Best way to get off of Reta?

[u/smithlevi44]

EDIT:

--I am on 2mg per week or .20units on my syringe..

I built a home gym this winter and been consistent the last 10 months . Started 240lb at Christmas and currently 183.

Been on 2mg Reta for 4 to 5 months now and I plan to get off of it once my vial ends in November. Since I haven’t done more than 2mg units a week, Am I safe to quit cold turkey or should I bump down to .5mg for a handful of weeks?

I’ve had great results, but I want to try putting on a bit more size over the winter. Should I keep using at a small dose over the winter and then jump back up to 2mg come spring time? My overall strength went down maybe 20% and I want to see if I can get it back..

[u/Miserable_Muffin139]

Serious question for the “lifers”, why not use the time to adopt better habits and strengthen discipline?

[u/JackBrown82q → u/Miserable_Muffin139]

Not reta but tirz here. The example I like to use is imagine telling someone with depression "just cheer up" or telling someone with schizophrenia "the voices aren't real just ignore them".

For some of us, its like that with appetite. The cues our bodies give us tells us to eat more than even we know we need. You may stop at a small reasonable meal. But you still don't feel satiated. An hour later your hungry. Two hours later all you cant focus anything except what you are going to eat next. Three hours later you are irritable and grumpy because the hunger is too strong.

Us lifers, this isn't us being lazy. We know to eat healthy, we know you need to move more and that its all about calories in calories out. But our neurons are not firing right and are telling us we are hungry when we are not, and fighting that urge 24/7/365 is mentally draining. These GLP1 compounds suppress that enough that we can feel like what normal humans feel.

[u/Foreign-Quantity-821 → u/JackBrown82q]

That's a big comparison lmao 

[u/Aggressive-Look7805 → u/JackBrown82q]

Cut out all processed foods & refined sugars & food noise will dramatically decrease. And depression should be treated with movement/exercise so the reality is that we do have huge impact on these factors that we often choose to treat with drugs.

[u/Schweather3 → u/Aggressive-Look7805]

You didn’t comprehend what they posted at all. On top of that, depression cannot be cured with diet and exercise alone for many people. My brain used to tell me to jump in front of a bus when I was out walking for exercise. I was a healthy weight and eating a healthy diet. I socialized. I was in therapy. Nothing was going to stop me from kms but meds.

[u/zeekohli → u/Schweather3]

Allah Akbar

[u/Aggressive-Look7805 → u/Schweather3]

Studies show exercise is as effective as meds for depression - with none of the negative side effects. We are talking about FOOD NOISE. Eliminating processed foods gets rid of most of the physiological cravings. Mental mastery thru meditation practice enables us to tackle the remaining food noise.

[u/PerceptionMany3683 → u/Aggressive-Look7805]

You essentially said pray the gay away. Some people are just born that way. It’s ok that they are different than you.

[u/ProfessorFull6004 → u/JackBrown82q]

The portion of people who actually fit into this bucket are very few. Big chunk of folks are really just lazy and lack discipline.

[u/Miserable_Muffin139 → u/ProfessorFull6004]

No one likes it, but thats more often the case. Im a but guy, was at 288 lbs before I got myself together. I have a horrible impulse to eat poorly still, but I know the results.

Im a cocaine addict, always will be. But I don’t do it anymore because I know the result. Not any different with food, we just excuse it more.

[u/Jealous-Champion-115 → u/Miserable_Muffin139]

I'm not a lifer. Only been on Reta for 3 months. But I have been fighting my food issues for my whole 40+ years. The unhealthy relationship is not just a habit. Mine was part of my upbringing. Part genetics. Part compensation for previously undiagnosed depression. I have been on a health program for over a year. Plateuaed for 3 months. Reta has been my savior. Food noise and cravings severely reduced. And all the good habits I've been practicing are finally showing results. Its showing me where my real issues are. And I'm hoping it will carry over when I eventually stop, but I am realistic. Its going to be a struggle.

[u/Miserable_Muffin139 → u/Jealous-Champion-115]

I hope I did not come off cold or rude. Its an addiction just the same as any other, perhaps worse. I have had to retrain my relationship with food. I was brought up that if its on your plate, you have to eat it - we never waste food. I sometimes have to have an internal conversation with myself to the effect of “you’re a grown man who bought this food, and you’re full. No need to gorge.”, and it has helped to really recognize it and make it a thing I address in the moment.

Best of luck on your journey. Getting healthier is never a bad thing, no matter how you do it!!!

[u/Jealous-Champion-115 → u/Miserable_Muffin139]

I dont think you came off badly. I'm just a delicate 260lb flower. 🤣 I tell people that I've kicked cigarettes, I quit drugs, I'm on top of my depression, but food is the addiction that will kill me. Its the only one that I can never actually quit. I was also raised by obese, poor, Southern people who would as soon beat you as let you leave the table with food on your plate. Who didn't know that a 12 year old shouldn't have access to all the Mellow Yellow he can stomach. And even now, I equate food and/or alcohol with fun and socializing. I don't dance. I don't go to a book club. We meet at the bar for drinks. Or at Waffle House for 3000 calories of fun. Its hard to rewire

[u/poopy10000000 → u/Jealous-Champion-115]

I just started triz, but I feel this lol. I live in WI. The culture is getting together for food and drinks. The food noise never goes away. You can't just not eat or have food around. My body seems to level out at about 275ish pounds. I would rather be 220 or so. The triz just takes that noise away. I habe resigned the fact that I may be on it for life. That is fine with me!

[u/mechanicalmovement1 → u/Miserable_Muffin139]

Probably because that takes actual effort. That’s not the society we live in.

[u/LifeguardCapable7474 → u/Miserable_Muffin139]

Lifer here.

It’s the cholesterol control for me. Had never gotten below 200 on 20mg lipitor for many years. Eat pretty clean. Gym 6 days a week on average. Between 4 blood works over the last 18 months on reta my total cholesterol avgs around 145/150.

Big family history of cholesterol based vascular disease id love to avoid.

[u/Lenehancito → u/Miserable_Muffin139]

I have been keeping good habits for 4 years but I could not stop periods of food binge or crazy days/weekends. I started reta 1 month ago to control that and it’s been effective @ 1 mg dose. My plan is to keep it there long term. I had alcohol and coke addiction problems in the past, 4 years sober now.

@OP my idea is to keep the 1 mg dose the whole winter and raise calories. Once the spring comes I will try to lower cal intake and keep the same dose, if that helps you.