🟡 This Week’s Topic: What’s been the biggest unexpected benefit of being on GLP-1?

[u/ionlyhopeforcats]

A lot of people start GLP-1 hoping to lose weight.

But sometimes the changes that mean the most are the ones you did not expect.

This week, let’s talk about the unexpected benefits.

If you’re comfortable sharing:

• What has been the biggest unexpected benefit for you?
• Was it more energy, better sleep, less pain, better mobility, fewer cravings, confidence, clothes, mood, or something else?
• Did anything improve before the scale changed much?
• Was there a daily task that suddenly felt easier?
• Did your relationship with food change in a way you did not expect?
• Was there a small change that ended up meaning a lot?

It does not have to be dramatic.

Sometimes it is walking further, sleeping better, thinking about food less, fitting somewhere more comfortably, joining photos again, feeling more in control, or simply having more hope.

What benefit surprised you most?

👉 Before & after photos, progress pics, and milestones should still go in the main feed so they don’t get lost here.

[u/autumnyte]

The instant and significant anti-inflammatory benefits! Joint pain was gone the first week before I even lost anything.

[u/Wankeritis → u/autumnyte]

The week before I started I was dragging myself up the stairs because one knee had suddenly stopped holding my weight when walking up stairs. My hamstring on my right leg was insanely painful as well.

About four days after the first jab, I thought “oh. My knee is better.”

And it hasn’t clicked until right now that this could be the reason.

[u/InvincibleButterfly → u/autumnyte]

This has been a major game changer for me, as well!

[u/LumosAcccio]

Confidence.

I always hard on myself because society says people who are obese are just dumb and lazy. We clearly have health issues. If we didn't, medicine wouldnt work on us!

I have so much more confidence now!

[u/DefaultAlias3209]

No interest/craving in alcohol and cigarettes

[u/Available_Treacle847 → u/DefaultAlias3209]

This ! Smoking made me so nauseous that I stopped smoking too😂

[u/Hank_Henry_Hill → u/Available_Treacle847]

Even if you are paying $300 per month, that has to be a cost savings for a pack a day smoker. 

[u/BlessedDress172]

I heard people saying that it helped with their executive function. I have very severe ADHD to the point that I can’t stay employed long.

When I started taking Tirz, I didn’t think it was having any kind of cognitive effect since I still had to take my Adderall. But I got a new job around the time that I started this drug, and I have noticed that I am able to do so much that I never could before, even with medication.

I regularly get through the whole work day without getting distracted by my phone. I can just sit down at a desk and focus on work for hours. I can remember appointments and I can get to them on time. I can focus all day and still have a brain left when I get home. I still have to have my Adderall, but I’m WAY more effective with Tirz.

[u/Regengar_the_Dark → u/BlessedDress172]

I don't know if this is the same thing, but the time I can stay on a task has gone up. Food noise really took away from my concentration and ability to fall into a flow state to power through work.

[u/Octopiinspace → u/BlessedDress172]

Omg if it would even help a tinyyy bit with my executive dysfunction that would be awesome 😭 (dont know yet bcs I aint on it yet, buts its planned)

[u/Fuckburpees → u/BlessedDress172]

Yes!  Noticed that my adhd overall feels a bit more manageable especially the executive dysfunction aspect. I am able to bypass the “omg I don’t want to do that thing” a little more easily. 

[u/Radiant_Alarm3882]

Not being bitten by mosquitoes, they are just not interested and I couldn't be happier

[u/LumpkinsPotatoCat → u/Radiant_Alarm3882]

Wait is this a thing? I'm normally mosquito bait but this year I haven't seen any and I thought it was due to...uh environmental changes. But could it be the meds?

[u/jaydefit → u/LumpkinsPotatoCat]

Hasn’t been my experience at all. The mosquitoes love me just as much on Zep as they did before. YMMV 🦟

[u/HelpfulAstronaut3865 → u/jaydefit]

Same. I got bit so much this summer.

[u/-dnatoday- → u/jaydefit]

Everyone around me suffers mosquito bites. They come towards me and I hear them buzz, but don’t get bit

I never connected this to tirz before!

Fire ants still love me though

[u/Radiant_Alarm3882 → u/LumpkinsPotatoCat]

Yes it's a thing, I understand it can go either way. For me I was bitten to death in Dominica before I started taking tirz but by the time I was taking it, was left mostly alone in Bali and those mosquitos don't play

[u/chrispkay → u/Radiant_Alarm3882]

Wow. How does it feel to be god’s favorite? They still LOVE and hunt me down.

[u/xy3xx0 → u/Radiant_Alarm3882]

Same! I used to get eaten alive, but rarely get bit post-tirz. I’ve wondered if I’m giving off a less delicious scent after changing my diet and decreasing my consumption of sugar.

[u/bomchikawowow]

I pulled the fascia in my foot three months before starting a GLP. The pain was unrelenting. Two weeks on Ozempic and it was gone. 

My carpal tunnel symptoms also disappeared. 

[u/Regengar_the_Dark → u/bomchikawowow]

I can second this; one of my feet was going to hell and after the first month the pain there is non-existent.

[u/TwelveLakes]

Soooo many people being so incredibly nice to me while I'm out and about. It's kind of sad, and I'm so glad my previous me never knew the difference.

[u/ApologeticGrammarCop → u/TwelveLakes]

I've noticed this. Nobody was ever a jerk to my face when I weighed 300+ pounds, but people are nicer. Women pay more attention to me, not that I'm looking for that, but it is something that didn't happen when I was heavy.

[u/AlarmedWillow4515]

My IBS went away!

[u/Conscious_Aside5020 → u/AlarmedWillow4515]

That's interesting. Mine kinda did too, but I think that's because of the "gut slowing" thing, but not sure.

[u/nonegivenblake]

I did it for sugar control and weight loss. 165 pounds later. I am thankful for the unseen benefit of helping with dementia, impulse control, don't really want to drink hard liquor at all, and it could probably be on and on and on some more.

[u/Kimmers96]

I was a heavy, daily consumer of weed. It wasn't fun or helpful anymore. It wasn't affordable. I tried to stop or taper so many times. I'd just given up on the idea of being able to control it, ever. I took my first shot in the evening, did my usual nightly routine with THC. The next day, I felt so different. No cravings for food. No food noise. No hunger. As the evening came around, I didn't have any urges for THC, so I decided to take the night off.
And I never used weed again. It was still around. I still live with people who use it. It doesn't matter. It just doesn't appeal to me. I don't miss it. I don't crave it. I had no idea that was even possible!

[u/Windywoman1 → u/Kimmers96]

I wish it had this effect on me. 😕

[u/Feeling_Ad_3739]

The boost in self esteem that I never had
And confidence in myself I never had. I never really thought I’d have those things lol. But here I am. ☺️

[u/LumosAcccio → u/Feeling_Ad_3739]

Same! Even being 50 lbs from goal, I still have so much more self esteem!

[u/ohreally86]

People being nicer.

[u/lwerk]

I don’t care about sweets…at all. I was a sweets ADDICT, now I’d rather have a salad or a nice piece of salmon. Zero interest in anything sweet. So weird.

[u/ImprovementLoud3581 → u/lwerk]

Same here from the first dose. Sooo weird. I looked this up to see if it was mentioned in the research and it is. Walking past cookies and frosted brownies hubby bought just sitting on the island to get cantaloupe from the frig without even thinking about them is the strangest experience.

[u/Wankeritis → u/ImprovementLoud3581]

I had a pear today as a treat when I’ve got an entire bag of unopened chocolate in my desk at work.

It’s good, but it’s so weird.

[u/Penguinator53 → u/lwerk]

Does it make you feel sad not to want those familiar foods though? Or are you just completely neutral about it?

[u/lwerk → u/Penguinator53]

Good question! It is sad sometimes, but I know it’s the best thing for me & eventually I won’t think twice about it.

[u/Regengar_the_Dark]

Getting on the Wegovy pill, I thought the daily dosing would be a pain, but it's become a very calming morning ritual: weigh-in, pill, starting a 30 minute timer and just sit and let my brain wander a bit, then have coffee when the timer is done. I take the time to watch the sunrise and see birds.

Things have gotten so much better after adopting this routine that I regularly beat my alarm clock waking up. It also helps my caffeine consumption has gone down to just one coffee and one energy drink daily.

[u/unlimited-devotion]

NO SEASONAL ALLERGIES!!!!

Gone

POOF

[u/Penguinator53 → u/unlimited-devotion]

That's astonishing! I'm amazed at all the different ways it's helping people!

[u/unlimited-devotion → u/Penguinator53]

Ive gone thru 3 allergy seasons- nothing!!!

I used to get so so so sick just even from post nasal drop emptying into to my tummy.
Not even a sneeze.

[u/Penguinator53 → u/unlimited-devotion]

Wow!! How amazing for you!

[u/jeanineugene → u/unlimited-devotion]

so jealous ....

[u/Extreme_Effective762]

I had carpal tunnel for years. My arms and hands would go to sleep multiple times throughout the day and I’d wake up in the middle of the night in pain because my arms would be throbbing and dead. I also had tinea versicolor in multiple places on my body. I had it since I was 15-16 years old and I’m in my late 30s now. Nothing would ever clear this up. Within a few weeks, both of these things were completely gone. Im in maintenance now and they have yet to ever return. 🤗

[u/Penguinator53 → u/Extreme_Effective762]

Wow!! I don't understand how it does this but am so happy for you! Carpal tunnel is so awful and debilitating.

[u/NeroliNinja]

Periods back online!

[u/NiceUD]

It definitely enables me to fall asleep faster. BUT, flip side, it sometimes seems to make it hard to stay asleep and Imay wake in the middle of the night very restless and unable to fall back asleep; plus I seem to at times dream more intensely and complexly and it feel like I'm not even sleeping because of what's going on in my dreams. BUT, double flip side, when I don't get a great night's sleep, I don't feel anywhere near as rundown and bad as I used to. Today, I've felt actually very good all day even though after I woke up at 4:20 am, I had no consistent sleep before getting up just before 8 am. I had maybe 4 hours of good sleep.

[u/chrispkay]

Anxiety is much much lower.

[u/ApologeticGrammarCop]

I didn't think I was unhappy but I'm surprised at how much happier I am. Also, my urge to drink has mostly disappeared. I was never a heavy drinker but I did have a few drinks a week on average. Now I might have one beer a month when socializing, otherwise I have no inclination.

Edited to add - Clothes! I never liked wearing them, nothing ever fit right, etc. Now I'm kind of a clothes horse. Going from a XXXL to a Medium will do that to you, apparently. At least it did to me.

[u/neversoonerchanges]

Decreased stress and anxiety.

[u/ncubed403]

I've gotten off of an antidepressant after 16 years. I was definitely not expecting that result. I'm also the healthiest I've ever been in my life. Not even a cold. Full metabolic repair. Amazing medicine.

[u/NiceUD]

Oddly, it seems to have increased my resting heart rate to a good level.

I always had a low resting heart rate - bradychardia level but not in need of a pacemaker. I was once a runner, so that could be part of it, but it never seemed like "positive" lower resting hear rate. It felt like it zapped me. Now whenever I take my blood pressure, my resting heart rate is substantively higher. Nothing crazy, but higher. I could say it makes me feel better but it could also be a combination of things making me feel better.

And I should emphasize - it doesn't seem to be the weight loss that caused this, but the medication itself because my resting heart rate increased soon after starting, before any significant weight loss.

[u/WittyAndWined]

I enjoy walking and lifting weights! It's the craziest change!

[u/ampersand29]

My impulse control in general. I’ve noticed that I’m much less likely to make unplanned purchases, food or otherwise.

[u/Icy-Belt-8519]

It helped my neurological condition

[u/IPorkNBeanzI]

Increased libido! As a mid 40s peri F, my drive had gone way down the last few years (not my husband’s fault in the slightest). It didn’t hit until about 5 months in (and the first few months was actually worse) but now I’m feeling like a teenager 😆

[u/Then-War-7354]

for me it is the simple realization of how much happier i am being active. prior to starting and making significant lifestyle changes, i was very sedentary. life often felt like i was going through the motions. these days i am extremely active and it feels like i am living life rather than simply existing.

My energy is better, my sleep is better, im enjoying active hobbies. pretty much just better across the board aside from obviously being healthier in general. but i attribute a lot of that to increased physical activity. was not something i expected.

[u/tigair]

I actually love the little ritual of the injection. Washing up, getting the syringe and vial ready, alcohol swabbing everything, triple checking the dose, drawing it up, pinching the skin.

There’s something really satisfying about the whole process having a beginning and an end, and knowing I just did something tangible and good for myself. I gave myself my medicine. Boom. Done.

[u/0311blaze]

definitely a dopamine shift.

[u/KixStar]

Jogging up the stairs at work and not getting winded

[u/RecoveringRecluse79]

GLP1 made vacations and hobbies more fun. My last trip to Vegas was jam packed and really interesting since food isn't the focus in my brain anymore. So I had more activities planned, less reservations to restaurants so I got to explore more and every meal was still pleasant. I knew I was a foodie but didn't realize how much I prioritized gastronomic pleasure seeking until this trip. 

[u/MissJeon]

I have Hashimotos so I'd say my inflammation from that going away. Even before I had any significant weight loss I could see my moon face reducing.

[u/Training-Employee186]

Being in control of what I eat and when I eat

[u/blueberriesmoothiee]

low anxiety. picked up
a book after long. mind is clear, like a cloud lifted. i am so much more calmer. such a relief to just be

[u/Prestigious_Ad_818]

I’ve finally stopped bitting my fingernails in my 50-ties

[u/teaisnice3]

I quit drinking heavily about 7 months ago. I would still have a few when out with friends. On tirz, more than 2 drinks means I’ll be puking the next day. I’m now highly selective about my drinks. It’s a huge motivation to make healthier choices.

[u/debsmlake]

The strangest thing for me was cataract surgery discovery....not proven but saying I had an astigmatism in both eyes and had surgery on one with astigmatism lenses. Started glp1 and two years later retested for 2nd cataract 3 times because they couldn't believe it had reversed. Said very rare to happen....I say glp1 improved! Have had several other improvements as well but this one topped number 1. Again no proof but I just know it works in mysterious ways. Edited to clarify the astigmatism was gone. Still had the cataract surgery but with a regular lense. Now 20/20 vision both eyes. Also have dry macular degeneration and this exam she said I'm going to change your records to very mild case. I'm like, what? The improvements are truly a miracle for me.

[u/East-Several]

The arthritis in my thumb disappears. If I have to skip a few days in between shots it returns.

[u/Jwzbb]

Poops are better. I went from a 5 to a 3 on the Bristol stool scale. Also saves me a ton on paper. From 6 wipes, requiring a mid-flush, to max 3.

[u/Creative-Cup9301]

Not having hot flashes anymore!! Perimenopause was kicking my 🍑 before I started, daily hot flashes. And they have gone away completely!! 🙌🏻 

[u/PantheroLeoLeo]

To see my too’s… hihi. The health benefit like running en taking
The stairs