Moving on from Wegovy

[Candyfloss99]

I've lost 4 and a half stone on wegovy. I've gone from an obese BMI to BMI of 21. I'm so happy. It took me a year. So now I'm going to taper down and stop. Has anyone else stopped yet? I'm going to keep up the calorie counting and exercise of course to keep the weight off.

That's an amazing loss @Stel83
Well done!

I definitely know what you mean about your body not feeling like your own. I think it's because it's been a relatively fast change, we're still getting used to it! It feels amazing though doesn't it?
One of the school mums I hadn't seen in a while blanked me the other day. We were next to each other at the gates and it was only when I started talking to someone else that she was like 'OMG I didn't recognise you! You look fantastic!' Tbf I was wearing a nice dress and sunglasses, rather than the ugly rags she's used to and which I favoured when I hated my body.

Hahaha that happened to me to, I was at a meal with quite a few people and a guy was there who I hadn't seen me for a while and he was speaking to everyone else but nothing to me. I tapped him and was like, aren't you going to say hi. He looked at me blankly and then it clocked who I was and he was shocked as he didn't recognize me. My face looks very different to how it looked a year ago. I look at pictures of myself when I was 5 stone heavier and what I look like now and I look the same but very very different. I think that's it, my body has changed so quickly really that my mind hasn't kept up and there's a bit of a disconnect. My biggest fear is finally coming off the drug and not maintaining. Losing weight on it has been easy because your appetite is great reduced just easily allowing you to eat less. I need to up the good habits of eating healthier (which I do do) and drinking more water and eating more protein etc to make the maintenance easier. What I really need to do is do resistance training to up my lean muscle allowing me to eat more and maintain my weight.

Sorry just venting here cause quite cross. I normally leave an amount of my food at dinner that my husband literally circles over and hoovers up! Tonight I ate both my main and a small dessert and my husband said “that’s the second plate had to take from you that was empty”. I mean how messed up is that!?? When I got cross he said I needed to calm down and he just wanted an extra portion (obviously he had already been given the lion’s share). Now I’m feeling I ate too much because I didn’t leave anything on my plate. Want to cry with frustration.

Urgh, that's frustrating @Tindrum
Most men just don't understand how sensitive an issue food is for many of us. I know that I would feel shamed if I thought someone was implying I had eaten a lot, I totally get it.
I'm sure he didn't mean it like that though and is just thinking of his own stomach. My DH is a human dustbin too and is always eating what anyone else leaves.

Thanks @AhBiscuits wise words and I know you’re right. I’ve got to remember it’s difficult for others to navigate what’s happening in my head. Jeez it hit a nerve though!

Just wanted to add a huge ‘well done’ to everyone here. I’ve been on Wegovy since mid-Feb and lost almost 3 stone. I was 14.11 and at 5’2 massively overweight. Although I’ve got another 2 and a half stone to go, I can’t believe the impact it’s had on me. I’ve bought clothes, then had to re-buy as too big! I can shop at Zara (not that I liked much there…)! And although my wardrobe is looking quite empty as I no longer fit into things, it’s a great feeling.

I went to an event the other day and my daughter snapped a few pics before I left in my fancy dress, and like a previous poster I couldn’t believe it was me. I know it’s a vanity thing, but I looked healthy and happy…and damn hot! I’m tempted to have this pic, and similar, close to hand when I finally taper off as I reminder of that feeling, so as to not fall back into old habits. Hopefully I won’t as I’ll have nothing to wear 😂

It is a great feeling to see pictures of yourself and your looking so much healthier and I have to be very honest with you guys, in my eyes I look a lot hotter and sexier. It's funny as some of my friends who are really straight talking and honest with me say I looked lovely before but I'm looking so much prettier now and it's true. I look at before and after pictures of myself and I look like a completely different person. Weight can change your facial features so much and I look way more attractive slimmer and I can admit that. Also I cannot wear any of my old clothes as I've got from 16/18 to 10/12 but I had kept loads and loads of clothes in my loft from when I was small and the majority of them fit me again and I love my clothes so I'm really happy I get to wear them but I have brought a few new clothes and some items from charity shops.

Biggest issues I have is that everyone keeps asking how I did it and they assume a complete new diet and exercise which isn't true. I was eating fairly well anyway but I just have eaten way less food, lots less but honestly and this is bad but I have hardly exercised. But I hardly tell anyone about Wegovy for many reasons, mostly I will feel judged and honestly I'm not completely convinced it's the healthiest route to take especially due to side effects so I don't want to encourage people to take it (some may not agree with me) but I did it as I was desperate and needed the crazy hunger I was feeling to die down and I was willing to take the risk and it worked for me but not sure I want to encourage others to take it and I'm the poster child as I've lost over 5 stones in small space of time and I look amazing. So I don't mention it to most people if I'm honest, I just say I don't eat as much food as weight loss is 80% what you eat. I am honest and say I didn't exercise but encourage them to.i also started weight watchers at the beginning of my journey and I encourage that. Does everyone on here tell people they are on Wegovy?

It's fantastic that's you're feeling so confident in how you look @Stel83 You can't beat that feeling.

I'm really honest about how I lost my weight and as a result 3 of my friends have started on the drugs. I know they have struggled with their weight as much as I did and I'm really happy that I can share my experiences and they might end up feeling as happy as I am. I tell people about side effects and needing to eat healthily and the high risk of regain. I haven't sold it as a miracle drug. I'd like the stigma around the use of it to reduce and the best way to do that is to talk about it. There's no need to feel shame about it. A very effective treatment has been developed, nothing wrong with using it.

I hear what your saying but I have read so many articles about how people have been treated because of taking the drug and guess that's just in my head. I must be clear and say that I have told close friends and family so a number of people do know I am taking the drug but I know a lot of people at work and other aquantancies and I just don't feel I guess I have to tell absolutely everyone my story. Some of friends have wanted to take it but they don't fit the criteria as they have other health issues or don't have a BMI over 30 like I did so they can't. I got into it because a friend of mine told me about it as she was taking it so I do hear you but I am choosy with who I tell. I am scared of the regain but I'm currently on just 0.25mg a week as my body has completely decided to reject any higher dose and I get really awful side effects with my GI tract but 0.25mg with will power and healthy eating seems to be working.

I'm telling people I'm taking the medication if the topic turns to Wegovy. I haven't lost enough yet for people to notice and ask. I've told a couple of close friends at work. I haven't told my mother as she's very judgemental of medication.

Like others, I'm in two minds about this. Especially with work colleagues. It's funny, people see overweight people as lazy and unable to control themselves. Those who lose weight are suddenly redeemed - and perceived to be hard working and tenacious. I'm reading lots of personal stories of weight loss on Wegovy and how people had never noticed the perceptions people had of them until they lost the weight and suddenly their opinion at work mattered more, and others were more willing to do favours or take on workload.

I want those benefits, I want that change in perception, and I'm not sure I'd get it if I said "Oh I took Wegovy". I think - because of inaccurate media stories - people would think "oh, she took the easy way out. And not only that, the drug is dangerous so her choices can't even be trusted". I wonder would it actually do me more harm than good to say it?

Specifically, my boss is a woman who is very slim, and is always proud of saying that she has never dieted in her life (lucky her). She takes a lot of pride in her appearance and I expect she would be the first person to judge if I said I took medication. And the first person to treat me better if she thought all I did was salads and pilates.

On the other hand, if I was at work and someone had lost lots of weight, and said "oh it's because of diet and exercise", it would make me feel really depressed. Because it would underline that it must be a fault with my moral fibre that I can't stick to a diet and exercise plan, and clearly other people can. I don't want to be that person that makes other people feel bad about themselves, through essentially a lie. And the stigma with Wegovy is never going to go away if people don't start owning up to it. The stigma with being overweight will never go away unless people start accepting it's a hormone imbalance rather than a moral failing.

I'm just not sure I'm enough of a good person to not take advantage of other people's misplaced perceptions.

Everyone treats you differently when you are slimmer. I have noticed this. I have a lot of women at work who constantly gush over what I look like now and some who make sly comments but mostly people just greet me with something weight related and ask me a lot of questions and praise me like I have found the solution to world peace. It’s very cringy. People openly tell me my weight loss makes them feel inferior now. Even my SIL’s have cracked and I feel so bad I make them feel bad. One is on MJ now and the other is always asking me about calories and trying to lose weight. I do want to help people so I do answer questions where I can.

the one that annoys me is that I am slimmer than I am perceived to be. I’m not, I’m only just on the verge of BMI 25 so the notion I am too thin or going too far is the frustrating one. Someone today asked me how much I weigh now - outright! 😂

However I don’t think the wegovy thing is relevant to my situation as the women are older and actually gradually many of them are openly taking it or want to know about it. It’s not just me it’s all over the media. I am one of the youngest women in my workplace (I am v senior) so actually a lot of the barriers and issues I felt before were due to my age AND my weight - however despite being young and fat I had the skills needed for my job anyway!

it’s such a weird culture now I am still trying to navigate it. I haven't had unwanted male attentions (harassment)- which is what I got a lot of when I slim 10 years ago and kind of one of the reasons I was happier to be fatter, however I’ve had an experience of being letched on on a tube recently and remembered how much I disliked that

Reading with interest. Have lost 20 pounds in 3 months without meds. But being on extended maternity leave is making the weight loss feel like torture. I have started watching eating shows on YouTube :/

Very tempted to start weight loss medication. Only problem I have is that I’m very sensitive to basically all medication and have had digestive issues in the past which I’m scared to aggravate.

@Huhy i am not on the meds for a long time it is a long slog but I was similar, the gastric side was just too much for me. I have got there though so don’t give up. 20lbs in 3 months is amazing! X

Thank you.

If the side effects were non gastric I’d be on it now! Still considering it hoping nothing happens. Plus I’m doing keto and I hate the smell of my bo! And weird taste in mouth. Gross, gross, gross.

@Menora What gastric issues did it cause you and on what medication/dose if you don’t mind me asking.

I already had IBS with slow bowel motility and it just sent it wild Ok TMI 😂. I was so constipated and it was like I had dumping syndrome, I would suddenly just expel a weeks worth in one go and feel so rough I got piles. Laxatives just made it worse for some reason as I am very sensitive to them and I had reflux and nausea. Then I got what is thought to be gallbladder colic. So I just stopped, I was on 0.5mg dose by then, I took it for 6 months or so. Just having a stable normal diet with lower sugar has helped the IBS. I had a flare up recently no idea what connected to but it’s far far less frequent maybe every 6 months instead of living with it every day!

I assume my slow bowel motility was not helped by delayed gastric emptying

I don’t do keto myself

i always give up dieting when I hit 140 pounds as I think I carry it just about okay (big boobs and butt). May just try it then short term to see if I can get closer to 130 pounds.

Thanks for input

Honestly thank you sooooooo much for summing up wonderfully what a lot of people are thinking. It's like you went into my head and heard all my thoughts!!!!

I don't lie so I usually say I've done many different things for example I did weight watchers which is true and I lost 21 on it before taking Wegovy as it wasn't available yet and I had to do something but I don't tell people about Wegovy unless I'm really close to them. Not lying but I honestly am not obligated to tell people about my entire weight loss journey if I don't want to. It's completely my choice and I chose not to down to people being really judgemental! They act like you cheated and put your life in danger due to vanity. Really I took a risk but the NHS has recommended this drug so it's not that much of a risk. There's real stigma attached to injections, if it was a tablet or shake then people are more tolerable but injections seem to people like your taking your life in your hands! But I really don't feel I have to tell people so I don't and probably won't apart from people close to me. It's not an easy route, side effects are hardcore and it's flipping expensive which I have sacrificed a lot of money but it's worth it.

I'm really happy for those who are able to share but I pick and chose who I tell and I've told nobody at work at all. Honestly you are right, people respect you more and listen more when your slimmer which is really shocking to me and just shows how bad people are because no matter your size you should be respected and listened to!

I am feeling a bit deflated today, it’s Monday which doesn’t help. I have had a hysterectomy but I still ovulate (and am now) so perhaps it’s bloating? I was on track until last week now I have gone off track. I am 1kg higher than my target this week. Lost nothing and gained a bit back Finding it hard to get motivated to exercise. Food is not too bad but going back to MFP to check in on myself the next 2 weeks

Now more than 1kg than my weekly target 😂
Have tracked both days and got exercise in. Feel back on track a little bit. Boobs are agony so assume it’s the ovulation as Sunday/Monday was stomach cramps. Last got a weight of 69kg 11 days ago and since then gone up and down from 70.5kg to 69.5, currently 69.8kg - my spreadsheet I’ve been tracking for 6 months has always been on a good track with me pretty much following trajectory until the last 2 weeks. At this point I should be 68.7kg. The maths side of it is interesting but also frustrating it’s like managing your bank balance and keep forgetting you have popped to the shops 😂

Hello. I’m very interested on trying a weight loss drug. Due to PCOS weight loss is always such a slog. In 2015 I lost 40 pounds. And have regained it slowly but surely over the last 9 years. Did pretty well to maintain pre Covid.

My only concern is regaining the weight as I don’t want to yo yo.

There are some really scary stats about regaining once you stop the medication “In one study, individuals who stopped taking semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy) and quit lifestyle interventions had gained two-thirds of their weight back a year later”.

Is the consensus on here that that data is somewhat over stated? I mean after all most diets (no medication) fails as well.

@Vopik hello, welcome. It’s hard to tell as those studies were not very big. More research is needed. However like most weight loss programmes people do not always change their habits long term and revert to previous habits even if they do not believe they are, they may even self report everything being the same but in reality, it’s not. So it takes a lot of self awareness and honesty with yourself to make these habits stick long term. The drug just isn’t a temporary measure for a few months and then you go back to how you were before. There is a lot of discussion about long term medication for life but it’s kind of moot right now as it’s only approved for 2 years or healthy BMI so you need succession planning!

It does make for depressing reading @Vopik I don't think those stats are worse than other weight loss methods however.
In my very limited experience, having been off the drugs for a month, I've had no issue so far. My weight is still going down, the hunger is just normal and manageable, and not overwhelming, which is what I feared. I'm so happy with my body now, and having spunked a grand on it, I'm not going to be going back to my old ways.

Sorry to hear your weight loss is not going as well as you hoped right now. All I can say is that weight loss is always up and down but to keep being consistent and try changing things like drinking more water, exercising more or tracking calorie intake but hormones can also affect weight loss.

Thanks it’s ok, I got back to 69kg. So I am only half a kg behind schedule!

1.8lbs off for me this week means my BMI is now 24.7, finally the green zone 😁

SW: 13st 7.8
CW: 10st 4.4
Lost: 45.4lbs

I might lose another 5lbs as a bit of a buffer before I start trying to maintain.