Retatrutide Journey Pre to Post

[desinr-gal]

Theres also no reason to think Reta will stop working, as the body doesnt seem to deal with as much receptor desensitization.

Something I commonly see with GLPs is the idea that you need to be on them forever.

I know people have results they never dreamed of on them - but thats not right. your body not being able to lose weight is either caused by you eating like an asshole and having no self control(which is fixable) OR its because something is wrong with your body and theres a 90% chance there is medication that can fix your body so you dont need the GLP forever.

hormonal issues or metabolic ones have adverse effects on your body besides making weight loss difficult, its better to figure out some of those issues with a doctor so you dont have long term complications OR get tied to being on a GLP forever.

Ahem.. problems with women's hormones later in life are not easily resolved. Yes there's HRT but very few docs want to deal with it, it changes throughout the day, week etc. so not easily determined there are many kinds to track and the whole body is in a changing situation with many complexities. Your exprssed viewpoint is blind and dismissive, not to mention insulting.

 

[Incognitodoberman]

Please point to what you've been reading that says this. Every expert I've spoken too all agree that this is just uneducated speculation by people that don't know what they are talking about.

I spent way too much time trying to find the article I read last night about the potential effects of going backwards from a triple agonist to a dual or single — and I still can't find it, but I know I read it. Along the way, I ran into a few AI-generated summaries, but I don’t really consider those solid sources. That said, I did end up reading quite a few other articles and studies during the search.

The article that I read last night didn’t claim this happens to everyone, but it did say that switching from a high dose of something like Reta to a dual or single could possibly affect how much stimulation a person receives. It was framed more as a potential effect than a guaranteed outcome. I also talked to someone who went through this kind of transition himself, and his experience lined up with what the article suggested — so to me, that reinforces the idea that it’s at least possible.

If I’m remembering right, I also saw something about Phase 2 trial results where subjects were monitored to see if they'd plateau at high doses, and after 48 weeks, they did not. That's reassuring. Since Reta is now in its final trial phase, I’m really curious to see what kind of data comes out from the trial as it started back in 2023.

 

[zpped]

What would be the purpose of switching off of reta though? Reaching a plateau on reta, you're not going to lose more on tirz because you've already lost more than tirz is capable of giving you.

 

[Incognitodoberman]

What would be the purpose of switching off of reta though? Reaching a plateau on reta, you're not going to lose more on tirz because you've already lost more than tirz is capable of giving you.

I don’t know that I can answer that 100%, but I do feel I can trust in the information I’ve received. It made me second guess myself in that I’m going about things the wrong way (beginning with Reta). I can say this information came from a credible source, not something wonky like Reddit.

My challenge is that I can spend months researching and learning and still end up with conflicting opinions. Feels like a game of tug-of-war and trying to decide which team to stand with, even though both sides provide valid arguments. I guess that’s where personal experiences can add a layer of clarity that the data alone doesn’t always provide.

At this point, I’m still not entirely sure which direction to go. Since I don’t have Tirzepatide in hand yet, I do have some time to keep researching and figuring things out. Oddly enough, I had a dream last night that some friends wanted vials of Tirzepatide, and I ended up selling them all for $100 each. Maybe that’s a sign, but either way, I’m still giving myself time to decide.

 

[spyke65]

From what I’ve been reading, as well as speaking with someone who has gone through this personally, it is possible that if you start with the most powerful option (triple agonist) and later a dual or single agonist, your body may adapt to all three pathways, so moving down to a dual or single agonist may be less effective.

Theoretically Retatrutide is “the most powerful” option, but not necessarily. Your needs today could be vastly different than your needs months or years down the road when Retatrutide stops working for you. Your body may need the glucagon agonist the most right now but as you near your goal weight and maintenance, you may only need the GLP-1 agonist. Or you may need to add an amylin agonist to the mix.

Also, some food for thought, Retatrutide isn’t on the market yet and there are quadruple incretin agonists coming through the research pipeline right behind it. In particular, NA-931 (bioglutide) seems to have a lot of promise.

My personal justification for going from Semaglutide to Retatrutide is the same as why if I’m buying a new computer, I go for the best model I can afford. New technology will follow over time so I’ll take the benefits of the new technology until it no longer works then pick the next better that comes along.

 

[Incognitodoberman]

Theoretically Retatrutide is “the most powerful” option, but not necessarily. Your needs today could be vastly different than your needs months or years down the road when Retatrutide stops working for you. Your body may need the glucagon agonist the most right now but as you near your goal weight and maintenance, you may only need the GLP-1 agonist. Or you may need to add an amylin agonist to the mix.

Also, some food for thought, Retatrutide isn’t on the market yet and there are quadruple incretin agonists coming through the research pipeline right behind it. In particular, NA-931 (bioglutide) seems to have a lot of promise.

My personal justification for going from Semaglutide to Retatrutide is the same as why if I’m buying a new computer, I go for the best model I can afford. New technology will follow over time so I’ll take the benefits of the new technology until it no longer works then pick the next better that comes along.

I really appreciate this feedback; it’s very helpful. I’ve started to see some early information on the quadruple, though I haven’t explored it in depth yet, I imagine it will become the next highly sought-after GLP. The science behind these developments is incredible on so many levels. While working alongside researchers, in an entirely different field, I find it fascinating to follow the evolution of their work and see how consistently life-changing it continues to be.

 

[PackmanJohnny]

That is contrary to what actual doctors who have spent their lives studying the issue are saying. I read just the other day that there are at least 14 different genetic markers that contribute to obesity. While I don't know exactly how many different medical conditions contribute to obesity here are just a few of them: hypothyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Prader-Willi syndrome, and certain hypothalamic issues. Medications used to treat other conditions, such as certain antidepressants, steroids, antipsychotics, and hormonal birth control, can also lead to weight gain and obesity. I find it strange that you mention "medications" that can "fix our bodies" in the same sentence as you saying we won't need GLP-1 drugs for life .. so which is it? Do we need medicine or not?

The main difference is that the condition CAUSING the obesity is not being treated by the GLP-1. You also have to factor in what other damage that condition is causing your body that you are no longer attempting to treat because the most noticeable part (obesity) is no longer bothering you. Hypothyroidism, for example(which I am diagnosed with) can lead to Peripheral neuropathy, Cognitive issues, as well as endocrinal and reproductive disorders that are unrelated to the likely obesity-related issues like hypertension. When you take the GLP and lose the weight, you still have hypothyroidism and still carry the risk for the other negatives regarding that condition, where if you properly work out the needed medicinal treatment for your thyroid, you would more than likely not need the GLP and be able to lose weight with diet and exercise, and maintain that weight loss with good habits.

The GLP might be great at helping you relieve one issue in your body, but you may be doing yourself a disservice in the long run by not caring for the root cause.

BUT - ALLLLL of that applies to a rather small part of the population. The majority of overweight and obese people in America and other places are not obese because of a medical problem, theyre obese because they do not care for their bodies or have good habits, and being on a GLP for life because youre incapable of not eating cake is weak sauce. not ascribing that to anyone here, thats just my opinion of the general masses.

 

[PackmanJohnny]

Ahem.. problems with women's hormones later in life are not easily resolved. Yes there's HRT but very few docs want to deal with it, it changes throughout the day, week etc. so not easily determined there are many kinds to track and the whole body is in a changing situation with many complexities. Your exprssed viewpoint is blind and dismissive, not to mention insulting.

If your doctor 'doesnt want to deal with' your health, thats a shit doctor. I know healthcare is expensive and finding a good doctor can be hard, but that is not a good reason to dismiss HRT. My mother happens to be about 6 months into it now and she is having some fantastic benefits, both on the scale and in her energy levels, hair thickness, etc.

I'm really not sure whats insulting about urging people to be actually aware of their health. with the body as complex as you're saying, shouldn't we do as much as we can to be as healthy as possible? GLPs are wonderful tools, but they arent magical. If Im blind and dismissive for urging people to monitor their health and try treating actual conditions vs blindly relying on experimental drugs, so be it I guess lol.

 

[zpped]

and being on a GLP for life because youre incapable of not eating cake is weak sauce

Why do you care what other people do that has no effect on you? That's pretty insecure thinking.

 

[MsGizmo]

BUT - ALLLLL of that applies to a rather small part of the population. The majority of overweight and obese people in America and other places are not obese because of a medical problem, theyre obese because they do not care for their bodies or have good habits, and being on a GLP for life because youre incapable of not eating cake is weak sauce. not ascribing that to anyone here, thats just my opinion of the general masses.

You have zero idea of what percentage of obesity is caused by medical conditions. Doctors who study the issue can't even answer that. Obesity is a complex problem that is connected to genetic problems, hormonal problems and yes, mental problems. (For the record GLP-1 drugs ARE hormones)

If Im blind and dismissive for urging people to monitor their health and try treating actual conditions vs blindly relying on experimental drugs, so be it I guess lol.

Frankly, who the hell are you to judge complete strangers and make UNFOUNDED accusations that they are not monitoring their health to the best of their abilities?

 

[BooneDonk]

Why do you care what other people do that has no effect on you?

A CPT that is admittedly on PED’s isn’t my source for health advice. I’m sure you have @zpped and I would suggest others consider the source as well, but that’s my opinion.

 

[desinr-gal]

If your doctor 'doesnt want to deal with' your health, thats a shit doctor. I know healthcare is expensive and finding a good doctor can be hard, but that is not a good reason to dismiss HRT. My mother happens to be about 6 months into it now and she is having some fantastic benefits, both on the scale and in her energy levels, hair thickness, etc.

I'm really not sure whats insulting about urging people to be actually aware of their health. with the body as complex as you're saying, shouldn't we do as much as we can to be as healthy as possible? GLPs are wonderful tools, but they arent magical. If Im blind and dismissive for urging people to monitor their health and try treating actual conditions vs blindly relying on experimental drugs, so be it I guess lol.

"but thats not right. your body not being able to lose weight is either caused by you eating like an asshole and having no self control(which is fixable) OR its because something is wrong with your body and theres a 90% chance there is medication that can fix your body so you dont need the GLP forever."

I was responding to this^ which is very insulting. I did not dismiss HRT, I am saying getting it properly treated can be a very challenging long term process. The Food noise that can come as a result, along with depression, and crazy fast weight gain all make weight management so much harder after 50. You make it seem like people like me are just lazy and stupid.

 

[BooneDonk]

"but thats not right. your body not being able to lose weight is either caused by you eating like an asshole and having no self control(which is fixable) OR its because something is wrong with your body and theres a 90% chance there is medication that can fix your body so you dont need the GLP forever."

I was responding to this^ which is very insulting. I did not dismiss HRT, I am saying getting it properly treated can be a very challenging long term process. The Food noise that can come as a result, along with depression, and crazy fast weight gain all make weight management so much harder after 50. You make it seem like people like me are just lazy and stupid.

These all-knowing millennials…

Don’t let them get you too wired up! Keep doing you!!

 

[lemon lady]

Theres also no reason to think Reta will stop working, as the body doesnt seem to deal with as much receptor desensitization.

Something I commonly see with GLPs is the idea that you need to be on them forever.

I know people have results they never dreamed of on them - but thats not right. your body not being able to lose weight is either caused by you eating like an asshole and having no self control(which is fixable) OR its because something is wrong with your body and theres a 90% chance there is medication that can fix your body so you dont need the GLP forever.

hormonal issues or metabolic ones have adverse effects on your body besides making weight loss difficult, its better to figure out some of those issues with a doctor so you dont have long term complications OR get tied to being on a GLP forever.

The notion that people only fail to lose weight because they “eat like an asshole” is not only ignorant but completely dismisses decades of research showing the complexity of obesity, appetite regulation, and metabolic adaptation. If it were simply about “self control,” the obesity epidemic wouldn’t exist.
GLP1s do address the underlying biology i.e satiety hormones, slowed gastric emptying, and neuroendocrine pathways, things no amount of “willpower” can magically override long term. These medications arent just bandaids they’re the first real tool that treats obesity as the chronic relapsing condition it is.
Also, waving your hand and saying “90% chance there’s another medication that fixes it” is baseless and misleading, obesity is multifactorial genetics, hormones, environment, behavior. But pretending a doctor can just hand out some magic nonGLP pill is fantasy.
What’s actually harmful is shaming people for needing a longterm intervention. Nobody criticises diabetics for staying on insulin or hypertensive patients for lifelong blood pressure meds yet somehow obesity patients are expected to fix themselves with grit and kale? Give me a break

 

[nonyabizznez]

I keep my cake on the shelf above my Mounjaro shots in the fridge. Like an asshole a normal person I eat cake whenever I feel like it. I ate cake my entire weightloss. I'm maintaining at 10 lbs below goal.

 

[MsGizmo]

"but thats not right. your body not being able to lose weight is either caused by you eating like an asshole and having no self control(which is fixable) OR its because something is wrong with your body and theres a 90% chance there is medication that can fix your body so you dont need the GLP forever."

I was responding to this^ which is very insulting. I did not dismiss HRT, I am saying getting it properly treated can be a very challenging long term process. The Food noise that can come as a result, along with depression, and crazy fast weight gain all make weight management so much harder after 50. You make it seem like people like me are just lazy and stupid.

Is really funny that he supports HRT (hormone replacement therapy) but doesn't realize that GLP-1s are hormones as well.

 

[randompersonrandom]

Damn. A forum for people who want to make damn sure they are never cut off from glp-1 drugs is not the place where I thought I'd see someone claiming that people gain weight because they are assholes who don't care about their bodies. I'd be pretty pissed about that, but ever since I gained access to a drug that gives me what I've always dreamed of (the ability to eat moderately without that being a constant fight every day of my life that no matter how badly I wanted to, I just never won in a way I could maintain long-term, and also that drug takes five minutes once a week to be on), I'm in an awfully good mood.

 

[Rissalove]

After a year on Dulaglutide and still gaining weight, my cardiologist suggested changing to monjaro. After reading and investigated decided to do reta instead. Went for my 6 month check up and he walked in with his residents & medical students and asked what I had been doing. He couldn't believe that I am down 77 lbs (27%) . My labs have all corrected with decrease in cholesterol, fatty liver numbers gone, renal function improved, testost level sky rocketed, EKG improved, A1C and fasting glucose & hemo values normal normal and my hips/knees are thanking me. I told him he was the one that had suggested it and was shocked as he said that no one usually does what he suggests.

Congratulations 🎊

 

[PackmanJohnny]

Why do you care what other people do that has no effect on you? That's pretty insecure thinking.

I don't, im just clarifying theres a difference between someone who only uses a GLP for appetite suppression vs someone using it to overcome effects of a larger diagnosis, and that the latter has risk for greater harm in the long term. Im not applying a moral lense to anything, just my two cents.

You have zero idea of what percentage of obesity is caused by medical conditions. Doctors who study the issue can't even answer that. Obesity is a complex problem that is connected to genetic problems, hormonal problems and yes, mental problems. (For the record GLP-1 drugs ARE hormones)

Frankly, who the hell are you to judge complete strangers and make UNFOUNDED accusations that they are not monitoring their health to the best of their abilities?

Sure - I cant give you exact %'s of who has a health problem and who doesn't, but health data in America indicates a steep uptick in obesity and related issues with the introduction of processed and super calorie dense/nutrient enriched foods. And while doctors cant give official %'s, every major governing board of physicians agree the steep rise is primarily due to dietary makeup and environment. More than happy to cite this if your google is broken.

Honestly? I havent applied that descriptor to anyone. You're the one taking personal offense over a generalized statement. If we stress harm reduction as being important, then its worth noting that you could be harming yourself if you take a GLP and dont treat conditions that can have more serious consequences. I'm sure you're super responsible, good for you.

Yes GLP's are hormones and theyre a great tool in the toolbox, but they are not the hormones typically implied when mentioning HRT, hence the difference.

"but thats not right. your body not being able to lose weight is either caused by you eating like an asshole and having no self control(which is fixable) OR its because something is wrong with your body and theres a 90% chance there is medication that can fix your body so you dont need the GLP forever."

I was responding to this^ which is very insulting. I did not dismiss HRT, I am saying getting it properly treated can be a very challenging long term process. The Food noise that can come as a result, along with depression, and crazy fast weight gain all make weight management so much harder after 50. You make it seem like people like me are just lazy and stupid.

If you are not in that camp, then that doesn't apply to you. You're clearly not in that camp so there is no reason for you to self-associate with those labels. Please dont take offense and be insulted at statements not even directed at you. It's awesome that you are prioritizing getting your health in line, congrats! I hope everything goes well for you.

 

[PackmanJohnny]

A CPT that is admittedly on PED’s isn’t my source for health advice. I’m sure you have @zpped and I would suggest others consider the source as well, but that’s my opinion.

You're more than welcome to fact check me on any of the observations Ive made but if your gripe with me is that Im honest about PED usage, Im sure you'd rather get honest and quality advice from 'Lifetime natty' sources like Simeon Panda and Mike O'Hearn LOL.

 

[MsGizmo]

every major governing board of physicians agree the steep rise is primarily due to dietary makeup and environment.

Yes, the chemicals that are in our food, INCLUDING FRESH, that we have no say about. And the environment .. another thing that people have no control over.

I havent applied that descriptor to anyone. You're the one taking personal offense over a generalized statement.

Generalized statements apply to everyone.

they are not the hormones typically implied when mentioning HRT

Again, YOU don't get to make that distinction. If a hormone fixes something without doing anything else .. then it stands to reason that a person has a hormone imbalance that caused the problem to begin with.

You're just being honest you say? Well, let me me a little honest with you. You are an uneducated person passing judgements on people with medical conditions that you have no idea about. All while you yourself use the same drugs that they do. Some of them are ones that I personally would find dangerous. But guess what? Its none of my business to tell you what is and is not acceptable. Just like it is none of your business what other people choose to inject themselves with. Not their reasons. Not their dosages. Not for how long they choose to take it.

People are offended because you are being offensive. If you want to talk about YOURSELF and what you are doing about your own health by all means do so. If someone asks for your opinion by all means give it to them according to what they asked. No one asked you anything here. You don't even know enough to know what you don't know.

 

[desinr-gal]

I don't, im just clarifying theres a difference between someone who only uses a GLP for appetite suppression vs someone using it to overcome effects of a larger diagnosis, and that the latter has risk for greater harm in the long term. Im not applying a moral lense to anything, just my two cents.



Sure - I cant give you exact %'s of who has a health problem and who doesn't, but health data in America indicates a steep uptick in obesity and related issues with the introduction of processed and super calorie dense/nutrient enriched foods. And while doctors cant give official %'s, every major governing board of physicians agree the steep rise is primarily due to dietary makeup and environment. More than happy to cite this if your google is broken.

Honestly? I havent applied that descriptor to anyone. You're the one taking personal offense over a generalized statement. If we stress harm reduction as being important, then its worth noting that you could be harming yourself if you take a GLP and dont treat conditions that can have more serious consequences. I'm sure you're super responsible, good for you.

Yes GLP's are hormones and theyre a great tool in the toolbox, but they are not the hormones typically implied when mentioning HRT, hence the difference.




If you are not in that camp, then that doesn't apply to you. You're clearly not in that camp so there is no reason for you to self-associate with those labels. Please dont take offense and be insulted at statements not even directed at you. It's awesome that you are prioritizing getting your health in line, congrats! I hope everything goes well for you.

You being insulting is about you. You shouldnt join a group, if you are not willing and able to be respectful to everyone in that group. All your posts are readable by everyone on this forum.
Learn restraint, compassion and how to censor your own mind. Read the room, before you speak and write.

 

[PackmanJohnny]

Yes, the chemicals that are in our food, INCLUDING FRESH, that we have no say about. And the environment .. another thing that people have no control over.

Generalized statements apply to everyone.

Again, YOU don't get to make that distinction. If a hormone fixes something without doing anything else .. then it stands to reason that a person has a hormone imbalance that caused the problem to begin with.

You're just being honest you say? Well, let me me a little honest with you. You are an uneducated person passing judgements on people with medical conditions that you have no idea about. All while you yourself use the same drugs that they do. Some of them are ones that I personally would find dangerous. But guess what? Its none of my business to tell you what is and is not acceptable. Just like it is none of your business what other people choose to inject themselves with. Not their reasons. Not their dosages. Not for how long they choose to take it.

People are offended because you are being offensive. If you want to talk about YOURSELF and what you are doing about your own health by all means do so. If someone asks for your opinion by all means give it to them according to what they asked. No one asked you anything here. You don't even know enough to know what you don't know.

If you want to complain about knowledge, you could start with some general reading comprehension - I literally separated the two into people that are attempting to improve their health(which would include every single user on this website by default) and even clarified for you that I was not ascribing that to anyone here.

And I haven't passed judgements on anyone here, and although I'm developing some I will keep them to myself. I do not give a flying fuck what you put into your body, do whatever you like. Better? Cool.

It's an open thread and I commented on a potential issue I see arising with long term usage(which no one has refuted btw). I didnt call you or anyone else here stupid or lazy or anything, you either bruise easily or misread the post or both. If you can actually refute any of the points Ive made Id be all ears - but so far its nothing but ad hom.

You being insulting is about you. You shouldnt join a group, if you are not willing and able to be respectful to everyone in that group. All your posts are readable by everyone on this forum.
Learn restraint, compassion and how to censor your own mind. Read the room, before you speak and write.

I've done my best to be respectful and helpful in my short time here, you're more than welcome to disagree but expecting me to read your mind and know ahead of time you'd be offended over a post not directed at you is silly. Feel free to go back and dig up what you'd like, but my post-to-like ratio doesnt imply that I'm whatever you're dreaming up. If you feel disrespected anyways, Im terribly sorry and hope you know that, as I originally stated, nothing was directed at you.

 

[Incognitodoberman]

And I haven't passed judgements on anyone here, and although I'm developing some I will keep them to myself. I do not give a flying fuck what you put into your body, do whatever you like. Better? Cool.

Here’s my take on it. The content in Johnny’s beginning posts, regarding ‘eating like an asshole’ and ‘having self-control’ etc - to be honest, felt a little direct since it’s in the post that I’m documenting my journey in.
I can see how it sounded like it was directed at one person (at that time me), and I think this is primarily because of the repeated use of “you” and “your,” which can make it feel like he’s personally criticizing an individual person. Even if that wasn’t the intent, those words can come across as finger-pointing, especially on a sensitive subject like weight. Words like “when one” or “a person,” are used it can have a much broader meaning. It’s all good though. Hopefully, we can all continue to learn from each other 🩷