found something that works. What a relief.
 
Mel_2006 said:
I'm down almost 30 lbs in two months. Is that safe? Seems pretty quick.
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Congrats! Everybody loses at a different pace, but that does sound fast. Make sure you're eating enough and staying hydrated. If you're worried, ask your doctor! Slow and steady wins the race, for sure.
 
When do you all take it for the other health stuff? Right before gym? In the morning? Curious how you time it especially if you're taking it for gym benefits. And if you do morning does it carry into evening?
 
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