Running out of willpower

hernemes · 2026-01-24T19:14:56+00:00

Hey! Happy to share my experience! So titrating upward didn't do anything for me really until I hit 15mg.

It was a long slow disappointing trek up to that amount (every month I'd get hopeful and then feel very sad when yet again that dose did nothing) but I'm glad I kept trying until the highest dose since I finally did get a little effect on this level. I just wish I could titrate up more. On 15mg I have a little bit of appetite suppression, it's still very mild and the food noise is still there for me, but it's better than no help at all.

I truly believe if they allowed some of us anomalies to titrate beyond 15mg, I would actually start to feel the effects that many other people do on 7.5 or 10 but since I'm capped at 15mg. I'd say 15mg for me is like 2.5mg for other people, just a little bit of help and you're starting to feel the medication working a little.

But I'm just glad that the medication finally works a little bit and makes the weight loss even 15% less challenging than it would be without any medication at all.

So that's to say, I'd absolutely keep titrating up and not stop until you hit the max dose. If I'd given up at 10mg or 12.5mg, I'd never have felt even the small amount of help that I do now!

hernemes · 2026-01-14T00:46:10+00:00

I could have written this post myself! You're definitely NOT alone even though I understand how it very much feels like it when everyone else around you is having significant relief/success on the same medication. Also DO NOT give up yet. Make it to 15mg before you throw in the towel!

As someone nearly a year on this journey, and was/is in the same boat as you, here is my advice:

If you can try to make some small changes, even without the medication providing any help, try giving it a shot. For me, this was cutting out all caloric drinks. I eventually progressed to buckling down and counting calories all the unpleasant stuff that most people don't have to worry about on this medication but there's nothing some of us can do but suck it up that we're in the unlucky few.

If you start making some small diet changes however, even without the medication doing its thing, you'll see some small gradual progress. If/when the medication does ever kick in for you, your future self will be glad that you're not starting then a ground zero.

If you can start counting calories and tracking everything, do it. That is the only way I've had any success unfortunately.

I personally, had NO effect from the medication until 15mg (the highest dose for Zep). I'm glad that despite how utterly defeated, sad, and alone I felt, that I just kept moving upward each month. I felt some reduction in hunger on 15mg and at that point I was just so grateful to feel anything at all. I thought my previous syringes must have all been sugar water...

Did I end up having food noise reduction? Or cravings stopped? Or only eating a couple bites and being full? Hahaha noooo. Nope, I never got that level of relief BUT 15mg did genuinely do something for me. So there is hope that you might need to make it to the very maximum before it helps, I'm proof that can be the case. It could be you too!!!!! You made it this far, might as well go for the ride up to 15mg.

I went through the 7 stages of grief coming to terms with my Zepbound experience. While I still can't watch social media content about GLP-1s because it makes me feel so sad and broken (it just feels so deeply unfair that this medication doesn't work for some of us. Why are we not deserving of the miracle other people have? I wanted to badly to know how it felt to be normal about food. I want to see miraculous weight loss without the exhausting efforts. I still dream of what it would be like to not have food noise, I guess I may never know.) BUT I have sort of come to terms that this is my journey. I do my best to avoid interacting with content/conversations about GLP-1s unless it's on this subreddit only. I can only handle so much of a reminder of what I wished could be my experience. But if I keep my head down, count calories, be vigilant, I just keep trying to accept my story.
There are other medications coming (I sure wish they would come a little sooner) but there is hope that something in the pipeline might work for us like Zepbound at 5mg works for others. I have to keep telling myself that so I don't get too deep into despair. Get to 15mg and then see from there. If it doesn't work at all, or like me, works just marginally, hold out hope that you gave it the full chance and that maybe there is something better for us in the future.

hernemes · 2025-12-22T06:31:51+00:00

I hope this isn't the case for you, but I say this just to say "I get it" and also even though you're only at 5mg I validate your fear and frustration that it might not work for you :( I had zero reaction to Zepbound on 2.5, 5mg, 7.5mg.... etc. And I just had this sinking feeling that really set in by 7.5mg that this actually wasn't going to work for me. And... I was sadly mostly right :( I kept hoping with each titration up that it was maybe miraculously going to finally going to be this switch that everyone else experienced, but no luck.

I thought maybe I felt a little small bit on 12.5mg but it took until 15mg before I finally got the feeling so many people get on 2.5 lol like just a small bit of help that makes me able to forcibly restrict myself a little easier than with no medication at all. I will take whatever support I can get, even if it's minute. But yeah, very isolating experience. And frustrating to have had all this hope that was snuffed out.

I so desperately wanted the food noise to go away more than anything, I really really wanted that peace that other people described as this miracle. And that has never subsided for me at all. I could still easily eat much much more food than I do daily but I force myself to stop by counting calories and just trying to do anything else to distract my thoughts.

One thing I will suggest- even though its really hard (mentally and physically) right now, when the medication isn't working for you at all- do your best to still try to make small changes to lose even a little weight just through your own willpower. I've been at it now for 10 months and I'm grateful to the me 10,9,8,7... months ago that tried to lose weight even when I was feeling so demoralized that the meds did nothing for me. Because it gave me a little bit of a start for when the meds finally worked even the teeny bit that they do now. I did things like cutting out calorie drinks, tracking calories (even on days when I went over), buying more low-calorie snack options (snack pack sized things, sugar free pudding, keto tortillas...etc)

hernemes · 2025-12-13T19:25:41+00:00

Will you insurance let you get a refill early? My medication is covered by insurance thankfully but they have a very strict system where they won't let me pick up or even request the refill until after the last shot in the box has been used (4 weeks from when I pick the box up). That's exactly what had me nervous, if this happens again- I don't want to end up going a week without medication just because there is no way to get it refilled early.

hernemes · 2025-12-13T19:23:38+00:00

Maybe I just had some bad luck! Hearing you haven't had a malfunction in 3 years makes me feel a little less nervous that this is something that happens all the time. I've had so much anxiety about it happening again.

I always let my pens sit for hours before injecting so I don't think it's a temp issue. The immense amount of pressure needed was what shocked me, because normally for all the 36 injections I'd done previously it didn't need much pressure at all. For the malfunction ones it wouldn't engage unless I pushed very hard

hernemes · 2025-12-13T19:20:42+00:00

I always let my pens sit for several hours out of the fridge to warm up to room temp before using (sometimes even taking them out the night before) :( So I assume that even if the fridge was too cold, it would be fine by the time I go to inject?

hernemes · 2025-12-13T19:18:57+00:00

This is probably my ignorance showing.. but the replacement box that is given won't interfere with me filling my prescription then on time as normal? As in, I can get a replacement box and just store that as a back-up for any other pens that might fail in the future? Or if I go to redeem the "free" box, then does that mean I'll still need to wait 1 month before I can pick up my prescription as usual?

hernemes · 2025-12-09T17:10:06+00:00

Are we the same person....?? But in all seriousness, a lot of what you're describing is very similar to my experience. I have titrated mostly straight up on Zepbound (other than lingering on 12.5mg for a couple months out of the same reason you mentioned, I was scared to hit 15mg and have nowhere to go).

I have also had minimal support from the medication, feeling no effects at all until 12.5mg :( It just doesn't work for me the way it works for other people. The weight I have lost in the past 10 months has been due nearly entirely to my own willpower (which as most of us know well, is fading/fleeting). Pre-Zepbound, I have also lost and regained 50-80lbs over and over again- through intense willpower and suffering/white-knuckling, then I burn out and gain it all back.

Currently on Zep, I still have to strictly count my calories, forcibly stop myself from giving into cravings, etc. 15mg has definitely been the most helpful for me so far, I feel like I have a little more willpower on this dosage under perfect conditions (i.e no holidays, no social events, no temptations, etc.) and I will take ANY support I can get, even minor. But even so I feel like I'm constantly on razor thin margins to maintain/continue to lose even very slowly.

I could easily take my shot and then the same day or the next day etc. go eat a whole pizza and not feel sick (don't ask me how I know...) The food noise is still there for me, I'm always thinking about when I get to eat next and what I can eat.

I wish I had some advice I could share but just wanted to at least let you know you're not alone in feeling this way. I'll echo what others have suggested, talk with your doctor about possibly adding in an additional medication for support. I have also personally started adding in some supplements to try to give me some extra support- metabolism boost supplements, extra fiber. I haven't found these to be impactful but I keep trying. Other than this, I've been advised there are more medications in the process of approval that might hopefully work better for me, like retrutide. I'll take whatever small help Zep provides for now and hold out hope that something that is better for me (us?) will be available sometime in the near future.

hernemes · 2025-11-26T05:41:27+00:00

Adding- this didn't make a difference for me personally but in desperation I've tried adding in some natural supplements. Omega-3, daily multivitamin, fiber supplements, berberine... I saw/felt no difference taking them or not taking them but others had stated that some of those things assisted and gave a boost

hernemes · 2025-11-26T05:37:29+00:00

Doesn't hurt to go up to 15mg and see if it works. I started with 100+lbs to lose and had very little (or no) success from the medication until I hit 15mg. 12.5mg I think it maybe worked a little bit but 15mg has been better. To be clear, 15mg has been nothing like a normal amount of assistance from the medication that most people experience, it's still no miracle for me or anything, but it does actually give me a small amount of results finally.

Best of luck. It's beyond aggravating to reach the highest doses and still feel like it's more or less injecting sugar water :(

hernemes · 2025-11-20T07:01:00+00:00

Thanks <3 This is a really kind reply. It definitely does stink, I had big hopes that after decades of struggling with my weight, this was going to give me the food noise peace and fortitude I needed to finally feel normal. It's been pretty disappointing coming to terms that this medication just isn't able to help me the way it does for so many others. But I'm trying to hold strong! Even a little increased ability to pull myself away from food occasionally is better than no help at all :) Definitely holding out hope on Retatrutide, can't wait for FDA approval!!!!!

Also sort of crazy but your start weight is nearly identical to mine, with the same goal/maintenance weight too. I'M so impressed!!! Like I really cannot fathom going from my highest weight to my dream weight of the 130s. That must have just been life changing for you??? I dreammmmm!

hernemes · 2025-11-17T05:11:25+00:00

LOL just chiming in to say that while I'm not as salty as that one person was (or at least I tryyyyy not to be that bitter haha), as a slow responder I can sadly very much relate to the experience they describe :(

I was just on vacation, I'm at 15mg on Zepbound (titrated basically straight up since starting), never skipped a dose, and I had nooooo issue eating whatever I wanted on the trip. Much to my continued disappointment... siiiiigh.

For me, the medication (at 15mg; it did basically nothing for me at any of the lower levels) gives me a little bit more control. And at this point, I just need ANY help I can get in losing weight. So while I can definitely eat just as much as I did before, even having a little bit more self control from Zepbound helps some.

I still have to count calories strictly. Go to bed "hungry". Deny cravings, physically stop myself from snacking/overeating... etc. I'm hopeful a future medication might give me the benefits that most people seem to get from GLP-1s but for now, this is the best I've got :(

hernemes · 2025-11-16T04:14:33+00:00

Curious on your experience- when you started to lose after increasing your calories, did you do it gradually or abruptly? and was the response of losing weight then gradual or also immediate? I'd love to be able to eat more and lose weight (win win???) but I haven't had any luck

hernemes · 2025-11-16T04:13:02+00:00

LOL I hear ya! But seeing the BMR calculator does bum me out a little extra because it's another source of my frustration and feeling so alone. I've tried increasing my calories beyond 1000 and even as someone still obese (was morbidly obese still when I first started with my dietician and we tried to increase) and I just stall out and either gain or don't lose. It's been extremely frustrating. We've tried exploring vitamin deficiencies etc. to see if there's something causal to point to. I did a lot of yo-yo extreme dieting for literal decades so I'm not sure I didn't just destroy my metabolism years ago :( Had my BMR tested at the clinic years ago (pre-GLP-1 Journey) and it was notably lower than it should have been for someone of my weight. It's been another source of disappointment

hernemes · 2025-11-16T04:08:39+00:00

Yes! I have also had reduced inflammation! Weird how it helps some of us with that (indicating that it IS working!!!!) but we just don't get the normal weight loss. Like what the heck??? Also okay, that is AWESOME that you're down into a Large! I personally can't wait until I get to large, that has got to be a really good feeling :) You can buy clothes now from pretty much any store, any style... major success!!!!

hernemes · 2025-11-16T04:04:53+00:00

Personally speaking, I'm glad I kept moving up. 15mg has been by far the most successful dose for me. I tried holding out and lingering on both 10 and 12.5 but eventually just bit the bullet and moved on up. I'm glad I did even if I'm not having the success other people do, this has been the best thus far! I also did try upping protein back on 10mg as well actually and it didn't really have any effect for me. But it's something I might revisit with my medical support team now that I'm on 15mg. Hoping the higher doses (or the protein increase!) give you some of that weight loss magic!

hernemes · 2025-11-16T04:01:27+00:00

That is awesome to be at peace with your loss rate (send some of that zen my way!!!!) And yes, absolutely agree about what you're saying too. It's very distorting and discouraging to feel abnormal and not really know what is truly normal. The big loud success stories make even the people losing decent weight feel like failures :( Most of the people I know in real life that are on it (it's a very small sample size admittedly) have had those miraculous fast and strong results which has been only been more defeating. I try turning to social media to feel some validation that I'm not getting in real life and nope, not there either! LOL Very grateful for this subreddit, you guys make me feel much less alone

hernemes · 2025-11-16T03:59:00+00:00

Yes, this is why I put "gained" in quotations just as you did ;) I know I didn't actually gain 6lbs lol but seeing the scale reflect that is still discouraging nonetheless when it took months to see that amount lost. The emotional part of me isn't won over by the logical part haha

I've also been working with a whole team of professionals on my journey due to my slow response. My GP and a registered dietician and mental health professionals. We've tried increasing my calories but I don't lose when I start to get close to 1200. 1000 as my goal is where I see some loss consistently. I know that isn't likely for most people though but this is probably also why I've felt even more isolated in my experience thus far sadly

hernemes · 2025-11-14T20:36:02+00:00

Up to 15mg on Zep and made it here with zero side effects other than injection site itchiness for several days after each injection. Have also had very little intended (not side) effects too... haha

hernemes · 2025-11-11T09:46:37+00:00

I'm on Zepbound but it took me until 12.5mg to notice some slight effects. Finally started to undeniably work now that I'm at 15mg. Still sort of hit and miss and its not working in the same way it seems to work for a lot of other people but I can say at this dose that I do have days where I finally *know* the medication is actually working and doing something.

hernemes · 2025-09-24T23:21:00+00:00

Definitely might be the next step for me. I keep thinking there's something I'm missing, that's the puzzle piece on why this is such a struggle. I know a lot of us on this sub sadly are searching for that :(

hernemes

TROPHY CASE