GLP-1 Medications

[Tatebeck]

So it was all just a silly misunderstanding?

I understood everything the entire time, but yes it appears you may not have.

 

[Tatebeck]

Thank you for the assist @lanejudy

 

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

In all respect, you do seem to be confused and mixing up different types of diet. You started with "serious fasting" but are now talking about "a low fat diet" which are two completely different things. It's really not opinion, it's science. In addition to researching researching medical journals about different types of dieting, maybe a discussion with a nutritionist would help you understand the differences.

My aopologies. I thought I was being crystal. Evidently not.

[EDIT] Wrong quote

 

[texaslover]

My best friend is on a GLP1. She has lost 60 or so pounds in about a year. She is very thin, probably around 110 pounds. She is aware that she is too thin but says she would rather be too thin than too fat. She also is resigned to taking the meds for the rest of her life or gain some back and has money so has no problem paying over $400 a month. She says she takes no pleasure in eating, even if it tastes good. And she will chastise herself if she enjoys something too much (we went on a Disney trip together and there were 2 meals where she really liked the food and ate most of it and then talked about how awful it was to eat that much for hours after). She is very honest about her weight issues coming from childhood but is grateful for the drugs.

My sis in law has also lost over 80 lbs with a GLP1 over the last 10 months. She is also very thin, maybe 115. She pays $500 per month and says she will do it for the rest of her life to avoid gaining the weight back. She is very grateful for it and has nothing but good things to say.

 

[wvjules]

Do you have any experience with taking a GLP-1? I was asking for others experience with taking the medication.

I have been on Zepbound for almost 2 years. You are more likely to have constipation over diarrhea due to the delayed gastric emptying. I actually take stool softeners daily to keep myself regular. I am lucky in that it is the only side effect I have had, and I am on the max dose now. I have lost around 60lbs so my loss has been pretty slow and steady.

 

[C&Jx2]

I have been on Zepbound for almost 2 years. You are more likely to have constipation over diarrhea due to the delayed gastric emptying. I actually take stool softeners daily to keep myself regular. I am lucky in that it is the only side effect I have had, and I am on the max dose now. I have lost around 60lbs so my loss has been pretty slow and steady.

My experience has been the same on Zepbound. I have been on for a little over a year. I'm still at 10mg, so not maxed yet. The only side effect I really have is constipation. I associate that with my lifelong struggle to stay adequately hydrated in conjunction with the medication. I started using Metamucil 2x day and it has worked like a charm (the nasty drinkable kid so that I am guaranteed to get that extra 16oz fluid in!). I have lost about 60lb total and I am about 15lbs from my goal weight. I have purposely managed my dosage (titrating both up and down) with my doctor so as not to lose too quickly and it's been fine. I have crazy PCOS and I was really struggling to lose weight, but it has helped with weight loss and inflammation greatly!

ETA- I was able to get my BP back in control and discontinue BP meds, Omeproazole, and Zoloft (meds I was started on for complications of PCOS).

 

[LilyWDW]

The only time I have any real digestive upset is if I eat something that doesn't agree with me. Usually that means high sugar and high fat. So yesterday for example wasn't fun because I had pancakes and sausage for breakfast. But honestly, I was having some of those problems BEFORE I started the Zepbound.

Also, starvation mode is a myth.

 

[RangerPooh]

I started on GLP1s in 2022 for weight regain after having bariatric surgery in 2015. I tried many different ones based on what insurance would cover/what was available post Covid due to supply and demand. It wasn't until 2024 that I was placed on one that actually worked. Within a year I was down 60 pounds. Today I am down about 80+ pounds from where I was, which means I lost the 70 pound regain and then some.

I did not do a rapid loss, but titrated up in dosage overtime. I am ok with knowing that this medication is for life. After battling three decades of obesity prior to weight loss surgery, I'm finally fine with who I am. But I do struggle with body dysmorphia and have since 2015, as I still picture myself as morbidly obese when I see all of my excess skin. Yet I see my reflection and am pleased and shocked at the improvement. There are times that I think that I'm too skinny and am working to find a balance of maintenance. I am in the 137-140 range and that's good enough for me.

There was discussion about bowel movements. They can be hit or miss. Some weeks I'm constipated others I'm regular. Some foods are a no-go because of loose stools. Every person is different. You will learn what you can and cannot eat, and hopefully make those changes. tend to avoid things that are too sweet or surgery, or carb heavy. Hunger, on the daily is not an issue. A few bites sustain me. Yet at the end of my medication period I do notice an increase in hunger. Food is often not appealing, so I tell people to not ask me to choose where to eat as I have no preference.

 

[EACarlson]

I have debated asking my doctor about a GLP-1 but my main concern is the GI issues. I have seen people here mention nausea and maybe even vomiting but what about diarrhea? I have a functional disease that regularly causes issues in this department. I take medication daily to control it to a degree. I am concerned that taking a GLP-1 will make the issue worse. I of course will talk to my doctor about it but I am curious what others who are taking it have experienced.

I've had to add fiber supplements to my diet as I end up with both diarrhea and constipation due to conflicting medications. The Metformin is trying to get the things out of my system and the GLP-1 is slowing down how things get into my system.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

I started Wegovy two years ago and was on it for 6 months until I just could not take it anymore. I had terrible side effects--stomach cramps that were on par with labor pains and I was throwing up at least once a day (if not twice) at a minimum. The shot didn't hurt at all, but would absolutely wipe me out for two days with flu like fatigue.

Looking back, I should not have been ramped up every 4 weeks. Eventually I stopped taking it because the quality of life was so terrible and I was just flat out not eating because I was afraid of doing so. In the end I had lost 30 pounds, kept it off for 5 months, then over two months I gained it all back even though I was still trying to watch my portions and exercising.

I started Zepbound at the end of December after talking with my doctor and her assuring me we could stay on the lowest dose so long as I was still losing. But the shot hurts WAY worse than Wegovy--I bleed every time and it kills me, and I still have issues with vomiting. Slightly better than it was with Wegovy, but it's not fun. I have an appointment with my doctor this month to talk about what I want to do. I'm down 15 pounds in 2 months and she thinks that's too fast and isn't loving how often I throw up (which is about once a week the night I take the shot).

 

[Living42Day]

I started Wegovy two years ago and was on it for 6 months until I just could not take it anymore. I had terrible side effects--stomach cramps that were on par with labor pains and I was throwing up at least once a day (if not twice) at a minimum. The shot didn't hurt at all, but would absolutely wipe me out for two days with flu like fatigue.

Looking back, I should not have been ramped up every 4 weeks. Eventually I stopped taking it because the quality of life was so terrible and I was just flat out not eating because I was afraid of doing so. In the end I had lost 30 pounds, kept it off for 5 months, then over two months I gained it all back even though I was still trying to watch my portions and exercising.

I started Zepbound at the end of December after talking with my doctor and her assuring me we could stay on the lowest dose so long as I was still losing. But the shot hurts WAY worse than Wegovy--I bleed every time and it kills me, and I still have issues with vomiting. Slightly better than it was with Wegovy, but it's not fun. I have an appointment with my doctor this month to talk about what I want to do. I'm down 15 pounds in 2 months and she thinks that's too fast and isn't loving how often I throw up (which is about once a week the night I take the shot).

What kind of pain do you have with the shot? I have some time periods where I have to take 3-4 different shots nightly (not weight loss related, so slightly different I'm sure). I don't generally have an issue with them, but they can burn pretty bad sometimes. The ones I take are mostly going in the lower abdomen to avoid hitting any blood vessels above the belly button.

The intermuscular injections are worse for me, but I think Wegovy and Zepbound are subcutaneous if I am not mistaken. I have heard that if you ice the area for 5-ish minutes that it can help numb subcutaneous/IM injections so they are not as painful. I haven't personally tried it, but have heard it working well for people.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

It stings and burns and just all around hurts. I do it at the front of my thigh (alternating) and I've tried all kinds of things but every single time it just feels like I am stabbing myself. Which I guess I am, but that never happened with the Wegovy shot! The Wegovy shot was like an epi-pen injector, the Zepbound is a button you push which then injects the needle.

I NEVER bled or bruised with the Wegovy shot, and I bleed every single time with the Zepbound AND 50% of the time I end up with a huge bruise.

 

[Tatebeck]

Make sure you let the pen warm up to room temperature before injecting (if you aren't already), as that can help. Taking it straight out of the fridge and injecting can cause more irritation

 

[Living42Day]

It stings and burns and just all around hurts. I do it at the front of my thigh (alternating) and I've tried all kinds of things but every single time it just feels like I am stabbing myself. Which I guess I am, but that never happened with the Wegovy shot! The Wegovy shot was like an epi-pen injector, the Zepbound is a button you push which then injects the needle.

I NEVER bled or bruised with the Wegovy shot, and I bleed every single time with the Zepbound AND 50% of the time I end up with a huge bruise.

Interesting! I'm sorry you're having that, sounds miserable.

Have you tried lower abdomen, kind of pinching the skin/subcutaneous layer, before injecting? I've bled once with that for my injections, but generally just get the stinging and never bruise. I think the thigh would be more vascular than lower abdomen which may be leading to the bruising/bleeding.

 

[TippyThomas]

Make sure you let the pen warm up to room temperature before injecting (if you aren't already), as that can help. Taking it straight out of the fridge and injecting can cause more irritation

I was warned to keep my Ozempic cold and not let it warm up as warmth can damage the active drug. I don't have any pain associated with injecting it cold so I guess I'm just lucky.

 

[Tatebeck]

I was warned to keep my Ozempic cold and not let it warm up as warmth can damage the active drug. I don't have any pain associated with injecting it cold so I guess I'm just lucky.

For long term storage you keep it in the fridge yes. But for most refrigerated injections you want to let the one you are about to inject sit out for at least a few minutes or even up to an hour or so to minimize irritation. Being at room temperature for a few minutes will not damage the drug.

As soon as you inject the drug it is now at 98.6 degrees in your body for the next week, which is much higher than room temperature.

 

[TippyThomas]

For long term storage you keep it in the fridge yes. But for most refrigerated injections you want to let the one you are about to inject sit out for at least a few minutes or even up to an hour or two. Being at room temperature for a few minutes will not damage the drug.

As soon as you inject the drug it is now at 98.6 degrees in your body for the next week, which is much higher than room temperature.

My Ozempic comes in a single tube that I inject from for a month. I'd just be nervous letting it warm up and then cool again multiple times a month. Probably just my anxiety and the warnings I was given. I guess I'm prone to error on the side of caution for sure.

 

[Tatebeck]

My Ozempic comes in a single tube that I inject from for a month. I'd just be nervous letting it warm up and then cool again multiple times a month. Probably just my anxiety and the warnings I was given. I guess I'm prone to error on the side of caution for sure.

From their own website you can store at room temperature for up to 56 days:
https://www.ozempic.com/how-to-take/ozempic-pen.html

Most multi-dose pens are okay to leave out at room temp once you start using them by design. Their expiration after first use is the same whether kept at room temp or in the fridge as sterility concerns become a part of the equation, not just drug stability. Any pens you aren't using yet should be kept in the fridge for longer term storage

 

[TippyThomas]

From their own website you can store at room temperature for up to 56 days:
View attachment 1051793
Most multi-dose pens are okay to leave out at room temp once you start using them by design. Any pens you aren't using yet should be kept in the fridge for longer term storage

I really wonder why my Endocrinologist gave me such a warning then? I'm gonna have to ask him about it next time I see him because he made it sound like it'd go bad pretty quick if it got warm. I used to take insulin that I kept refrigerated until use and it was good for 30 days, but he warned me not to do that with the Ozempic. I've altered the way I travel at times just to make sure I keep the pen cold. I'm glad I read this because if I can stop worrying so much about that I certainly will. Thanks.

 

[Tatebeck]

I really wonder why my Endocrinologist gave me such a warning then? I'm gonna have to ask him about it next time I see him because he made it sound like it'd go bad pretty quick if it got warm. I used to take insulin that I kept refrigerated until use and it was good for 30 days, but he warned me not to do that with the Ozempic. I've altered the way I travel at times just to make sure I keep the pen cold. I'm glad I read this because if I can stop worrying so much about that I certainly will. Thanks.

No worries!

They were likely just trying to make it easy to remember/ easier to explain to each patient instead of giving the various storage options every time. And to make sure you don't accidentally destroy any doses of medication as it is expensive and hard to replace.

Room temperature is fine but any place where it could get significantly warmer, (in a car during spring/summer, in direct sunlight, on your bathroom counter where you take hot steamy showers, etc) can cause damage much faster. I would still recommend a cold pack when driving long distances just in case it gets left in the car for a bit.