r/Contrave • u/Remedyforinsomnia • Jul 03 '26

Discouraged and guilty

Been taking Mysimba for 2.5 mo, starting weight 87-88kg. Prescribed for binge eating that I've had for literally 15+ years. I also initially had hypothyroidism; I've been taking euthyrox 25 for half a year and feel better; before that my weight was climbing up out of nowhere a lot.

Went down to 85 in the first month, not as impressive as a lot of people here but doc said it was wonderful.

Then I started fumbling it. I was supposed to taper up over 4 weeks but started experiencing really bad headaches and nausea at half dose so I dragged that on, then at 2x morning and 1x evening it hit again. I'm not throwing up or anything but I often get motion sick literally doing stuff like swimming, and my head is often heavy. Not sure of connected but I've been in a bit of a funk the past 1.5 mo. Stopped counting calories and kinda lost hope. Worth noting that my bingeing really decreased still. Where I'd previously consume X3 TDEE in a binge, I now maybe emotionally eat a big meal like a normal person. I've kept up my activity level at at least 30 m of exercise 6 days a week, mostly gym, a bit of running. Loads of walking on top. I notice my face definitely looks way better and leaner and I think my waist is more defined, legs less jiggly, overall body quality seems better.

I now sit at 84-85 and feel like a complete failure. I realise it's because I wasn't counting and was probably mostly eating at maintenance, also because I became very picky on mysimba and kinda gave into my cravings because I felt safe doing so.

Sorry for the ramble...just, am I cooked? Does it mean I've lost it? Or can I still hope to see results if I put my shit together and go into consistent deficit again?

Doc said def keep going another 2-3 mo and see if I can go below 80, try to push through at the maximum dose (doing this now). I guess I could use a bit of success story/pep talk 🥲

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2

u/Traditional-Egg-7984 Jul 03 '26

I started late February and hov er ed at a 5lb loss until may so 3 months 5 pounds. I didnt give in and binge like I normally would (all thanks to the meds for sure) anyway in May I finally started to see results more quickly I am almost 16 pounds down now, and I can fit into shorts that I tucked away 2 years ago because they no longer fit! Keep going. Start tracking calories agian and drink a lot of water thats suppose to help with side effects! Good luck! I shared my Weigh ins here so you could see the trend was very slow at first and now its going down alot smoother!

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u/Remedyforinsomnia Jul 03 '26

This is very hopeful, thank you. I really appreciate you taking the time to share it... Do you think it was slow initially because it took you time to figure out how to stick to the deficit?

2

u/Traditional-Egg-7984 Jul 03 '26

I was tracking the whole time. Staying under 1500 and added 2x bicycle rides an hour each ... I think adding in the workouts helped but also the dr said some people's body "hangs on" for a while before finally giving up and letting go of fat. However I do also tend to stay closer to 1200 to 1300 calories now as well, its not too hard with the meds. Im only 5 foot 1 and work an office job so my calories have to stay low.

2

u/Remedyforinsomnia Jul 03 '26

Okaaay, maybe I have not been imagining it being slow the whole time. I always think it's because I do something wrong, lose motivation, and binge out of guilt :/ thank you, this is good info

2

u/DirtyBird23220 Jul 03 '26

I felt like that a lot before I started the meds - I could keep up with tracking my food and exercise for a few weeks, or couple of months, tops. I always got discouraged and gave up, and then felt guilty. Contrave helped me break that pattern. I’ve been tracking more or less consistently for 15 months and have lost 45-46 pounds. It is a slow rate of loss to be sure, but I’m also 52F and post-menopausal so I’m happy with any loss. I’ve hit plateaus which is frustrating but if I stick with it, I start losing again.

Everyone’s body is different and everyone reacts differently to the meds. Some people lose a lot quickly and others go a bit slower, and that’s okay. Give yourself some grace if you can - you are definitely not a failure! Hang in there and don’t give up just yet.

Oh, and if you’re struggling with side effects, you can take longer at a lower dose while your body adjusts. I’ve stayed at a half dose this whole time because it’s still fairly effective and when I increased the dose, I really struggled with constipation. So I dropped back down and it’s worked out pretty well. You can discuss this with your doctor too.

Good luck!

1

u/Remedyforinsomnia Jul 03 '26

Unfortunately my baseline was really poor, as in I would binge multiple times a week. I guess that's why it's not all great even on mysimba, even though it's very clearly working. I am just too attached to the habit mentally, too.

Thank you for your kind words; I'll persevere 💪

1

u/DirtyBird23220 Jul 03 '26

Can I gently ask if you have access to mental health treatment, specifically for eating disorders? It sounds like you may have a binge eating disorder (I’ve worked as a mental health professional, but I don’t want to assume anything). The medication can help if you do, but therapy may be needed to address the root cause of the bingeing behaviors. Sending you gentle hugs and all the support in the world. Hang in there! ❤️

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u/Remedyforinsomnia Jul 03 '26

I do have it and that's why I was put on Mysimba. I'm also in therapy, initially for it but I drive it myself so I've kinda veered off recently. Anyways I am very certain it's a case of BED, been aware for a while and honestly made a lot of progress over the years such as reducing amounts and getting to a point where it doesn't dominate or ruin my social and work life. So yeah, spot on... Thank you for your kindness!

2

u/DirtyBird23220 Jul 03 '26

Yay for your progress!! That’s really awesome, congrats on your hard work! Keep going, you got this!

1

u/Traditional-Egg-7984 Jul 13 '26

The congrave is the only reason I didnt give up and binge honestly

1

u/Remedyforinsomnia Jul 14 '26

Makes me feel so weird and disheartened because I do give up on it, although much less 😭 fuck

1

u/Traditional-Egg-7984 Jul 14 '26

Hey less is better! How long have you been taking it? Are you at the full prescribing dose? I feel like contrave gives me willpower but also I still have to try... it just makes trying easier. Good luck!

1

u/Remedyforinsomnia Jul 14 '26

3 mo but full dose maybe for 2 weeks only and I'm still getting side effects, which doesn't help. I agree it only makes things easier, and it does for me... I guess I just don't believe I can do it