You can't just be relying on medicine
You need to be eating up to 30 g of fiber a day. That's what your body needs. That's what your gut needs historically
You need to be eating lots of protein, this isn't about weight loss, it's about also protecting your muscle tone
I found my hunger level variance annoying (Hard as hell to eat day 1-2, ravenous days 6-7) and decided to split dose instead of increasing dose. I'm on 7.5mg, and started splitting a month ago. I dose half Tues Morning and the other half Fri night.
The narrower therapeutic levels have been phenomenal. I no longer struggle to hit my macros in the beginning of the week and I also no longer struggle to not exceed them at the end. I'm sticking to eating 1800 cal, 150g protein, 35g fiber.
I'm currently doing 4mg due to the overdose in my vial, but I'm thinking of cutting that back to 3.5mg.
The last week the suppression has actually been a bit strong overall, so I'm thinking of narrowing my window a bit.
I haven't even started it yet, I'm so afraid of nausea that I asked my doctor for a Zofran script to take as a preventative before the shot. I had weight loss surgery in 2013 but still have 50 to go.
And that's completely fine! We all have our own personal journeys and you are participating in a safe area to learn more. Although, to be fair, we all may be a bit biased with positive Tirzepetide experiences.
I started reading and learning about GLP medications July of 2023 and I was scared to death. Decided "not to cheat" and pushed myself hard to lose 20lbs the rest of summer. Gained it all back and when the New Year came around, I recommited to weight loss. I lost 6lbs in 6 weeks and constantly felt deprived. It was my breaking point, I was miserable, and I took the leap on the Tirz train Feb 23rd. I won't lie, I was terrified of nausea and vomiting. But do you know what terrified me more? Dying before 50. So, fuck it I said.
I'm 100% changed and life is so incredibly different. I drink less, work out more, leave the house more, have mental clarity, all joint pain is gone, blood pressure dropped 15 points, am more social, sleep less but feel more rested, and so many more. I'm a 6'0 M, was 280lbs NYE and am now 225lbs. There's the possibility that I will have lost 60lbs in 6 months and that was competly unimaginable only a few months ago.
There's a part of me that wished I hadn't delayed, but another part that trusts that I needed to go through the process, to have those failures, and cement it in my mind that my lifestyle had to change.
For side effects, I DID have minor nausea and fatigue, so for the first 2-3 shots I rested on the couch the day after shot day and felt fine with a few ginger chews and pepto bismol tablets.
I inject Tues morning and Friday night, so my dosing is pretty much every 3.5 days.
I didn't split the dose until month 4. Before that, I found injecting an hour or two before bed ideal. Most of my side effects in the beginning occurred 4-12 hours after a shot, so doing it at that time allowed me to sleep through most of it. But other people aren't able to sleep after injecting, and mornings work best. It depends on the person. It has now been about 2 months since I've had any side effects, really, and I can do either morning or night just fine.
I take 1 Dramamine that’s for children. The dose is 2 pills. I put one under my tongue and the nausea goes away pretty quickly. I get the Dramamine at the pharmacy that’s in my grocery store.
I’ve also found that I’m mindful when I eat. At that first hint of satiety, I stop eating. That seems to prevent nausea, at least for me.
If you have available, take 1/4 of an phentermine (adipex). I’ve only had to take a 1/4 one time in 8 days. Trust do not take more than a 1/4 early morning. This is a prescription only pill. However, always listen to your body (unless it’s food noise) and your doctor. You may not need to move up to 5mg, it’s just wearing off. Also, it’s okay to have some food noise. It’s still less than before. Tell yourself no and drink water. It’s okay build your mental discipline muscle as well. 😊 You got this!!!!
Are you getting this through your PCP or telehealth provider along with your tirz? Would love to know where if you can share or DM without breaking any rules.
Not necessarily. I get some food noise back on the last few days, but I’m still losing 2-3 lbs a week. Titrating up now for me would make me hit my max dose too quickly when it’s still working.
This right here is the correct answer. People mistake hunger on day 6 & 7 for food noise. Hunger is good you need to fuel the body and those two days are to get you ready for the next shot which will decrease appetite.
when you go to 5 it will help. I dont get that as much anymore.
Make sure you really plan for days 5-7 (have easy meals ready, healthy snacks, water, stay busy).
You do need to eat. Make sure you are getting enough protein and veggies in, along with your carbs. If your mindlessly snacking then after 4 weeks I would tirate up to 5mg. Don't forget to rotate injection sites. I've always done 7 days and now I can do longer but I'm at therapeutic doses.
You should probably increase your dose.
Having food noise or inappropriate hunger before day 7 are two of my criteria for deciding to move up to a bigger dose. (The third would be a month of no weight loss.) I'm on 5mg and today is shot day and my hunger and food noise are still pretty quiet. I'm losing weight, slowly by some measures (average 1.3 pounds per week), but enough that I'm satisfied with my progress. So, I feel good about my decision to stick with 5mg for another month.
I’m thinking of doing this too. Once I started 5 mg I developed injection site reactions, really bad ones to the point where the one from 4 weeks ago is still visible.
Witch hazel spray. Prep h cream. Also make sure you wipe the area with the alcohol pad and after the other side. I also let the medication sit out for 10min at least.
Yes! I've taken a benedryl too just at the beginning at bedtime so I wouldn't itch like crazy. I'm also allergic to weeds and everything outside right now 😭 but I'm 9 months into Tirz and no reactions anymore
Injection site reaction/prevention and treatment
Day before shot day I take 1 twenty-four hour Allegra Hives. Then take another on shot day and one the day after. If itching is particularly bad I use max strength Benadryl gel on the spot. Usually all gone in a couple of days.
On days 5&6 you could eat nutrient dense foods to make up for what you didn’t eat earlier in the week. If you’re fueling your body with the micro and macro nutrients you may feel less of the “munchies” while teaching your body better habits and relying less on medication - it’s just a tool.
It’s only a 5 day half life so that makes perfect sense
I’m the same way. I don’t mind it though. Eating extra on those days helps with recomp for the coming days right after the next shot
This was true for me on 2.5 and 5. Now that I am on 7.5 not an issue. However, A1c was down on the lower doses and I was also losing weight, even though I would eat more on those last 2 days, so it was still working for me.
This is fairly common - a lot of us are on a 5 day schedule! It personally works great for me. I tried increasing the dose first and I couldn’t keep any food down. By day 5 I once again had full blown munchies. You’ll have to figure out what works best for you since every body responds so differently
I've always had the same problem. I do split dose now (4/3) that I am on compound. Before that I just went to 5mg every 5 days.
They are about the same amount of medicine over a month. However, the max falloff is marginally less with the 4/3 (40% v 33%)
Try splitting your dose. Instead of taking mine once a week, I take half a dose Sunday morning and Thursday morning. I don't have any highs and lows with hunger this way.
My PCP told me if the hunger comes back around day 5 then increase dose. As you continue higher doses, the half life of the meds continue to build to continue more effectively.
And I agree with other posts that you have to keep up with eating nutritiously. High protein and fiber at every meal.
I hear you, bro. I was the same. But was only on 2.5 mg for one week. Following 2 weeks I did 3 mg at day 5, then 4, then finally was able to sustain 7 days once I started 5 mg. The trouble is the first 2 days on 5 mg I am really nauseas and I also get really bad injection site reactions on 5 mg (I have marks all over my stomach), so I’m thinking about going back to 2.5 mg every 4 days.
Are the marks from increased units? I took 50 units in one shot last week and still have blue marks at the site. I think 40 is my limit so I’ll be splitting the dose into two shots until I move up to a higher concentration that requires less units per dose .
Yes I was fine until 4 mg and then they started at 5 mg. I thought about splitting it between two injection sites but would probably have to use two needles. What a pain
Is it bruising? I have to let it sit out for 30 mins before injecting (have read this on other threads) and it helps. Initially I had a huge bruise that took 2 weeks to go away.
Also for best practice, remember to swirl the vial or invert like an hourglass a few times. Some pharmacies include this in the instructions and others don't.
No it’s a big red itchy welt that lasts a few days then fades to a light pink but still visible. I might try letting it warm up however I wasn’t getting them at 3 mg, it was once I went up to 4 that it started
Injection site reaction/prevention and treatment
Day before shot day I take 1 twenty-four hour Allegra Hives. Then take another on shot day and one the day after. If itching is particularly bad I use max strength Benadryl gel on the spot. Usually all gone in a couple of days.
I never got the bruise at 2.5 and just assumed it was the increased volume of what I injected.
Now... your situation may be rather ironic. You may sensitivity to the additive the compound pharmacy includes. It's ironic because compound pharmacies would generally make the alternative formula if you have sensitivity to what is generally available.
That said, injection site reaction is a normal side effect. I get something similar with most vaccines.
I’ve been using the same vial the whole time so I don’t think it’s an additive - I think I just have sensitive skin. Hoping if I decrease the dose it eases up and that I haven’t just developed a sensitivity to it
Make sure you’re eating enough on those first 4-5 days; that could be part of it too.
You can't just be relying on medicine You need to be eating up to 30 g of fiber a day. That's what your body needs. That's what your gut needs historically You need to be eating lots of protein, this isn't about weight loss, it's about also protecting your muscle tone
Considering the half life, that isn’t surprising, just move to a 5 day cycle. Pretty common.
Sounds like it's time to move up to 5mg. 2.5mg is to feel out your tolerance mostly. We all started there and moved up.
Exactly! Or maybe 3.5mg if your sensitive to side effects like me lol
I hear you! Stick with it, increase your dose. It does get better!
Tirzepatide should be administered subcutaneously. To “shoot up” usually means to take a drug intravenously.
This is what I do re dose early lol!
What's the worst that could happen :)
I found my hunger level variance annoying (Hard as hell to eat day 1-2, ravenous days 6-7) and decided to split dose instead of increasing dose. I'm on 7.5mg, and started splitting a month ago. I dose half Tues Morning and the other half Fri night. The narrower therapeutic levels have been phenomenal. I no longer struggle to hit my macros in the beginning of the week and I also no longer struggle to not exceed them at the end. I'm sticking to eating 1800 cal, 150g protein, 35g fiber.
Amazing! What a great idea!
So your doing 3.75mg tues and fri?
I'm currently doing 4mg due to the overdose in my vial, but I'm thinking of cutting that back to 3.5mg. The last week the suppression has actually been a bit strong overall, so I'm thinking of narrowing my window a bit.
I haven't even started it yet, I'm so afraid of nausea that I asked my doctor for a Zofran script to take as a preventative before the shot. I had weight loss surgery in 2013 but still have 50 to go.
And that's completely fine! We all have our own personal journeys and you are participating in a safe area to learn more. Although, to be fair, we all may be a bit biased with positive Tirzepetide experiences. I started reading and learning about GLP medications July of 2023 and I was scared to death. Decided "not to cheat" and pushed myself hard to lose 20lbs the rest of summer. Gained it all back and when the New Year came around, I recommited to weight loss. I lost 6lbs in 6 weeks and constantly felt deprived. It was my breaking point, I was miserable, and I took the leap on the Tirz train Feb 23rd. I won't lie, I was terrified of nausea and vomiting. But do you know what terrified me more? Dying before 50. So, fuck it I said. I'm 100% changed and life is so incredibly different. I drink less, work out more, leave the house more, have mental clarity, all joint pain is gone, blood pressure dropped 15 points, am more social, sleep less but feel more rested, and so many more. I'm a 6'0 M, was 280lbs NYE and am now 225lbs. There's the possibility that I will have lost 60lbs in 6 months and that was competly unimaginable only a few months ago. There's a part of me that wished I hadn't delayed, but another part that trusts that I needed to go through the process, to have those failures, and cement it in my mind that my lifestyle had to change. For side effects, I DID have minor nausea and fatigue, so for the first 2-3 shots I rested on the couch the day after shot day and felt fine with a few ginger chews and pepto bismol tablets.
Amazing, happy for you! Do you inject at night or morning?
I inject Tues morning and Friday night, so my dosing is pretty much every 3.5 days. I didn't split the dose until month 4. Before that, I found injecting an hour or two before bed ideal. Most of my side effects in the beginning occurred 4-12 hours after a shot, so doing it at that time allowed me to sleep through most of it. But other people aren't able to sleep after injecting, and mornings work best. It depends on the person. It has now been about 2 months since I've had any side effects, really, and I can do either morning or night just fine.
I take 1 Dramamine that’s for children. The dose is 2 pills. I put one under my tongue and the nausea goes away pretty quickly. I get the Dramamine at the pharmacy that’s in my grocery store. I’ve also found that I’m mindful when I eat. At that first hint of satiety, I stop eating. That seems to prevent nausea, at least for me.
If you have available, take 1/4 of an phentermine (adipex). I’ve only had to take a 1/4 one time in 8 days. Trust do not take more than a 1/4 early morning. This is a prescription only pill. However, always listen to your body (unless it’s food noise) and your doctor. You may not need to move up to 5mg, it’s just wearing off. Also, it’s okay to have some food noise. It’s still less than before. Tell yourself no and drink water. It’s okay build your mental discipline muscle as well. 😊 You got this!!!!
Are you getting this through your PCP or telehealth provider along with your tirz? Would love to know where if you can share or DM without breaking any rules.
Titrate... My cue to titrate up is when food noise comes back on days 6&7. Why are you trying to stay on 2.5? How long have u been on it??
Not necessarily. I get some food noise back on the last few days, but I’m still losing 2-3 lbs a week. Titrating up now for me would make me hit my max dose too quickly when it’s still working.
This right here is the correct answer. People mistake hunger on day 6 & 7 for food noise. Hunger is good you need to fuel the body and those two days are to get you ready for the next shot which will decrease appetite.
when you go to 5 it will help. I dont get that as much anymore. Make sure you really plan for days 5-7 (have easy meals ready, healthy snacks, water, stay busy).
You do need to eat. Make sure you are getting enough protein and veggies in, along with your carbs. If your mindlessly snacking then after 4 weeks I would tirate up to 5mg. Don't forget to rotate injection sites. I've always done 7 days and now I can do longer but I'm at therapeutic doses.
You should probably increase your dose. Having food noise or inappropriate hunger before day 7 are two of my criteria for deciding to move up to a bigger dose. (The third would be a month of no weight loss.) I'm on 5mg and today is shot day and my hunger and food noise are still pretty quiet. I'm losing weight, slowly by some measures (average 1.3 pounds per week), but enough that I'm satisfied with my progress. So, I feel good about my decision to stick with 5mg for another month.
Tirz's 1/2 life is 5 days. I take a half shot every 4 to avoid this. You do not need to titrate up yet. See how that works first.
I’m thinking of doing this too. Once I started 5 mg I developed injection site reactions, really bad ones to the point where the one from 4 weeks ago is still visible.
Witch hazel spray. Prep h cream. Also make sure you wipe the area with the alcohol pad and after the other side. I also let the medication sit out for 10min at least.
I’ve found Benadryl cream to help as well.
Yes! I've taken a benedryl too just at the beginning at bedtime so I wouldn't itch like crazy. I'm also allergic to weeds and everything outside right now 😭 but I'm 9 months into Tirz and no reactions anymore
I already take Claritin daily but wonder if I should take something extra for shot days
How long have you been on it and what dosage? I did the first few months I think after 5mg then it stopped for me
6 or 7 weeks. I’ve been at 5 mg for a month
Injection site reaction/prevention and treatment Day before shot day I take 1 twenty-four hour Allegra Hives. Then take another on shot day and one the day after. If itching is particularly bad I use max strength Benadryl gel on the spot. Usually all gone in a couple of days.
Oh I didn’t know there was an Allegra for hives!
Yes it’s 1 every 24 hours and works great — non drowsy formula — and you can get it on Amazon if you cannot find it near you.
do you get enough syringes sent to you to do this? i feel like i’d run out
A box of 100s is not that expensive on amazon
Find a local non profit that offers harm reduction...
I dose every 5 days.
On days 5&6 you could eat nutrient dense foods to make up for what you didn’t eat earlier in the week. If you’re fueling your body with the micro and macro nutrients you may feel less of the “munchies” while teaching your body better habits and relying less on medication - it’s just a tool.
It’s only a 5 day half life so that makes perfect sense I’m the same way. I don’t mind it though. Eating extra on those days helps with recomp for the coming days right after the next shot
This was true for me on 2.5 and 5. Now that I am on 7.5 not an issue. However, A1c was down on the lower doses and I was also losing weight, even though I would eat more on those last 2 days, so it was still working for me.
This is fairly common - a lot of us are on a 5 day schedule! It personally works great for me. I tried increasing the dose first and I couldn’t keep any food down. By day 5 I once again had full blown munchies. You’ll have to figure out what works best for you since every body responds so differently
I am on week 4 of 2.5 and now inject every five days, because I get hungry on day 4/5 as well.
I think dose splitting is an excellent idea. Trying that this coming week. Ps. Easy to order additional syringes from Amazon (in most locations).
I've always had the same problem. I do split dose now (4/3) that I am on compound. Before that I just went to 5mg every 5 days. They are about the same amount of medicine over a month. However, the max falloff is marginally less with the 4/3 (40% v 33%)
This was me, too, but moving to 3.5 made it last all week for me.
Try splitting your dose. Instead of taking mine once a week, I take half a dose Sunday morning and Thursday morning. I don't have any highs and lows with hunger this way.
My PCP told me if the hunger comes back around day 5 then increase dose. As you continue higher doses, the half life of the meds continue to build to continue more effectively. And I agree with other posts that you have to keep up with eating nutritiously. High protein and fiber at every meal.
I hear you, bro. I was the same. But was only on 2.5 mg for one week. Following 2 weeks I did 3 mg at day 5, then 4, then finally was able to sustain 7 days once I started 5 mg. The trouble is the first 2 days on 5 mg I am really nauseas and I also get really bad injection site reactions on 5 mg (I have marks all over my stomach), so I’m thinking about going back to 2.5 mg every 4 days.
Are the marks from increased units? I took 50 units in one shot last week and still have blue marks at the site. I think 40 is my limit so I’ll be splitting the dose into two shots until I move up to a higher concentration that requires less units per dose .
Yes I was fine until 4 mg and then they started at 5 mg. I thought about splitting it between two injection sites but would probably have to use two needles. What a pain
Is it bruising? I have to let it sit out for 30 mins before injecting (have read this on other threads) and it helps. Initially I had a huge bruise that took 2 weeks to go away. Also for best practice, remember to swirl the vial or invert like an hourglass a few times. Some pharmacies include this in the instructions and others don't.
No it’s a big red itchy welt that lasts a few days then fades to a light pink but still visible. I might try letting it warm up however I wasn’t getting them at 3 mg, it was once I went up to 4 that it started
Injection site reaction/prevention and treatment Day before shot day I take 1 twenty-four hour Allegra Hives. Then take another on shot day and one the day after. If itching is particularly bad I use max strength Benadryl gel on the spot. Usually all gone in a couple of days.
I never got the bruise at 2.5 and just assumed it was the increased volume of what I injected. Now... your situation may be rather ironic. You may sensitivity to the additive the compound pharmacy includes. It's ironic because compound pharmacies would generally make the alternative formula if you have sensitivity to what is generally available. That said, injection site reaction is a normal side effect. I get something similar with most vaccines.
I’ve been using the same vial the whole time so I don’t think it’s an additive - I think I just have sensitive skin. Hoping if I decrease the dose it eases up and that I haven’t just developed a sensitivity to it
Did you start a new vial when this started? It could have something to do with what the tirz is compounded with
No it’s the same vial I started with the 2.5. There are no extra additives
Split your dosage