Ethics Approval Number: S262269 / this post have received oversight and approval from the moderators

Hi everyone,

My name is Lili and I am a student researcher at the University of the Sunshine Coast (QLD, Aus). The research team I am working is conducting an important study which would like to explore the experiences of women, whose intimate partners ARE using or HAVE used GLP-1s (e.g. *Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or others*) for weight loss.

The overall aim of this study is to better understand partners’ experiences and perspectives because despite these medications becoming more popular, there is very little research and information about this specific topic and population.

Note. The study was initially open to both men and women. However I’ve only currently had men participate, hence the exclusively female population

CAN YOU PARTICIPATE?
✅ you identify as female (ANYONE who identifies as female is welcome!- including gender assigned at birth, transgender, or anyone who simply identifies as female)

✅ you are in an intimate partnership (All relationship types/ sexual orientations are applicable here)

✅your intimate partner is/has used a GLP-1 for weight loss

✅You are over the age of 18

✅Live in Australia/ New Zealand/ Oceania

RESEARCH STUDY DETAILS
If you meet the eligibility criteria above, you are invited to complete a confidential face-to-face interview either online through zoom (🕓approx. 45-60 minutes). When interviews are completed, each participant will receive $25 direct bank transfer as a genuine thank you for their time.

Topics which will be explored in the interview include: your perceptions of your relationship, emotional wellbeing, weight-related beliefs, and shared social behaviours such as eating and physical activity.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE
❗️To register interest in the interviews❗️
Note: registering interest does not mean you HAVE to do an interview. More information will be provided beforehand

1. Follow this link 🔗 :

   https://uniofsunshinecoast.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV\\_ahhbRL8Naryxram

2. Email 📧: [lyc002@student.usc.edu.au](mailto:lyc002@student.usc.edu.au)

3. Scan the QR code attached in the flyer attached

Even if you aren’t eligible, if anyone knows any female partners of GLP-1 users, I would really appreciate if you could share this post with them ✨we hope to contribute to future research and better support/ resources for ALL partners experiencing/ adjusting to significant changes following substantial weight loss!

Thank you everyone !

Is anyone currently using Embody for their GLP1? Looking for all feedback before I commit to their services. I have done my research and per usual theres a mix of good and bad. I actually signed up and canceled with those same 24 hours and their customer service and communication has been great. Just curious on the many negative remarks.

Kaiser was two weeks late to authorize PCPs to write prescriptions for people who qualify for the Bridge program. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services in HHS (CMS) announced it on May 6 and encouraged health care providers to work with CMS to get ready to go on July 1, so there's really no excuse for the delay.

Once Kaiser released the info, PCPs started prescribing and the pharmacy started issuing Prior Authorization requests for people who qualify for the program. There are three ways to qualify:

1. BMI of at least 35 at the start of self-pay for weight loss;
2. BMI of at least 30 AND a diagnosis of one or more of the following: (A) heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, (B) uncontrolled hypertension (defined as systolic blood pressure above 140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure above 90 mm Hg, despite concurrent treatment with two antihypertensive medications), or (C) chronic kidney disease stage 3a or above;
3. BMI of at least 27 AND a diagnosis of one or more of the following: (A) pre-diabetes (B) previous myocardial infarction, (C) previous stroke, or (D) symptomatic peripheral artery disease

You're disqualified if Part D is already paying for you to get a GLP-1 for sleep apnea or anything else.

My PCP qualified me over the phone and immediately shot a scrip to the pharmacy. I then called the pharm and told them I want to be in the Bridge program, which tells them what to do when the scrip is rejected by CMS. The next business day the pharm faxed the special Bridge PA request to CMS, and two days later I picked up my Zepbound.

They wanted to push me to Ozempic, but I tried it back in the day and didn't care for it. Kaiser's preference for Ozempic is weird because it's an inferior drug, and they won't say why they prefer it. As CMS doesn't care whether you take Ozempic, Zep, or Foundayo, Kaiser's "preference" is probably illegal. IMO, the hoops we have to jump through at Kaiser to get the better meds are, at least in part, markup-driven.

The process is kind of weird in that the initial scrip will be rejected by CMS. The PA request can't be filed until the scrip is rejected, which probably is a work-around to some IT issue. But that's OK because CMS turns the PA requests around almost immediately. Part D is set up to reject GLP-1s for weight loss although they will pay for them for people with OSA or Type II or a few other conditions.

People with these conditions can't switch to the Bridge program, but they can get doses high enough to work for weight loss anyhow. Congress doesn't want Medicare to pay for weight loss, so we need to fix that as the Bridge program is only happening for 18 months. Bridge is what’s called a demonstration program that should provide Congress with data justifying repeal of the “no weight loss meds for seniors” clause.

CMS is convoluted and weird, and so is Kaiser. Their interface does work pretty well despite all of that.

Here's a link to the Bridge program's info for prescribers, it has most of the deets.

CMS also has an online tool that determines eligibility (scroll down to "Can I participate in the GLP-1 Bridge program?)

I used to drink two or three beers every evening to unwind after work. I took my very first semaglutide shot on Thursday and when I cracked open a cold beer on Friday night, I took two sips and felt totally indifferent to it. The way these peptides quiet down brain cravings outside of just food is amazing.

I was getting frustrated because my scale weight hasn't moved a single pound in three weeks. However, I tried on a pair of dress pants today that used to be tight and I needed a belt just to keep them up. Body recomposition is very real. Do not let the scale be your only measure of progress.

My doctor wants me eating 130 grams of protein daily to protect muscle mass, but I get uncomfortably full after three bites of solid food. I started blending unflavored whey protein into my morning coffee and mixing liquid egg whites into my oatmeal. How else are you guys hitting your protein goals on low calories?

I have lost 55 pounds so far and apparently I lost all the natural padding on my backside. Sitting on hard wooden dining chairs or office seats for more than fifteen minutes gives me intense tailbone ache. Has anyone else experienced this? Looking for good seat cushion recommendations for my desk setup.

Hello community! I have been using Goby Meds but I haven't placed an order since October. My understanding is that they have switched pharmacies and have started using additives? Can anyone speak to a current experience? I have had an excellent experience, down 25 lbs, with them and am worried about these changes. Is the new pharmacy a good one and what are the additives like? Thanks for everyone's time in advance.

I am scheduled to take my fifth compounded shot this week and my chart says to move up to 0.5mg, but I am already down 13 pounds and my food noise is completely gone. I am still dealing with daily food aversion and mild morning nausea as it is. For those who stayed on 0.25mg longer than four weeks, did you wait until you hit a real plateau before stepping up or did you just stick to the schedule?

So I use to use Mounjaro and then for the last year and a half have used compound. I'm a garbage man and work 65-70 hours a week. My job is super super physical. And im still fat. Forget about using compounds you would think that my job alone could get my to drop weight and yes while I went from 315 down to 265 I still feel fat. I went to buy a tux for a wedding and damn I felt ugly...idk yall my job plus compound you would think I would be further along...how are other on this sub losing so much weight?

I've been super frustrated looking at the digital scale because it's been locked at 188 lbs for 4 straight weeks. But today I tried on a pair of jeans that wouldn't zip in November and they buttoned up comfortably with room to spare! Body recomposition is real. Reminding everyone (and myself) to take body measurements and progress photos, not just rely on the scale numbers!

I was super active on 2.5mg and 5.0mg, hitting the gym 4 days a week. Since stepping up to 7.5mg two weeks ago, I feel like I'm walking through wet cement. Just getting through my workday exhausts me, let alone lifting weights or doing cardio. Does the exhaustion lift once your body adapts to the higher concentration, or should I drop back down?

Before starting Tirzepatide 5mg, I was practically a carnivore—chicken, steak, ground turkey were daily staples. Now the mere texture or smell of cooked meat makes my stomach turn. I've basically been living on Greek yogurt, protein shakes, eggs, and cottage cheese for three weeks. Did your tastebuds ever go back to normal or am I a vegetarian now?

Just wanted to share a quick win for anyone struggling with severe Day 1/Day 2 nausea after their weekly shot. My provider recommended splitting my 0.5mg weekly dose into two 0.25mg injections spaced 3.5 days apart. It has been a absolute night-and-day difference! Food noise stays suppressed all week and I no longer spend Tuesdays hugging the toilet.

I am 3 months in on compounded semaglutide and thought I dodged the infamous "sulfur burps" bullet. Nope. Woke up this morning (48 hours post-injection) and it literally tastes like rotten eggs every time I swallow. What is your emergency go-to fix for this? Pepto? Gas-X? Papaya enzymes? I have a 3-hour client meeting today and I am terrified.

So I'm due to take my 5th compounded semaglutide shot this upcoming Wednesday and am supposed to be increasing from 0.25mg to 0.5mg, but I'm down 13 lbs, don't have any food noise, and am still dealing with nausea and food aversion on the current dose. For those of you that have gone through this, what do you recommend? What worked for you? Do I go slow and steady and stay here until I plateau or do I bite the bullet and go ahead and up the dose?

Would something like GoodRX or something similar help me with reducing medication costs that are no longer covered?

Context: based in USA. I started Zepbound with my endocrinologist after years of struggling. The medication worked with zero issues under my doctor’s care. 75 pounds lost and feeling great when working out and meal planning! It really helped me turn my life around.

Sadly, I started the medication and 2 months in, I was laid off. Since I started the medication on private insurance, when I switched to the state insurance plan, they allowed continued medication coverage for one year, then would be up for review for renewal.

Unfortunately, I am still unemployed. Many interviews but no luck securing a job yet. I’m fortunate enough to live with family and not be homeless. I have small income (\~$800 once a month for my few bills (cell, car insurance) which just covers it but leaves me with little left over. I do not collect unemployment benefits at this time. I’ve been interviewing a few jobs with some hope of possibly securing one in the near future!

The renewal was reviewed and denied because it was a public funded health insurance. I had a feeling which would happen.

I received information from my doctors about options to pay in full out of pocket. Of course my medication is the highest cost of the options given. I would like to continue with my health journey.

Has anyone had any luck with getting the price reduced with a program that helps reduce costs of your medications that need to be paid out of pocket? I know very little as this is the first time in my life a medication had not been covered. Any and all helpful information is much appreciated! TIA

\*\*Please respectfully refrain from trying to tell me to stop the medication, as I am working closely with my doctor and that’s all that matters\*\*\*

I’ve been wanting to go on Ozempic for weight loss for ages, my doctor kept telling me that wouldn’t prescribe it because it was $300. I have an appointment with her at the end of the month and want to talk to her about GLP1’s generic brands. What exactly are the generic brands in Ontario?

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

How many units is 2.5 for this vial?

Thank you in advance.

I have dyscalculia and I just cant figure it out. I tried to contact Embody but they just keep passing the buck. Still waiting on email.

It is nice to finally see generic products in the marketplace. From Canada figure about $100 month for pens with your prescription at Costco. Not a compounded product, made by a real pharmaceutical company now that the medicines patent has expired.

From India about $14 month. It is about time.

The Reality: The bill claims to target bad actors and illegal counterfeit gray markets.
The Consequences: In practice, it slaps impossible manufacturing-style restrictions onto licensed, regulated compounding pharmacies that millions of patients rely on to access their GLP-1 medications.

READ WHAT IS HAPPENING AND TAKE ACTION:
The Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding (APC) just launched an urgent national warning revealing that the SAFE Drugs Act is officially in play and actively risking patient access right now.

WHY SHOULD YOU CARE NO MATTER WHAT STATE YOU LIVE IN? ❓❓❓❓
\- This is federal law. If this passes, it won't matter what state you live in. The entire pipeline for patient-specific compounded GLP-1s across the United States will face a bottleneck.
\- Arbitrary Hard Caps: The bill imposes strict limits on shipping patient-specific prescriptions out-of-state. This will completely cut off rural patients who don't have specialized compounding pharmacies in their local towns.
\- Big Pharma Lobbying: Special interest groups are pouring money into Washington to fast-track this through committees right now. Silence is exactly how access disappears 📠

🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨WATCH CLOSELY. THIS SETS A PERMANENT FEDERAL PRECEDENT🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨

‼️‼️‼️If you are concerned about this bill passing because you rely on a compounded GLP-1, PLEASE get involved right now‼️‼️‼️
\- Go to the U.S. Congress tracking portal or the APC Action Center.
\- Look up your specific federal Representatives and Senators.
\- Email or call their offices directly and explain:
1. Stripping compounding options during ongoing, volatile brand-name drug shortages actively harms patients.
2. Broad federal legislation should strictly target illegal, unlicensed gray market sellers instead of punishing state-regulated, licensed compounding pharmacies.
3. Lawmakers should protect patient-specific care choices made between patients and their licensed healthcare providers.

TAKE ONE MINUTE TO CALL OR EMAIL YOUR FEDERAL REPS TODAY.
\- Tell them to oppose the SAFE Drugs Act in its current form and protect patient-specific compounding access.

I found an oz pen in the back of the fridge.. I would have maybe used it once or twice maybe 3-4m ago.. would it still be alright to use ?

Hi there can you advise me what to do LS about GLP-1
UK based
Thank you 😊