Ozempic made me stop drinking... and eating?

WellWin

WellWin

Well-known member
I started Ozempic about a quarter of a year ago, and at the time I was drinking pretty regularly. Like, half a dozen beers most nights. I decided to quit maybe six weeks ago because the hangovers were absolutely brutal. Now that I've quit drinking, eating anything feels like I'm trying to climb Everest. I'm about a month and a half sober, and I can barely manage more than one small meal a day. Before quitting the booze, I dropped around a dozen pounds then stopped losing, but now I've lost almost 25 pounds in the last month and I am always tired and dizzy spells are common. The only time I actually have an appetite is when I use cannabis, but even then I don't eat much. I'm not even on a big dose, just 0.6mg weekly. Anyone else had this happen?
 
Major props on quitting drinking! That's a huge accomplishment! You might want to try scheduled eating, basically eating a small amount of food at the same times every day, even if you aren't hungry. Make sure you're getting enough calories and protein overall. If you find that you are unable to eat at all, the dosage might be too high for u.
 
Your body is probably super weak because it's not getting proper nutrients. I've totally been there where I don't feel like eating, but when I'm lying in bed with a pounding headache, I realize it's because I haven't had a real meal in forever. I started forcing myself to eat small meals every day and I actually felt better! Even if you don't feel up to it, eat an egg in the morning. Then have another egg, maybe some chicken, or a little soup for lunch. And then have a protein shake or two at night.
 
This may warrant a discussion with a physician. It's possible that your body is still in the process of adjusting to the absence of alcohol.
 
Electrolyte drinks and a daily protein shake are a must. No exceptions. If you're having trouble eating food, set reminders on your phone for small snacks throughout the day.
 
You should really look at what you're eating. A common thing for people on Ozempic is that they cut carbs too much. Try eating less fatty foods and more carbs like pasta, bread, potatoes, rice, etc.
 
Consider a lower dose and focus on protein and fats when you are eating. My father is losing too much weight while on tirzepatide but his doctor wants to keep him on his current dose a little longer for his diabetes, so he is eating spoonfuls of peanut butter, red meat, cheese, etc. Whatever you do eat, make it count by being calorie-dense. You could also space out your doses, such as once every two weeks instead.
 
Your system is getting used to being healthy and not fighting off the effects of alcohol. Stick with it for a couple more weeks and then call your doctor. Drink a protein shake and try to figure out some easy-to-eat foods for breakfast and lunch. Just eat those same foods every day during this change. If the issue continues, lower the dose. You're not dying; it's only been a month!
 
I'd suggest trying a smaller dose, or maybe switching over to Tirzepatide. You could also try to sneak in high-protein snacks here and there, even when you don't feel hungry.
 
Get a multivitamin and take it with a protein shake (make sure your doctor recommends it, because they're not all the same quality. My doc says Premiere Protein once a day is okay but there are other good brands). Also, have a small sugar-free electrolyte drink at least one to three times a week. I like the lemon-lime Gatorade Zero because it's the only flavor I can tolerate. Keep a water bottle with you and make an effort to drink it throughout the day.

Make sure you ask your doctor how much protein you need each day and try to hit that goal (or you'll lose muscle). The Premier Protein shake has 25-30g, so if the rest of your meals have 15-30g each, you should be okay. Space your protein out by at least 45 minutes (for instance, if you drink a Premiere Protein shake at 7 a.m., wait until 7:45 a.m. before eating an egg, etc. Your body can only process so much at once.

Don't forget to get fiber! Aim for at least 24g daily if you can. I take a fiber chew once a day because I have issues getting enough from food. A bariatric doctor or general practitioner should check your blood work (probably every six months).
 
After your first shot at point five everything went downhill fast. Vomiting, stomach pain, can't eat or drink, basically napping all day. This might be severe but some folks do adjust. Call your doctor about dropping to point two five because how you're feeling now is no joke. It'll probably improve over a few days for most people.
 
Have you thought about stopping both Ozempic AND drinking? All that drinking probably messed you up, and you were basically using Ozempic to deal with your drinking problem.
 
WellWin said:
Lower the dose and increase the amount of protein - got it!
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Also, get a full blood panel done. You need to make sure you aren't deficient in any important vitamins, especially if you are barely eating.
 
My doctor is really impressed with how completely sema has changed my cravings. I used to binge eat all the time, and now I just... don't. Maybe you were binge-eating and drinking, and the ozempic is fixing both at once?
 
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