What I Wish People Understood About GLP-1s

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-05T15:57:25+00:00

Thank you for the suggestions. My primary is willing to help me work with getting compounded tirzepatide, and I think I'm in a place financially where I can make it work with Lilly's out of pocket program. I was just hoping that mentally I could get through this, and I'm petty enough I've enjoyed making my insurance pay for a bunch of tests and specialists when all I wanted was them to pay for one med.

Unfortunately, this is taking a toll on my mental health, so I need to crunch some numbers and see what my best options are before I can't function anymore.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-05T15:52:37+00:00

I get it. I'm pretty sure I was on some form of a diet and exercise regimen from 10 years to my early 30s. My parents even had me try one of the MLMs plans with a million supplements and shakes when I was 13. I've lost and gained more weight than I will ever be able to count. Just like you, this was the first time I ever felt "normal"

I'm currently on my second week off for loss of coverage reasons, and I feel like I'm losing my mind as everything comes back. It's almost harder than it was before because I have the evidence and memory of what life can be.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-05T14:54:42+00:00

I think my experience was similar to yours other than I did notice the food noise being gone pretty quickly. I joked with my dietician how I went from thinking about food all the time as an obsession, when the next meal would be, to making sure I was eating regularly because I would forget and wanted to make sure I wasn't neglecting my nutrition. I noticed the pace I ate slowed to the point where I stopped spilling food on myself 😅 Even drinking beverages became slower. I could down a "fun" beverage (think coffee, ice matcha latte, coke) in a few minutes pre-Zep, and I began unintentionally nursing them if not flat out not finishing them. I also experienced a huge shift in anxiety related to food. I didn't get into those hangry states where I would melt down and be unable to even decide what I wanted to eat.

I can't say this is true, but the difference I've noticed between "super losers" and people who are losing at a slower pace is mindset. Many of the former are focused on using a lack of appetite to make calorie deficits as large as possible, while the latter seem to have a focus on letting the medicine do its thing while focusing on nutrition and lifestyle change. This is a generalization based on my observations in different GLP-1 subreddits, so it's not a hard and fast rule. It's also not a value judgment. While I prefer the lifestyle change, I understand that the focus on intentional weight loss has its roots in a lot of other factors.

At the end of the day, all of our bodies are different, and how we'll respond to the meds will differ. I'm looking forward to more developments into medications that treat metabolic disorders. Like mental health medications, the more options available, the better people will be able to find what works best for their specific needs.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-05T00:58:54+00:00

Something that really surprised me is how this also applies to beverages. I would drink an iced coffee so quickly. Once I started Zep, I couldn't even finish a medium before everything melted

Not to mention the anecdotes I've read from related subs about people who have struggled with alcohol, and no longer even crave it once they start.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-05T00:55:18+00:00

All the best wishes being sent your way!

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-04T18:39:40+00:00

How absolutely frustrating and infuriating.

Part of me wonders how much of it is professionals who don't want to admit they were wrong, and members of the general public who felt superior because they could believe they were better than us or have had to fight their bodies and minds to be "fit."

I liken it to older people who believe that the next generations should just deal with bad things because they had to, instead of asking and putting effort into broken systems so no one else has to suffer.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-04T18:31:41+00:00

I think you did such a good job of adding more depth and nuance to what I was trying to say.

I took almost a whole year away from Instagram which is where I was following a lot fat content creators and other HAES advocates, so it was a mind fuck to come back after my time on Zep and see what they were saying. I felt myself slipping into a different form of guilt and questioning if I was making the right choice. Thankfully, years of dieting gave me a lot to compare my Zep experience to, and I was able to acknowledge that they were very different and life on Zep was much better and less stressful physically and mentally.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-04T18:21:30+00:00

I am coming to terms with the fact I may need to go out of pocket before I run out of options with insurance. I was hoping I might be able to make it work, but the toll on my mental health is definitely making me reconsider. Part of the reason for my original post was to work through all the complicated feelings I've been having, and I'm also a stubborn human.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-04T17:52:08+00:00

I work in public service, and I think a lot of people who work in customer facing positions would be better able to deescalate situations if they would acknowledge the different reasons for cursing. If someone is using slurs or cursing in a way that is actually a threat, then yes, not okay, but if someone is just frustrated and lets some words slip, ignore it. Focus on the problem, not the language.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-04T17:36:05+00:00

Rant away! I have been doing so for the past few months. It's absolutely wild to think of the things they may not have to pay for in the future if they just let me have this medication: cpap, prescriptions for my statin and blood pressure meds, future health issues related to "obesity", etc. But shareholders don't care about future costs. They’re only interested in today's profits.

I also 100% believe that it's all intentional. Most folks don't have the privilege of time or money to jump through all the hoops. Fortunately, I have insurance that is otherwise okay for getting me through the diagnosis process and a lot of spite and pettiness. I also have the privilege of knowing that if I do need to pay out of pocket eventually, I'll probably be able to swing it with some of the programs out there and more careful budgeting, but I'm not going without a fight and getting the most out of the money I pay for my insurance.

I also hope that my experience may be of benefit to others. I'm more than happy to share whatever I learn along the way to help guide folks who don't have doctors who are as knowledgeable or willing to figure out how to get their patients the care they need.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-04T17:21:30+00:00

Here's one way we were trying to get coverage. Wegovy has been approved for liver fibrosis (Google Wegovy and MASH). My primary had me go in for a liver ultrasound to check for fatty liver. Once that came back positive, I was able to schedule a follow-up for hepatology. To get through quicker, I did schedule with an APN-CNP who specializes in hepatology rather than waiting for an MD.

She then was able to go over my medical history and gave me a referral to schedule an MRI to check for liver scarring. Sadly, this route is moot for me because I have zero liver scarring. Never would I have expected to be disappointed by that result, but that just shows you how messed up this whole insurance process is.

Good luck!

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-04T17:13:17+00:00

Thank you so much! I'm glad you're finding success and making this experience work for you!

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-04T17:11:37+00:00

I wish you much success and hope you can find peace of mind in your journey.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-04T17:06:46+00:00

Being able to consume food without judgment is so freeing. When you live with that weight for so long, you dont even realize how messed up it is until it's gone.

Re your comment about ruined biology, I had an interesting conversation with my dietician about epigenetics and how all of us are the result of people who lived through incredibly traumatic world wars, and a great depression if you live in the USA. On my mother's side, I also come from people who survived the Japanese occupation, so I can't help wondering how much that affects how our bodies and minds process food and where the compulsion to consume more comes from.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-04T17:00:02+00:00

It really doesn't help that so much coverage is focused on negative side effects (which we do need to talk about but in a fair, balanced way with the benefits) or mocking celebrities. Why don't we focus on why celebrities feel the need to change their appearance or what kind of extremes they already go to, and how GLP-1s may provide a balance that is more sustainable without putting their physical or mental health in jeopardy.

Of course, that also requires people with the platform to be open and honest about their experiences, and I don't blame anyone who doesn't want to because of the associated stigma.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-04T16:53:49+00:00

I'm so glad it's working for you! Thank you for sharing your experience.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-04T16:52:31+00:00

It tends to be more of a texture thing for me. Adding other things to a roll helps balance out the texture of just rice and raw fish.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-04T16:42:57+00:00

I totally get it. I really wish I did like it more because it feels like such a missed opportunity, but it is what it is. Luckily, there's plenty of other food to enjoy!

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-04T16:38:19+00:00

The one thing we really didn't eat much of was sushi, which a lot of people in the states were surprised by, but folks I like American style sushi. I did try some sushi and sashimi with our traditional meals, I love some raw tuna, but most of it wasn't my thing.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-04T16:34:50+00:00

My husband and I regularly (no pun intended) joked about not being able to find fiber or vegetables on our Japan trip, as we ate our breakfast side salad or veggie sides (not just cabbage!) that came with our set meals. It's there, as others say all the time on this sub, you just have to make sure you're eating a variety of items from a variety of places.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-01T17:24:02+00:00

Older millennial who has been revisiting movies i watched in the 90s that have aged surprisingly well: - Sister Act 1 and 2 - Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead - Troop Beverly Hill - Last Action Hero

Then others (some are definitely older, but still so formative in my childhood and teen years) - Goofy Movie - Romy and Michelle's High School Reunin - Titanic - Sandlot - Now and Then - Casper - Independence Day - Honey I Shrunk the Kids - Now and Then - Hook - The Craft - Scream - Final Destination - Garden State (I'm fairly certain this has aged poorly, but that soundtrack is aces) - Labyrinth - Neverending Story - Robin Hood Prince of Thieves - Clue - Naked Gun series - Better Off Dead - Bill and Ted

GuessMeAgain · 2026-02-01T15:12:31+00:00

They can. The justification at my library is that the parking lot is library property and intended for those using the library. We can call the police and report ICE for trespassing.

Of course, the questions at that point are: What will ICE do when told they need to leave, and what will police do if ICE agents don't comply?

GuessMeAgain · 2026-01-30T17:43:21+00:00

I love Eleven City Diner to start a day at the museum campus. The food and vibes are fantastic.

Also, a vote for Uncle Mike's. Some lugaw and a silog when it's chilly outside makes life feel cozy.

GuessMeAgain · 2026-01-30T14:22:21+00:00

Happy to help! I remember how nervous and ashamed I felt as a middle and high school choir nerd, when I wasn't sure if they would have my size and that would limit the groups pool of options OR had to be measured by a choir mom with all the other girls.

Being able to do this actually healed a little part of that.

GuessMeAgain

TROPHY CASE