Retatrutide's effect on alcohol cravings?

hotdog!

hotdog!

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Can anyone report what, if any, effects Reta has had on alcohol consumption/craving to drink?

I have heard about tirzepatide's lessening alcohol cravings and consumption. In my experience with tirzzzzzz, this has been true, but certainly not a cure-all.

I recently quit drinking altogether, but I was in functional alcoholic territory, where I would drink everyday, but only from 5-8 and always the same amount. 1 bottle of wine would numb the stress and anxiety, but I could still get up at 6am without a hangover. When I started tirzzzzzz, I cut down, but if I ramped back up to the same bottle of wine every night without issue. The urge to drink is still there, out of habit, even though I felt less of a physiological (addictive) compulsion to drink while taking tirzzzzzz. I could "drink through" the tirzzzzzz effect if I decided to, but I did feel less of a desire to drink. Of course, I want to drink less.

I just wondered if Reta had the same, stronger or less effect on drinking.
 
I took was at the same place where I was googling if I was an alcoholic. I could easily finish a bottle of wine every night if I wanted to. Since starting both tirzzzzzz and then especially Reta, I have a hard time drinking. I just can't handle the taste and I don't even really know what I mean about that... I just know I rarely drink more than a glass of anything now and I don't have the urge to want it either.
 
I'm sure it would have impact as they both work on GLP-1 and GIP receptors. The main difference is that Reta also works on glucagon receptors.
 
hotdog! said:
Can anyone report what, if any, effects Reta has had on alcohol consumption/craving to drink?

I have heard about tirzepatide's lessening alcohol cravings and consumption. In my experience with tirzzzzzz, this has been true, but certainly not a cure-all.

I recently quit drinking altogether, but I was in functional alcoholic territory, where I would drink everyday, but only from 5-8 and always the same amount. 1 bottle of wine would numb the stress and anxiety, but I could still get up at 6am without a hangover. When I started tirzzzzzz, I cut down, but if I ramped back up to the same bottle of wine every night without issue. The urge to drink is still there, out of habit, even though I felt less of a physiological (addictive) compulsion to drink while taking tirzzzzzz. I could "drink through" the tirzzzzzz effect if I decided to, but I did feel less of a desire to drink. Of course, I want to drink less.

I just wondered if Reta had the same, stronger or less effect on drinking.
Click to expand...
I’m sorry, I know this isn’t what you asked, but have you considered going to an AA meeting? I’m in recovery, haven’t drank in over a decade, haven’t been to a meeting in a long time, but in the early days of getting sober it was super helpful if just as free group therapy with people who you could relate with. I still use the coping skills and approach in all kinds of life problems.

Good luck getting this sorted out. White knuckling it can be tough. Eventually if you don’t drink for long enough you don’t think about it anymore, or at least that’s how it went for me.
 
hotdog! said:
Can anyone report what, if any, effects Reta has had on alcohol consumption/craving to drink?

I have heard about tirzepatide's lessening alcohol cravings and consumption. In my experience with tirzzzzzz, this has been true, but certainly not a cure-all.

I recently quit drinking altogether, but I was in functional alcoholic territory, where I would drink everyday, but only from 5-8 and always the same amount. 1 bottle of wine would numb the stress and anxiety, but I could still get up at 6am without a hangover. When I started tirzzzzzz, I cut down, but if I ramped back up to the same bottle of wine every night without issue. The urge to drink is still there, out of habit, even though I felt less of a physiological (addictive) compulsion to drink while taking tirzzzzzz. I could "drink through" the tirzzzzzz effect if I decided to, but I did feel less of a desire to drink. Of course, I want to drink less.

I just wondered if Reta had the same, stronger or less effect on drinking.
Click to expand...
When I was on Sema/ Wegovy I hardly drank. When my doctor added Contrave ( for binge eating disorder) I had zero desire to drink . Contrave is Wellbutrin and Naltrexone combined. Naltrexone is used in higher doses for addiction. Naltrexone is an extremely inexpensive generic drug. If you could see an doctor for a prescription I would highly recommend it.
 
Listen to @exploitedworkerbee , he's totally right about the meetings idea. What's the worst that can happen if you go to check it out? You were drinking quite a bit for reasons that'll keep you hooked.

That said, GLP1s (Reta included) will help you, but make sure you don't find another vice AND you know how to deal with those emotions once the assistance from these meds wears off.

Also, you're a very complicated hot dog.
 
"Complicated hot dog" made me laugh. I guess it may sound that way. It's mostly anxiety, over-worrying and overthinking as an introvert. I also have a 6-yr-old with an ADHD and ASD diagnosis and that brings its fair share of stress. I drink (and eat) to self-medicate those things. I did online AA groups for a bit and it felt...weird. I just don't wholly buy in to the idea of meetings, and without that buy-in I doubt they'd be an effective tool for me. Maybe that's just me not being ready for it.

I do have an appointment with a psych to discuss anxiety treatment, hopefully medication. I've been on fluoxetine decades ago for depression and feel it was a good fit. I'll ask about the Contrave, thanks @Vacation4us. I appreciate all suggestions and feedback!
 
hotdog! said:
"Complicated hot dog" made me laugh. I guess it may sound that way. It's mostly anxiety, over-worrying and overthinking as an introvert. I also have a 6-yr-old with an ADHD and ASD diagnosis and that brings its fair share of stress. I drink (and eat) to self-medicate those things. I did online AA groups for a bit and it felt...weird. I just don't wholly buy in to the idea of meetings, and without that buy-in I doubt they'd be an effective tool for me. Maybe that's just me not being ready for it.

I do have an appointment with a psych to discuss anxiety treatment, hopefully medication. I've been on fluoxetine decades ago for depression and feel it was a good fit. I'll ask about the Contrave, thanks @Vacation4us. I appreciate all suggestions and feedback!
Click to expand...
If you don’t like meetings (I don’t), I have found the stopdrinking subreddit very helpful! It’s a good one to lurk in and read stories. I always come out feeling supported even if I haven’t really posted.

And good luck with contrave! I was prescribed it a few years ago for weight loss and it did absolutely nothing for me and I react very poorly to Wellbutrin.
 
mopo89 said:
If you don’t like meetings (I don’t), I have found the stopdrinking subreddit very helpful! It’s a good one to lurk in and read stories. I always come out feeling supported even if I haven’t really posted.

And good luck with contrave! I was prescribed it a few years ago for weight loss and it did absolutely nothing for me and I react very poorly to Wellbutrin.
Click to expand...
Binge Intervention at the same time.
 
hotdog! said:
"Complicated hot dog" made me laugh. I guess it may sound that way. It's mostly anxiety, over-worrying and overthinking as an introvert. I also have a 6-yr-old with an ADHD and ASD diagnosis and that brings its fair share of stress. I drink (and eat) to self-medicate those things. I did online AA groups for a bit and it felt...weird. I just don't wholly buy in to the idea of meetings, and without that buy-in I doubt they'd be an effective tool for me. Maybe that's just me not being ready for it.

I do have an appointment with a psych to discuss anxiety treatment, hopefully medication. I've been on fluoxetine decades ago for depression and feel it was a good fit. I'll ask about the Contrave, thanks @Vacation4us. I appreciate all suggestions and feedback!
Click to expand...
That’s how I handled my stress when my older kids were young. I started blaming the stress for me wanting to escape to a bar. You won’t be surprised to know it solved nothing and made my bad marriage worse. I still find myself wanting to do that with my second family. It’s amazing how effective an aggressively paced walk is to solve your issues.
 
hotdog! said:
Can anyone report what, if any, effects Reta has had on alcohol consumption/craving to drink?

I have heard about tirzepatide's lessening alcohol cravings and consumption. In my experience with tirzzzzzz, this has been true, but certainly not a cure-all.

I recently quit drinking altogether, but I was in functional alcoholic territory, where I would drink everyday, but only from 5-8 and always the same amount. 1 bottle of wine would numb the stress and anxiety, but I could still get up at 6am without a hangover. When I started tirzzzzzz, I cut down, but if I ramped back up to the same bottle of wine every night without issue. The urge to drink is still there, out of habit, even though I felt less of a physiological (addictive) compulsion to drink while taking tirzzzzzz. I could "drink through" the tirzzzzzz effect if I decided to, but I did feel less of a desire to drink. Of course, I want to drink less.

I just wondered if Reta had the same, stronger or less effect on drinking.
Click to expand...
This describes me precisely. And I just had a very bad experience drinking on Halloween with tirzzzzzz - pretty sure I was drunk driving into work the next day and I quit at 11p the night before. No bueno, especially when you can't eat. Anyway, thanks for putting this question out there. Day 3, here we go...
 
As an update, I'm happy to report that the desire to drink is GREATLY dampened. I have not gone completely dry, but instead of 1 bottle of wine or 6-8 beers nightly, I have 2 beers when we go out to dinner on the weekend. I have gone weeks without drinking or wanting to drink.
One Friday night I stopped at one beer. ONE. That has never happened in my life. Before I would have said, "What is the point of ONE? Doesn't even get me drunk!" Now I simply don't want another. Like, what *is* that???
It's really quite amazing, such that I'm dying to know a detailed, scientific, Biochem 101 explanation of exactly how this mechanism works. It must be very tied to addiction pathways. It's fascinating to me.
 
hotdog! said:
"Complicated hot dog" made me laugh. I guess it may sound that way. It's mostly anxiety, over-worrying and overthinking as an introvert. I also have a 6-yr-old with an ADHD and ASD diagnosis and that brings its fair share of stress. I drink (and eat) to self-medicate those things. I did online AA groups for a bit and it felt...weird. I just don't wholly buy in to the idea of meetings, and without that buy-in I doubt they'd be an effective tool for me. Maybe that's just me not being ready for it.

I do have an appointment with a psych to discuss anxiety treatment, hopefully medication. I've been on fluoxetine decades ago for depression and feel it was a good fit. I'll ask about the Contrave, thanks @Vacation4us. I appreciate all suggestions and feedback!
Click to expand...
Has been better than any adhd medication I have taken, which over the years of trial and error has been most. No desire to drink, I go to bed on time, have energy, mood regulation. Of course sleep, exercise and diet creates an inflow effect.
 
hotdog! said:
As an update, I'm happy to report that the desire to drink is GREATLY dampened. I have not gone completely dry, but instead of 1 bottle of wine or 6-8 beers nightly, I have 2 beers when we go out to dinner on the weekend. I have gone weeks without drinking or wanting to drink.
One Friday night I stopped at one beer. ONE. That has never happened in my life. Before I would have said, "What is the point of ONE? Doesn't even get me drunk!" Now I simply don't want another. Like, what *is* that???
It's really quite amazing, such that I'm dying to know a detailed, scientific, Biochem 101 explanation of exactly how this mechanism works. It must be very tied to addiction pathways. It's fascinating to me.
Click to expand...
What I've found in my research is that glp1s effect the pleasure sensors of the brain. Just as it helps to quiet the food noise, it also helps to control addiction. Not only do they help with my alcohol cravings, but with my stess related shopping trips as well. I just dont find pleasure in them anymore.
 
My experience as well. When I started tirzzzzzz at the lowest dose of 2.5 mg way back in March, it blew my mind how I could not finish one glass of wine or finish one margarita. But I"m back up to 2 glasses of wine or 2 cocktails again, even at higher doses. Currently at maintenance dose of 5.0 mg.
Libido remains way down however.
 
G Vice said:
My experience as well. When I started tirzzzzzz at the lowest dose of 2.5 mg way back in March, it blew my mind how I could not finish one glass of wine or finish one margarita. But I"m back up to 2 glasses of wine or 2 cocktails again, even at higher doses. Currently at maintenance dose of 5.0 mg.
Libido remains way down however.
Click to expand...

It's interesting how for some people, libido skyrockets. For others, it completely tanks.
 
tirzzzzzz has about completely removed my desire to drink. I’ve been heavy drinker at times, and completely sober at times. This seems different, just zero desire - there’s been the same bottles on my counter for months!
 
I'm currently on tirzzzzzz and doing my annual Dry January - and I think it's definitely much easier than in previous years. Before after a long day's working it would have been sitting in my mind - now I'm just finishing work and I don't even want it. The only time it's been hard is when I've went to the pub to meet friends and watch football - or had a meal out last weekend - being surrounded by people drinking makes you have the social urge, rather than a chemical addiction.
 
Well the anti-drinking effects of tirzzzzzz have greatly diminished for me. The disinterest in drinking just didn't last for me. I'm sad and disappointed about that, but I will keep trying to quit and at least cut down. If only because I'm pretty sure that drinking is effectively canceling out much if not all of the helpful tirzzzzzz effects, not just weight loss.
 
hotdog! said:
Well the anti-drinking effects of tirzzzzzz have greatly diminished for me. The disinterest in drinking just didn't last for me. I'm sad and disappointed about that, but I will keep trying to quit and at least cut down. If only because I'm pretty sure that drinking is effectively canceling out much if not all of the helpful tirzzzzzz effects, not just weight loss.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry to hear that!

It's definitely died down a bit for me and I get cravings now, which had completely disappeared for me (but could also be attributed to stress right now, idk). But I figure it gives me a chance to practice will power and to continue finding ways to de-stress that don't involve alcohol!
 
chmuse said:
Have you done a full panel? My blood work reads well, but you can still have liver issues/ cirrhosis even if your blood looks okay.

First link I found on it
Click to expand...
What is included in a full panel?

i looked at the link you provided and it announces the findings from a 2021 study but I can't see where any medical facilities are actually using the Cirrus algorithm.
 
GimmeABreak said:
What is included in a full panel?

i looked at the link you provided and it announces the findings from a 2021 study but I can't see where any medical facilities are actually using the Cirrus algorithm.
Click to expand...
Honestly.... I'm not 100% sure all of them. I know it involves more than just AST and ALT. My point was more that liver damage can be sneaky and you won't always see it on basic blood tests until it's pretty far gone.
 
GimmeABreak said:
What is included in a full panel?

i looked at the link you provided and it announces the findings from a 2021 study but I can't see where any medical facilities are actually using the Cirrus algorithm.
Click to expand...
Agree. The researcher in that study in the UK talks about a "fingerprint" pointing to cirrhosis in basic blood work when liver enzymes ALT and AST are normal, but makes no mention of what specifically those other markers are in the blood work. It's like they left out this information on purpose.
 
hotdog! said:
As an update, I'm happy to report that the desire to drink is GREATLY dampened. I have not gone completely dry, but instead of 1 bottle of wine or 6-8 beers nightly, I have 2 beers when we go out to dinner on the weekend. I have gone weeks without drinking or wanting to drink.
One Friday night I stopped at one beer. ONE. That has never happened in my life. Before I would have said, "What is the point of ONE? Doesn't even get me drunk!" Now I simply don't want another. Like, what *is* that???
It's really quite amazing, such that I'm dying to know a detailed, scientific, Biochem 101 explanation of exactly how this mechanism works. It must be very tied to addiction pathways. It's fascinating to me.
Click to expand...
I’m exactly where you were. So the retratrutide is more effective than just tirzzzzzz? Can you say more about the exact changes you made? Thank you!
 
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