Ozempic changed my life - a year later

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Bagel_Biter88

Bagel_Biter88

Well-known member
Hey everyone,

So last summer, my doctor started me on Ozempic. Apparently, I had some kind of bad reaction to another medication that triggered my pre-existing genetic risk for diabetes.

I actually only found out about Ozempic because of that South Park episode! I don't usually watch TV with commercials. I've always struggled with my weight, but between the pandemic and some rough personal stuff, I ended up pushing past 300 pounds.

Now, a year later, I'm a totally different person. I'm at the lowest weight I've ever been. I generally stay around 187-192 pounds. Weight has always been a source of anxiety for me, but I had learned to accept being plus-sized. Now, I have so much more energy, I don't wake myself up snoring, and I feel more agile. But everything feels different now.

I wanted to share some photos from last June and from a few weeks ago. Even I'm surprised by the difference! Hope you are all doing well!
 
Bagel_Biter88 said:
I learned to live with being plus sized over the years. I have a lot more natural energy, I don't snore anymore, and I feel a lot more dextrous. At the same time, my body feels foreign.
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I understand that feeling of your body feeling foreign. I've lost about 80 pounds myself over the past year, and sometimes I still reach for the XXL size without thinking. It's a strange mental adjustment, but it sounds like you're doing great!
 
I was diagnosed with Type 2 earlier this year, and my A1C was up around 8.0. I'm seeing really incredible results with Mounjaro. It's amazing how much these meds can help when diet and exercise alone aren't enough. Bagel_Biter88 - congrats on your success!
 
Pip_69 said:
Now might be a good time to focus on strength training and rebuilding muscle.
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Thanks for the tip! I've been thinking about that, but honestly, I'm still getting used to this new body. Maybe I'll start with some light weights soon!
 
For those of you just starting out, don't get discouraged if the weight loss isn't immediate. I've been on Mounjaro about 14 months, and I'm still seeing progress. I also lift weights a few times a week - that makes a huge difference in how you look and feel!
 
Amazing job! You should feel super proud - this is all your effort. Your cardiovascular system and other organs are bouncing back now, and you've added serious years to your timeline. I recall the weight class well - I was 315 at my son's birth, dropped to 235, and the transformation was incredible. Crushing it.
 
Been dealing with brutal reflux that wakes me at night, even after skipping meals for hours. Puking several times weekly, plus migraines and breakouts on my face. A year in and it's getting worse, not better. Worth weighing the risks.
 
3 babies, body's bigger than ever. kids and life make it hard to lose on my own. was in an accident last year, moving is tough. nausea comes and goes, weird metallic taste, hangovers feel worse. only week 3, no improvement yet but hoping it'll be worth it.
 
Same thing happened here. My coverage claimed I wasn't diabetic, so my provider and I both submitted letters explaining my A1C sat under 7 specifically because of the ozempic. Ended up going without for a stretch, slid back into diabetic range, and got reapproved. Before starting, I was at 225, dropped to 209, and now I'm back up to 222 with my dose raised to a full milligram. Starting to notice I can't finish a full plate anymore. Planning to hit the gym alongside this now too. Hoping to speed things along.
 
Congratulations, that's amazing. PS - I was actually born in Italy. Only on the low end of dosing for diabetes management, week six now (Sunday shots). First four weeks dropped 10 pounds. Not chasing weight loss here, so that plus losing my appetite entirely has been rough, but sticking with it (thanks to a lot of cheering-on I got in this forum) because it's been life-changing for the diabetes and the MS-related struggles I deal with. Not planning to go any higher on dose. Finally able to manage a few bites again. Nearly gave up after a terrible run with Ozempic, but I'm thankful I trusted my care team and the kind folks here instead! Had to block a handful, honestly, some comments got pretty unhinged. Anyway I'm just blown away reading a journey like yours! MJ is changing so many lives. Yours might be the most incredible one I've read yet. Congrats on your new healthy chapter!
 
I bring it up openly with pretty much everyone. Decided to start this drug class after a friend posted candidly about their own experience online and walked through the whole thing. That post alone stripped away a lot of the shame I'd been carrying. These days I try to extend that same openness to anyone willing to listen. Just this past weekend at a cookout, one person who'd been quietly struggling with their weight ended up deciding to look into it too, by the end of the night. I also mention how a huge share of the population here is either currently using it or has in the past, so odds are good someone already knows a handful of people on it, it's genuinely common.

I also push back on the word 'naturally' when people insist they'd rather lose weight that way. There's nothing natural about it, your body actively resists for solid survival reasons. And I can't stand words like 'shortcut' getting thrown around either. It frames carrying extra weight as some moral failing that only counts if it's earned through suffering. So I like having these conversations, it tends to genuinely shake loose people's automatic assumptions and gut reactions.
 
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