Lost 80! Life after GLP-1s?

Charlie_20

Well-known member
Hey everyone! I've been on quite a journey, and I get tons of questions about staying off meds after losing weight, so I wanted to share my full story in case it helps anyone else!

* Started on a semaglutide in late 2022 (almost a year and a half ago!).
* Hit my highest weight, around 250 pounds, when I joined a weight management program. I went through an online program because I was too shy to see my regular doc.
* It took about 10-12 weeks to really see changes.
* I switched to a brand name halfway through when my insurance covered it.
* At first, working out was tough because I was tired due to fewer calories. But that changed as I shed weight, and I used that energy to build a consistent workout.
* Between the medication, exercise, and watching my food intake, I hit my goal at the 9-month mark.
* Then I lowered my target by another 10 lbs, achieved that, and decided to stop the meds.
* Now I work out more, eat tons of protein (like 80% of my diet!), track all my food, and I'm still losing about a pound every couple weeks without medication.
* I do about 50 minutes of Pilates daily and jog 2 miles (sounds like a lot, but it's way easier when you aren't carrying an extra person around!). My muscles are more defined, and I'm really happy with how Pilates is helping my skin tighten up.
* I had terrible nausea at higher doses but felt fine initially. Ondansetron helped a lot.
* I DRINK A LOT OF WATER
* I tapered down from 2.4mg to 1mg, stayed there a month, then stopped completely.

I hope this helps! Ask away if you have any questions – I'm happy to help anyone on this path. It's tough but worth it. We've got this!
 
You go girl! Losing that much weight sounds unreal. I'm too embarrassed to see my own doctor right now, so I paid for a few months' worth. If I respond well, then maybe I'll get the courage to talk to him. My BMI is like 48, but my blood work is perfect. I just have some inflammation. My hubby got diagnosed with type 2 and he's dropped almost 100 pounds since the spring on a similar med. He went from like a size 46 to a 38. I feel like I'm falling behind. I even tried his diet and started working out... I've GAINED almost 20 pounds since the spring!
 
I started around 160lb at the end of 2022. I'm 5'0 and dropped to 120lb a few months ago! I'm tapering right now at 1.0 mg. Before I got pregnant at 45 (lol) I ran for 830+ days in a row -- at least a mile a day. I miss running! I hoped it'd be easier now, but I hurt my hip in the military and it's never been the same. Maybe when it cools off! Congrats!
 
DenverDiva82 said:
I'm thinking about trying again after stopping a while back, but I'm worried about the cost. Anyone else stop and restart GLP-1s after a few years break?

I feel you on the cost issue! I'm wondering if some people, especially older adults, are stopping because their insurance covers less and less over time, or maybe Medicare doesn't cover it at all.
 
Peptide_Taco said:
I stopped when I hit my goal weight, but I'm considering going back on. I regained around 30 pounds, and I just don't have the same discipline I did before. Maybe a lower dose would help this time around.

I've heard that when restarting, some people don't see results right away until they reach the dose they were at before. Maybe you could move up a little faster than the usual schedule since your body is familiar with it? Just watch out for side effects!
 
It's great that the original poster could stop without regaining! I wonder how common that is. I am also a little concerned about muscle loss, especially for older adults. That's a huge factor that doesn't get talked about enough!
 
My family member was desperate for me to try their medication. They had a spare lower-dose pen and I could feel the shift within days. Got my own prescription after that.
 
Been fighting my weight and health issues for ages. Started GLP-1 under doctor supervision and saw big shifts in just months. Energy went up, my mood got better, cravings mostly stopped, and healthy eating just made sense suddenly. Shed over 40 pounds in 8 months, got my blood sugar under control, started moving my body more. Not a cure-all but gave me what I needed to take my health back. Feel like myself now. Happier and actually thriving.
 
Dosing info is tough without official guidance yet. The one major study started people at different amounts - even 4mg right from the start - and that crew lost faster. After four weeks they pushed to 6mg weekly dosing.
 
Studies like this are weak because they don't track people switching to compounding. If I was in their data, they'd just see I stopped refilling prescriptions. They wouldn't catch that I went to a compounder instead. For those of us with the genetic thing, nothing's cured here. Step off GLP and boom, appetite's roaring again.
 
Back
Top