Dakota1976
Well-known member
54 yo guy, diagnosed with T2D. Initial weight: 328 lbs. Started at 321 lbs. Current weight: 214lbs. Goal weight: 195 lbs. Novelist.
I'm sharing my story after six months on Mounjaro. The pics show my progress. I started walking last November, but my plantar fasciitis got really bad. I felt hopeless because I couldn't even walk to lose weight. My wife joked about diabetic foot problems, and I panicked. I had a physical coming up. A friend of mine had success using some weight loss meds that were readily available, and had dropped about 40 lbs just by eating smaller portions due to the medicine. So I decided to ask my doc about starting Ozempic, since I'm T2D.
I got the prescription and began December 11, 2024. My doctor suggested limiting carbs, drinking lots of water, and being more active. Okay, but after that, I was on my own. When I wanted to increase my dose, I contacted my doctor who approved a new prescription. No check-ins or new blood work, which seems normal for many people. I learned a lot from this community and am thankful for the support. During the first month, I didn't change much, and it was manageable because I had few side effects. After Christmas, I got serious about tracking my calorie intake and lowering my carbs. My first goal was to hit 279lbs, a loss of 42 lbs. I wanted to feel how much weight I'd lost, so I compared it to lifting those giant kitty litter packages at Costco. I reached that point on January 30th, and I feel great every time I pick up a package of kitty litter. By February, my plantar fasciitis pain was nearly gone, and I could walk again, which helped a lot.
My initial goal was 225 lbs, which I reached in about 5 months. My labs were done at 5 months, and all were good. I'm no longer taking Metformin, a statin, or my blood pressure medicine. Mounjaro is my only prescription now. My doctor was amazed by my results and said I was her most responsive patient. It felt good to hear that, especially since she only saw the before and after. Those around me saw the weight loss gradually. Because I work remotely, not many people have noticed a big change when seeing me in person.
I have lost 33% of my initial weight in the past six months, dropping from a 47.5 BMI to a 31.7 BMI. I hardly recognize myself, and it's amazing that I weighed 321 lbs just six months ago. After reaching my first goal last month, I shifted my focus from the scale to nutrition and activity. My weight loss will probably slow down over the next six months, which I'm fine with. I recently joined a gym and am adding strength training. My next goal weight is 195 lbs (three packages of kitty litter down), but I'll probably aim for the 180s for long-term maintenance. I'm excited to find a new balance with this medicine for maintenance.
People always ask about loose skin. I don't know why it bothers me so much. When I see people sharing their success, and that's the first question they get, I feel bad for them. I guess others are worried about it for themselves. I've also had noticeable hair loss, which started around two months in. But to me, it's worth feeling healthier. I'm not winded on the stairs, and I don't struggle to get out of the car. I even removed my CPAP this week while recovering from dental work, and I might not need it anymore. I wasn't snoring and woke up rested! I'll check with my doctor before stopping. As I saw results, my mood improved, and I started feeling good about myself. My wife says she "has me back" because I'm in a better place now, which improves my relationships. When I hug my wife, I can hug her closely instead of just touching foreheads. I wouldn't trade any of that for tighter skin or more hair.
My advice is the same as what you see here: Don't increase your dose too quickly, plateaus are normal, drink lots of water, eat your protein, eat low carb and build muscle. Also, I didn't adjust my TDEE for increased activity, so I was in too much of a deficit for months. I wouldn't do that again.
Lastly, I was hesitant to post this. It's hard to share yourself, and my results aren't typical. I feel bad when people ask why it's not working for them. I feel guilty about how well I've responded to this medicine, but I was inspired by posts like this and wanted to share. Sorry for the long post, but this was also for me to document where I am right now.
I was on 2.5 mg for 1 box, 5.0 mg for two boxes, and 7.5 mg through today. I might increase soon, but I'm waiting to see if my food noise settles down. It seems to come and go. This medicine is weird.
I'm sharing my story after six months on Mounjaro. The pics show my progress. I started walking last November, but my plantar fasciitis got really bad. I felt hopeless because I couldn't even walk to lose weight. My wife joked about diabetic foot problems, and I panicked. I had a physical coming up. A friend of mine had success using some weight loss meds that were readily available, and had dropped about 40 lbs just by eating smaller portions due to the medicine. So I decided to ask my doc about starting Ozempic, since I'm T2D.
I got the prescription and began December 11, 2024. My doctor suggested limiting carbs, drinking lots of water, and being more active. Okay, but after that, I was on my own. When I wanted to increase my dose, I contacted my doctor who approved a new prescription. No check-ins or new blood work, which seems normal for many people. I learned a lot from this community and am thankful for the support. During the first month, I didn't change much, and it was manageable because I had few side effects. After Christmas, I got serious about tracking my calorie intake and lowering my carbs. My first goal was to hit 279lbs, a loss of 42 lbs. I wanted to feel how much weight I'd lost, so I compared it to lifting those giant kitty litter packages at Costco. I reached that point on January 30th, and I feel great every time I pick up a package of kitty litter. By February, my plantar fasciitis pain was nearly gone, and I could walk again, which helped a lot.
My initial goal was 225 lbs, which I reached in about 5 months. My labs were done at 5 months, and all were good. I'm no longer taking Metformin, a statin, or my blood pressure medicine. Mounjaro is my only prescription now. My doctor was amazed by my results and said I was her most responsive patient. It felt good to hear that, especially since she only saw the before and after. Those around me saw the weight loss gradually. Because I work remotely, not many people have noticed a big change when seeing me in person.
I have lost 33% of my initial weight in the past six months, dropping from a 47.5 BMI to a 31.7 BMI. I hardly recognize myself, and it's amazing that I weighed 321 lbs just six months ago. After reaching my first goal last month, I shifted my focus from the scale to nutrition and activity. My weight loss will probably slow down over the next six months, which I'm fine with. I recently joined a gym and am adding strength training. My next goal weight is 195 lbs (three packages of kitty litter down), but I'll probably aim for the 180s for long-term maintenance. I'm excited to find a new balance with this medicine for maintenance.
People always ask about loose skin. I don't know why it bothers me so much. When I see people sharing their success, and that's the first question they get, I feel bad for them. I guess others are worried about it for themselves. I've also had noticeable hair loss, which started around two months in. But to me, it's worth feeling healthier. I'm not winded on the stairs, and I don't struggle to get out of the car. I even removed my CPAP this week while recovering from dental work, and I might not need it anymore. I wasn't snoring and woke up rested! I'll check with my doctor before stopping. As I saw results, my mood improved, and I started feeling good about myself. My wife says she "has me back" because I'm in a better place now, which improves my relationships. When I hug my wife, I can hug her closely instead of just touching foreheads. I wouldn't trade any of that for tighter skin or more hair.
My advice is the same as what you see here: Don't increase your dose too quickly, plateaus are normal, drink lots of water, eat your protein, eat low carb and build muscle. Also, I didn't adjust my TDEE for increased activity, so I was in too much of a deficit for months. I wouldn't do that again.
Lastly, I was hesitant to post this. It's hard to share yourself, and my results aren't typical. I feel bad when people ask why it's not working for them. I feel guilty about how well I've responded to this medicine, but I was inspired by posts like this and wanted to share. Sorry for the long post, but this was also for me to document where I am right now.
I was on 2.5 mg for 1 box, 5.0 mg for two boxes, and 7.5 mg through today. I might increase soon, but I'm waiting to see if my food noise settles down. It seems to come and go. This medicine is weird.
