Cutting the cord

[CallieKat]

I started with pharma Mounjaro which I did for 2 months (2.5 then 5.0). Due to a desire to cut costs I switched to a Push provider and have been on A C A tirzepatide 5 mg for the past 3 months. I’ve gone from 192 lbs to 160 lbs at 5’8 so I’m a normal BMI now (I was 300 lbs at my highest). I kept most of my muscle too and I’m looking lean. Anyways, I’ve been pinning 0.25 mg Semaglutide from PS on day 4 or 5 for any breakthrough food noise if necessary. I have no plans on if I want to lose more. I just want to keep doing what doing for now tirz/sema wise. If I lose too much I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

I’ve got 15 mg x 10 on the way from Q mainly as a back up in case pharma comes down and cut us all off. Tracking says it will be here tomorrow!

I’m nervous about giving up my compounded script and provider and cutting the cord.

Any thoughts? Should I be nervous about going 100 percent research?

The cash savings would be incredible but I’m hesitant to wean off mainstream.

 

[Yay-Z1]

I had success with ACA as well and was hesitant to go research. But after deep diving into everything I figured some pluses and minuses of going research :

Pluses:
- COA available from my sources or if overseas can get tested
- cheaper(especially if overseas or a special for domestic)
- more options in case one supplier goes south
- ability to store for months to years in advance aiding to reduced anxiety on having meds
- easier to ship and handle
- get to purchase cool vial holders

Minuses:
- have to reconstitute yourself which some can mess up
- not made in a “sterile location”
- payment method shuffle
- interesting characters you have to interact with
- on higher dosage, domestic might actually be more expensive than compound (15 mg: $500 Top doc vs $600 domestic supplier)
- have to make sure there is a COA or get it tested

My micromanaging self loved the research route obviously but my biggest thing was finding out these compounding guys get from the same sources

 

[CallieKat]

Thank you for your response! It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one feeling that anxiety about cutting off from the mainstream! I’m probably going to do it and I’m just getting up the nerve. Hearing other folks going through the same thought process is very helpful for me.

 

[ZippityDooDah]

I started on MJ originally as well and was fully expecting and prepared to pay full price for it as long as I had to (I have an issue with lying to get the coupon when there are actual diabetics struggling to pay for this med). Then I started getting bombarded with ads from SAF on facebook so I started digging into alternatives to big pharma.

The medspa/compounding route quickly turned me off since every local place advertising seemed sleazy, and half of them couldn't properly spell tirzepatide (TRIzepatide). I've also never been a fan of telehealth since I had a bad experience with that back in the Fen/Phen days. I also have a strong memory of when that compounding pharmacy in Massachusetts killed a bunch of people a few years back and just couldn't bring myself to trust compounding when there was another alternative.

I decided to order 8 10mg vials from SAF with a buy-1-get-3-free offer and give research a shot. Despite a lot of other people complaining about them under-dosing (especially the specific batch I got from early May), their product worked just as well as the MJ pens and I was hooked on becoming a researcher. That's when I discovered QSC and others and here I am lol.

Now, since starting on research, I have become an absolute hoarder. I currently have almost 2 years worth of supply built up in case there's a disruption to the research pipeline.

I'm a strong proponent of research if you have the confidence to reconstitute, dose, draw, and administer properly and take control of your own health and financial well-being, but I also realize it isn't the best route for everyone. I of course recommend building up a good supply from reputable vendors because we never really no if or when we might not be able to obtain research chemicals, and it just furthers the ability to remain self-reliant.

 

[CallieKat]

Thanks for that. I am working on back up supply! As soon as I have my QSC order in hand I plan on ordering more. My goal is a 2 year supply as well. I’m feeling more confident about cutting off compounding by the minute!

 

[roxygirl]

I started on Mounjaro and then was cut off by my insurance. That pissed me off. I’m not a T2D but I want to be healthy by being proactive. I’m menopausal and I have to fight hard to get biohormones prescribed. That’s an entire different story that pisses me off enough to find how to buy overseas. I went with Push and got bounced around when they first started with ACA. My Push provider was slow to sign up with ACA and wanted me to do the leg work. ACA decided to let me sign up and they had a house provider that covered six months for scrip. I reached my goal weight and I wanted to try to keep taking a maintenance dose. I was under the radar in a Facebook group because every time I mentioned compounded I was booted. One group the admin posted how to order from Q and I headed over to Reddit. I thought that platform allowed more freedom but I soon learned otherwise. I was active in the group just days before comments and posts were getting removed. I was banned for mentioning where can we go for another platform to speak freely? Then I joined WhatsApp and I don’t want to speak over there with my phone number visible. Here I am happy that this platform is a place I can continue to learn. I started over 2.5 from Q and it’s working. I was off for two months and gained a few pounds back. I hope to remain on a maintenance dose but most of all have the freedom to learn what’s working with the ability to buy research Tirzepatide. Thank you for this space.

 

[roxygirl]

One important factor is a person in my inner circle prescribes Semaglutide which is purchased overseas. That sent me out to find out where.