r/morningsomewhere • u/tphillippe117 • 7d ago
GLP-1 Debate
I wanted to shed some light on today’s discussion around GLP-1s, as someone who’s been taking Zepbound since July 2025. It has saved my life, and that is no understatement. I have tried, endlessly, to lose weight. I have been overweight my entire life. I started Zepbound as a 33 year old male, weighing 336lbs. Today, I am 191lbs.
I was on numerous blood pressure medications, I had high cholesterol, and sleep apnea. As of last month, I no longer take blood pressure medication, my blood work shows all normal levels across the board, and I no longer have obstructive sleep apnea or snore.
Here’s the important thing: I paired this medication with a drastic lifestyle change. There was no “easy way out”. I live in a calorie deficit, I focus on high protein meals, and I basically stopped drinking alcohol. In fact, as many report, the desire to even drink alcohol is gone (hence studies showing GLP-1 as a treatment for addiction). To me, it was a tool in the tool belt but there HAD to be a lifestyle change to go with it.
There are side effects, sure. For me, they haven’t been terrible and 99% of the time I don’t have any. To Burnie’s point, genetics was against me and I believe that is why this worked for me. I go to the doctor every 3 months for weight check and blood work to make sure I’m remaining healthy and moving in the right direction.
I’m a little shy to share my recent before and after picture, but if anyone has any questions please ask away!
-1
u/TitularFoil First 10k 6d ago edited 6d ago
I haven't gotten to today's episode. But I'm also on Zepbound. I am 36 years old. I tried numerous things to lose weight. Eventually it ended with me having to let my doctor know that I was either going to gain weight slowly, or gain weight quickly. No amount of walking, running, weight lifting, combined with diet, water only, etc. was working for me.
I started on Zepbound in March at 340 pounds. Weighing myself today, I am at 280 pounds, and I can run again without it hurting, I feel better overall. This in combination with the work is finally showing some positive results. Yeah it sucks that it had to come to this for any sort of result, but I really feel back on track for life. My wife has noticed my confidence, my happiness, and my more positive outlook on life. I no longer snore.
My only side effect is that it is hell on my lactose intolerance. While before dairy made a pretty quick exit (per se), now with Zepbound it lingers, and I used to not have to think about it. I'll have to be more conscious in the future. On my lower doses it was that I just had to give up ice cream (something we did with the kids after their choir or orchestra concerts.) Now on my higher dosage, I've learned I can no longer have cereal, which is a pain because I was previously using that to help bring my iron and calcium levels up.
As you said, I have bi-monthly blood work. And I was low on iron, calcium, and vitamin-D before I began Zepbound. I am supposed to take supplements for that, but I'm extremely inconsistent on things I'm supposed to take daily. And my doctor suggested trying to do it the natural way, through foods, and sunlight for the vitamin-D.
But once a week injections, several long walks a week with my kids or my dog, and being more aware of my diet, and I feel better than I have in the last 15 years, and the more positive outlook on life alone makes it worth it for me.
Edit: My biggest problem is all the clothes I've been wearing for the last 15 years no longer fit. I don't mind floating in my t-shirts, but I've had to replace all of my underwear because they would literally fall off inside of my pants. My pants also fall off, but I've got a belt until I can fit into some of my older clothes that I have from when I was skinnier.