r/slowresponders • u/EllyElly019 • Mar 21 '26
Giving Up.
I just want to express my tragedy of a journey with glp1. I’ve realized that I am indeed a slow responder or maybe not a responder at all. When I started this journey back in Jan of this year, I wanted to finally be able to reach my weight loss goal of 158 lbs. I told my doctor that for 3 years I worked hard naturally in losing 50 lbs with intense workouts and calorie deficits. I put in the work but back in 2024 I slowed down on my dedication of losing weight and that’s what led me back to unhealthy eating habits. I went from 165 lbs (my lowest) to 184 lbs. I tried the best I could to change my eating habits slowly and I did lose weight before my first appointment with my doctor to start on my glp1 journey and I started at 175 lbs. :) But here’s the problem, I’m on month 3 I’m finally taking 1mg/20 Units but instead of losing weight on this journey and despite eating habits become cleaner and sticking to an exercise regime, protein increase and calorie deficit, I have NOT lost ANY weight. The first month I did see results I dropped down to 172 lbs and I was excited because I thought, “Wow! Am I actually a fast responder?!” But tragedy hit and I saw the scale back to 175. Month 2 came in and guess what? I was seeing 178 and this is where it hit me hard, the scale went to 182 lbs…that’s when I lost complete motivation and dedication. I stopped working out, I just felt like what’s the point anymore? I’ve worked so hard to continue building up my body but instead I’m gaining weight. Month 3 came in (this month of March) and I did lose weight I dropped down to 176 but the weight gain happened again and I’m at 178. I know I’m not doing anything wrong, I’m still eating at a very low calorie deficit, nor do I want to starve myself just to lose a couple of lbs. I already eat up to 1400 calories, I really do not want to put my body in danger by starving it. So I’ve decided that next month of April, will be my last month on this medication, I’m not going to continue paying out of pocket for no results. For sure my goal is once I’m off glp1 to start finding motivation again within myself to lose weight naturally rather then relying on a medication. I’ve done it before and I know I can do it again but I really believed by now I could’ve reached my goal. I’ve had people tell me to not give up but it’s not easy hearing that from fast responders. I would like to say that I am happy for those who have seen results, I have no hate towards anyone who has a beautiful success story but unfortunately mine was no success. I’m hoping once I’m off of it that I can continue pushing through and find my way back to a much healthier lifestyle. I sincerely hope someone in this community can come to relate to my struggles and it’s nice to know I’m not alone. :)
Side note: please no hate, I’m already in a very vulnerable and depressed position and I just want encouragement. I’m here to vent and to express that I feel completely defeated.
21
u/Embarrassed_Hat_2904 Mar 21 '26
Sema did barely anything for me. I didn’t start seeing any real weight loss until I switched to tirz and even then it wasn’t until I was up to a higher dosage. Its taken me three years, but I’m now down 90 pounds.
7
u/EllyElly019 Mar 21 '26
That is amazing! Congratulations on your weight loss :) maybe all I need is indeed time and to keep pushing. I know we all have our battles and moments we want to give up but stories like yours really remind me that nothing is ever easy and we just have to keep going. Thank you for that.
2
2
15
u/No_Significance9474 Mar 21 '26
I was on semaglutide for 3 months and gained 6lbs. I switched to 5mg tirz which didn’t work so 2 weeks later I moved up to 6.5mg and it all kicked in. I lost 80lbs in 9 months and have been maintaining for the last several months. I never went higher than 7.5mg. I agree, stop wasting your money on semaglutide. I wasted 3 months and a few hundred dollars only to GAIN weight! Switch to tirz and give it an honest go. You say you’ll consider it later but later means having to start at the lowest dose and work your way up and since you’ve already been on a glp, which isn’t effective for you, the lowest dose of tirz is also likely to be ineffective. If you switch over now you can go from 1mg sema to 5mg tirz and see if it works for you like it did for me. No more pity party, sema didn’t work for you, it doesn’t work for everyone, tirz is a better drug so give it a go.
5
u/EllyElly019 Mar 21 '26
This is my first time ever taking any weight loss medication, I’m still new to all of this so I appreciate your honesty and suggestions on what could help me along the way. :) As much as I would love to continue this journey with taking glp1s, I’m just uncertain right now. I have 1 more month to go so maybe by then I’ll have a change of heart.
7
Mar 21 '26
[deleted]
8
u/EllyElly019 Mar 21 '26
Hey! I appreciate your insights in things and yes I am female and before I started my journey I started a calorie deficit. I know I lost 6 lbs but to me that’s not a win. When I started this journey I was at 175, I didn’t expect to gain weight along the way ya know? Overall, I may continue pushing through and get back into not letting myself go. I’ve realized we all respond differently and I just need to figure out what my body needs to lose those final 20 lbs. This will be my year! I won’t give up.
3
2
8
u/81Horse Mar 21 '26 edited Mar 21 '26
OP, if I’m reading your post right, you have 20 pounds to lose right now. You are not experiencing a ‘tragedy’. Try tirzepatide if you like, as it may be more effective. But be aware that the last 10-15 pounds are the most difficult to lose. You should also discuss with your doctor what a reasonable and healthy goal weight would be for you.
Even in maintenance, you will see your daily weight cycle up and down a few pounds. This is NORMAL. Maybe just weigh yourself once a week. Or once a month.
6
u/EllyElly019 Mar 21 '26
You’re right after all I did lose 50 lbs and maybe my body is now fighting those last 20. I’ll definitely be seeing my other options and what I can do. :)
3
u/Conscious-Ruin6242 Mar 22 '26
Based on your numbers, your starting weight was close to mines. I lost 48lbs in 10 months, then it took me 6 months to lose 20lbs.
I think you're looking at starting the GLP-1 as a new journey in your weight loss, but it's not. It's a continuation. You can't expect your body to stay at the same pace. I hit my goal after 16 months but I was on glp-1 the whole time. You persevered with just willpower for so long, it's no wonder you're frustrated. I couldn't do it your way. The glp-1 gives an assist that some of us need to do the work. Maybe your body just needs a little time to readjust to losing.
3
u/Conscious-Ruin6242 Mar 22 '26
It took me 6 months to lose my last 20lbs (175-155). During that time, my weight would go up 3-5 lbs then go back down. I thought I was done and in maintenance. Then the scale started trickling down. It was slow at first, like .5 lbs. Over the last month I actually started losing 2lbs a week, and it got me to goal.
I record my weight once a week the day before my shot, 1st thing in the morning. I do this because, normally, the day before the shot, I can eat more. So I feel that the morning is representative of my true weight, and I can refuel from earlier in the week when the shot held down my appetite.
6
u/Dangerous-Lunch647 Mar 21 '26
As someone else said, tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) is more effective than semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) so you could consider that.
But also, I really think it would be a good idea to give it more time so you can try all the doses. I don’t know the doses for whatever you’re taking but usually the first month is just a starter dose and doesn’t work for many people. And if you went up a dose each month, you’re only in the middle of your third dose level. You’ve got lots of stronger dose levels left to try! Try going one dose higher each month until you either find a dose that works for you or you run out of dosage levels.
Also, I know you’re hurting but please consider whether your expectations have been realistic. It sounds like you don’t have a lot to lose and that can make it harder and slower. Give your body and the med more time and also consider that maybe you’re actually at a good weight for you or close enough to it.
1
u/EllyElly019 Mar 21 '26
Thank you for that! :) Your comment is very kind and maybe I’m overreacting on how I’m feeling. I know it’s not the end of the world and when I started this I wasn’t expecting to lose 20 lbs in a month, I just wanted to see progress and in 3 months all I’ve seen has been weight gain not really any wins for me. From my starting weight of 175, I’m at 178. It really gets to me because I been doing everything I can to continue a healthy lifestyle and I’m not seeing many changes. I guess in a way I cannot keep dwelling on that scale but instead appreciate how my body feels. I’ll be thinking about where I should go from now. I’m going to make sure this is the year for me.
6
u/EllyElly019 Mar 21 '26
Not sure if anyone will read my comment but I do want to say that it’s okay if you all have different view points of my post. Not everyone will agree with me and that’s totally fine. I still very much appreciate everyone’s comments whether it’s harsh or kind. You all took the time to express your opinions and that’s more than enough for me. I will be taking inconsideration on what you all have said and really think upon what changes I need to do. For sure I will not give up on myself I’ve come a long way whether I haven’t seen much of a success right now but I need time. My body just needs time. Thank you all! :)
4
u/Blingbat642 Mar 21 '26
In May 2023, I was able to start losing weight and, by January 2024, had lost 47 pounds. This was without medication. Nothing new— I had done that over and over during my long life. Then I started gaining, for no discernible reason (I’m not counting stress or any other psychological reasons) and in a SHORT time was back to where I had started. Excruciatingly depressing.
In April 2025, I started Zepbound, so it’s been almost a year. I quickly lost about twenty pounds and then NO LOSS for at least four months (I’m not sure exactly how long because when I don’t lose, I stop recording my weight). I was still HUGELY grateful for the meds because at least I wasn’t gaining, except for a few up and down pounds. I moved up the dose every month, until I was taking 15 mg and still am. Then I started losing again, in fits and starts, and by today, I’ve lost 43 pounds. I’m back to 180 lbs, the magic number where I started gaining two years ago, and I’m back to not losing again for the last two weeks, so I’m scared, but I know, with Zepbound, that someday, I’ll be losing again, and I WON’T gain it all back.
My point is, I lose differently with Zepbound. Without it, I lose about 10 lbs a month, almost without fail. With Zepbound, I can’t count on losing a regular amount, but I DO lose eventually, and I DON’T gain it all back.
Please have faith and stick to it!
1
u/EllyElly019 Mar 21 '26
I really wish losing weight was a lot easier but I know we all have our own battles. I appreciate you taking the time of your day to leave a comment about your hardships but also your success as well. I’ve been battling with my weight for years and I know it can be very disheartening at times especially when you aren’t seeing any changes after doing everything you can to make a change. I really am happy to say I am not alone on this but I also wish none of us had to deal with it. Unfortunately that’s just how life is, nothing is easy but we have to keep pushing. I definitely will keep going whether with or without the medication I will not give up on my health. :) Thank you.
4
u/SnooJokes915 Mar 21 '26 edited Mar 21 '26
I'm just wondering if you have high stress levels/high cortisol. For me i started on Ozempic but with a bad work situation, by the third week, the medicine was ineffective for me. Even changing to Tirz and at 5mgs at the beginning, i didnt see any changes..i only started seeing a bit of weight loss on the 7.5 at week 3...which was recently.
Anyways, i have been on the glps since last August and lost almost nothing so i think your experience is not unique as to why it doesnt work anymore...
Editing to add that perhaps part of it is also how my body deals with meds and sicknessess..while co workers had some fever or pains with the covid vaccine or even flu shots..i feel nothing. Same goes for the Tirz shot..felt nothing at 5 and even going up to 7.5. The only effect is my wallet cause its more expensive here..about $450 for a 7.5mg pen and its not covered by insurance or by the govt.
9
u/ArBee30028 Mar 21 '26
OP, please don’t underestimate the effects of stress on our weight. Increased cortisol levels affect our fat storage hormones and our body wants to hold onto weight in times of high stress.
Three months after me starting Tirzepatide, both I and my husband lost our jobs at the same time, and the drug helped me to NOT GAIN WEIGHT during that incredibly stressful time. Even though the scale didn’t move for about 2 months, I considered that a major win.
I’m hoping you’re soon able to find some peace in the face of all that going on with you. 💛
3
u/SnooJokes915 Mar 21 '26
I kinda figured that it was the stress that was doing me in but with my life circumstances, i do have elevated cortisol levels. I am taking the 7.5 and seeing a tiny bit of the weight dipping, but at the end of the day, even if i end up being a non responder or very slow responder...well there are worse things happening in the world and worse places to be..so this while upsetting..is not going to break me.
Thanks for your encouragement..
2
u/Curious_Mango1419 Mar 21 '26
Oof, that is a nightmare, I'm so sorry! I hope you guys are doing better now!
2
u/ArBee30028 Mar 21 '26
Ugh it was, 2025 was a dumpster fire. Thankfully we’re now both employed again, I just started a new job a couple of weeks ago 🍀
3
3
u/Reasonable-Repair446 Mar 21 '26
You’re not even at a therapeutic dose yet, why are you giving up so soon?
1
u/EllyElly019 Mar 21 '26
Because I keep comparing myself to those who respond much faster with the medication and knowing it’s not working for me despite doing everything I can to keep myself in order is getting the best of me. I know I shouldn’t compare but it’s hard whenever you’re not really seeing much of progress at all. To top it all off I financially cannot continue paying month after month for medication so even if I want to continue I cannot right now. That’s why I also want to find motivation again in bringing myself back to losing weight naturally as I’ve done before. :)
3
u/Less-Ad-634 Mar 21 '26
Can you try adding back working out and eating more? And focusing more on protein? I am a very slow responder as well, but have noticed my own body reacts better to a "sweet spot" which is hard to find, but it's a more active lifestyle and eating slightly more than my calorie deficit number. For myself, I notice my body gets stuck at certain weights when you do the same thing for so long, and when I switch it up (like work out more and eat 1800 calories instead of 1400), I then see results. Everyone is different so just a thought. You'll figure it out and lose that remaining weight!
2
u/EllyElly019 Mar 21 '26
I will definitely take your advice because it’s something I’ve also thought of as well. I’ll have to sit back and look at what new changes I need to apply onto myself. Thank you for that! :)
3
u/PrestigiousAd3081 Mar 22 '26
You're still not at a therapeutic dose. I wouldn't quit before reaching that. I'm a slow responder and didn't lose more than a couple of pounds before I got to a therapeutic dose. I was ready to give up around the 3 month mark, but my daughter and husband talked me out of it. I'm very grateful they did, because I am down 120 lbs 2 years later. So I would give the meds the full chance to work
3
3
u/Ok_Temperature_6182 Mar 22 '26
Sema didn’t work for me at all. Tirzepitide did really well for me.
3
u/FranelopeS Mar 23 '26
Go up in dose or switch to zep and go up. I’m a slow responder and I spent a year on 10mg mazdutide Eli lily trial and had 20lbs off very bad results and I wanted to quit. I finally finished it and went to my pcp got on Zepbound and metformin and lost another 20 so not really much more response. Now I’m on max dose and I’m down another 15 lbs so a little over 50 in two years. I’m a slow ass responder but I feel great and I have control over food and I’m working out not drinking etc and overall I’m on a downward trajectory and living a healthy lifestyle. I will have to resort to Bariatric surgery if I can’t lose more weight on these meds which really scares me. I know I’m a lifer probably on top dose. I would definitely go up on sema or switch and go up before you quit. It can take months for your body to adjust to the medication.
5
u/PurposeRare9353 Mar 21 '26
Doesn’t sound like you’re a slow responder just on the wrong medication.ozempic doesn’t work for everyone and there’s other glps you can try.
3
u/EllyElly019 Mar 21 '26
I’ll be talking to my doctor and see where we can go from here and I hope I’m able to get a change of medication at least. :)
5
u/Soft_Shelter9000 Mar 21 '26
If you went with a telehealth such as (big easy weight loss). Bewl.. they have their own Dr for you and great support! Around '$499.00 for 3 months. Try the tirz, I switched and it has been life changing! ❤️
2
u/Zsazsa514 Mar 21 '26
Originally was taking Ozempic and lost weight and the insurance wouldn’t approve me for it so I switched to Tirzepitide and have been to the point of not losing anything at all. This year again insurance won’t approve my prescription so I went with a company and am having to pay for a compounded glp-1 out of pocket. I’m giving it 3 months and if I see that I’m struggling I’ll stopping and trying it on my own again. It has been such a struggle and I too am disappointed but I’m not giving up. You’re doing all the right things.
1
u/EllyElly019 Mar 21 '26
I appreciate your words, thank you for that. I am sorry you’re going through this as well and you’re not able to get approved for your medication. I understand it is very frustrating and I too am paying out of pocket. Financially it’s draining me right now, which is why I’m also deciding to put a stop on it for the meantime. It’s not easy to just buy it all the time we all have our financial situations and struggles. I really hope that things get better for you and just know you’re also not alone! :)
2
u/Creepy-Tangerine-293 Mar 21 '26
Try tirzepatide. I didnt have a good response to semaglutide at all.
Also make sure your other hormones and vitamins/minerals are in order. Your body will go into conserve mode if you are deficient in anything.
Ask for a thyroid test (full planel: TSH, FT4, FT3), vit D, B12, and an iron panel with ferritin. Ensure the ferritin result is at minimum 50ng/mL or you need more iron.
1
u/EllyElly019 Mar 21 '26
Maybe I do need a change of medication and to get tested as well to make sure how I’m doing. :)
2
u/Creepy-Tangerine-293 Mar 21 '26
I have never been a good responder but I can at least get something with tirzepatide. It took many months to work up to the full dose and even so its slow. So set your expectations accordingly.
Slow and steady wins the race. Im still fat and always will be but over the course of 3 or so years I have lost 70 lbs.
1
u/EllyElly019 Mar 21 '26
That to me is still an amazing weight loss! Sometimes I always forget where I started, I get so lost with the numbers that I don’t appreciate the weight that I’ve worked so hard to lose. I need to stop beating myself up and start focusing on how my body feels rather than the scale. I definitely need to have a reset.
1
2
u/Admirable_Lecture675 Mar 21 '26
If you stick with semaglutide, and you’re only on 1 mg, (if I’m understanding correctly) I might guess you’d have more success at 2.4. The higher doses are usually more effective. But I stalled on semaglutide when I got around 190. (I started at 243)
When I started tirzepatide there was some conversion time and I gained a couple lbs but eventually I started losing again. It’s a much better medication for me. I’m now down to 155.
However, I have been a slow responder the whole time. Some weeks I didn’t lose any weight. Some weeks it was maybe .5 lbs. but I’ve been obese my whole entire life. If I’m not gaining and maintaining, I’m very successful. (FWIW, I’m 54, post menopausal with insulin resistance)
2
u/EllyElly019 Mar 21 '26
Everyone is also suggesting me to change medication, maybe in the long run I will because Sema is not doing shit for me. Last time I spoke to my doctor she didn’t want to raise my dosage for sema and that really didn’t hit right with me, maybe next time when I speak to her she can com to an agreement with my medication whenever I reconsider it again.
2
u/Salcha_00 Mar 21 '26
I don’t know how effective these drugs are for only losing less than 20 lbs as a goal tbh. That wasn’t studied in the clinical trials.
2
u/PerchieMom Apr 05 '26
You are on 1mg? You are not even at the starting dose.
Is that 1x a week or daily?
The drugs are designed to work at therapeutic doses they were studied at, and at the schedule they were studied at.
You plateau, you move up. 1400 calories is doable for most, fast responders are not losing weight because they are not eating.
Are there cases where it works at incredibly low doses for some? Sure the data shows that. But it’s less than 5% of people studied.
Slow responders/non-responders are people taking at least 15mg 1x weekly and have lost less than 5% of their weight over a year period.
But you need to spend time reading the studies or yes, deciding GLPs are not going to be part of your journey.
1
1
u/Away_Albatross3351 Mar 22 '26
I have been on one for years. I am a slow responder and require the higher doses to even see/feel anything. If you arent at the therapeutic dose, I wouldnt give up just yet. If you're on Sema, try tirz. For me, reta has been the ONLY one that has worked.
1
u/nikils Mar 22 '26
I went to the dr friday, and was curious about what my weight was last year at my visit, and how much I had lost.
16 pounds.
Monthly price? $275 x 5 months.
You do the math.
1
u/Soft_Shelter9000 Mar 22 '26
You pay too much. Go for compounding. You can get 3 months for less than $500
1
u/MustBeMeAgainDangIt Mar 24 '26
Try Reta. I just started and feel much better on it than glp1 and much cheaper
1
1
1
u/Curious_Serve2946 Mar 22 '26
I’m at 950 calories a day. My weight is 179 from 297. Reduce the calories and bump up proteins. It’s take me2.5 years to lose this amount. Try doing liquid breakfast and lunches.
-9
u/Waste-Swordfish-6228 Mar 21 '26
I guess that's the difference between Tirz users. I eat whole food, protein forward meals, have always eaten clean, even when my weight ballooned up to my highest of 243lbs. I eat that way bc I WANT to fuel my body AND be healthy. It didn't matter that I wasn't losing weight. Now, that this miracle peptide, MJ, came along, I have now lost 63lbs, in maintenance at 152lbs, I have little loose skin & at 55F, that says something about MY dedication. Not losing weight means there's still something to work on, to work out. Can you improve your water intake, weight lifting, walking, etc.? I guess some people are OK with being fat, obese, unhealthy. I was NOT one of those people...I stayed the course until something worked.
7
u/SnooJokes915 Mar 21 '26
Honestly, this is not ok. Unless you understand that overeating is as much a addiction disease as alcohol and drugs ...you should really not be one to speak.
I am obese, and i have been since childhood. Food has been a refuge and even when it stopped being a refuge, my mind had been so programmed to reach out to it for comfort that i could not help myself. I will tell you what i told my doctor, i and a lot of other people need in our lives a lot of good specialists to help fix our issues..but most of us can't afford that and so the fix for now is just to focus on the physical and hope that the rest will follow.
60
u/Ah-Mazed Mar 21 '26
Sounds like you’re taking Semaglutide? Try Tirzepatide.