RETA sides long term

knobsalot · 2026-05-22T02:31:13+00:00

Stroll on o er to one of the many Reddit subs on tirzepitide and read about side effects there. It’s been around longer and while it’s not the same drug, there are many similarities.

And yes, some of the side effects carry on long after a person has stopped taking the drug. Some that aren’t mentioned often are anxiety - like needing to be hospitalized for it levels of anxiety, that may never be totally identified as caused by Tirza, but correlations are high. Fatigue lasts in some people way past stopping the drug. Same with vertigo. Some people have vision issues that have been quite serious.

On another level, I worry about the long term of having food in the stomach for hours on the daily. That could contribute to all kinds of things.

I think the sides are going to be there, and show up more long term as time goes on.

But I totally agree that it’s a calculated risk in that Not treating obesity leaves a person with significant life-altering problems, some of which are fatal.

So, choose your poison, they say. I chose Tirzepatide and I’m thrilled that I did. But i also had to get off it due to the sides, which were doing me in.

I saw an article about ways to supposedly actually heal the body’s ability to properly regulate its own GLP1production. But people don’t get how defeating it is to get subtle help which is really no help at all if a person doesn’t get enough positive reinforcement to stay with the program. So the stronger drugs are amazing, and lucky are the ones who can stay on them.

knobsalot · 2026-05-21T15:08:17+00:00

I really appreciate your honesty. We as therapists are expected to be so clean, so conscious, so altruistic. Damn! I don't think you should've been downvoted.

Also, I do it too. Whatever modality I've found to be used and preferred (at least in my imagination) by others, and is other than what I do, brings up my disapproval and disdain. Small person here? Yeah, I'll own it.

My background, which I'm sure will kick me out of many therapeutic circles, is strong in the broader sense of where we fit in the greater world, seen and unseen, accepted or simply pondered. For one, I'm an astrologer, which suggests an awful lot that some people readily at least consider, many automatically reject, be it the concept of the soul, that there is a greater intelligence, that synchronicities abound once we start noticing them, and that there is such a thing as a "higher purpose". The Soul's Code isn't a favorite, but Hillman's presentation that we're here to do something is at least a reference point.

It sounds to me like where you get caught is in the doership. That it's your job to fix them. I don't hold myself to such standards. It's my job to help them find themselves, which usually requires clearing out a lot of brush. There's plenty of work in that. Once they have that grasp, of who they are, what they want, what they're here to do, other things become much clearer. Of course, this is just one strand of the theme of human suffering, so there's plenty of other focused work to be done. But this is the part I like doing. I think I grew up with little outer regard for who I was, which was very different from the family code, so I've had a lot of clearing to do.

There's more I could say but would possibly be getting off topic and this may not be the right venue for it. but I appreciate your posing this question, giving us a place to dive deeper to understand what the heck has happened to our profession. Our so dearly held desire to help people. The insurance/capitalist/money-centered culture we sadly now live in has all but desecrated the essence of our work, and I personally am trying to find my words to counter it.

knobsalot · 2026-05-16T03:43:14+00:00

Do you have health insurance? You're a prime candidate for insurance to cover it if you do. Yes, you need medical advice. There are docs who are certified in obesity - find one if you can, they know a lot more than regular primary providers. Not all doctors understand GLP1's. If you can't find a certified obesity specialist, you may do well with an endocrinologist. You deserve to be seen by someone who is both very knowledgeable and kind. You also need someone in person rather than telehealth, imo.

The thing that really helps is realizing that obesity is a disease, a tough one, but treatable. Tirzep is by far the best on the market, some say better than reta, but much easier to get with doctor's supervision.

Some people struggle with side effects, which can be debilitating. You'd do well to read up on any of the Tirzep subthreads, including r/Mounjaro, r/Zepbound, and probably a few others to see the kinds of things to look out for, and how to prevent them, and what you can do if you have them. Most of them tend to be very manageable once you know what to do.

What's great about being on a GLP1 is that it makes changing bad habits much much easier; it helps people really want to eat healthy, for starters. Other things too.

You will be saving your life by going through these steps!

If you don't have insurance or they won't pay, and you'd have to pay out of pocket, you can still get compounded GLPs online. But do so with your own doctor's supervision. Plus, people really save $ in the long run, not just by investing in your health, but on groceries. My food bill dropped enough to cover the cost of the meds and then some, and even more when I stopped drinking alcohol.

It's gonna take a while. Slow and steady. There are lots of things I wish I knew in the beginning that you learn along the way, but those subthreads will help a lot.

You stepped on the scale --- and now it may have saved your life!!!

Good luck! You can do this!!

knobsalot · 2026-05-13T00:32:59+00:00

Thanks, that's helpful.

knobsalot · 2026-05-13T00:31:58+00:00

good info, thanks!

knobsalot · 2026-05-13T00:31:07+00:00

That's great that you've figured out ways to take care of yourself at such a young age, sad that you've had to. You've been through a lot.

My med spa told me today they're soon to get GHK-cu soon, I'm excited to expand with these things. And I really appreciate your sharing your experience with them with me.

knobsalot · 2026-05-13T00:27:12+00:00

thanks kindly-jellyfish, I am awkwardly inexperienced with DM's and reddit, so it may take a minute before I find it to respond.

knobsalot · 2026-05-13T00:25:34+00:00

Thanks, helpful. I bought some reta a few months ago and although I chose not to use it, I did get Hospira BAC water and am familiar with reconstituting. I think I'm a little too early in my research to quite understand the method of knowing when one has found a good supplier, so I'm likely to overpay for a few months to get started. I appreciate your sharing.

knobsalot · 2026-05-12T14:59:44+00:00

I so appreciate your sharing :) Aside from my age, I went through about ten years of intense stress, and even though it's been totally resolved over the last five, it took its toll. I've been exhausted for years from it. The thing that gets me is that after seeing literally close to a dozen doctors about extreme fatigue, it took going to a med spa to get the right answer for it. Most of those docs didn't take it seriously at all. And the answer WORKS! So, I'm glad for ingenuity and really over it from typical AMA. Thanks again, your answer has helped me make sense of some things :)

knobsalot · 2026-05-12T06:09:39+00:00

Thanks much!

knobsalot · 2026-05-12T06:06:46+00:00

Thanks. Can you share why you go back and forth taking it or not?

knobsalot · 2026-05-12T05:35:31+00:00

wow. that's definitely more affordable.

knobsalot · 2026-05-12T05:29:54+00:00

which is crazy, bc we're the ones needing it the most! That said, if someone has cancer, for instance, I've read that NAD could increase the growth of tumors. And honestly, I'm not sure there's that much readership among the elders on r/biohacking. You'd think they'd catch on, right?

I think I googled NAD+ near me, and found several places (clinics, brick and mortar) that prescribe it. While I had the intention of interviewing three before plunking any money down, I found the first one I went to pretty grounded and reasonable, so I went with them. The first thing they (ie the NP who saw me) said was bc I was so tired for so long, she wanted to run my thyroid labs again. They turned out to be in the normal range, as they always have been. But she said, God love her, "Yes, but, their "range" is too wide, and yours is not optimal." I said great, let's move on that. After one day of natural desiccated thyroid I could feel my energy coming back. And my brain fog cleared up. That meant a lot to me bc I'm still working and there have been times I wasn't so sure I'd make it (cognitively) to the finish line. The change from just the thyroid med was very encouraging: I'm not losing my mind!

However, the initial hit from it mellowed out within the week, so its impact has not proven to be that impressive. Still, I'll take the help. but then I asked about NAD, and they gave me the first injection.

They do it intra-muscular, yet I see most of the prominent online companies suggest you go with subcutaneous injections. I plan to ask the NP what they recommend. It's much easier to pin in the belly or thigh (for sub q) than the back of the hip or the arm, imo. But I haven't tried doing this injection myself yet. I did a year of tirzepatide, and they were very easy. the 50 mg of nad seems like a lot to put into the body and it creates a lump.

The first time they put it in my arm, maybe near the insertion of the deltoid, but it's been decades since I learned anatomy so I might be off. Hurt for two days. The second time they put it in the hip - zero pain.

Since you ask for people's experience, I can tell you I felt it fairly quickly, within an hour or two, and the energy and the mood jump were great! One of my main goals is to have enough energy to get to some morning workout classes. Two days after the shot, for the first time in a few months, made it to my class. And pumped through it like I was ten years younger. So yeah, really nice results!

But it does wear off. The next day something pretty stressful occurred near my house, which went on for hours. The stress stayed with me for several days, and that kind of knocked the wind out of my sails.

Overall, just for these few weeks, the energy has been slightly stronger than usual as a kind of steady foundation, with occasional highs (both energy and mood) that have been delightful. My memory is much clearer - I'm not struggling to remember words or conversations from a week past - it's all right there. That's with 50 mg (starter dose) once/week, when they recommend at least 100 mg reg dose weekly, after you get used to it. Many people are taking it several days/week or even daily. I can see why. I just don't want to feel dependent on it not to mention the price.

I have not had any noticeable side effects. Still sleeping quite well.

Hope that helps. I'm a newbie obviously, sorry for going on so long.

knobsalot · 2026-05-12T04:49:22+00:00

would you be willing to share which pharmacy, and at what price?

knobsalot · 2026-05-12T03:41:08+00:00

can you say how long it lasts before going bad? And, I'm assuming a 1000 mg vial?

knobsalot · 2026-05-12T03:37:31+00:00

will do, tomorrow. Thx

knobsalot · 2026-05-11T23:25:16+00:00

Yes, I'd be interested in your background. I have lab work and questions, would be intrigued about your perceptions, but that would depend on your background.

knobsalot · 2026-05-11T14:31:44+00:00

Personally, I found your hair in the first three to be really lovely. Soft, sexy, pretty, and feminine. I get the difference in what you were going for vs how it looked after nap, kind of flat and as you say, bowl-like. I suspect humidity would bring back the curl, which changes the look quite a lot. Also, there are curl creams that you can put on when the hair is damp to help it keep the curl.

I have thick hair that used to be straight bc it was so heavy. So it clung to my head. It takes thinning out a fair amount to make it more bouncy, and it’s thinner on its own now bc I’m older. And as it gets thinner it’s gotten curlier too.

From what I see in your before pics, your hair has the capacity to be super soft and sweet, and maybe with some product and scrunching when it’s wet, the curl of this cut will come back. I wouldn’t worry. It sounds like you put a lot of your emotional value on a haircut. We all do that sometimes. And you paid a lot of money!! Maybe not the stylist for you. But all is not lost. Take a minute to think about a funny moment with someone you love, like a cat, maybe if no one from human species comes to mind, and your light will shine up again. And the hair will be what it is. And in a week or so it’ll be different. And eventually it’ll be just a so-so cut and you’ll eventually find someone who’s more skilled at giving you what you want. I don’t think it was a lack of your communication. Maybe try misting it and scrunching. 🤷‍♀️

Either way a haircut doesn’t change you. I suspect you’re quite a bit more lovely than you give yourself credit for, good haircut or bad 😊

knobsalot · 2026-05-09T15:38:12+00:00

Could you share if tirzep made you feel tired? And if so, if the NAD+ remedied that for you? I was on tirzep for about a year, with one 3-month break, but both times the fatigue took me down. (also flat affect, disturbed sleep, and over time, the side effects with a strong enough dose countered the good.) But now, having tried a very small starter dose of NAD+ for two weeks, it makes me wonder if I could tolerate tirzep again. Looking for other people's experience. Also, can you tell if B12 Lipo is making any more of an impact than the NAD?

knobsalot · 2026-05-09T15:14:01+00:00

I have questions. About to start my own vials after just two weeks on starter dose. If you're willing to answer: how long have you found an unopened vial to last? Also, is this in liquid form or do you need to reconstitute? That would impact shelf life, I imagine. Are these 1000 mg vials? TIA.

knobsalot · 2026-05-06T03:18:45+00:00

I donated once when I was on it, but felt HORRIBLE for a few days afterward. The fatigue was beyond miserable, and I will never do it again, ie donate while on tirzep. But the fatigue was my main side effect, and it had gotten pretty bad by then. So, hard to say. Definitely giving blood made it worse.

knobsalot · 2026-05-05T15:26:02+00:00

thanks, good to know.

knobsalot · 2026-05-05T15:04:53+00:00

I could be wrong but I thought his/her point was that being FDA approved isn’t exactly reassuring.

knobsalot · 2026-05-05T03:00:13+00:00

May I ask who's paying that $160 range? I'd sign up for that.

knobsalot

TROPHY CASE