Sema's over for me - crazy side effects!

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DropPath282

Well-known member
Well, wasn't expecting to stop the semaglutide so soon, but here we are.

I started getting these horrible stomach pains, like doubled-over, screaming-in-agony kind of pains. After three trips to the ER, they figured out I've got a ton of gallstones. Apparently, that's a common side effect with long-term use, which sucks.

Also, my insurance decided to stop covering my script for the next six months. I'm not paying $1,800+ a month, so I guess this is it. For the sake of my health and my bank account, haha.

It was great while it lasted though! Began at 288 and now I'm around 195, give or take. My goal is only 15 lbs away, so I'll try to get there on my own!

TLDR: Stopping sema because of sudden gallstones and insurance issues.
 
Gallbladder problems can happen when you drop weight fast, no matter how you do it. Sorry to hear it happened, and hope you get better soon!

Congrats on the weight you lost and good luck reaching your goal!
 
Zepbound and Mounjaro are great alternatives to semaglutide! I switched to Reta and I love it, but I did experience some constipation!
 
My sister never had any surgery or weight loss meds and she had to get hers taken out. She was pretty heavy and eating terribly. This was maybe a little over a decade ago.

After I had gastric sleeve in 2022, I started having gallbladder issues two years later. I was keeping the weight off, but eating junk. That was in Dec of 2024 and I started GLP in Jan 2025.
 
My gallbladder was full of stones because of a high-fat diet. I had it removed about 30 years ago. Best of luck to you.
 
Did they give you a specific meal plan? Did you start at 0.25mg? Do you have monthly check-ins to talk about progress, any worries, and side effects? That's how they treat me, and I've barely had any issues. I also learned that if you eat poorly, you'll feel awful.
 
It's not necessarily the sema. It's losing weight. Look up how many people who get bariatric surgery end up needing gallbladder removal. I'm dealing with it right now and getting mine out soon. The major risk factors are: 1) being female, 2) being over 40, and 3) weight loss. Don't blame the meds; that's a false idea.
 
Health_Great529 said:
Did they give you a specific meal plan? Did you start at 0.25mg? Do you have monthly check-ins to talk about progress, any worries, and side effects? That's how they treat me, and I've barely had any issues. I also learned that if you eat poorly, you'll feel awful.
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I started at the lowest dose and slowly moved up as needed. They didn't give me a meal plan, but told me to eat healthy and get plenty of protein. I prob should've been more careful :/
 
Week 8 or 9 now, staying around 0.75 as best I can eyeball it. Down another pound. Wasn't huge to start - 219 - so a pound per week feels right. First side effect showed up this week: elevated heart rate. Nothing scary, just noticeable. I'd cut sugar way back and read a ton about hypoglycemia, added some back and the racing went away. Moderation is the move. Let's see what this week brings.
 
Shape-Boss said:
I've seen some people mention that they stay on a low maitenance dose of sema, even after hitting their goal weight. Has anyone here had experience with this?
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That's what I'm planning to do for sure! I have PCOS so my doc said I'll probably need to stay on a low dose indefinitely to keep my hormones in check.
 
Yeah some folks do well on lower doses with minimal reactions. Side effects really are dose-dependent and vary wildly. If you're losing weight without issues, that's the sweet spot. Keep monitoring though - many people eventually need dose increases for continued progress.
 
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