Consideration: There is no "stopping" these meds.

[MsGizmo]

It’s not an attitude. If someone maintains disregulated blood pressure then they should continue to take medication. If their lifestyle habits and diet are able to get them to a place where their doctor thinks it a good idea to try stepping down to go their medication then I think it should be up to the patient and doctor. I had medical issues that required surgery in 2022 and my endocrinology team stepped me off of the medication I was on as it was no longer needed.

If someone absolutely wants to be on medication that’s between them and their doctor. I just think it’s ridiculous to insist everyone who’s ever taken a peptide protocol is stuck on it for life. I don’t agree with strangers telling one another they must continue to be on something until they die, it takes the autonomy away from the individual.

I have yet to see anyone claiming that we all MUST stay on GLP1s for life. What I have seen is some people saying that they are planning on it for themselves. I am in that group. We have accepted that it is what WE probably need. Sure inactivity and poor eating habits have played its part ... but there are many other causes of obesity and for most of us we are dealing with MULTIPLE causes.

Frankly .. at the end f the day what we do is none of your business. Just like you don't want anyone telling you that you MUST be on a drug for life .. YOU don't get to tell anyone that they shouldn't continue taking something that is helping them. Be it real or imagined.

 

[50ShadesGreyMarket]

I have yet to see anyone claiming that we all MUST stay on GLP1s for life. What I have seen is some people saying that they are planning on it for themselves. I am in that group. We have accepted that it is what WE probably need. Sure inactivity and poor eating habits have played its part ... but there are many other causes of obesity and for most of us we are dealing with MULTIPLE causes.

Frankly .. at the end f the day what we do is none of your business. Just like you don't want anyone telling you that you MUST be on a drug for life .. YOU don't get to tell anyone that they shouldn't continue taking something that is helping them. Be it real or imagined.

If you read my original comment and the reply that implied I was saying something I wasn’t it puts it in context. I think each person has their own journey with peptides, for some that will be lifelong but for others, I don’t think that has to be the case. I posed that scenario in my first response to the thread. I never said anybody should or shouldn’t do anything. I was the one pushing back against the “must be on forever” narrative. I think it’s up to the individual.

In the real world, if you insist someone can or cannot achieve a goal when you know nothing about them they would probably tell you to go F*** yourself. Most folks don’t put up with that.

 

[4StrandKnot]

This month is my 25th anniversary of HAVING MY LIFE BACK!!

Over 25 years ago, I was diagnosed with a serious medical issue that will remain private. Multiple hospital stays. Doc was supportive. Then Doc retired, new doc took over my care. New Doc decided to change my meds based on some recent studies. Yeah whatever.
But I started getting better.

And after about 3 months, I was back to doing most of the things I was doing before I was diagnosed!! My disorder is contained!! I FINALLY HAD MY LIFE BACK!!

I still have the disorder. The meds are (still) expensive. They are sometimes a PITA to get, yes. even with a completely legal above-board Rx. Rare disorders == rare medication. It's a very not-fun thing to deal with. BUT I HAVE MY LIFE BACK!!

A longtime, dear friend of mine grew up in India. They meant well when they said "I pray that someday you don't have to take those pills."

I said, I don't. I thank the heavens that I HAVE MY LIFE BACK!!!!

I don't like medication. I generally resist taking it. Aside from this particular treatment, the only other rx I took was for hypertension -- my blood pressure is too high, I'm fat, I'm getting older, and I don't exercise enough.

And now, I have GLP-1 in the mix. This is just my first week. But now that I have life without food noise? This may be another reason to shout.

I guess what I'm taking a very long time to say is -- a med for life is OK with me, if it means I have more of my life back. I am in my 50s. The number of meds I am taking is unlikely to go down anytime soon.

 

[MsGizmo]

This month is my 25th anniversary of HAVING MY LIFE BACK!!

Over 25 years ago, I was diagnosed with a serious medical issue that will remain private. Multiple hospital stays. Doc was supportive. Then Doc retired, new doc took over my care. New Doc decided to change my meds based on some recent studies. Yeah whatever.
But I started getting better.

And after about 3 months, I was back to doing most of the things I was doing before I was diagnosed!! My disorder is contained!! I FINALLY HAD MY LIFE BACK!!

I still have the disorder. The meds are (still) expensive. They are sometimes a PITA to get, yes. even with a completely legal above-board Rx. Rare disorders == rare medication. It's a very not-fun thing to deal with. BUT I HAVE MY LIFE BACK!!

A longtime, dear friend of mine grew up in India. They meant well when they said "I pray that someday you don't have to take those pills."

I said, I don't. I thank the heavens that I HAVE MY LIFE BACK!!!!

I don't like medication. I generally resist taking it. Aside from this particular treatment, the only other rx I took was for hypertension -- my blood pressure is too high, I'm fat, I'm getting older, and I don't exercise enough.

And now, I have GLP-1 in the mix. This is just my first week. But now that I have life without food noise? This may be another reason to shout.

I guess what I'm taking a very long time to say is -- a med for life is OK with me, if it means I have more of my life back. I am in my 50s. The number of meds I am taking is unlikely to go down anytime soon.

One thing that I've noticed over the years is that people without an illness are often the one most critical of those who have one. Thin people complain the loudest about GLP1 drugs while at the same time criticize us for being fat in the first place.

 

[deleted.user.18]

I’ve appreciated the engagement in this discussion. It’s been a good read so far. I agree with some bits and disagree with others. I don’t dismiss the bits I disagree with off hand, and someday I may find that in fact I have changed my mind and see them as truth! We all want our cake and to eat it too. That’s human nature.

Sometimes the body heals with time and support, like a cast on a broken limb. Other times it needs ongoing help, like eyeglasses or contacts. In some cases a permanent fix exists, such as eye surgery or joint replacement. Most of these interventions don’t return you to brand-new condition, but they usually leave you better off than doing nothing. And when possible, many people would rather put in the effort, make changes, and build habits that let them live well with less medical intervention.

It’s important for each of us to take responsibility for our own health. Professionals, medications, circumstances, and tools all inform our choices, but they don’t replace them. Handing those choices off completely is an illusion. You remain in the driver’s seat whether you acknowledge it or not, and you are the one who lives with the outcome. When you use outside input to guide your path, the responsibility still rests with you.

Can we step off these peptides and keep the progress on our own? I hope so. It may not be possible for everyone. That reality shouldn’t stop anyone from trying. Refusing to try closes the door on growth before it begins. At the same time, if continued therapy ends up being the right path, that isn’t discouraging or shameful. It’s simply information about what your body needs. Other people’s successes or decisions don’t threaten your path. They offer data, perspective, and possible ideas for the next step.

Your path is unique. Your body carries its own history, and potential. It deserves honesty rather than judgement. If long-term therapy remains part of your current reality, make it a deliberate choice to keep moving forward. If you’re able to taper off and hold your gains, that’s progress too. What matters is acting with intention and working within the reality you live in. When the road bends, turning too early is as disastrous as not turning at all. Progress is personal, and it’s only real when you claim it.

 

[David smith]

That's my thought on it. Unless I get an illness from it I'm aware I'm on this for life