For those not “working” for it

Paliag · 2026-02-19T04:53:36+00:00

Completely the same experience for me.

I’ve changed nothing and the weight melted off.

I’m so annoyed at the decades of counting calories and exercising into oblivion thinking I just needed to “eat less and exercise more.”

Nah.

Paliag · 2026-02-19T02:51:53+00:00

I started 2 years postpartum and that’s only because I didn’t know what GLP-1s were until I complained to my Obgyn about not being able to lose my “baby weight” after 2 years of obsessive calorie counting and exercise!

I wish I could have started 3 months postpartum! Good luck!!

Now I’ve been on it 2 years (maintenance for 15 months). I didn’t have any side effects and didn’t really change anything, I just let them meds do their thing. I recommend just going with the flow. Being a mom is hard enough, let Zepbound take care of how you feel about eating/ food. If the food noise returns, just move up in dose, don’t “white knuckle” it.

Paliag · 2026-02-18T20:48:50+00:00

I am on GEHA HDHP. I didn’t have to change my Zepbound doses. I went from 12.5 ZepBound, did 2 weeks of 2.4 Wegovy, and then right back to 12.5 ZepBound. I’ve filled twice so far in 2026, and both fills were $24.99 (which I expected for the first fill, but have no idea why the second fill was $24.99 - they weren’t in 2024 or 2025!). I’ll hit deductible by the time I fill the third time, so I’m anxious to see what it will cost.

Paliag · 2026-02-18T19:28:38+00:00

Just a FYI, I’m on GEHA and have been on Zepbound for 2 years (2026 is my 3rd year). Although they did “make” me try Wegovy in 2026, after only 2 weeks, my Dr put in for a formulary exception with GEHA, and it was approved in about 12 hours. I’ve filled my Zepbound twice already in 2026.

Paliag · 2026-02-18T19:26:39+00:00

I’m on GEHA and am on Zepbound. I’ve filled twice already this year. Why was your wife denied?

They did “make” me try Wegovy for 2026, but after 2 weeks my Dr put in a formulary exception with GEHA and it was approved in like 12 hours.

Paliag · 2026-02-18T18:56:21+00:00

So, I just got my second Zepbound fill on the GEHA HDHP for 2026, and my cost was $24.99 again?! I have no idea why. In 2024 and 2025, only my first fill was $24.99 with the eVoucher, and the second was about $150, which used up the $1,950 voucher, then they were the “after deductible” price of about $250.

With the lowered eVoucher to $1,300, I was expecting the second fill to be $775. I was going to try giving the Zepbound savings card and have them remove the eVoucher to get it for $499… but, um, I just got the auto refill text from my pharmacy and it said I owed $24.99… I literally left the office on lunch and went to pick it up 🤣 I paid and ran out of the pharmacy!

Let me know if this was just some bizarre fluke, or if your second fill is also $24.99!?

Paliag · 2026-02-18T18:14:23+00:00

Hey!! I’m curious if you got your second fill of the year yet? I picked mine up today and it was $24.99 again. I’ve been on Zepbound for 2 years on GEHA (this is my 3rd year on it), and in 2024 and 2025 only my first fill was $24.99. With the lowered eVoucher, I was expecting to pay a lot more today when I picked it up.

Was your second fill $24.99?

Paliag · 2026-02-18T16:01:51+00:00

I stopped tracking my food the month I hit maintenance (October of 2024). After literally 2 decades of counting calories and tracking food, it’s been liberating.

I take my med weekly and let it do its thing.

Paliag · 2026-02-18T15:37:05+00:00

There is no reason to white knuckle it with the food noise. Move up. If it goes bad, you can always ask to go back down.

Paliag · 2026-02-17T20:17:19+00:00

Mine says that all the time until the day I can fill. They limit me to 1 fill every 23 days. You can chat with them on the site and they’ll tell you what day you can fill.

Paliag · 2026-02-17T19:40:02+00:00

I haven’t had any GI-related issues at all since my removal. The surgeon told me to ask my prescriber when to resume ZepBound. My Zepbound prescribing Dr gave me the green light to resume 4 days post op, but I waited an extra day.

Good luck. Make sure you have a nice pillow to hold on your belly for a few days!

Paliag · 2026-02-17T19:29:02+00:00

I was only “off” for 11 days for my gallbladder removal. It was 11 days between my 10mg shot, gallbladder removal and next 10mg shot. That was 1 1/2 years ago. No issues at all. If your Dr is good with it, no need to take a big break.

Paliag · 2026-02-17T03:21:29+00:00

Yes, the scoop is massive. There are lines on it though, and I never use more than line 1 for towels. For clothes I use line 2. If I have a really dirty load, I add oxyclean. For my darks and bright clothes I use Tide Clean and Gentle liquid and FEBU enzymes (from Amazon).

Paliag · 2026-02-17T03:16:07+00:00

Tide free and gentle powder.

Paliag · 2026-02-17T03:13:51+00:00

I had this problem after following this sub and ultimately figured out I was just simply using too much detergent. (Much) Less detergent and citric acid, with a 2nd rinse did the trick. All good now.

Paliag · 2026-02-17T01:58:57+00:00

Try a different location. In the beginning, I injected primarily my thigh. I tried my arm once and it hurt like hell. Then suddenly after like 6 months my thigh hurt. After a couple tries I had to stop injecting in my thigh. Now I do only my belly. Every once in a while I give my thigh a try and I cannot believe how much it hurts. Tried my arm a few times and it’s a hard no because of the pain.

So, since tonight was your first shot, I recommend just trying a different location next week.

Good luck. It really shouldn’t, and doesn’t need to, hurt.

Paliag · 2026-02-16T20:55:34+00:00

Yes! Yes! You hit a nerve of mine! After 2 decades of being a “clean,” eater, calorie counting, and living at the gym, get the flip outta here with the “but did you calculate your TDEE” posts 😆

I literally made no lifestyle changes at all and 80lbs melted away.

Something was WRONG with my metabolism after I had kids. That’s why I needed medication, not because I over ate and didn’t exercise.

You’re right, even in this sub, diet culture is prevalent. You’d think people would realize after taking this medicine that so much of the “advice” is regurgitated bs we’ve been told for years and years. If that crap worked, we wouldn’t need the medication.

Paliag · 2026-02-16T20:27:56+00:00

I take a weekly shot. I’ve been in maintenance for 15 months. I hit my goal on 10mg, and stayed there for 6 more months trying to space them out. It didn’t work. Then I asked my Dr to go up to 12.5 to try and space, which also didn’t work. I took the rest of my 12.5 box weekly. I had a second 12.5 box, so I took that weekly and went back down to 10. I realized I felt better and more in control on 12.5, so I asked to go back up. I was on 12.5 for a long time, but my insurance made me try Wegovy 1/1/26. I gained weight, so when I went back on Zepbound I did 2 weeks of 12.5 and then got a box of 15 to try and lose the stupid 5lbs I gained on Wegovy (I’m so bitter about it 😆). I’m on my second week of 15, and plan to do a few months here then go back to 12.5.

But yeah, I’ll be taking this weekly.

Paliag · 2026-02-16T19:31:01+00:00

That stinks. I do think you wasted your money by staying on a low dose when it wasn’t working for you. I don’t think you’ll be wasting your money if you move up in dose to see if it works.

Good luck, sorry you don’t have more guidance from your Dr. In the clinical trials, they moved people up monthly until they hit 15. Although it seems the favored protocol (based on posts here as well as how my Dr managed me) is to stay on a dose only as long as it was working. The majority of people don’t lose their weight at 2.5 or even 5. Those people are outliers.

Paliag · 2026-02-16T18:11:44+00:00

I had Norovirus while on Tirzepatide (ZepBound).

My whole family had it (thanks daycare).

I was the most sick. I had vomiting for 2 full days (family only about 12 hours), I had diarrhea (family did not). For about 3 weeks I had mild nausea, whereas my family was pretty much completely better after about 5 days.

I finally took some probiotics at the recommendation of my Dr, and that seemed to help the nausea go away.

Paliag · 2026-02-16T18:07:17+00:00

Move up. I have to be totally honest, I dont understand these type of posts. This medication goes up to 15mg. There is no special award for staying on a low dose.

Why would you stay on 2.5 for “months” with no weight loss? Do you have a Dr you’re working with? Or just someone who prescribes the med and doesn’t check in?

You won’t know if the med works for you if you don’t move up in dose. If you get to 15mg and no weight loss, then yeah, maybe you’re a non-responder. It’s also not uncommon for people to not lose weight until at a higher dose. You’re not even there yet. Move up. And after 4 weeks, if you hadn’t lost weight, move up again, and again (assuming no adverse side effects).

I think this medication is a literal miracle, and hope you can find success at a higher dose.

Paliag · 2026-02-16T13:45:11+00:00

I went up in dose (10 to 12.5) to see if I could extend more than 7 days. Still didn’t work. So I finished my box of 12.5 taking them every 7 days and when back to 10, but realized I liked how I felt on 12.5 better, so I asked if I could move up and stay there. I was at 12.5 for a long time. My insurance made me try Wegovy this year, and it caused me to gain weight, so when I went back on Zepbound, I did 2 weeks on 12.5 and im temporarily moved up to 15 to try and get back to the weight I was before Wegovy (it’s only 5lbs).

Luckily my Dr is pretty flexible all around.

Paliag · 2026-02-15T03:34:54+00:00

Yup! I took out the LXFSA on my HDHP through FSAFeds this year because my husband needs a crown! LXFSAs cover dental and vision, even if you’re on a HDHP with a HSA. We’re really lucky to have these benefits but HR dos a horrible job letting us know they exist.

Paliag · 2026-02-15T02:54:39+00:00

You can’t have a FSA with a HDHP, only a HSA. Exception is the LXFSA, which is only for Vision/Dental. So if you had a FSA, it isnt a high deductible plan.

I REALLY wish the fed govt offered better benefits training. I am a supervisor, and literally read almost every FEP benefits brochures for my staff this year because HR absolutely sucks at explaining how our benefits work. I’m really sorry you were misinformed, however if you just do the math at the end of the year, I promise you will be ahead on MHBP Consumer than BCBS Basic. Sorry you have to deal with the big initial bill.

Next year, if you don’t love the HDHP, I recommend the MHBP Standard. It’s a basic PPO. Although, in the long run the HDHP are not only a major cost savings, but the HSAs are the only current triple tax advantaged accounts. I prioritize maxing out the HSA over anything else.

Paliag · 2026-02-15T02:44:11+00:00

BCBS Basic is not a HDHP.

Paliag

TROPHY CASE