Patients scramble as cheaper obesity drug alternatives disappear

[StopCraving_12]

Some minor BS in this article:

"Some people are talking online about buying the active ingredient from China and mixing the obesity drugs in their homes. They call it the 'gray market.' Zepbound and the compounded alternatives have to be sterile for injection, so a homemade version would be challenging to make safely."

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/03/19/nx-s1-5333230/zepbound-tirzepatide-compounding-fda

 

[Mykrodot]

I know, my daughter could have successfully reconstituted at ten. But what a sad situation, folks are desperate and scrambling because of losing access to the first thing ever that helped them manage their obesity. That was depressing. ☹️

 

[AndyPanda]

Some minor BS in this article:

"Some people are talking online about buying the active ingredient from China and mixing the obesity drugs in their homes. They call it the 'gray market.' Zepbound and the compounded alternatives have to be sterile for injection, so a homemade version would be challenging to make safely."

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/03/19/nx-s1-5333230/zepbound-tirzepatide-compounding-fda

Fear mongering. I’m tired of it from every side of every aisle.

 

[cldfront]

I read a FB comment this morning where this person was shame blasting anyone taking Ozempic pills because there's a shortage and diabetics are dying without their pills that all the fatties are scooping up. Also, we're all going to die from sides very soon. 💃

 

[Yankeegurl_LQJ]

WTF! They make is sound like we are cooking up dope in our kitchens with Pyrex, baking soda and a microwave.

 

[raw_oyster_eater]

i don't think sterility is that big a deal. i've injected liquified powers from capsules and such.

 

[Yankeegurl_LQJ]

I use to be a opioid/heroin addict. I can damn sure promise that I or anyone else I know has never sent our dope off to be tested before using. I've never had a problem. No sores. I still have all of my limbs, fingers, toes. Apparently I am still alive. After all I have seen it makes me laugh when people go so overboard about sterility.

 

[Vicki]

I think the fearmongering is slightly justified. Based on what I've seen on reddit, a lot of people probably shouldn't self medicate. They should be paying a doctor to hold their hand.

 

[Skidude]

I use to be a opioid/heroin addict. I can damn sure promise that I or anyone else I know has never sent our dope off to be tested before using. I've never had a problem. No sores. I still have all of my limbs, fingers, toes. Apparently I am still alive. After all I have seen it makes me laugh when people go so overboard about sterility.

I love the memes about the non-gmo/vegan/organic people but doing lines on the weekend..lol
I agree, it is quite the contrast from much of the risks/health issues we deal with day to day.

My strategy is stay with the pack and buy from those with the most to lose from reputational damage. It is obviously not fool proof, but I think it mitigates the danger if the seller has more to lose.

 

[goofygoobr69]

I think the fearmongering is slightly justified. Based on what I've seen on reddit, a lot of people probably shouldn't self medicate. They should be paying a doctor to hold their hand.

I've left all the FB groups because of this.. This is not hard, but some people live in a bubble ecosystem where they need a lot of hand-holding...

 

[hexagonal]

I'm not gonna hate on anyone for wanting/needing a professional to help them with using medications.

But yeah, if that's them, grey market ain't the place to be.

 

[peptideusername]

i don't think sterility is that big a deal. i've injected liquified powers from capsules and such.

I don't really think you're in the position to be giving advice on stuff like that. How's the hole in your stomach healing?

 

[peptideusername]

I use to be a opioid/heroin addict. I can damn sure promise that I or anyone else I know has never sent our dope off to be tested before using. I've never had a problem. No sores. I still have all of my limbs, fingers, toes. Apparently I am still alive. After all I have seen it makes me laugh when people go so overboard about sterility.

I'm sorry but this is a shit take.

 

[Skidude]

I'm sorry but this is a shit take.

Although I agree with the premise, that 2 wrongs don't make a right.. I would argue that none of us are as strict as we should be with ourselves as we preach to others. Prime example, I adhere strictly to food management protocols when I serve food to others, but I would historically gobble up BBQ that sat below 140 and above 40 for over 2 hrs. I think we all set our own limits and the "safety" zone is a matter of situational circumstance more than science... IMHO

 

[tncc_rn]

Some minor BS in this article:

"Some people are talking online about buying the active ingredient from China and mixing the obesity drugs in their homes. They call it the 'gray market.' Zepbound and the compounded alternatives have to be sterile for injection, so a homemade version would be challenging to make safely."

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/03/19/nx-s1-5333230/zepbound-tirzepatide-compounding-fda

I posted last month this would happen when the compounding ban went into effect. Even a blind person could see that all these people would scramble to figure out the Gray Market once their "weight loss spas" quit supplying them with low cost Sema or Triz.

Its only going to get worse as time goes on.

 

[noggin]

I think the fearmongering is slightly justified. Based on what I've seen on reddit, a lot of people probably shouldn't self medicate. They should be paying a doctor to hold their hand.

A lot of times we downplay the relative increase in risk that this route of medicating creates. Obviously infection isn't a huge risk but there are other big risks like over-medicating, under-medicating or injecting something different entirely. We've seen vendors accidentally have zero-pep vials, mislabel vials, or have risky levels of overfill. This creates a lot of risk that the pharma route just doesn't have. Personally I am willing to accept the risk in return for the money saved and I'm capable of reducing that risk using due-diligence. But there is a much greater risk doing it this way than getting EL or NN pens nonetheless.

 

[raw_oyster_eater]

I don't really think you're in the position to be giving advice on stuff like that. How's the hole in your stomach healing?

well the hole was from an over concentration of bromelain.

 

[Yankeegurl_LQJ]

A lot of times we downplay the relative increase in risk that this route of medicating creates. Obviously infection isn't a huge risk but there are other big risks like over-medicating, under-medicating or injecting something different entirely. We've seen vendors accidentally have zero-pep vials, mislabel vials, or have risky levels of overfill. This creates a lot of risk that the pharma route just doesn't have. Personally I am willing to accept the risk in return for the money saved and I'm capable of reducing that risk using due-diligence. But there is a much greater risk doing it this way than getting EL or NN pens nonetheless.

You are right about that but big pharma took our choice in the matter and tied our hands so we all do what we have to do. Some of us can afford certain products and practices and some have to make do with whatever they can. We either suffer from obesity and all of the problems (including death) or we take a chance and try to do something about it ourselves and in our own way. It's a shame it has to be this way but that's the world we live in. So much greed and people chasing and worshipping the almighty dollar.

 

[noggin]

You are right about that but big pharma took our choice in the matter and tied our hands so we all do what we have to do. Some of us can afford certain products and practices and some have to make do with whatever they can. We either suffer from obesity and all of the problems (including death) or we take a chance and try to do something about it ourselves and in our own way. It's a shame it has to be this way but that's the world we live in. So much greed and people chasing and worshipping the almighty dollar.

Truly. In my case I saw it at the very least risk neutral but for many others even going gray would be a great reduction in risk over not losing any weight at all, which most often the case when people are "prescribed diet and exercise"

 

[Skidude]

I think the real challenge is recognizing the scale when considering best practices.
While as individuals our potential exposure is limited to our own personal use; when discussing best practices potential dangers are exponentially greater and compounded by many other environmental factors.

I may not be adverse to pin after 40 days of reconstitution, while another person might have more frequent needs to access their refrigerator based on family size etc. which might impact temperature and exposure of their peps.

In the end, whether we want to consider that instead of 1 or 3 pins a week, we are talking a a cumulative total of thousands. It increases the odds of something going wrong.

These safety protocols are designed to minimize those risks and are smart to practice.
I do not think people should let fear stop them but I do believe they should have a respect for what they are doing. In my short time involved in this, just months not years, I have seen people receive the wrong product, not understand or apply titration, be overly casual with preparation, reconstitution, and storage. They have overdosed to the extent of feeling physically ill and these are stories I have read on this small corner of the web, in a very small period of time.

Multiply this by time and participants and the likelihood of a serious mistake only grows.
just my 2 cents, it bothered me that I may have not taken this seriously enough in my previous post.

 

[Peloma]

I think the real challenge is recognizing the scale when considering best practices.
While as individuals our potential exposure is limited to our own personal use; when discussing best practices potential dangers are exponentially greater and compounded by many other environmental factors.

I may not be adverse to pin after 40 days of reconstitution, while another person might have more frequent needs to access their refrigerator based on family size etc. which might impact temperature and exposure of their peps.

In the end, whether we want to consider that instead of 1 or 3 pins a week, we are talking a a cumulative total of thousands. It increases the odds of something going wrong.

These safety protocols are designed to minimize those risks and are smart to practice.
I do not think people should let fear stop them but I do believe they should have a respect for what they are doing. In my short time involved in this, just months not years, I have seen people receive the wrong product, not understand or apply titration, be overly casual with preparation, reconstitution, and storage. They have overdosed to the extent of feeling physically ill and these are stories I have read on this small corner of the web, in a very small period of time.

Multiply this by time and participants and the likelihood of a serious mistake only grows.
just my 2 cents, it bothered me that I may have not taken this seriously enough in my previous post.

Well said. I would add that with a large population you would also increase the likelihood of patients with additional risk factors beyond the typical or "standard" pinner. These folks probably shouldn't have started this series of injections to begin with, but did and suffered; thus adding to the number of negative outcomes.

 

[Yankeegurl_LQJ]

I think the real challenge is recognizing the scale when considering best practices.
While as individuals our potential exposure is limited to our own personal use; when discussing best practices potential dangers are exponentially greater and compounded by many other environmental factors.

I may not be adverse to pin after 40 days of reconstitution, while another person might have more frequent needs to access their refrigerator based on family size etc. which might impact temperature and exposure of their peps.

In the end, whether we want to consider that instead of 1 or 3 pins a week, we are talking a a cumulative total of thousands. It increases the odds of something going wrong.

These safety protocols are designed to minimize those risks and are smart to practice.
I do not think people should let fear stop them but I do believe they should have a respect for what they are doing. In my short time involved in this, just months not years, I have seen people receive the wrong product, not understand or apply titration, be overly casual with preparation, reconstitution, and storage. They have overdosed to the extent of feeling physically ill and these are stories I have read on this small corner of the web, in a very small period of time.

Multiply this by time and participants and the likelihood of a serious mistake only grows.
just my 2 cents, it bothered me that I may have not taken this seriously enough in my previous post.

Your are right as well. It is up to each individual to weigh the pro and cons and decide what is an acceptable risk. I think most of the risk comes when the same financial problems that led people to the grey also drive the decisions of what is ok and what is not. Some people cannot afford to use the US vendors so they turn to China. Some people can barely make ends meet so they look for the cheapest China vendor. They are lucky to be able to scrape together enough for meds but cannot afford extra for testing. After going through all of this there is no way they are going to throw away that vial made of gold just because it "might" be a little past date. Most people are desperate to lose the weight that before now they thought would never happen. People are desperate to improves their health and live their best life. A lot of these people are living on disability and fixed income due to poor health from obesity and problems related to it. It is just a shame that money is the main reason that people feel they have to take the risks that they do. I am speaking from my own experiences and from that of friends and other people I have met along the way.
Sorry for writing a book. I am just passionate about the less fortunate the underdogs and black sheep. Not everyone can help the circumstances that put them where they are in life.

 

[m100568]

It is just a shame that money is the main reason that people feel they have to take the risks that they do.

Amen.

 

[Peloma]

Sorry for writing a book. I am just passionate about the less fortunate the underdogs and black sheep. Not everyone can help the circumstances that put them where they are in life.

That's how we do in the Carolinas! Gotta help when and where we can because sometimes we are the ones in need.

 

[SassyPants]

Some minor BS in this article:

"Some people are talking online about buying the active ingredient from China and mixing the obesity drugs in their homes. They call it the 'gray market.' Zepbound and the compounded alternatives have to be sterile for injection, so a homemade version would be challenging to make safely."

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/03/19/nx-s1-5333230/zepbound-tirzepatide-compounding-fda

Just minor BS though🤥

 

[Yankeegurl_LQJ]

That's how we do in the Carolinas! Gotta help when and where we can because sometimes we are the ones in need

Exactly!

 

[ghreid]

with the courts ruling that compounding pharmacy can no longer produce product and the administrations ramping up economic wars with china and other counties, should I consider stocking up on chinese peptides? if so, how many months worth would be recommended?

 

[keangkong]

with the courts ruling that compounding pharmacy can no longer produce product and the administrations ramping up economic wars with china and other counties, should I consider stocking up on chinese peptides? if so, how many months worth would be recommended?

Because shipments sometimes get seized and it can take a long time for an order to arrive from abroad, it's good to have a backup of a few months worth. Based upon the experience of folks who use steroids, which face greater legal prohibitions regarding importation, it seems peptides will continue to enter the US although it may get harder to get them at times. If you did what I did and stockpiled several years worth, you've gone too far.

 

[SassyPants]

with the courts ruling that compounding pharmacy can no longer produce product and the administrations ramping up economic wars with china and other counties, should I consider stocking up on chinese peptides? if so, how many months worth would be recommended?

Nothing wrong with having extra. Stocking up isn’t terrible at all as long as you ( or anyone else ) do not panic buy from just anyone. Happened a handful of times in the year & 1/2 since joining, I’ve read of many getting scammed.

Do your research if you haven’t already. ( look into vendors carefully, ask questions from others that have used said vendor ) How long has vendor been around? Preferably about 6 months is a decent guideline. How has vendor handled issues in the past with testing, ( 3rd party testing? ) customs seizures, lost/damaged packages? The way problems are handled matters. Same when looking into group buys.

Remember shipments from across the pond take weeks. 4+ weeks in some cases is the norm. Again, if coming from China. Good luck on your journey to better health.🙋🏼‍♀️

 

[Yankeegurl_LQJ]

Imo I dont see our peps going anywhere. Courts have ruled against illegal drugs for so many years and it still hasn't made a difference. There is too much money to be made in the grey market and people are not going to give up their livelihood easily. Mexican Cartels continously find ways to get black market drugs in so it damn sure shouldn't be a problem for the Chinese to figure it out. After all arent they supposed to be smart af? Will there is a will there is a way.

 

[Garbo]

Imo I dont see our peps going anywhere. Courts have ruled against illegal drugs for so many years and it still hasn't made a difference. There is too much money to be made in the grey market and people are not going to give up their livelihood easily. Mexican Cartels continously find ways to get black market drugs in so it damn sure shouldn't be a problem for the Chinese to figure it out. After all arent they supposed to be smart af? Will there is a will there is a way.

Sending up a hope and a prayer that the cartels don't get into this particular market. We'd find ourselves getting GLPs that all the reviewers rave, "This stuff really HITS!!!" — but it'd be cuz it's been sweetened it with meth or something.

With all their failings and negatives, the China producers/vendors come from a *pharmaceutical* mindset and history of meeting the standards of American and international Big Pharma companies.

Not to mention, they're damn good at capitalism. So yes, I agree with you! — I like our odds 🙂

 

[mcontre1]

I use to be a opioid/heroin addict. I can damn sure promise that I or anyone else I know has never sent our dope off to be tested before using. I've never had a problem. No sores. I still have all of my limbs, fingers, toes. Apparently I am still alive. After all I have seen it makes me laugh when people go so overboard about sterility.

Love you for keeping it real.

 

[m100568]

If you did what I did and stockpiled several years worth, you've gone too far.

But, but, but. . . they are having a sale!

 

[raw_oyster_eater]

you can sell your extras to others. there's no such thing as too much.

 

[AndyPanda]

with the courts ruling that compounding pharmacy can no longer produce product and the administrations ramping up economic wars with china and other counties, should I consider stocking up on chinese peptides? if so, how many months worth would be recommended?

About 4 years. Or until RFK Jr. finally kicks the bucket. Good news is that men in his family tend to pass prematurely. 🤣😂🤣

 

[keangkong]

with the courts ruling that compounding pharmacy can no longer produce product and the administrations ramping up economic wars with china and other counties, should I consider stocking up on chinese peptides? if so, how many months worth would be recommended?

It’s hard to justify intentionally creating more than a 6 month surplus. Yes, there will be intermittent greater enforcement, however, steroids haven’t been able to be kept out to the US despite them being subject to far greater legal prohibitions than GLP-1 drugs. The US government is being cut like crazy. Trump will greatly expand the work of the remaining employees. Your ability to import peptides from China may become a little more difficult at times but that’s it. About three months ago, we started seeing greater customs enforcement although that seems to have passed. GLP-1 prices are now cheaper than ever.

 

[Garbo]

About 4 years. Or until RFK Jr. finally kicks the bucket. Good news is that men in his family tend to pass prematurely. 🤣😂🤣

ANDY!

 

[AndyPanda]

ANDY!

I know. I couldn’t resist. I don’t want anything bad to happen to the guy.

 

[Garbo]

I know. I couldn’t resist. I don’t want anything bad to happen to the guy.

Well just so you know, I did laugh.

Out loud.

 

[keangkong]

About 4 years. Or until RFK Jr. finally kicks the bucket. Good news is that men in his family tend to pass prematurely. 🤣😂🤣

Although I am not a fan of RFK Jr., I don't think he has much to do with customs enforcement. RFK Jr. has praised peptides but has criticized injectable weight loss drugs; I'm not sure he has recognized that what folks are injecting consists of peptides. I have a hard time characterizing whether RFK Jr. is good for people who receive GLP-1 research drugs for China. It's not like those who have a position on measles: If you are pro-measles, then RFK Jr. is a good friend.

 

[exploitedworkerbee]

I use to be a opioid/heroin addict. I can damn sure promise that I or anyone else I know has never sent our dope off to be tested before using. I've never had a problem. No sores. I still have all of my limbs, fingers, toes. Apparently I am still alive. After all I have seen it makes me laugh when people go so overboard about sterility.

My dad used to beat the shit out of me and I turned out pretty good. Clearly the lesson is that child beating is ok since I happened to avoid any identifiably heinous outcomes!

 

[Peloma]

My dad used to beat the shit out of me and I turned out pretty good. Clearly the lesson is that child beating is ok since I happened to avoid any identifiably heinous outcomes!

Dark, but valid analogy...

 

[raw_oyster_eater]

My dad used to beat the shit out of me and I turned out pretty good.

eeehh. can we put that to a popular vote? no gerrymandering.

 

[exploitedworkerbee]

eeehh. can we put that to a popular vote? no gerrymandering.

Everything is relative, and I have siblings.

I turned out GREAT.

 

[brentm]

My dad used to beat the shit out of me and I turned out pretty good. Clearly the lesson is that child beating is ok since I happened to avoid any identifiably heinous outcomes!

You'd go to jail for beating your child today. Heck, I remember getting a swat in grade school. We're so woke now I can't even stand it.

 

[ghreid]

nuns would hit us with rulers if talking in class in grade school

 

[Yankeegurl_LQJ]

Love you for keeping it real.

Thank you for that! This is actually the 1st forum where I felt comfortable sharing info about myself. I actually lurked for a long time before I signed up so I could gauge how everyone on here related. I don't mind constructive criticism and joking around but I can't stand the condescending know it all assholes that act like their shit smells better than everyone else's that are on some forums.

 

[AndyPanda]

Thank you for that! This is actually the 1st forum where I felt comfortable sharing info about myself. I actually lurked for a long time before I signed up so I could gauge how everyone on here related. I don't mind constructive criticism and joking around but I can't stand the condescending know it all assholes that act like their shit smells better than everyone else's that are on some forums.

Nobody can smell our shit because the Tirz has us all blocked up.

 

[Skidude]

Thank you for that! This is actually the 1st forum where I felt comfortable sharing info about myself. I actually lurked for a long time before I signed up so I could gauge how everyone on here related. I don't mind constructive criticism and joking around but I can't stand the condescending know it all assholes that act like their shit smells better than everyone else's that are on some forums.

There was a great skit in SNL back in the day, like 1999, with Jimmy Fallon. I always loved it because I was in IT at the time and it was hilarious to watch other guys that happened to understand computers being totally condescending to Engineers and Lawyers.

It is really easy to forget we all start somewhere and we all have different skill sets.
And damnit..even if you know more about everything then everyone, you can still be a jerk..lol

I think if you are burned out on answering questions, best to leave it to others. Not to mention, chances are highly likely that dozens of other lurkers may benefit from real answers and be less afraid to ask questions that might legitimately pass your "approved" guidelines for acceptable.

"YOU'RE WELCOME"

Nick Burns, Your Company's Computer Guy​

A Jimmy Fallon sketch. Debuted November 20, 1999. Nick Burns (Fallon) looked like an archetypal nerd (dirty unkempt hair, pagers, pocket protector, etc.) and was an IT Support guy at a large company. He would nastily mock anyone who asked for his assistance in fixing a problem with their computer. His catchphrases were a sarcastic, "YOU'RE WELCOME," a loud, obnoxious, "MOVE!!", commanding the person asking for his help to get out of their desk chair so he could sit in it to fix the problem with their computer, and "WAS THAT SO HARD?"

 

[hotdog!]

LOL I still do his exasperated *UGH! MOVE!* at my husband