Hi everyone! New here. Looking for support/advice but also think I can contribute (work in pharma)

[seanc34]

Hey everyone,

Happy to have found this forum. I'm mid 30s male in the US (Socal) and have been on GLP1s for a while. Struggled with weight my entire life since elementary school despite being pretty athletic. I played high school football and wrestled, but always struggled with maintaining even a fat body (vs obese). At one point I was 280lbs and with the help of these meds my life has changed.

I was one of the lucky ones, as my employer had great coverage and basically any med was covered without a prior auth, including sema (ozempic and Wegovy) and Mounjaro. I've been on Mounjaro 15mg for over a year and it's been a godsend, as I really struggled with the GI adverse effects of semaglutide (horrible cramps/GI upset). Unfortunately, I just switched employers and the new plan isn't covering anything.

Thus, I'm hoping to use this forum to help find alternative methods. I also work in the biotech/pharma industry and am intimately familiar with the commercial strategy behind these products, as well as the barriers payers create with access challenges. Hope I can provide meaningful insight to the folks here.

cheers,

Sean

 

[dionysos]

Hi @seanc34 !
Similar story for me; fat child, fat teen, fat adult. Had a few intervals of thinness while dating and when I had a trainer and did bodybuilding. But NOW I'm fitting into SLIM shirt and pants sizes - it is crazy good!

My body's response is rather the reverse of yours. Wegovy and then research Semaglutide transformed my life! Tirzepatide and now Retatrutide em err not so much. I'm about 16 pounds from my goal weight and progress is agonizingly slow.

A pharma pro you say? With commercial insight? It will be interesting to see if I am more outraged with your inside knowledge or less so. I'm betting on MORE

Welcome. It's a good place.

Careful of my research alligator though, he doesn't always mind his manners...

 

[GoodmorningGill]

Nice! Way to go.
Can’t wait to read everything from you now! Ha
Similar story, overweight since age 12.
Would lose a significant amount, but always eventually lost the battle against my hormones.
New to the journey - started Tirz 6/08/24
SW 259 CW 234 GW TBD 5’5 female 39
This is the only time I have felt like my body was finally rooting for me not against me.
It’s been a wild 2 ish months already and it’s just getting started.
Wish you the best!

 

[seanc34]

Hi @seanc34 !
Similar story for me; fat child, fat teen, fat adult. Had a few intervals of thinness while dating and when I had a trainer and did bodybuilding. But NOW I'm fitting into SLIM shirt and pants sizes - it is crazy good!

My body's response is rather the reverse of yours. Wegovy and then research Semaglutide transformed my life! Tirzepatide and now Retatrutide em err not so much. I'm about 16 pounds from my goal weight and progress is agonizingly slow.

A pharma pro you say? With commercial insight? It will be interesting to see if I am more outraged with your inside knowledge or less so. I'm betting on MORE

Welcome. It's a good place.

Careful of my research alligator though, he doesn't always mind his manners...

Thanks for the warm welcome! Instances like ours show they response to any compound truly is dependent on the individual. Thus, having options is a great thing!

 

[seanc34]

Nice! Way to go.
Can’t wait to read everything from you now! Ha
Similar story, overweight since age 12.
Would lose a significant amount, but always eventually lost the battle against my hormones.
New to the journey - started Tirz 6/08/24
SW 259 CW 234 GW TBD 5’5 female 39
This is the only time I have felt like my body was finally rooting for me not against me.
It’s been a wild 2 ish months already and it’s just getting started.
Wish you the best!

Congrats on the tremendous progress thus far! You are doing amazing and I can't wait to see all that you achieve. Appreciate the warm welcome.