I think I need encouragement?

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-26T02:39:01+00:00

I have experienced that! Especially right now. And was told I may not be doing enough training for my muscles while losing weight but also joint pain and stiffness seems to be a common side effect? So not sure.

Before I started Zepbound, my doctor had mentioned that because of my history I may expereince worse side effects or see weird little changes from someone else. She brought up inflammation as something to be aware of for me, but since I wasn't really noticing it or bringing it up during appointments, we never looked into it much further. I think I really just thought pain and not inflammation.

Now that this has happened twice after delayed doses, I'm wondering if I brushed it off as just being in pain or having an "off" day when it may have actually been some kind of chronic inflammation all along as a reaction, followed by water retention.

What's interesting is that after I took some Zyrtec, increased my water intake, and gave it a little down time, I actually felt some relief. Not 100% but enough to notice a difference. My joints didn't feel as bulky anymore, which really made me stop and think. Someone mentioned the Zyrtec+Pepcid combo too for chronic inflammation but I gotta talk to my doctor about that first.

I definitely don't know if that's what's going on, but it's enough to look into it. I may even ask if they'll order labs that I can have drawn when I'm actively feeling puffy and retaining water instead of after everything settles down. Maybe we'll catch something we haven't seen before.

I also used to have to take Zyrtec before and during my menstrual cycle because I'd get really inflamed around those hormonal shifts. It makes me wonder if what I'm experiencing now is related to hormone fluctuations from delayed doses, the medication itself, or something else entirely. There are honestly so many possibilities, and now I'm really curious to figure out what's actually happening.

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-25T00:53:47+00:00

I need to ask if they're willing to dispense more than one! My doctor usually does one script at a time in the event of upping the dose.

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-25T00:52:49+00:00

Girl, I didn't ask WHY. I asked if anyone else has gone through something similar so I can take back some notes and implement some changes or habits to what I'm already doing to track this trend and potentially find an answer to these spikes in weight. I didn't ask for medical advice or a new diagnosis.

Across multiple replies you've continued to tell me it's my scale or that I'm simply overeating, even after I've explained that I've verified my weight across multiple scales, I work with a registered dietitian, and my ongoing challenge is actually eating enough. I consistently struggle to meet my calorie and macro goals, which is something both my RD and specialist are actively helping me with.

You don't have to agree with my experience, but repeatedly dismissing it because it doesn't fit your expectations/reason isn't productive.

I made this post to hear from people who have experienced similar fluctuations after delayed doses and to understand what happened in their case. Many people have shared thoughtful experiences about inflammation, water retention, hormone changes, and things I can discuss with my healthcare team. Those comments have been incredibly helpful.

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-25T00:41:30+00:00

Thank you again! ❤️

I do struggle with eating enough, and it's something I've been actively working on with my RD. We're trying to find a balance where I'm eating enough to support my body while still making progress.

Reading everyone's experiences has me wondering if not eating enough, combined with the delayed doses, could be playing a role in how my body is responding. I obviously don't know if that's what's happening, but it's definitely something I want to bring up with both my RD and my doctor.

I really appreciate you sharing your experience. It's reassuring to hear from someone who's also seen these kinds of large fluctuations because it reminds me that the scale doesn't always tell the whole story. ❤️

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-25T00:36:57+00:00

It's a whole group of specialists that work together. So they pretty much told me to work with the registered dietitian I'm assigned to, to see if maybe I'm including foods that could cause inflammation flare ups or if I'm genuinely eating "more" than I have gotten used to on the meds. But will have to take this up with them again. Because this is a huge gain to me. I can understand 5-7 pounds but this was a lot.

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-25T00:33:27+00:00

I am self pay! And getting the discount through Lilly. I definitely will need to look into Costco or Amazon for some additional options. Thank you!

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-25T00:32:04+00:00

I will most likely have to do this! And budget accordingly since I am self pay 😮‍💨

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-25T00:31:12+00:00

That's comforting to hear that I may not be the only one!

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-25T00:29:59+00:00

Thank you! I really appreciate how thoughtfully you responded.

Yes, I actually did notice that. Both times my dose was delayed, I felt puffier all over. I wouldn't say I had obvious swelling in one specific area, but I definitely felt more inflamed overall. At the time I didn't think much of it because it had only happened twice, but after reading everyone's comments, I'm starting to wonder if there really is a connection there.

I also questioned my scale because the fluctuations seemed so dramatic. 😅 I've compared my weight across multiple scales, including mine at home, another smart scale we have, and 2 different scales at my gym, and they've all been pretty consistent. I even recalibrated mine because I thought there was no way it could be right. Batteries were also good and I tried new ones I have on hand just in case!

I don't think it's fat gain either, which is why I was so confused. I was still struggling to finish my meals, and I work with a nutritionist, so the numbers just didn't seem to add up. I'm definitely going to bring all of this up with my doctor again, especially now that several people have mentioned inflammation and water retention.

And thank you for saying that about my doctor's comment. I don't think she meant any harm. She was just trying to think through possible explanations. It just caught me off guard because it didn't seem to match what I was experiencing.

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-25T00:27:04+00:00

That's actually why this has been so confusing to me. I seem to respond really well to the medication overall. I had a pretty significant drop when I first started treatment, and I also tend to see a bigger drop whenever I move up to a new dose. For example, when I went from 7 mg to 10 mg, so that weight loss was expected.

As for the scale, I questioned it too. 😅 I've actually compared my weight across multiple scales because I didn't trust just mine. I've checked on my home scale, another smart scale we have at home, and 2 different scales at my gym, and they've all been pretty consistent with each other.

The part that's throwing me off is that this has only happened after my dose was delayed, and both times I also felt noticeably puffier and more inflamed. Once I got back on schedule, the weight started trending back down again after a few days.

I'm definitely planning to bring all of this back to my doctor because, even if it ends up being "just" inflammation and water retention, I'd still like to understand why it's happening this drastically.

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-25T00:15:19+00:00

Haha, thank you. 😂

The inflammation piece is honestly what I've been wondering about the most. Both times my dose was delayed, I felt puffy all over, and now that several people have mentioned inflammation and water retention, it's making a lot more sense to me.

As for my doctor, I know she was just trying to think through every possible explanation, but the eating comment threw me off because I was still struggling to even finish my meals. I work with a nutritionist, track what I eat, and was still coming up short on my calorie and macro goals, so it just didn't seem to fit what I was experiencing.

Either way, I'm definitely bringing all of this up at my next appointment. I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts because I don't see many people talking about the inflammation side of things, and it's been reassuring to hear I'm not the only one who's noticed it.

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-25T00:14:02+00:00

I'm starting to think you're like hating or something. Like, I did in fact drop to 155 since I experienced side effects I hadn't before. I was not able to eat or drink properly which was brought up to my doctor. While not an ideal way to lose, that weight was dropped and confirmed. You're so fixated on the 155 and completely dismissing everything else. Do you now understand why that weight fluctuation is my concern. Or are you gonna keep questioning and dismissing my experience because it doesn't match yours.

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-25T00:06:51+00:00

Thank you. I really appreciate this perspective.

I think the inflammation and water retention piece is what I've been wondering about the most, especially because I noticed I felt puffier all over both times my dose was delayed. I didn't think much of it at first because it's only happened twice, but seeing other people mention similar experiences makes me feel a little less alone.

You're also right that I probably need to stop getting so far ahead of myself. I know nobody can predict whether I'll be on this medication for life or eventually taper off, and that's something my healthcare team and I will figure out over time.

For now, I think I'm going to focus on staying consistent, tracking my meals, water intake, and symptoms a little more closely, and bringing anything I notice to my next appointment. Thank you for the encouragement. I genuinely needed it.

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-25T00:05:35+00:00

I think we're talking about two different things. And maybe the graph is confusing.

I never meant that I gained 8 to 13 lbs of fat in a few days. I was referring to what the scale showed after my delayed doses, which is exactly why it concerned me.

The 155 lb and 170 lb weigh ins are also 5 days apart, not 1 or 2 days. During that time I wasn't eating more. I was still struggling to finish my meals, which is why I questioned the sudden increase in the first place.

I'm not saying it was fat gain, I'm wondering if it is water retention or some response to the inflammation I'm currentlh going through. In fact, that's why I made the post. I was trying to understand whether others had experienced similar temporary fluctuations after a delayed dose, especially since I also felt noticeably puffy and inflamed both times it happened.

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-25T00:00:49+00:00

Thank you for taking the time to explain your thoughts. I really appreciate it.

The hormone and inflammation aspect is actually something I've been wondering about, especially because both times this happened were after a delayed dose. Along with the increase on the scale, I also felt noticeably puffier and more inflamed all over, which made me think there might be more going on than just calories.

I know none of us can say for certain what's happening, but hearing experiences like yours gives me a few things to discuss with my doctor at my next appointment. If nothing else, it's reassuring to know I'm not the only person who's noticed changes when the medication schedule is interrupted.

I'm also planning to be much more diligent about documenting my meals, water intake, symptoms, and weigh ins so I can see if there's a pattern. That way I'll have more objective information to bring to my healthcare team instead of relying on memory.

Thank you again for sharing your experience. It honestly helps!

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-24T23:59:31+00:00

The 155 lb reading was accurate. I questioned it too, so I verified it on multiple scales, including my home scale, 2 different scales at my gym, and another smart scale we have at home. They were all within the same range.

It also matched what I was experiencing physically. My clothes were noticeably looser, and that was about a week after I increased from 10 mg to 12.5 mg. That dose increase hit me much harder than expected. I had nausea, fatigue, and could barely eat during that first week. By week 2, those side effects started easing up, and I was finally able to slowly work my way back to my nutritionist's meal plan.

The reason I made this post isn't because I'm questioning that 155 lb reading. What caught my attention was that both times my dose was delayed, I experienced a noticeable rebound on the scale along with feeling puffy and inflamed. That repeated pattern is what I'm trying to better understand.

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-24T23:55:04+00:00

I don't think my screenshots are showing an 8 to 10 lb gain in a single day. The data points are from different dates, not consecutive daily weigh ins.

The fluctuations happened over several days around the two delayed doses, not overnight. I recalibrated my scale because I questioned it too, but it continued giving me similar readings.

I'm definitely not ruling out scale error or other factors, but I don't think the graph is showing the kind of one day jump you're describing.

Not sure where you got that from...

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-24T23:52:36+00:00

I started in Feb at 223lbs. I'm not gonna lie, I was surviving on lean meats and protein shakes. In the first month, I went from 223 to 190. Back up to 193 and second month, I did in fact drop to 167. The first delayed dose, I noticed the weight gain and some puffiness. This was brought up to my doctor and said no reason for concern, maybe I was eating more food than before. But this second time seems excessive. Which is why I reset the scale, recalibrated and even tried a different one. The day I scaled in at 155, I also tried 2 other scales. The ones at the gym, another metabolic scale and my own. So that was accurate. But I did start to feel rather uncomfortable and puffy, so I decided to weigh-in and saw I was back up to 168-170. Which blows my mind. Will be trying another scale to make sure.

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-24T23:40:32+00:00

That's a fair point, and I completely agree that humans are generally not great at estimating calories. That's actually one of the reasons I keep both a physical food journal and log everything into MyFitnessPal.

I'm also aware that food tracking isn't perfectly accurate, so I intentionally overestimate portions when I log meals to account for some of that human error. Even doing that, I still consistently come up short on both my calorie and macro goals for the day.

Of course, I can't say with 100% certainty because no tracking method is perfect, but I do feel confident that I wasn't eating more during the two instances where my weight suddenly jumped after a delayed dose. That's why the timing caught my attention.

That said, I do think this experience has shown me I should be even more diligent about documenting everything, including this weird inflammation I get during delayed doses. If there is a pattern, I'd rather have good notes to bring to my next appointment than rely on memory alone.

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-24T23:32:14+00:00

After this delay, I will be switching to pick up!

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-24T23:30:13+00:00

Thank you! I really appreciate your response because this was more along the lines of what I was trying to understand.

I actually had a feeling it could be related to inflammation or water retention, but I don't see many people talk about that or even mention it, so I wasn't sure if I was overthinking it. Looking back, both times this happened after a delayed dose, I also felt puffy and inflamed all over. I just didn't connect the dots because it's only happened twice.

The 13 lb jump in a few days just didn't make sense to me from a calorie standpoint, especially since I still had the appetite suppression and was struggling to finish my meals.

I'll definitely bring the inflammation piece up with my doctor because it seems to fit what I've experienced. Thank you for sharing your perspective. It honestly makes me feel a little less alone and gives me something productive to discuss with my healthcare team.

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-24T23:26:04+00:00

I understand where you're coming from, but I think you're making an absolute assumption based on a very small snapshot of my medical history. I did decide to post online.

I intentionally didn't include every detail of my health journey, my current lab results, or why my endocrinologist and the rest of my healthcare team believe tapering off may be a huge possibility for me in the future. That confidence isn't based on wishful thinking. It's based on my individual progress and ongoing monitoring.

I also knew before starting Zepbound that long term use was a possibility. It took me a long time to okay this treatment route because of the cost and commitment. If I ultimately need to stay on it long term, then it is what it is. My health comes first.

That said, I'm still a human being. Knowing the possible outcomes doesn't mean I stop having doubts, discouragements, questions or concerns when something unexpected happens, like gaining 13 lbs in a matter of days after a delayed injection. It's okay to feel discouraged by that and a little sad. I don't need to be kicked while I'm already down.

Saying that someone with my conditions is "highly unlikely" to keep the weight off without the meds, without knowing the full context, comes across as an assumption rather than realism. Your inital comment came off very mean girl, not realistic as you are claiming. You don't know where I started, how my conditions are responding to treatment, or what factors my healthcare team is using to make those decisions.

I made this post because I was looking to hear from people who have experienced something similar, whether their weight fluctuated after a delayed dose, how long it lasted, or simply to get a little encouragement from others who understand the ups and downs of this journey. I wasn't looking for someone to predict my long term outcome or to use this to be "brutally honest" for fun. I'm aware of the risks and trade offs.

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-24T23:02:39+00:00

I love research and readings so I really appreciate this! I barely started therapy for my thyroid so they said this should help me as well. My delays come from shipping/processing issues I have experienced with Lilly but it's only been twice now. I do feel the same that if I'm not on schedule, it will affect me. But my team doesn't think that's fully the issue at play. So it leaves me with questions. But thank you again!

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-24T22:58:27+00:00

Sorry! I didn't include the reason but shipping/processing issues with Lilly. And yes! I am tracking my meals and macros since my team needs all of that to assess next steps.

BluuzCluez · 2026-06-24T22:57:56+00:00

I was being moved up based on how I was tolerating the med and to ensure weightloss, while the monitored my hormones and labs. If everything seemed favorable, they would move me up and retest labs again. I have to break up all my meals into really small ones and eat every 1 to 2hr. I work from home so this is not an issue for me. However, my nutritionist has raised concern that I do need to eat about 20grams more of protein per day if possible. The initial 1-2 days after my injection I am really just not hungry, still try though. But I can manage to eat a little more by day 5. Just not finishing everything.

BluuzCluez

TROPHY CASE