Hi all — starting week 1!

Just picked up my first pen and I'm equal parts excited and nervous. Any tips for the first week? Anything you wish you'd known on day one?

I hit a 6-week stall and thought the medication had stopped working. It hadn't. The body sometimes needs time to catch up with the fat loss. Measurements changed even when the scale didn't.

@ScaleWatcher same thing happened to me. The stall broke after I added more protein.

Anyone who says GLP-1 is 'the easy way' has never dealt with week 3 nausea.

Full 9-month honest review since I hit my goal weight last week. Started at 312 lbs, currently 224 lbs — 88 lbs down. Semaglutide from month 1-5, switched to tirzepatide at month 5 when I stalled. The switch broke the stall within 3 weeks. Side effects were rough months 1-2. I lost 8 lbs in the first month just because I couldn't eat. Everything improved by month 3 and I found my rhythm: injection Sunday evening, light dinner that night, protein-heavy meals the rest of the week. What I wish I'd known: start strength training immediately. I lost muscle in the first few months and it was hard to rebuild. If I were starting over I'd have a personal trainer from day one. The medication handles the appetite; you have to handle the exercise. Bottom line: this is the most effective thing I've ever done for my health. My A1C dropped from 7.1 to 5.4, my blood pressure is normal, and I sleep better than I have in years. It's a tool, not a magic pill, but it's an extraordinary tool.

My doctor kept me at 0.5mg for 10 weeks. Slower titration, fewer side effects — worth it.

Anyone who says GLP-1 is 'the easy way' has never dealt with week 3 nausea.

Have you tried injecting in the evening? That helped my nausea enormously.

Posting my insurance appeal letter since a few people asked. This is what finally worked after three denials: I had my doctor submit a Letter of Medical Necessity that specifically cited: (1) my BMI over 30 with comorbidities, (2) documented failure of two prior weight-loss interventions over 12 months, (3) relevant metabolic markers including elevated triglycerides and pre-diabetic A1C. The key addition that got it approved was asking the doctor to cite the specific plan coverage language and argue that denying the medication violated the plan's own obesity-management coverage terms. We also requested a peer-to-peer review call. Don't give up after one denial. Three denials is unfortunately normal. Each appeal should be more specific than the last.

Welcome! Hydrate like it's your job and keep meals small the first few days. You've got this.

Welcome aboard. Take it slow and follow your prescriber's schedule. Ask anything here — lots of friendly folks.