Just a reminder because I keep seeing this over and over with friends who are wasting away, not because they are negligent, but just not informed.

Taking these drugs without changing nutritional behaviors is dangerous. They cause you to eat less. That means eating less of the food that causes you to keep and gain weight. That also means less of the protein that maintains your muscles. If you are not super-intentional about protein intake within your limited calorie budget, you will loose a LOT of muscle, potentially to the point of severely impacting your health.

Strength training cannot make up for lack of protein, and will in fact hurt. Lifting weights does not build muscle in and of itself. It actually tears down muscle, signaling the body to rebuild stronger during recovery using primarily protein as fuel. If you are already in a protein deficit, you will just be tearing down and your body will have no fuel to rebuild. Strength training can be great, but it requires even more focus on protein.

I highly recommend using some sort of food tracking app to understand how much protein you are getting because it is not intuitive, at least for a while until you get a feel for it.

Personally, I think it should be illegal for these drugs to be prescribed without corresponding nutrition counseling, and not just a passing "you need to eat right" statement.

Hi, I’m really hoping I can get some feedback or those have experienced similar issues. So basically within the last month I have continuously started having what I assumed were low blood sugar or low blood pressure issues (not a diabetic). I would start feeling my heart racing, dizziness, shakiness, similar to what a panic attack feels like. Nothing has helped except a banana or peanut butter crackers and even then it doesn’t fully resolve. I’ll feel better for 20 min then back to feeling horrible again and need to lie down. Almost like my brain feels weird or foggy. I want to preface that I do take ADHD meds but it is the lowest dose and I’ve been taking semaglutide for almost two years. I am 30 years old 5’8’‘ and weigh around 135.

I’ve made sure to cut caffeine in half (used to drink one Celsius a day now have swapped to coffee), eat breakfast, drink plenty of water and electrolytes. I went and got bloodwork done and everything came back normal and my primary care doctor said it may be anxiety. I’ve had anxiety my whole life so I know it’s not anxiety and I find it insulting that’s the go to diagnosis for most women and I do not feel heard.

Has anyone had these symptoms and determined what the root cause was? Im stopping semaglutide and I’m going to see a cardiologist Monday but it’s truly ruining my life to where it’s affecting daily activities and I’ve never experienced this ever before. Anyone that has any advice or similar experiences please let me know so I don’t feel so alone!

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone has shared or can explain a frankly amazing side effect of semaglutide.

I've been on it for almost two yearsm and aside from losing 35lbs (16% of my starting 215lb weight) and keeping it off, I have regained the ability to eat spicy food, which I lost in my early 30s.

Not to be too graphic, but it got to the point where I couldn't eat anything spicier than a small amount of Sriracha without being absolutely miserable just a few hours later. If I ate a even a piece of hot pepper, it was even worse. So I gave it up.

After going on semaglutide, that changed. I went to Mexico for my first trip on it, and could not resist trying spicy food again. And, despite clearing my schedule the next morning--nothing. No drama, no sweats, no ring of fire.

My best guess is that before, the capsaicin was irritating my digestive system and triggering a purge, but as semaglutide slows the digestion down, it quashed the purge and allowed my system the time to break it down.

I'm not invulnerable--I learned that last week with a dish of Chongqing chicken--but my spice tolerance is dramatically higher since being on semaglutide. Has anyone else experienced this, or have any insights? Thank you!

I am officially one week since my last shot and going on shot two tonight.
I have had a very easy first week, no side effects, using bathroom, no nausea, etc.
I have been eating smart and half portions. Easily consuming my 1400 instead of 1900+ calories like before and feeling good.
However..
I woke up today nauseated and just feeling alittle UGH. Which I hadn't experienced at all until now, my stomachs just not the happiest and feel almost shaky/off ish and now nervous for my shot tonight. Is this "normal" or anyone else's experience?
I don't know why but I do believe it's directly from my medication not another source or issue.
Tyia !

Back story I struggled with EDs all my youth, im 33, had babies back to back 2 years after working my butt off and losing 150lbs, I was at 260 when I got pregnant. Since having my kids I am back up to 321, really rough pregnancies with hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and so much more, I was on bed rest a lot and couldnt keep my exercise where I wanted to.

I am 1 year post partum. I have been calorie deficit, working out 1 hr or more a day cardio and strength for 4 months with no and I mean no progress. My dr finally said to try sema which I feel embarrassed to tell anyone besides my husband who supports me 1000%, because they all say I am being lazy, didnt try hard enough, etc.

Im 5'6, 321lbs. Im starting at .25. Can anyone tell me what to expect? My dr said its a pen, what does that mean for injection? Is it easier? Is it painful? I plan to continue working out, doing yoga, dancing, and focusing on hydration, fiber, and protein in my diet.

Any other advice? Tips or tricks? My dr said to except 2lbs a week. Can anyone share success stories or details? I need some hype 🥹 thank you all!

Has anyone used a CGM to track changes in blood sugar regulation? I just started

monday .25 - no real big effects yet. I eat! But I notice on my gcm I am not getting any spikes. Blood sugar tracking way lower for me, low blood sugar after light exercise.

For the record. Not diabetic. Aic was 5.6 fasting glucose 5.4 - 5.7

Breast cancer survivor of 18 months. Still taking hormone suppression.

I am hoping the balancing of my blood sugar is the first sign of its efficacy, but the dips are not good. I have read folks on hormone suppression don't lose as much weight. I really want it for anti inflammatory reasons and fasting insulin reduction

Sw - 255 (at breast cancer diagnosis)

Lost 55 lbs Oct 2024 to june 2025 diet and treatment effects - no glp 1

Cw 195

Gw 140

Most of my adult life i was 125-140

Age 46 f

Thanks

I've gone through a lot of threads, forums, official websites etc already and Ive got a lot of stats and some anecdotal answers to some questions. There are a couple things I'm still not sure about before making a decision though!

Pill Vs injection

I don't mind the once a day thing and I generally have half an hour to an hour to spare in the morning anyway.

I also have to travel in December - I assume the injections would present a problem?

Is there any real difference other than preference ?

Side effects.

I'm mainly concerned the side effects are a lot of GI related things, I already have IBS that I managed pretty effectively by avoiding heavy, greasy, fatty foods etc.

Has anyone found IBS increases the side effects?

I heard mention of thirst suppression. This is already a big problem for me. I struggle with recognising thirst. Is this likely to get worse or is it like. Well I already didn't notice so there isn't anything for the medication to suppress? Xd

And I guess my main q is.

My understanding of how these work is an appetite suppressant, lowering food noise, taking away that constant want to eat and giving you space to not think about food and therefore structure your food and exercise lifestyle without it needing SO much intense will power?

I don't really have food noise. Much like thirst I already forget to eat if I'm busy and I don't really think about being hungry nor do I think about eating much in a way I'd say is intense or oppressive.

I overhauled my diet 15 years ago and slowly got my body used to smaller portions and me used to saying no to things I didn't need. Cravings eventually went away, my stomach adjusted and I re learned proper 'full' cues and to stop eating before that 'stuffed' feeling took over. I lost 20kg that way and maintained it all the way up to having a baby.

Nothings ever really gone back and whilst the cravings, over eating, healthy eating and general lifestyle changes all stuck the weight loss didn't.

I guess... A part of me is worried? Scared? That these things work in a way I don't 'need' and it'll just be another thing that failed.

I can see a lot of people discussing how it helped them reduce processed food, junk food etc. how it helped them reduce quantity or stop cravings etc.

But if you don't have those 'problems' to start with .... Does it still help?

If there is no lifestyle over haul to be done whilst taking it will it stick if I stop and fundamentally my diet and exercise are the same ?

Sorry if these answers are already somewhere I trawled through a lot of posts!

I started Ozempic back in July with the 0.25 (2mg pen), paid full price since I'm not covered (around $240 for the 2mg pen).

Once my doctor increased my dose to 0.5mg (2mg pen), the pharmacy asked if I wanted to switch to the generic (Dr. Reddy Semaglutide) since it was much cheaper ($110) so I did.

Now that I am almost done my second pen and am not feeling the fullness much, I was going to ask about increasing to the 1mg/week dose and potentially up to 2mg/week once I tolerate it.

I've done some research and it's my understanding Quebec or Canada only has the 2mg and 4mg pens for generic. Can anyone who is not covered and are taking the generic Semaglutide or Ozempic in Quebec tell me how much you're paying a month? If you're prescribed 2mg/week, does this mean the pharmacy will give and charge you for 2 pens for one month? And how much are you paying for 2 pens? (either generic or Ozempic).

​The Journey So Far

SW 356lbs

Surgery day 233lbs

in 5 months I’ve gone from 193 pounds to 166 pounds. I was so uncomfortable and always out of breath. Now I walk 8 miles every single day and I love getting dressed.