GLP meds - are they a forever thing?

Hong Kong Yanpep International
Ugh, I kinda feel the same. I had to pause my sema and other stuff for like two months because of upcoming surgeries. It was the worst I've felt since starting this whole thing. The food cravings came back HARD. I was eating everything in sight. It was around Thanksgiving too, so the junk food being around didn't help. I've put on like six pounds, which sucks. I felt like I had things under control. I eat pretty well, walk a ton, and lift weights. But now if I eat one bad thing I want more... I'm back on my meds now, but starting slow. I still think they work, but I think I'll be using them forever.
 
Thanks for sharing your experience. But I don't buy the article's argument. He uses his own stories plus an old study that newer research has disproven. Sure, some people regain the pounds after stopping GLPs. That's gotta be frustrating, I agree, but he makes it seem like that's how it always goes, and that isn't what the data shows.
 
Was that doctor completely unaware of the potential for muscle loss prior to January 2025 (when the article was written)? And did he really not realize these meds are viewed by pharma as ongoing subscriptions, not cures? LOL, maybe he should stick to what he knows and let folks with better reasoning skills write these kinds of articles.

He does bring up some good points. Paying over $1000 per month just to maintain progress might feel like extortion. The muscle loss thing is debated, with studies showing different results based on the specific meds. If you're using GLP1's as a quick fix without addressing your relationship with food, you're probably going to be disappointed. But they can be useful tools for many people.
 
My main takeaway is that the brand-name prices aren't sustainable long-term for most people. Compounding pharmacies are the solution. I'm probably going to stay on these forever, and I'm okay with that.
 
Stopping any good habit comes with risks. Quit exercising? You'll lose the benefits. Stop eating well? Outcomes worsen. Skimp on sleep? Sleep quality suffers.

GLPs, and whatever comes next, are great tools. These articles make it seem like they're all-or-nothing. Until something better than reta comes along, I'm sticking with my weekly injections. If the GGG III becomes available as an easy-to-use oral form, awesome. If some crazy new GLP/GIP combo comes along with minimal side effects, I'm in.
 
I had always assumed that glp-1 use would be long-term. GLP-1 meds treat a metabolic issue, not cure it. If I stopped, I'd expect my symptoms (hunger, weight, joint pain, etc.) to come back strong. Even with nutrition counseling, CBT, and behavior changes, I don't think that "cures" bad physiology.
 
Blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar meds are also often for long-term use. Reta could let many consolidate all of that into one med.
 
I meant that the tri-agonist GLPs showed big improvements in triglycerides, blood pressure, blood sugar and A1C, plus the weight loss. Those meds are usually "for life" until something big changes... reta offers that potential change.

The contraindications I understood had to do more with GLP-1s slowing digestion, which affects the absorption of oral meds.
 
As much as I benefit from these meds, I couldn't do it without Overeaters Anonymous. I've been in OA for 16 years, and it changed my life. Even before the meds, food noise was much lower, and I was at a stable weight for 14 years. Not perfect, but it worked. I started GLP because of menopause and an autoimmune issue that slowed my metabolism. People with chronic food issues will likely struggle to keep the weight off if they stop.
 
Statins significantly lower naturally occurring GLP-1 levels (and have been found to increase diabetes risk and plaque calcification). I'm not sure how that would affect GLP-1RA efficacy, unless it makes it harder to maintain weight loss after stopping GLP1 drugs.
 
I'm no expert, but I think it's good to hear out constructive criticism. It's important to read different viewpoints, even if we disagree. Critical thinking has definitely suffered because of echo chambers.
 
The article is only true if people don't make the necessary lifestyle changes: working out and eating enough protein. You need those regardless of whether you're taking GLPs.
 
Same here. The meds are great, but after losing 70+ pounds, I wondered why this time would be any different than before. My PCP sent me to a nutritionist. We found some messed-up eating habits, and I realized I needed a therapist. That's been life-changing. I'll look into OA as well.
 
When people stop glp meds, like with other weight loss methods except surgery (and even then, regain is common), they'll usually regain the weight gradually. Only a few keep it off long-term, <5%. Most will return to near their starting weight. This has been shown in many papers.

I've seen that poor study before. It looks like research, but it's misleading. It says people are just as likely to lose more weight than regain after stopping semaglutide. That's wrong and goes against everything else published about glp meds.

The results might be real, but the data analysis is flawed. Maybe people who kept losing weight switched to tirzepatide. They present info that contradicts established understanding without explaining their findings, which shows it's not publishable in a peer-reviewed journal.

I believe people who want to maintain their weight loss on glp meds need to stay on them long-term. This is less true for people who are only a little overweight or haven't been overweight for long.

I strongly disagree with the doctor who wrote the article. Being unhappy with a therapy that stops working when you stop taking it is silly. Most medical treatments work that way, especially for hormonal/metabolic issues (except for a few surgical cures). The main reason people stop, besides nausea, is cost and unreliable insurance, which are political/economic issues, not a fault of the drug.
 
I'll also add, as an early-menopausal woman, I couldn't start losing weight until I got my hormones checked. We added Oz after I lost a bit and stalled. Then thyroid problems popped up, and once I fixed those (lowest dose of T3 and T4), I broke another stall. Everything needs to work together... GLPs aren't a fix-all. Just my experience over the past few years.
 
I've always viewed GLP-1s as a treatment, not a cure. I plan to stay on some version of them for life. That might explain my irrational desire to hoard multiple years' worth. I'm never stopping. I'm never going back. I just can't.
 
I've come to the same conclusion. No food noise for 2.5 years (was sema, now tirz) is too good. Going back scares me. It's not the "eat better, exercise, sleep quality" stuff - I've got that down - it's the physical food noise, that constant thinking about food. Thinking about not having a glp to keep that away makes me almost cry. I have about 3 years of tirz stocked, plus some reta, but I want to get more tirz because I'm worried about access in the future.
 
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