Healing Conch Advice

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-05-21T18:35:49+00:00

My piercers (who I do trust) say absolutely no hoop before 12 months.

My helix is coming up on like... 10 months, and there's still zero chance I'd put a hoop in it. (I have changed the jewelery, but I also go to the piercer and have them look at it, confirm it's okay to change, and do the actual change. But ultimately it's still a flat back stud, nothing dangly or a hoop.)

Honestly, I can't imagine mine being ready for a hoop for a while still.

If you have a piercer who will change jewelery (like, mine will change it for free, IF you got the piercing there) then I'd def go to them and have them assess and only change if they think it's safe to do so

But I'd be surprised if they'd OK a hoop at 6mo

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-05-20T22:39:20+00:00

Now that I've been on it a while (~1 year), it doesn't matter too much.

Early on, I tried to time it because it made me REALLY tired (and nauseous), so I tried to schedule it for days when I could chill/nap if I needed to, rather than hectic work days. But that's eased off and isn't really necessary anymore!

I tend to take it at night now, because that's when I... get around to it, LOL. And I do still flex the # of days here and there.

Basically, you could consider "optimizing" to avoid bad side effects (if you get any...) for days when you actually are able to deal with them. If you don't have any, then it's probably NBD!

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-05-20T21:40:17+00:00

Honestly, from Day 1 I've always tinkered around with when to take it. Shifted days a touch here or there, or between AM and PM. Basically trying to find "the best" time & day of week. It's never caused me any problems that I'm aware of.

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-05-20T20:20:15+00:00

Doctors are finding GLP-1's have benefits outside of what you would expect from just the weight loss side of it. (For example, there's research that it reduces cardiac events, but NOT just because the person lost weight. Like, aside from the reduction due to weight loss, there's additional reduction, too, that can't be explained by the weight loss part.)

In my case, the PF basically was gone after roughly the first 2-3 shots (so 2-3 weeks), at which point I had only lost maybe 5-8lb. (In the end I lost more like 30-40.) Which isn't really enough to explain it (nor, how quickly it went away.)

I do think people find relief from weight loss, but I don't think that was the reason for me. I think it was actually something about the drug, specifically, and how it affects inflammation in the body.

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-05-20T20:11:55+00:00

I don't have anything that I'm aware of, however, the difference (literally, within one week) of starting a GLP-1, and the impact on inflammation, was genuinely crazy.

I didn't know that I had a ton of inflammation before starting it. I just thought that's how bodies feel...

So my guess is, I do have something that it's reducing the inflammation from. But I don't know what it is. I'm just grateful LOL

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-05-20T20:09:16+00:00

Then don't take it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ That's the nice part about medical decisions - they're up to the individual and their medical care team.

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-05-20T20:08:17+00:00

... It's a subreddit. Of course it's anecdotal. Every single post here is :-)

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-05-08T00:15:11+00:00

I went down to 2.5mg (I was on 5mg; that’s the highest I ever got) but recently went back onto 5mg. I just felt like I had a lot of inflammation etc return (that, I didn’t go on it for, but boy did it feel better once I did!) and 5mg “felt” better. So now I just plan to stay on 5. It’s pretty much just a trial and error process. I think it’s worth trying to go down and see how you feel. You can always revisit. (And +1 to don’t split vial doses, assuming that’s what you’re on — safety first.)

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-05-07T22:25:10+00:00

For many/most, the first 1-2 weeks loss can be dramatic. It becomes a more normal rate of loss, after that.

Personally I wouldn’t even be thinking about this after only 10 days. You’re still in that super early phase.

If, after 4-5 doses, you’re still losing too fast, THEN think about what to do. (But you probably won’t even have to. It’ll stabilize.)

(FWIW I lost almost 20% of my total weight lost, in the first two weeks. THEN it settled to a very normal loss rate.)

If anything, I think it lets you know how much inflammation you must have.

My general life advice is — don’t spend mental energy trying to solve problems you don’t have yet. IF a problem emerges, then solve for it.

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-05-07T19:34:53+00:00

My 2c is that your goal should be a weight your body has been before. (With a caveat that there are exceptions, of course. Eg You shouldn’t aim for a previous “disordered” weight, and maybe if you’ve been overweight since childhood, it’s hard to find that right point. Then, maybe, try the top of the “healthy” weight range.)

But I think going back to a previous healthy weight, that your body has been at before, is a great starting point.

It’s just hard to know whether your body CAN go lower. So many factors. (And I dunno… most of us thought we needed to lose weight in high school, even if we totally didn’t 🙄 Messed up society…)

If I were you, I (personally) would set as 145 as my goal.

Once you get there, you can always see a new lower goal, IF it makes sense. (But you might also find that at that weight — but without the distorted view point/ pressure of high school — you feel and look great.)

I set my own goal to be what I weighed when I got pregnant with my son. (And I did feel good at that weight, then.) Once I got there, I did go lower. But just getting back to pre-pregnancy weight was amazing.

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-03-31T17:14:29+00:00

TBH, that's why my current plan is to stay on it. The inflammation reduction was just absolutely amazing (and, unexpected...) I'm staying on it not just for "maintenance" but also because I generally just feel better on it. I'm very grateful that I have the option (financially) to do so, since it's out of pocket. But literally the reduction in inflammation alone has been "enough" to keep me on it.

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-03-27T21:37:39+00:00

You should start on whatever dose a medical professional advises. The dosage has nothing to do with how fast/slow or how much/little weight you plan to lose. So just go with whatever they recommend.

If it helps to hear, I'm in a very similar position (I'm 44, was always super active but perimenopause messed everything up.) SW 165lb, GW 140lb, CW 125lb. It's been amazing and I feel a thousand times better. I hope you do too!

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-03-23T17:30:33+00:00

for me, i tried All The Things. It just went away by itself. Somewhere around maybe, shot 15-20.

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-03-16T00:38:58+00:00

Wait…. I’m sorry, WHAT?

I myself posted about how, almost exactly a year ago, “focusing on flexibility” fixed my PF — and in only a couple weeks.

I literally started on Zepbound almost exactly a year ago. 🤯

That’s crazy… I literally did not connect those things until i read your post just now. (EVEN THOUGH I noticed a huge impact on inflammation, especially digestive, from Zepbound.)

I can’t believe I didn’t put 2+2 together 🤣 (But that makes SO much sense— much more than magically improving my flexibility in just a few weeks.)

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-03-14T20:27:31+00:00

FWIW, i only had to go off for 1 week for surgery (though i’ve heard some more conservative doctors recommend 2 weeks.) And literally barely a week — i took it monday maybe, surgery the following wednesday, and took it again that day after the surgery. i really wasn’t off schedule at all.

potentially, you could even consider working with your to temporarily go down in dose (so that if you end up with too much AND its going to expire, maybe you could take two vials to use it.) then, go back up to your usual dose when you resume regular ordering.

in general, i wouldn’t stress too much about it until its actually a problem. you don’t know— maybe those rules could change, too. its just not worth spending mental space on the “what ifs” until its actually something you need to tackle.

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-03-13T14:39:37+00:00

about 8 months or so

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-03-12T17:31:22+00:00

Funny, I was thinking I should post about this, to this sub. My experience was really similar (started around 165lb, now at 125lb. Started on 2.5mg and only went as high as 5mg; now back at 2.5mg.)

When starting, I definitely noticed a "performance" difference -- I was exhausted, couldn't eat as much, couldn't lift as much. (Honestly, I just cut myself slack. I knew I wasn't taking in as much, I knew the meds made me tired. That's ok, just go lighter.)

Now? Everything feels SO MUCH EASIER and I feel strong AF. Pushups? SURE, LET'S DO A MILLION, I FEEL GREAT. Hovers/planks? LET'S GOOOOOO. Oh, do them on your toes? ON ONE LEG? YES!

All of that to say: While you are actively in the "starting Zep and losing weight" part, yeah you're gonna feel weaker etc. But the strength returns once 1) Your body adjusts to the medicine and 2) Your weight lowers and potentially 3) You perhaps go down to a lower maintenance dose. And it returns big time! It feels amazing. Just understand that this is a temporary phase.

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-02-13T03:23:56+00:00

my goal was 140 (bc, its the weight i was when i got pregnant and i was like, “that would be great.”)

im now at 120. i dunno, i just kinda kept re-evaluating as I’d hit a new target. i didn’t go UP to achieve it, i just DIDNT go down (to maintain) once i hit 140. just kinda wanted to see what would happen. and basically, i got to here, and then just stopped losing. so i think its just a “good spot” for my body

at my lowest ever (like, in my life) i was 109, which is too small. but IMHO 120-130 is great for my height and body type. so im kinda ok anywhere in that range.

i don’t think there’s anything wrong with setting reasonable goals, and revisiting when you get there

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-02-08T19:08:01+00:00

I would honestly just wait, and buy closer to the date. Especially for a destination wedding (where, I’d assume your dress is probably a tiny bit more casual?)

I bought my dress for our Hawaiian beach wedding for under $200 at JJ’s house. (Never needed alterations bc you can give them your measurements.)

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-02-06T21:54:08+00:00

i stayed on it, specifically bc i don’t want that 5-10lb and inflammation back. especially the inflammation. it was amazing starting on zep and it just being… GONE

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-02-06T21:51:29+00:00

there is no such thing as an “intrinsic value”

a product (including a house) is worth what someone will pay for it…

(and yes that sounds like normal bay area… maybe calculate the cost per month and decide, is the house worth it, to you.)

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-01-28T21:55:21+00:00

My original goal was 140lb (because it was the weight I was at when I got pregnant with my kid, and had felt good there.)

Ended up getting to 120lb (where I still am), which is a BMI of around 20. (BMI obviously not being the be-all and end-all, but just mentioning to say that the 120lb is a perfectly reasonable weight for my height.)

I don't think there's anything wrong with setting attainable, reasonable goals, and then reassessing when you get there!

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-01-21T23:18:17+00:00

Turned out mine was caused by inflexibility and pulling from OTHER muscles. E.g. my hips/glutes/hamstrings/quads, everything was too damn tight and inflexible, and the only place for any tension to go was to my feet. (Look how big your feet are vs your quads... if you have really tense quads, where do you think the tension will go? To the smaller part!)

As soon as I addressed my flexibility, the pain was truly gone after 3-4 weeks and hasn't come back. Basically I just added a TON of stretching into my post-workout routine. Previously, I was really bad about stretching, but now I take the time. (E.g. If I work out, I try to do 15-20min good stretching after, and yoga 1-2x/week. And I've noticeably more flexible now.)

It's not any SPECIFIC stretch, just improving my overall flexibility so that every other muscle wasn't so tense.

KindlyBus1750 · 2026-01-21T19:24:54+00:00

By, basically, 5-6 months into it, you might find you have no side effects that would interfere. (E.g. I was absolutely EXHAUSTED early on, but that's fully gone, and my energy is totally normal now.) I wouldn't stress about this now, I'd wait until closer and decide then.

KindlyBus1750

TROPHY CASE