Stalled

[brooke0620]

Hey guys,

So I started S in October. I have lost 45 lbs. I was on the max dose and have been stalled for a month. I switched to T at 2.5 mg. That did nothing and food noise is back. I did 2.5 more midweek and started Saturday on 5. Still talked, still hungry, still having craving and food noise. I have tried every trick. More water, more calories/less calories , changing injection sites. I’m losing hope. Please help!!

 

[jaestar]

From what I have read, Semaglutide has a lot more food noise reduction than tirzepatide. How long was your stall? I know some people add a small dose of sema if the food noise suppression wears off on tirz or reta.

 

[FrankTdog]

Going from the max dose of Sema to the minimum dose of tirz could be a factor as well. It may not hurt to go ahead and bump up to 5 and see how that treats you.

 

[Skidude]

Most of the posts I have seen when changing from one GLP-1 to another, they continue current dosing, slightly decreasing, while titrating up on new GLP-1
This might also benefit you.
Those that use Tirz also sometimes add a sprinkle of sema 🙂

 

[Calm Logic]

There is also possibly more variability with how one's body responds after losing a lot of weight already.

 

[Iamnew2this]

Hey guys,

So I started S in October. I have lost 45 lbs. I was on the max dose and have been stalled for a month. I switched to T at 2.5 mg. That did nothing and food noise is back. I did 2.5 more midweek and started Saturday on 5. Still talked, still hungry, still having craving and food noise. I have tried every trick. More water, more calories/less calories , changing injection sites. I’m losing hope. Please help!!

If you were on the max dose of sema, it might be probable to increase your dose of tirz again. 5mg isn't a therapeutic dose. You might have to go to 7.5mg or even 10mg. You should be feeling it by then. It wouldn't hurt to try as long as, you don't have many bad side effects at 5mg.

 

[Calm Logic]

I remember someone saying somewhere (in other words, don't quote me), that 7.5mg of tirz is like the max dose of sema. I don't know if that's true, but it may be true for someone.

Like everyone else, I agree with upping the tirz (or whatever else you want to up). I have only been on tirz, and I went up 2.5 mg each week until I reached 10 mg.

When you were stalling with the sema, how did the food noise/cravings compare to now? In other words, are you eating more now (or wishing you were) than when you were stalling on the sema? Or are the stalls similar, including with the scale (or blood sugar or whatever)?

Something I plan to do if/when I stall for weeks is to try continuous glucose monitoring, which has always seemed interesting to me anyway (despite costing $90 a month or so). Other options include adding a non-GLP medication like phentermine or metformin. Another way to manage a stall (mostly from the world of "bro science" but it applies to women too) is to focus on gaining muscle (focusing on body composition rather than weight).

 

[Skidude]

It is also my understanding, not verified, that Tirz has less blocking of food noise but has more feelings of satiety.
It has been my experience when I absolutely kill my goal of 1200 calories, and feel like I am cheating like an animal at a feast, my calories remain between 1800-2000, but I am full.
Also, anecdotally, when I have gained a few pounds, it has not been when I over ate, and I am baffled as to why-

 

[Calm Logic]

A study equating 5 mg of tirz to the efficacy of 2 mg sema:

"HbA1c and weight reductions were significantly greater for tirzepatide 10 and 15 mg versus semaglutide 2 mg and were similar for tirzepatide 5 mg versus semaglutide 2 mg."

 

[brooke0620]

I remember someone saying somewhere (in other words, don't quote me), that 7.5mg of tirz is like the max dose of sema. I don't know if that's true, but it may be true for someone.

Like everyone else, I agree with upping the tirz (or whatever else you want to up). I have only been on tirz, and I went up 2.5 mg each week until I reached 10 mg.

When you were stalling with the sema, how did the food noise/cravings compare to now? In other words, are you eating more now (or wishing you were) than when you were stalling on the sema? Or are the stalls similar, including with the scale (or blood sugar or whatever)?

Something I plan to do if/when I stall for weeks is to try continuous glucose monitoring, which has always seemed interesting to me anyway (despite costing $90 a month or so). Other options include adding a non-GLP medication like phentermine or metformin. Another way to manage a stall (mostly from the world of "bro science" but it applies to women too) is to focus on gaining muscle (focusing on body composition rather than weight).

I remember someone saying somewhere (in other words, don't quote me), that 7.5mg of tirz is like the max dose of sema. I don't know if that's true, but it may be true for someone.

Like everyone else, I agree with upping the tirz (or whatever else you want to up). I have only been on tirz, and I went up 2.5 mg each week until I reached 10 mg.

When you were stalling with the sema, how did the food noise/cravings compare to now? In other words, are you eating more now (or wishing you were) than when you were stalling on the sema? Or are the stalls similar, including with the scale (or blood sugar or whatever)?

Something I plan to do if/when I stall for weeks is to try continuous glucose monitoring, which has always seemed interesting to me anyway (despite costing $90 a month or so). Other options include adding a non-GLP medication like phentermine or metformin. Another way to manage a stall (mostly from the world of "bro science" but it applies to women too) is to focus on gaining muscle (focusing on body composition rather than weight).

It’s unfortunately the same stall. So I swapped right over and I am still stalled. I would say that the food noise and fullness is about the same as it was when I was taking Sema a few weeks ago. Thank you for replying!

 

[jaestar]

It’s unfortunately the same stall. So I swapped right over and I am still stalled. I would say that the food noise and fullness is about the same as it was when I was taking Sema a few weeks ago. Thank you for replying!

How long has your stall been?

 

[Garbo]

I have tried every trick. More water, more calories/less calories , changing injection sites. I’m losing hope. Please help!!

I hesitate to jump in here, because my views are not in keeping with the current vogue of virtuous low dosing, lol, but: To my way of thinking, you've tried every trick but the medication itself.
And the medication is why we're all here. Many of us, maybe most of us, have heroically dieted for years, with limited or short-lived success. Or great success, but damn, It was hard.

And then one day, along came sema, and then along came tirz. And omg. Everything was doable, and with so much less ... torture. The medication fixed our systems. We were happy to do the rest.

Diet tips and tricks have always been around, and they're always going to be. And they're great, and yes yes yes we should all be eating and drinking and exercising sensibly. But we are here, in the main, because we needed and were grateful to find a medication that enabled our bodies to operate correctly. Some people's bodies require very little of the meds, but for many if not most, the higher doses are where the greatest benefits are experienced.

You are on a very low dose.

I know, I know ... soooo many people say It's best to stay as low as you can. They say, After all, what will happen when you max out? Where will you go then?
And that's great advice, I guess — when the medication is working for you.

But if it's not working, what is the benefit of staying low? Indeed, what is the point of taking the medication at all?
I ask these questions sincerely, because I am often puzzled and sad that so many of our community are willing to endure a long stall, when they have at their fingertips the ability to increase their dosage until it works. 💟

 

[Calm Logic]

But if it's not working, what is the benefit of staying low?

Re: "not working"
It is likely that the tirz is working to some degree, even without the scale changing, such as reducing inflammation, lowering A1c, and/or preventing weight gain. So even for a "non-responder," obesity specialists will continue with the GLP-1 medication while adding something else.

Re: "staying low"
The OP just increased the dose (to 5 mg). In my case starting with tirz, one of the side effects only appeared near the end of the week (diarrhea), so I would be wary to up the dose midweek. This is just to say the OP, in the here-and-now, is already more aggressive than most people regarding tirz dosing. For better or worse, the standard of care for tirz is to only increase the dose by 2.5 mg every four weeks, even when switching from sema:

Typical Switching Process:

1. Discontinue Semaglutide: Take your last dose of semaglutide as prescribed.
   
   
2. Wait for the Washout Period: Allow the semaglutide to clear from your system. A typical recommendation is 7 days after your last semaglutide injection.
   
   
3. Start Tirzepatide at a Low Dose: Your doctor will likely prescribe the starting dose of tirzepatide, which is typically 2.5 mg once weekly. This low dose helps to assess your tolerance and minimize potential side effects.
   
   
4. Follow the Tirzepatide Titration Schedule: Your doctor will guide you on how to gradually increase the tirzepatide dose, usually in 2.5 mg increments every 4 weeks, until you reach the target maintenance dose. The maximum maintenance dose of tirzepatide can be up to 15 mg weekly.
   
   
5. Monitor for Side Effects and Efficacy: Pay close attention to any side effects you experience and report them to your doctor. They will also monitor your blood sugar levels (if applicable) and weight loss progress to determine the optimal dose for you.

For his tirz patients, my internist suggests increasing the dose every week, as necessary. So one would get to 7.5 mg on the third week of tirz at the earliest. (I found this doc, who specializes in weight loss, by asking my pharmacist.)

 

[Garbo]

Re: "not working"
It is likely that the tirz is working to some degree, even without the scale changing, such as reducing inflammation, lowering A1c, and/or preventing weight gain. So even for a "non-responder," obesity specialists will continue with the GLP-1 medication while adding something else.

Re: "staying low"
The OP just increased the dose (to 5 mg). In my case starting with tirz, one of the side effects only appeared near the end of the week (diarrhea), so I would be wary to up the dose midweek. This is just to say the OP, in the here-and-now, is already more aggressive than most people regarding tirz dosing. For better or worse, the standard of care for tirz is to only increase the dose by 2.5 mg every four weeks, even when switching from sema:



For his tirz patients, my internist suggests increasing the dose every week, as necessary. So one would get to 7.5 mg on the third week of tirz at the earliest. (I found this doc, who specializes in weight loss, by asking my pharmacist.)

Excellent counterpoints. Thanks for balancing me out. You've earned your name once again 🙂

 

[Glp1judd]

FWIW, I have been dosing T for probably about 80 weeks, and many of those weeks - at least half - I see no weight loss or even a slight gain.

But I keep doing what I'm doing and then some magic happens and I continue the downward trend.

It's slow, and sometimes too slow, but so far it's added up to 80 pounds lost.

Could I do more? Probably since I'm basically doing nothing but being consistent, but amazingly I'm still hitting new lows once a month or two.

Still wanna lose 40 more, so I hope it keeps up, but I'm pretty confident it will. My whole relationship w food is changing (mostly portion size and snacking have both reduced a lot.)

🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[Iamnew2this]

FWIW, I have been dosing T for probably about 80 weeks, and many of those weeks - at least half - I see no weight loss or even a slight gain.

But I keep doing what I'm doing and then some magic happens and I continue the downward trend.

It's slow, and sometimes too slow, but so far it's added up to 80 pounds lost.

Could I do more? Probably since I'm basically doing nothing but being consistent, but amazingly I'm still hitting new lows once a month or so.

Still wanna lose 40 more, so I hope it keeps up, but I'm pretty confident it will. My whole relationship w food is changing (mostly portion size and snacking have both reduced a lot.)

🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

Do you mind if I ask, what dose are you on?

 

[Glp1judd]

Do you mind if I ask, what dose are you on?

20mg QSC green top tirz weekly ;overfilled so probably like 22mg, but it might be degrading over time, who knows? 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[Iamnew2this]

20mg QSC green top tirz weekly ;overfilled so probably like 22mg, but it might be degrading over time, who knows? 🤷🏻‍♂️

Thank you for sharing. Do you get any palpatations at that dose or othe side effects?

 

[Iamnew2this]

20mg QSC green top tirz weekly ;overfilled so probably like 22mg, but it might be degrading over time, who knows? 🤷🏻‍♂️

I'm asking because

20mg QSC green top tirz weekly ;overfilled so probably like 22mg, but it might be degrading over time, who knows? 🤷🏻‍♂️

I'm only asking because, I think that it's a great idea to increase the dosage if need be(for myself, too). I'm at 12.5mg right now, and have to lose 30-40 more pounds. I've stalled before. I just want to be prepared for anything. I wish you much luck on your journey! Thanks again

 

[Glp1judd]

Thank you for sharing. Do you get any palpatations at that dose or othe side effects?

Zero side effects exceot I have heartburn quite often. But I always had that, so can't blame the tirz necessarily.

I had constipation for a few months in the beginning, but that not an issue anymore.

I just had full physical and ran every test possible and they were amazed. Everything perfect

I've never heard of palpitations on tirz. I used to get them walking up stairs pre tirz. But that's cause I was carrying an extra 80 pounds up with me. 🙂

 

[Iamnew2this]

Zero side effects exceot I have heartburn quite often. But I always had that, so can't blame the tirz necessarily.

I had constipation for a few months in the beginning, but that not an issue anymore.

I just had full physical and ran every test possible and they were amazed. Everything perfect

I've never heard of palpitations on tirz. I used to get them walking up stairs pre tirz. But that's cause I was carrying an extra 80 pounds up with me. 🙂

All the info that you just gave me is so valuable to me. I'm prone to getting palpatations. I got them before tirz, after, and in between. I have heart issues so, I was just curious. I'm fine taking the tirz and increasing as needed right now, but this is good to know. Ty 80 lbs is AWESOME!!!!! Congratulations to you!

 

[Galora]

All the GLP1 meds increase heart rate, it affects the vagus system if I recall correctly. For some is very subtle, for others more noticeable.

I'm part of the group that struggles with this, with +10 bpm increase of resting heart rate.
Reta would probably be a no go for me.

 

[nc.wendy]

Going from the max dose of Sema to the minimum dose of tirz could be a factor as well. It may not hurt to go ahead and bump up to 5 and see how that treats you.

This!!
After switching from S to T, it wasn't until I recently got to 10mg every 5 days before my brain/body were happy again. Keep going and be patient!

 

[Iamnew2this]

Zero side effects exceot I have heartburn quite often. But I always had that, so can't blame the tirz necessarily.

I had constipation for a few months in the beginning, but that not an issue anymore.

I just had full physical and ran every test possible and they were amazed. Everything perfect

I've never heard of palpitations on tirz. I used to get them walking up stairs pre tirz. But that's cause I was carrying an extra 80 pounds up with me. 🙂

All the info that you just gave me is so valuable to me. I'm prone to getting palpatations. I got them before tirz, after, and in between. I have heart issues so, I was just curious. I'm fine taking the tirz and increasing as needed right now, but this is good to know. Ty 80 lbs is AWESOME!!!!! Congratulations to you!

All the GLP1 meds increase heart rate, it affects the vagus system if I recall correctly. For some is very subtle, for others more noticeable.

I'm part of the group that struggles with this, with +10 bpm increase of resting heart rate.
Reta would probably be a no go for me.

I was wondering about the increase in heart rate. For me right now, my hr is ok. It's just in the future, I wouldn't mind increasing doses. I will take it a dose at a time, I guess. I feel the same way about reta. I would just love to try it, but I will have to pass.

 

[nonyabizznez]

5mg isn't a therapeutic dose.

Correcting the record here. The first level therapeutic dose of Mounjaro is 5mg. Some insurance companies will only cover one month of the .5 doses (2.5, 7.5, 12.5).

Why? Because that's how Lilly tested the drug and submitted to the FDA for approval.

 

[Iamnew2this]

Correcting the record here. The first level therapeutic dose of Mounjaro is 5mg. Some insurance companies will only cover one month of the .5 doses (2.5, 7.5, 12.5).

Why? Because that's how Lilly tested the drug and submitted to the FDA for approval.

That does sounds right. However, a lot of people don't start losing until they're up into the higher doses.

 

[Calm Logic]

And in some cases, I assume, lose some weight at 5 for a while, but it's a long four weeks until upping the dose.

Correcting the record here. The first level therapeutic dose of Mounjaro is 5mg. Some insurance companies will only cover one month of the .5 doses (2.5, 7.5, 12.5).

Why? Because that's how Lilly tested the drug and submitted to the FDA for approval.

You need to put all your knowledge in a handbook so we can quote you at the peptide parties 😉

 

[Skidude]

And in some cases, I assume, lose some weight at 5 for a while, but it's a long four weeks until upping the dose.

You need to put all your knowledge in a handbook so we can quote you at the peptide parties 😉

I lost 67% (41lb/18.6kg) of my total goal in the first 12 weeks on 2.5 then 5mg.
I switched to 6 as a result of food noise and lost only 1lb the following week.
Only got on scale Wed mornings and recorded, same day, same time.
I will admit to diminishing returns even with titration in the weeks that followed.

 

[Iamnew2this]

I lost 67% (41lb/18.6kg) of my total goal in the first 12 weeks on 2.5 then 5mg.
I switched to 6 as a result of food noise and lost only 1lb the following week.
Only got on scale Wed mornings and recorded, same day, same time.
I will admit to diminishing returns even with titration in the weeks that followed.
View attachment 6516

That's really great that you lost on the lower doses. Some people do respond well to the lower doses. When I was on 2.5, I lost 12 lbs. 4mg and 5mg, I did lose as well until, I wasn't losing as fast, but was losing. I increased thinking that was the thing to do. When I finally hit 7.5mg, that started off great for 5 or 6 weeks. Somewhere in the middle, my weight loss slowed down. I had to titrate up. For one month, I did not lose weight and even would go up a pound, down a pound. This went on until now, I'm at 12.5mg. So far, so good. Some people do respond well to lower doses. If you're coming off of sema at a high dose, I would think that you would have to increase your tirz dose if you're not losing any weight at that specific dose. In that case the dose that isn't working for you, is no longer therapeutic. I guess there are guidelines, and then, what would work for someone individually.

 

[Skidude]

That's really great that you lost on the lower doses. Some people do respond well to the lower doses. When I was on 2.5, I lost 12 lbs. 4mg and 5mg, I did lose as well until, I wasn't losing as fast, but was losing. I increased thinking that was the thing to do. When I finally hit 7.5mg, that started off great for 5 or 6 weeks. Somewhere in the middle, my weight loss slowed down. I had to titrate up. For one month, I did not lose weight and even would go up a pound, down a pound. This went on until now, I'm at 12.5mg. So far, so good. Some people do respond well to lower doses. If you're coming off of sema at a high dose, I would think that you would have to increase your tirz dose if you're not losing any weight at that specific dose. In that case the dose that isn't working for you, is no longer therapeutic. I guess there are guidelines, and then, what would work for someone individually.

Absolutely, it was not my intent to insinuate that everyone would have the same results, this is very unique to each person.
I also had some advantages in that I enjoy cooking, had creative meals, and watched macros. Not everyone can do that with their life/work schedules.

I do want to establish that some can, and the need to titrate up is very specific to each person and how they respond and cooperate with the peps.

If it took me 15mg I would likely do it.. by the way, I am on 12.5 now, and my reduction has slowed down significantly-

 

[Iamnew2this]

Absolutely, it was not my intent to insinuate that everyone would have the same results, this is very unique to each person.
I also had some advantages in that I enjoy cooking, had creative meals, and watched macros. Not everyone can do that with their life/work schedules.

I do want to establish that some can, and the need to titrate up is very specific to each person and how they respond and cooperate with the peps.

If it took me 15mg I would likely do it.. by the way, I am on 12.5 now, and my reduction has slowed down significantly-
View attachment 6517

Absolutely 👍 It is individual specific. Are you getting closer to your goal? I have another 30 lbs or so, and the weight is coming off slower. I've lost 73 already. I guess for me, it must be slowing down because I've lost so much already? That's also another big misconception about the higher doses, too. People automatically think that the weight should just be melting off at these doses. Maybe for some?

 

[Skidude]

Absolutely 👍 It is individual specific. Are you getting closer to your goal? I have another 30 lbs or so, and the weight is coming off slower. I've lost 73 already. I guess for me, it must be slowing down because I've lost so much already? That's also another big misconception about the higher doses, too. People automatically think that the weight should just be melting off at these doses. Maybe for some?

It is interesting it appears that regardless of how fast or slow you titrate/lose in many cases the average lost remains static.
Would I have lost more by titrating faster/slower? I am not sure.
I also added some Mots/SS31 around week 26
It is important to remember when you did your first 8-10k day on steps you were carrying much more weight. I would have to carry a 60lb bag of cement now to equal what I lost.
I am sure that effects everything.

My original goal was 185, I changed it to 163 to hit "normal" BMI
I intend to add 10lb lean at some point but am considering going down a few more lbs first to have a little room for error. currently at 24.8 BMI? (no DEXA)

 

[Iamnew2this]

It is interesting it appears that regardless of how fast or slow you titrate/lose in many cases the average lost remains static.
Would I have lost more by titrating faster/slower? I am not sure.
I also added some Mots/SS31 around week 26
It is important to remember when you did your first 8-10k day on steps you were carrying much more weight. I would have to carry a 60lb bag of cement now to equal what I lost.
I am sure that effects everything.

My original goal was 185, I changed it to 163 to hit "normal" BMI
I intend to add 10lb lean at some point but am considering going down a few more lbs first to have a little room for error. currently at 24.8 BMI? (no DEXA)

So true. You're doing fantastic! The way that you explained the 60 lb bag of cement. Smh Isn't that crazy? Crazy but true! Do you mind me asking about the Mots and ss31? Have they helped with your weight lose? I don't know too much about other peptides. My handle explains it all.😄

 

[Calm Logic]

The various individual experiences are always interesting to me. The average of everyone lumped up together seems very boring:

How quickly do you lose weight on Zepbound? | Zepbound weight loss

You start losing weight immediately on Zepbound. It works by helping you feel less hungry, so you eat less and lose weight. Find out more here.

www.secondnature.io

According to randomised controlled trials, you start losing weight immediately after taking Zepbound. After four weeks, the average weight loss is around 2% of body weight; after eight weeks, it’s over 4%.

Zepbound (tirzepatide) reduces appetite and hunger, helping you eat fewer calories; this effect is almost immediate.

However, you might notice the impact of lower hunger wearing off after 4-5 days post-injection in the first month of taking Zepbound.

It can take around four weeks for Zepbound to reach a level in the body we call a steady state. A steady state is when the drug’s levels in the body remain consistent rather than spiking and falling.

Interestingly, this initial weight loss is no different to other weight loss treatments or the impact of diet interventions on weight loss. The real effect of tirzepatide is seen beyond three months...

 

[Skidude]

The various individual experiences are always interesting to me. The average of everyone lumped up together seems very boring:

How quickly do you lose weight on Zepbound? | Zepbound weight loss

You start losing weight immediately on Zepbound. It works by helping you feel less hungry, so you eat less and lose weight. Find out more here.

www.secondnature.io

My stats look opposite-

 

[Iamnew2this]

The various individual experiences are always interesting to me. The average of everyone lumped up together seems very boring:

How quickly do you lose weight on Zepbound? | Zepbound weight loss

You start losing weight immediately on Zepbound. It works by helping you feel less hungry, so you eat less and lose weight. Find out more here.

www.secondnature.io

This is so interesting!

 

[Skidude]

So true. You're doing fantastic! The way that you explained the 60 lb bag of cement. Smh Isn't that crazy? Crazy but true! Do you mind me asking about the Mots and ss31? Have they helped with your weight lose? I don't know too much about other peptides. My handle explains it all.😄

Looking at that time period on my chart, my loss remained slow-
However, I do "feel" like it gave me energy and a "healthy" feeling.
FYI I bought another round and it is not cheap-
But as a guy in his late 50s, who may have been a bit of a partier, I felt like it would benefit me in ways I might not feel immediately.
Peps are a slippery slope, especially after the life changing results of GLP-1

 

[Iamnew2this]

Looking at that time period on my chart, my loss remained slow-
However, I do "feel" like it gave me energy and a "healthy" feeling.
FYI I bought another round and it is not cheap-
But as a guy in his late 50s, who may have been a bit of a partier, I felt like it would benefit me in ways I might not feel immediately.
Peps are a slippery slope, especially after the life changing results of GLP-1

Energy and a healthy feeling sounds good to me. Keep at it, you're doing great! 👍 This is good information for me. I remember when I turned 50. Lol These are really great things to know. Ty

 

[nonyabizznez]

That does sounds right. However, a lot of people don't start losing until they're up into the higher doses.

Both Ozempic and Mounjaro were approved for Diabetes. In the context of studies, prescriptions and insurance coverage the term "therapeutic" is not defined by what works for one individual.

Taking myself as an example I was 75 lbs overweight with glucose issues. My doctor got me approved for Mounjaro. My glucose was controlled on 2.5mg but my doctor would have to seek a new Prior Authorization every month (exception). My insurance only covers half (.5) doses for one month. We went up to 5mg where I've been for 15 months (and 78 lbs lost). The weight loss was a bonus because with my glucose under control there was no way my PCP would have increased dosage. Now I worry about my weight being too low at doctor's appointments and layer clothing accordingly!

This is just my experience but it aligns with a real doctor's prescription and a medication taken as prescribed covered by insurance. My copay with insurance avg $160/mo for one box of 5mg Mounjaro.

Why am I here? The shortages last spring were so stressful I supplemented with Lavender Sky and eventually gray. Then a letter came (last Oct enrollment time) informing me my script was under review. That's when I hoarded a lifetime supply! I've received three 84 day refills since the letter! 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[Iamnew2this]

Both Ozempic and Mounjaro were approved for Diabetes. In the context of studies, prescriptions and insurance coverage the term "therapeutic" is not defined by what works for one individual.

Taking myself as an example I was 75 lbs overweight with glucose issues. My doctor got me approved for Mounjaro. My glucose was controlled on 2.5mg but my doctor would have to seek a new Prior Authorization every month (exception). My insurance only covers half (.5) doses for one month. We went up to 5mg where I've been for 15 months (and 78 lbs lost). The weight loss was a bonus because with my glucose under control there was no way my PCP would have increased dosage. Now I worry about my weight being too low at doctor's appointments and layer clothing accordingly!

This is just my experience but it aligns with a real doctor's prescription and a medication taken as prescribed covered by insurance. My copay with insurance avg $160/mo for one box of 5mg Mounjaro.

Why am I here? The shortages last spring were so stressful I supplemented with Lavender Sky and eventually gray. Then a letter came (last Oct enrollment time) informing me my script was under review. That's when I hoarded a lifetime supply! Yet I've received three 84 day refills since the letter! 🤷🏻‍♂️

I guess it's a lot of patience and the med being steadily in your system. I'm sure you know by now that I'm not very patient😄You do have a nice stash, though. You did really great with the med. It was a win win 👍

 

[nonyabizznez]

I guess it's a lot of patience and the med being steadily in your system. I'm sure you know by now that I'm not very patient😄You do have a nice stash, though. You did really great with the med. It was a win win 👍

100%!!

I paid $1057 for my first box of Mounjaro 2.5mg OOP!! So my hoard investment is a few boxes retail and I even have plan B GLPs that I haven't used (years of Sema and Cagri).

I kept paying $160/mo for $10 worth (gray) in 2024 because my doctor prescribed it and my fills are monitored (transplant patient). 2025 looks like it might be as little as $46/mo.

The piece of mind is worth way more than I've spent in my hoard. I've also been able to help a couple people gifting them what they need to lose a bit. How can I argue the benefits of GLPs then deny them a chance to try it?

 

[Iamnew2this]

100%!!

I paid $1057 for my first box of Mounjaro 2.5mg OOP!! So my hoard investment is a few boxes retail and I even have plan B GLPs that I haven't used (years of Sema and Cagri).

I kept paying $160/mo for $10 worth (gray) in 2024 because my doctor prescribed it and my fills are monitored (transplant patient). 2025 looks like it might be as little as $46/mo.

The piece of mind is worth way more than I've spent in my hoard. I've also been able to help a couple people gifting them what they need to lose a bit. How can I argue the benefits of GLPs then deny them a chance to

100%!!

I paid $1057 for my first box of Mounjaro 2.5mg OOP!! So my hoard investment is a few boxes retail and I even have plan B GLPs that I haven't used (years of Sema and Cagri).

I kept paying $160/mo for $10 worth (gray) in 2024 because my doctor prescribed it and my fills are monitored (transplant patient). 2025 looks like it might be as little as $46/mo.

The piece of mind is worth way more than I've spent in my hoard. I've also been able to help a couple people gifting them what they need to lose a bit. How can I argue the benefits of GLPs then deny them a chance to try it?

I'm just bringing this up just because. I went to my pcp 2 weeks ago and he increased my dose to 12.5mg. He sends the scripts to the pharmacy and of course, my insurance won't cover it. I asked the pharmacy how much would it cost out of pocket. They told me $1300. It's a great med, but I don't know too many people who can pay $1300 every single month. It's really sick the price they put on these meds. Especially, it helps so many.

 

[brooke0620]

How long has your stall been?

The last time I lost any weight was mid March 🥲

 

[brooke0620]

I hesitate to jump in here, because my views are not in keeping with the current vogue of virtuous low dosing, lol, but: To my way of thinking, you've tried every trick but the medication itself.
And the medication is why we're all here. Many of us, maybe most of us, have heroically dieted for years, with limited or short-lived success. Or great success, but damn, It was hard.

And then one day, along came sema, and then along came tirz. And omg. Everything was doable, and with so much less ... torture. The medication fixed our systems. We were happy to do the rest.

Diet tips and tricks have always been around, and they're always going to be. And they're great, and yes yes yes we should all be eating and drinking and exercising sensibly. But we are here, in the main, because we needed and were grateful to find a medication that enabled our bodies to operate correctly. Some people's bodies require very little of the meds, but for many if not most, the higher doses are where the greatest benefits are experienced.

You are on a very low dose.

I know, I know ... soooo many people say It's best to stay as low as you can. They say, After all, what will happen when you max out? Where will you go then?
And that's great advice, I guess — when the medication is working for you.

But if it's not working, what is the benefit of staying low? Indeed, what is the point of taking the medication at all?
I ask these questions sincerely, because I am often puzzled and sad that so many of our community are willing to endure a long stall, when they have at their fingertips the ability to increase their dosage until it works. 💟

Thanks everyone for being so helpful!

 

[Garbo]

Thanks everyone for being so helpful!

I second that. This has been an amazing thread. I learned a lot. 🙏🏻

 

[Iamnew2this]

I second that. This has been an amazing thread. I learned a lot. 🙏🏻

💯% 👍

 

[jaestar]

The last time I lost any weight was mid March 🥲

Your body can take a break from losing weight. Typically around every 10% of body weight you lose, you will go into a stall. It can be that your body is going into survival mode to not wanting to release weight. It can be a couple weeks or longer before you start losing weight again. A lot of people don't even consider it a stall until it has been months.

You may have been too fast switching. Now you Have to ramp up the dosage into your system and you probably won't see all the effects until a higher dose since you have already been taking a GLP1. You are just going to have to be patient as you may not see the full affects of tirz if you dose per their recommendations.

 

[AndyPanda]

I remember someone saying somewhere (in other words, don't quote me), that 7.5mg of tirz is like the max dose of sema. I don't know if that's true, but it may be true for someone.

Like everyone else, I agree with upping the tirz (or whatever else you want to up). I have only been on tirz, and I went up 2.5 mg each week until I reached 10 mg.

When you were stalling with the sema, how did the food noise/cravings compare to now? In other words, are you eating more now (or wishing you were) than when you were stalling on the sema? Or are the stalls similar, including with the scale (or blood sugar or whatever)?

Something I plan to do if/when I stall for weeks is to try continuous glucose monitoring, which has always seemed interesting to me anyway (despite costing $90 a month or so). Other options include adding a non-GLP medication like phentermine or metformin. Another way to manage a stall (mostly from the world of "bro science" but it applies to women too) is to focus on gaining muscle (focusing on body composition rather than weight).

I’ve read a LOT of great things about Metformin. Everything from improving blood sugar to making people live longer. Does it make you feel anything?

 

[Calm Logic]

The only thing I felt on metformin was diarrhea 🙂 I took it a couple years ago. It may have prevented weight gain, and my A1c went down a little (like from 6.1 to 5.9).

The phentermine (which I liked more) helped with some weight loss and probably gave some energy boost. But no jitters or anything like that.