Starting Ozempic - First Week Thoughts

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Izzy

Well-known member
Hey everyone, I'm 41M, around 220lbs, 6'1", and carrying a bit more weight than I should. I look okay because I'm fairly muscular, but I battle food cravings and snacking constantly. It's a family thing - lots of us are prone to weight issues and disordered eating. I feel like I've tried every trick in the book, but it's a real struggle.

I'm living in Asia right now, so my options are a little limited. I ended up going with Ozempic. My main hope is to quiet down the constant mental chatter about food and maybe even kick some bad habits. Shedding some fat would be a nice bonus, though.

Days 1-2 were wild! I did my first injection at night and felt different the next morning. No snacking urges at all, and I actually didn't WANT to snack. Eating healthy was easy, though I struggled to hit my protein goals. I relied on eggs and protein shakes. And get this – I didn't bite my nails! I've been doing that since I was a kid, and for two whole days, I didn't even think about it. Incredible.

Day 3 was rough. I was exhausted and barely moved. The food noise came back, and I snacked more. The nail biting also came back with a vengeance, like my body was trying to catch up. Ugh.

Days 4-7 have been pretty normal. I had a weird dizzy spell one night, but I slept it off. Other than that, and the tiredness on day 3, I haven't had any bad side effects. I feel like I'm back to where I started.

I know I need to titrate the dosage. I'm planning another .25 dose for week 2, but I'm thinking about going up to .5 in week 3 if things stay like this. Has anyone else done that?
 
Since you experienced effects early on, please don't increase to .50 too quickly. Your body seems to be responding strongly already. Bumping up the dose too fast could lead to unpleasant side effects.

Each dose gradually increases the concentration in your system due to the 7-day half-life. The initial dose is .25 mg, and approximately .125 mg will remain when you administer your next dose, resulting in a total of .375 mg. The subsequent dose will be .25 + .125 + .0625 = .438 mg, and so on.

There are online calculators that show the slow buildup.
 
Your reaction sounds pretty intense for such a small dose! A lot of people don't notice anything until around week 4. It's probably best to stick to the recommended schedule.
 
I've heard stories like yours before. My doctor mentioned that the first month of .25 doses is mainly to check for any serious reactions.

I felt something too, but not as much as you did. Now that I'm on .5, I can definitely tell it's from the medication and not just in my head.
 
That nail biting thing is fascinating! GLP-1s seem to work on similar brain pathways as addiction medications. The reduction in food noise was a big surprise for me, too. Since you're in Southeast Asia and access is limited, you might want to explore compounded semaglutide if you have trouble getting the brand name.
 
The nail biting and wanting less alcohol is actually super common. GLP-1s affect the same reward pathways that drive compulsive behaviors, not just hunger. So yeah, all of that can quiet down together.

Day 3 crashing after those magical first days is really typical. It's not the drug stopping; it's your body adjusting to it. That snapback feeling can be part of titration.

Moving to 0.5 on week 3 makes sense given how you've tolerated it. Something to watch: see if the nail biting and drinking urges change with your dose changes. That might tell you more than the scale does.
 
I've been in SEA for a bit. Not sure where you are, but it's worth the quick flight to grab some pens in Cambodia or Thailand. Cambodia has a good supply, and you can get them over the counter. I helped a friend get it for diabetes, and it was around 300 USD, likely cheaper at smaller pharmacies.

Stick to the recommended dose. Your body needs time to adjust to the medication in your system.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone! I'll definitely hold off on increasing the dose. It's good to know the initial effects might not be sustained. I was getting a bit ahead of myself. I really appreciate the insights!
 
HeartCake said:
I know a lot of women with PCOS are prescribed Ozempic for blood sugar management. Anyone else here have PCOS and find it helps?
Click to expand...

That's interesting! I've always had random cravings and never knew why. I'll check into PCOS as a possible culprit!
 
I've noticed a decrease in my desire for alcohol too. I usually have a drink or two a few nights a week, but the thought of it is just...unappealing now. It's kinda wild!
 
energy's been holding up solid. started trt the same week as my tirz dose went up, and i've been logging everything - hovering around 130g carbs daily, sometimes dipping to 113 in lighter weeks. sitting at minus 13 since the trt jump, 28 down overall since december. only skipped workouts 4 times since january - three for leg soreness and one travel day.
 
First injection was 2.5mg and I was nervous it'd be rough like I'd heard. Made it through week one fine, no symptoms. Did my second shot last night. Been doing electrolytes daily, upped protein intake, down 6 pounds already. Feeling more motivated than I have in a long time.
 
Without knowing her age or health history, call her doctor right away. If she accidentally took 2mg instead of 0.25, that's serious. Lots of vomiting can dehydrate fast.
 
pregabalin made me gain 20 lbs in two months. on 300mg daily and ozempic just doesn't work with it. i'm at 0.5 oz for two weeks and nothing. was on it back in 2023 at low dose and lost 30 in 10 months. is anyone else on pregabalin and actually losing?
 
I've been going 5.5 weeks at 1mg/week split the first 4.5, then moved to 1.4mg on Tuesday. Heart rate barely budged. Lifting 4 days a week plus long distance hikes, my RHR stayed around 48-52 before and crept to 54-55 after starting, max HR in workouts went from 165 up to 170.
 
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