Anyone else curious about what long-term GLP-1 use looks like?

[BlueOctopus]

Lately I’ve been going through a lot of GLP-1 stories, and the majority focus on the early months, the pounds lost, and the unwanted effects. What interests me more are those who’ve stuck with it for years.

Once you’re 1 or 2 years in, is it simply routine? Does it still feel like something you depend on, or has your whole connection with eating shifted for good?

I realize no 2 people have the same journey, but I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been at this longer.

 

[PurpleSage]

Ooooh, that’s a great thing to ask. I’ll keep an eye on this thread to see what people who’ve been using it for a long time share. Tirz is the only one I’ve taken, starting in March, and so far the results have made me happy.

 

[Herkimer P Shagnasty]

A few days back, my mother and I got to talking about this. At 80, she began Ozempic 3½ years ago; her weight dropped from 190lb down to 125. She never exceeded 2mg, and progress was gradual, but these days she's on a maintenance dose of 1mg/week. She keeps no snacks or junk food in the house — "I end up throwing it away". There are times she'd like to eat more, like during holidays, but she simply can't. Keeping the weight off depends on it. The thought of going back to what she weighed before scares her.

FWIW- She used to pay $110/mo co-pay, and now whenever she needs a pen cartridge I bring her one. It costs me around 5 bucks. The family loves it!

 

[HARLEYV2]

Herkimer P Shagnasty said:

A few days back, my mother and I got to talking about this. At 80, she began Ozempic 3½ years ago; her weight dropped from 190lb down to 125. She never exceeded 2mg, and progress was gradual, but these days she's on a maintenance dose of 1mg/week. She keeps no snacks or junk food in the house — "I end up throwing it away". There are times she'd like to eat more, like during holidays, but she simply can't. Keeping the weight off depends on it. The thought of going back to what she weighed before scares her.

FWIW- She used to pay $110/mo co-pay, and now whenever she needs a pen cartridge I bring her one. It costs me around 5 bucks. The family loves it!

Herkimer P Shagnasty said:

A few days back, my mother and I got to talking about this. At 80, she began Ozempic 3½ years ago; her weight dropped from 190lb down to 125. She never exceeded 2mg, and progress was gradual, but these days she's on a maintenance dose of 1mg/week. She keeps no snacks or junk food in the house — "I end up throwing it away". There are times she'd like to eat more, like during holidays, but she simply can't. Keeping the weight off depends on it. The thought of going back to what she weighed before scares her.

FWIW- She used to pay $110/mo co-pay, and now whenever she needs a pen cartridge I bring her one. It costs me around 5 bucks. The family loves it!

My guess is that her mobility has improved a great deal.

 

[gusterbuster]

Honestly, I figure I'll be taking these for life. That's fine by me since the upsides are nearly overwhelming and there's practically nothing negative.

What does concern me is building a tolerance and having to increase the dose. The amount I used to take for cutting is now basically what I need just to maintain, and that's already quite high. I've hit the max on Sema at 2.4mg every Monday, plus 4mg of Reta on Fridays. I'm aware Sema is being studied at around 7mg now. Curious how this will affect upcoming bulking and cutting cycles.

 

[spanky2026]

When I started, I already accepted this would be a lifelong medication, just like something prescribed for thyroid issues or diabetes. As for adjusting to it, I'm merely 6 months in and I'm ALREADY accustomed to it. The injection has become a normal part of my week, and my Google calendar alerts me on shot day. The dietary changes are firmly established (and I'm amazed by them every day). My entire mindset around food has transformed.

For instance: I was at Publix recently, glancing at their deli's refrigerator "leftover" chicken fingers, looking at a pack of 3 fingers. I saw the price and recalled that before GLP my reaction would have been "That seems like a lot for just a snack." Now? My instant reaction was, "Hey, that's at least 3 meals worth, awesome!" There's been such a psychological shift regarding food that I can't picture returning to my absurd pre-GLP relationship with food.

 

[Habibibi]

Honestly, it's pretty uneventful. I do my injection, eat whatever I feel like, but I just get full sooner. Junk food was never a problem for me, so staying away from it has actually been simpler. After all this time on it, I've had exactly 0 side effects, which is a plus. I'm in maintenance now, though I'm still slowly losing fat at the same dose.

My alcohol intake has dropped a lot, and that's been obvious. I used to average about 1.5 drinks per week, now I can go months without any. It's not that I'm avoiding it, I just don't think about it. I do like that I can still have one when I'm out with friends.

 

[keangkong]

Research indicates these drugs keep working across multiple years, with no drop-off in how well they perform. What remains unclear is if that pattern holds once we're talking about several decades.

 

[5byfive]

This is what life turns into.

 

[Twowheelr2]

I've been using Tirz for 12 months. My weekly dose never went above 7.5mg. I hit my GW not long ago, so I began reducing the dose. Last week I dropped to 4mg. Originally I planned to space out my injections more, but I've now settled on lowering the weekly amount instead. My goal is to reach 2.5mg per week at minimum while keeping all the problems I had before starting a GLP from coming back. Those include joint pain, inflammation, insulin sensitivity or resistance, cholesterol, blood pressure, plus being able to fast, eat less, and have no cravings.

Staying on GLPs indefinitely is fine with me. I believe that beats taking statins and blood pressure medication for life.

 

[adbh]

From my perspective as a physician, I've observed individuals taking every one of these drugs, and a large number have been on them beyond 5 years (particularly those with diabetes). The majority are satisfied and get good results. A few have seen their HBA1C drop as low as 4.5. Weight and metabolic status stay stable even among those using the oral tablets. With time, most develop self-discipline, though they can eat whatever they like.

 

[geoguy78]

I've now been on it for 2 years. During roughly the first 8 months I dropped around 70 pounds, then things leveled off. Compared with my lowest point, my average weight has drifted up somewhere around 5-10 pounds, though I'm still at a decent place. I eat whatever I feel like, only in smaller amounts. On top of that, I've stayed on 5mg tirz the entire time, so if I ever see a worrying climb, there's a lot of room left to increase the dose.

 

[CranberryRocker]

On YT there’s a couple called ‘The Downsized’. Tirzepatide has been part of their lives for more than 2 years, possibly 3. They put out posts on a regular basis. It comes across as simply another item in their weekly schedule, no different from any other medication. Compounded Tirz is what they use, and pulling out certain bits of what they share can teach you something.

For me it’s been close to 10 months, and by now it’s just routine — though I haven’t reached maintenance yet, I’m still in the losing phase, with 10-15lbs left to go.

 

[Glenn]

I've been using GLP-1's for more than two years now, and it's become a fairly routine aspect of my daily life. Whenever I miss a shot for any reason, my hunger spikes like crazy. Weight is still coming off, though at a slower pace, and my focus has shifted more toward gaining muscle. I began at 445lbs and am now at 200lbs, thanks to a bunch of lifestyle adjustments. In a week, I'm starting testosterone and I'm curious to see how it affects my goals. Right now, I'm taking 12mg of triz and 4mg of reta, and in a couple of months, once my triz prescription runs out, I'll switch entirely to reta.

 

[Gwynhwyfar]

I´ve been taking TIRZ for 2 years now, and I´ve dropped 36% of my body weight. After that, it quit working at 15mg a month. Starting in may, I´m gradually moving to RETA and Cagri, and I still want to lose another 50 lbs. My health has gotten much better (hashimoto, rheumatism, liver), and I intend to stay on it for my whole live, since I was obese for 48 years. I´m hoping new Peps will arrive with fewer sideeffects.

 

[endlrls]

spanky2026 said:

When I started, I already accepted this would be a lifelong medication, just like something prescribed for thyroid issues or diabetes. As for adjusting to it, I'm merely 6 months in and I'm ALREADY accustomed to it. The injection has become a normal part of my week, and my Google calendar alerts me on shot day. The dietary changes are firmly established (and I'm amazed by them every day). My entire mindset around food has transformed.

For instance: I was at Publix recently, glancing at their deli's refrigerator "leftover" chicken fingers, looking at a pack of 3 fingers. I saw the price and recalled that before GLP my reaction would have been "That seems like a lot for just a snack." Now? My instant reaction was, "Hey, that's at least 3 meals worth, awesome!" There's been such a psychological shift regarding food that I can't picture returning to my absurd pre-GLP relationship with food.

Doesn't it seem wild when you stop and consider it? I've been using Tirz for roughly 16 months... my dose started at 2 mg, climbed to 9 mg, and now I'm back down to 6 mg.... Same situation.. you don't fully grasp HOW MUCH you were able to eat previously.... and it's not always in a positive light!

This really stands out to me on my days off versus workdays (4400 steps compared to 18k steps when working). Sure, I can consume more on workdays.. but it's not like Kirby and constantly stuffing it in.

Initially, I was prescribed the pens for Sleep Apnea/UARS, but all the additional advantages are a pleasant extra and also make me understand I'm on this for life too.

 

[trey915]

Glenn said:

I've been using GLP-1's for more than two years now, and it's become a fairly routine aspect of my daily life. Whenever I miss a shot for any reason, my hunger spikes like crazy. Weight is still coming off, though at a slower pace, and my focus has shifted more toward gaining muscle. I began at 445lbs and am now at 200lbs, thanks to a bunch of lifestyle adjustments. In a week, I'm starting testosterone and I'm curious to see how it affects my goals. Right now, I'm taking 12mg of triz and 4mg of reta, and in a couple of months, once my triz prescription runs out, I'll switch entirely to reta.

Great to hear. Really happy for you.

 

[Skidude]

BlueOctopus said:

Lately I’ve been going through a lot of GLP-1 stories, and the majority focus on the early months, the pounds lost, and the unwanted effects. What interests me more are those who’ve stuck with it for years.

Once you’re 1 or 2 years in, is it simply routine? Does it still feel like something you depend on, or has your whole connection with eating shifted for good?

I realize no 2 people have the same journey, but I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been at this longer.

For the first 7 months, when I was still in active weight-loss mode, I kept my diet very clean and strict. By month 7 I reached my target, having dropped 62lb/27%

That was more than a year back, in April of 2025.

At this point I've been on Tirz for roughly 23 months, and I eat whatever I want whenever I want, though I've noticed I eat much less. Food doesn't occupy my mind the same way either; think of how people describe an animal as "food motivated". The obsession with food is gone, but I still take pleasure in eating.

The side effects have disappeared too, no tiredness or constipation; that said, a very heavy meal will make me feel it later.

Right now I'm on 15mg and have stayed at that dose for 47 weeks. My weight has fluctuated by around 1lb, and I quit tracking calories more than 1 year ago.

 

[bamagirl26]

Skidude said:

BlueOctopus said:

Lately I’ve been going through a lot of GLP-1 stories, and the majority focus on the early months, the pounds lost, and the unwanted effects. What interests me more are those who’ve stuck with it for years.

Once you’re 1 or 2 years in, is it simply routine? Does it still feel like something you depend on, or has your whole connection with eating shifted for good?

I realize no 2 people have the same journey, but I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been at this longer.

For the first 7 months, when I was still in active weight-loss mode, I kept my diet very clean and strict. By month 7 I reached my target, having dropped 62lb/27%

That was more than a year back, in April of 2025.

At this point I've been on Tirz for roughly 23 months, and I eat whatever I want whenever I want, though I've noticed I eat much less. Food doesn't occupy my mind the same way either; think of how people describe an animal as "food motivated". The obsession with food is gone, but I still take pleasure in eating.

The side effects have disappeared too, no tiredness or constipation; that said, a very heavy meal will make me feel it later.

Right now I'm on 15mg and have stayed at that dose for 47 weeks. My weight has fluctuated by around 1lb, and I quit tracking calories more than 1 year ago.

That's amazing!!! What's your skiing like now? I'd guess this past winter felt completely different for you carrying so much less weight. Nice work

 

[BNLFL]

Skidude said:

BlueOctopus said:

Lately I’ve been going through a lot of GLP-1 stories, and the majority focus on the early months, the pounds lost, and the unwanted effects. What interests me more are those who’ve stuck with it for years.

Once you’re 1 or 2 years in, is it simply routine? Does it still feel like something you depend on, or has your whole connection with eating shifted for good?

I realize no 2 people have the same journey, but I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been at this longer.

For the first 7 months, when I was still in active weight-loss mode, I kept my diet very clean and strict. By month 7 I reached my target, having dropped 62lb/27%

That was more than a year back, in April of 2025.

At this point I've been on Tirz for roughly 23 months, and I eat whatever I want whenever I want, though I've noticed I eat much less. Food doesn't occupy my mind the same way either; think of how people describe an animal as "food motivated". The obsession with food is gone, but I still take pleasure in eating.

The side effects have disappeared too, no tiredness or constipation; that said, a very heavy meal will make me feel it later.

Right now I'm on 15mg and have stayed at that dose for 47 weeks. My weight has fluctuated by around 1lb, and I quit tracking calories more than 1 year ago.

Interesting. Reta. I reached my goal and will go down to 6mg from the 10mg I began with; before that, 9mg for 4 weeks. How do you stay maintained at 15mg? I realize you're using Tirz. I've come across varying accounts regarding maintenance—lower the dose, keep the dose the same.