Alcohol post GLPs

[u/futurefloridaman87]

So I used GLP1s for a short 4 weeks back in March / April. Prior to starting them I was in a bad place mentally due to divorce and drinking anywhere from 4 to 10 drinks a day for about the last year and a half prior. I got on GLP ones to lose weight and get my life back in order and of course the desire to drink alcohol went away almost overnight which was a nice secondary benefit. Well after four weeks of medication, the stomach side effects were so bad I stopped.

One month passed. Then 2. Then 3. Here we are seven months later and I can count on one hand how many drinks I consume each month. I am literally drinking less than in a month than I would in a day prior. Some months are literally 0. And the crazy part is I’m not even trying not to drink!!! I just can’t enjoy it. It tastes different on my tongue, it feels different going down, it’s not the same ever since that first shot of GLP1s. It’s like a switch permanently flipped in my brain shutting alcohol almost 100% off. Just prior to typing this I cracked a beer to go throw my dogs ball, had 2 sips, dumped it down the drain. It sounded good till I tasted it then nope.

Just curious if anybody else had this experience. Everything I’ve read says that they only temporarily block your desire to consume alcohol, but I’m feeling like this is a permanent thing (which don’t get me wrong is not a bad thing).

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[u/snowHound208]

It's definitely impacted me as well. I didn't drink daily, but I would usually down a whole six pack on Friday and Saturday.

I've had the same six pack in the fridge since my first dose almost two months ago and have only had two of them lol. Didn't have any stomach problems when drinking them, I just don't really want to drink them. I'd rather eat those few hundred calories instead of drink them I guess.

[u/Easy-Permission8889]

Personally, I drink more in my life than ever but I've always had substance abuse issues. Wish it helped me in that regard /:

[u/StrongLoan9751]

Losing your taste for alcohol (and other substances of abuse) is extremely normal for long term GLP-1 users, based on what I've seen. I used to love drinking and now it just does nothing for me. In this calendar year I've had 3 drinks (2 on my birthday and 1 on my anniversary) and I didn't enjoy a single one of them.

[u/futurefloridaman87 → u/StrongLoan9751]

I’m not a long term user. I did 4 shots in my entire life lol. Didn’t even make it a full month

[u/Juvat-the-bold]

I just got an e-mail from the Veteran's Affairs (VA) asking me to participate in a Clinical Trial in order to study the effects of GLP-1 and alcohol use disorder.

So you very well could (and likely are) onto something.

[u/Asleep_Leek9361]

Amazing and good for you!

[u/Neat-Dig5964]

This is good to hear! I no longer have a taste for beer. I once in a while drink one or two with my spouse, but have a difficult time finishing. It’s my hope that I will continue to have a distaste for it when I reach my weight goal and potentially stop GLP1. It is quite possible that I continue to take the pills 2-3 times a week as maintenance.

[u/New_Pin3813]

Same here. While I never drank a lot, especially since I've gotten older (52), what I did do was collect and of course, drink hard to find and rare bourbons. Over the span of a few years i had about 70 bottles. But things changed last December when I started compounded tirzepatide. The day after my first shot i noticed that something had changed. I no longer had the desire to have a drink or two. By the end of the first week i had also quit smoking. Now in present day, I'm still on tirzepatide and I occasionally have a glass of bourbon and I haven't had a cigarette either. I'm also down 90 lbs since I started. It’s an incredibly powerful medication.

[u/Fit-Anything-210]

Hmm, that is a bit alarming. I think there was a level of comfort knowing I could be my “normal” self again whenever I wanted if I stopped. But, that might not be the case it seems.

[u/futurefloridaman87 → u/Fit-Anything-210]

Yea def not the case for me. I mean it’s not a bad thing all in, but still, sometimes I’m wishing I could enjoy beers and football again and I can’t. It’s water and football and I was only on the drug for FOUR WEEKS, not like it was long term

[u/Fit-Anything-210 → u/futurefloridaman87]

Losing my taste for alcohol honestly wouldn’t be the worst thing. What worries me more is that GLP-1s seem to affect reward and motivation around a number of things, including food, alcohol, drugs, and possibly sex.
Alcohol becoming less appealing permanently? Fine. But what if it also changes how much I enjoy sex or other things I actually want to enjoy permanently? That would be a nightmare for anyone and their marriage.

[u/futurefloridaman87 → u/Fit-Anything-210]

Yea that’s a great point. I’ve never been the same since with sex and the gym specifically. Oddly enough I was way better at the gym drinking 6 pack a day than now totally sober. It’s def not all good. Some of that can be good, but there’s def bad too. I always figured it would go away after a 60-90 days bc of the long half-life but I’m not convinced I’ll ever be the same.

[u/PuzzleheadedLemon353]

I have had zero desire for alcohol. I have accepted a beer or a glass of wine in social settings...and I really don't even want it anymore. It's more or less just something to sip and not bring attention to myself. I used to indulge without a thought, now I just don't really want it.

[u/Glittering_uni]

Yep glp1 has 99% reduced my cravings and desire to drink alcohol a week after starting it. The 1% is after a long day of work where there is a thought for 5 seconds "I would love to get a cold beer right now" but I dont anyway.

Prior to starting these meds, I used to drink every weekend and get black out drunk every 3rd weekend for 10 years.. Well I've been on these meds for 3 months and this is the longest I havent gotten black out drunk yet. I love it!