First responder checking in: gut, hormone, and PCOS recovery journey

[Bundabaddie]

Hey all,

I've never really done the forum thing before, and honestly the amount of info out there is a lot to take in. Still, I figured I'd say hi, share a bit about myself, and ease into things.

Some background on me:

Work: I earn my living as a first responder.

Why I'm here: I spent time working in this industry/space before, but a toxic work environment pushed me out. These days my reasons are purely personal zero desire to work in this world again, I just care about my own health, recovery, and learning.

What I'm trying to accomplish health-wise:

Gut & Hormones: Right now I'm trying to repair a wrecked gut and deal with PCOS alongside modern medicine, though I'm hungry for every bit of info and any extra tools available.

Skin: I've got stubborn acne tied to those hormonal imbalances underneath, plus the fallout from several rounds of antibiotics I took to try and fix it.

My experience with compounds so far:

Tirzepatide: I gave it a shot before, but it left me feeling terrible, so I'm done with that one though RETA has my attention.

BPC-157: I'm on this one now and it's been going well. There are a few other compounds sitting in my cabinet, but I won't touch them until I've learned enough to feel fully at ease with how they function.

Mostly I want to absorb as much as I can, settle my worries about particular compounds, and get a handle on the science and protocols for gut repair and hormonal support. My aim is to be informed, careful, and ahead of the curve with anything I take.

Excited to dig through the threads and pick up things from all of your experiences! Appreciate the welcome!

 

[deleted.user.27]

Welcome here. Relax we're only toxic here on rare occasions.

 

[Just A Cat]

If you're open to talking about it, I'd like to hear what side effects you experienced with tirz.

 

[Bundabaddie]

Just A Cat said:

If you're open to talking about it, I'd like to hear what side effects you experienced with tirz.

Absolutely, happy to share.

My body reacts badly even to basic over-the-counter stuff, so none of this caught me off guard.

What I was doing was microdosing. The precise numbers escape me now (this was more than 2 years back), but it was tiny — around 5u on an every-other-day schedule, or near enough to that. I stopped after just 2 shots. By day 4 I woke up feeling terrible: a splitting headache, unbelievable nausea, and total repulsion toward food. Because of that I went the whole day without eating, did a workout, then headed into my overnight shift. Once I arrived I was sitting around talking with one of our RNs when suddenly I blacked out, became extremely dizzy, and my heart took off racing like an SVT episode. According to her, my color drained to ghost white and then flipped to lobster red in seconds. My guess is that low blood sugar caused it. I made myself eat a plate of pasta, and that was the final time I used it. Kind of wild that I'd even consider another GLP after that, lol. Still, I'm determined to clear up this adult acne, and I'm reaching for anything that might work. I suspect a big chunk of what happened came down to user error — especially since I was being supervised by physicians, given that I worked in that space at the time.

 

[AngieHolmes]

Just A Cat said:

If you're open to talking about it, I'd like to hear what side effects you experienced with tirz.

Likewise. From what I gather, it comes with the fewest cases of side effects that can't be tolerated. What was your starting amount, and might the dosage have been the culprit? Plus, welcome aboard!

 

[Just A Cat]

Wow. This isn't what I had pictured.

Just my 2 cents. Were I in those shoes and considering going back on a GLP... my approach would be to begin with a very small dose (lower than the standard starting amount) and then raise it gradually, regardless of which GLP was chosen.

In fact, my first focus would be the microbiome. Next, I'd see what limited options exist right now for the PMOS, and only after that would I turn my attention to the GLP. Addressing the first 2 might even clear up the acne as a bonus.

Don't lose hope with the PMOS. The renaming will make a big difference. Dig into the latest studies and see what's happening at the forefront and what's producing results. Over the next 10 years, this area is going to shift considerably.

On other fronts, I'd dedicate a few weeks to thorough nutrition tracking. That means weighing and recording every single thing you consume during that time, which is definitely a chore. If you can genuinely stick with it for 14 days, chances are you'll spot some gaps to close. For tracking every nutrient, Cronometer is the top choice. Some people turn to a nutritionist, others use AI with the prompt tell me how a nutritionist would view this data, but either way, getting your nutrition evaluated is essential. Plugging those gaps frequently does a lot to boost overall health.

Best of luck on your journey.

 

[Bundabaddie]

deleted.user.27 said:

Welcome here. Relax we're only toxic here on rare occasions.

Honestly that is the part that scares me the most lol. I will most likely end up in tears. Which is why I’m holding off on posting anything silly until I’ve gone through basically every thread

Just A Cat said:

Wow. This isn't what I had pictured.

Just my 2 cents. Were I in those shoes and considering going back on a GLP... my approach would be to begin with a very small dose (lower than the standard starting amount) and then raise it gradually, regardless of which GLP was chosen.

In fact, my first focus would be the microbiome. Next, I'd see what limited options exist right now for the PMOS, and only after that would I turn my attention to the GLP. Addressing the first 2 might even clear up the acne as a bonus.

Don't lose hope with the PMOS. The renaming will make a big difference. Dig into the latest studies and see what's happening at the forefront and what's producing results. Over the next 10 years, this area is going to shift considerably.

On other fronts, I'd dedicate a few weeks to thorough nutrition tracking. That means weighing and recording every single thing you consume during that time, which is definitely a chore. If you can genuinely stick with it for 14 days, chances are you'll spot some gaps to close. For tracking every nutrient, Cronometer is the top choice. Some people turn to a nutritionist, others use AI with the prompt tell me how a nutritionist would view this data, but either way, getting your nutrition evaluated is essential. Plugging those gaps frequently does a lot to boost overall health.

Best of luck on your journey.

Thanks so much! I feel really lucky that the only PMOS issues I seem to deal with are periods that hurt, periods that are heavy, and acne. So a GLP would basically just target the insulin resistance that comes along with PMOS. If I do decide to go back on it, I’d begin with something like a quarter dose.

For close to 4 months now I’ve been eating from a very narrow list of foods, since we’re also trying to work out whether histamine intolerance might be involved, which could be contributing to the acne too. There are so many factors in the mix, so my plan is to focus on gut healing first. I suspect that will resolve a good number of the problems I’m dealing with. But since I’ve been logging what I eat, adding and removing things with barely any change, here I am. I’ve also cut out all skincare and am now seeing a holistic aesthetician. Other than that I’m in pretty good health and look after myself reasonably well.

 

[orngcatbox]

Sorry your tirz didn't go well. PCOS is something I deal with as well, and it got me to a healthy BMI in the end. The strange part? Every single pcos symptom is still there ! Zero improvement. I'd like to know whether any non glp peps are doing anything for people in our situation

 

[Just A Cat]

Sounds Promising. In case I wasn't explicit, cronometer wasn't for watching macros. The macro side is simple. As far as macros go, once my daily protein was sorted out, my muscle synthesis got better. The bump in base metabolic rate that came with it is a bonus too. About a month after I got my protein intake in order, I actually had to raise my daily calories.

Picture telling my AI nutritionist that, when it came back with "adding calories will speed up your weight loss from here."

What I'm getting at is tracking beyond macros, into everything in the rda database. Give it 2 weeks and you'd have solid data. For me, changes were needed because of low... magnesium, potassium, several vitamin b, vitamin d. Choline is also low each day. Oxalate runs too high. Glycine per day sits at just 1/3 of rda.

If that's more than you want to take on, no problem. You can just tell me it's too much at the moment. Truthfully it's a lot of work and a real pain.

Some folks think I'm a bit crazy, maybe a bit nuts, but this obsessive nutrition tracking is doing so much for my weight loss. My hope is that it's only a crutch for a short while and that eventually I'll quit tracking and weighing food. Last thing I'll say: the past few months have taught me more about nutrition than my whole life before, and it's helping me.

A little overview you might find interesting.

Core Shifts in Understanding & Treatment of PMOS

• Upstream Metabolic Interventions: Medical focus has moved away from just masking symptoms with birth control. Providers now aggressively target insulin resistance using advanced therapeutics and lifestyle changes to stop the ovaries from overproducing androgens at the source.
  
• GLP-1 and Targeted Therapeutics: Medications like GLP-1 receptor agonists are heavily studied and utilized for their ability to correct hyperinsulinemia, reduce systemic inflammation, and aid metabolic regulation in PMOS patients.
  
• Personalized Fertility Protocols: Fertility care has shifted from a generic approach to phenotype-driven IVF, utilizing customized strategies like freeze-all cycles to dramatically reduce the risk of dangerous Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS).
  
• Cardiovascular Risk Awareness: Because PMOS is tied to long-term systemic health, research strongly emphasizes lifelong cardiovascular surveillance to actively monitor and prevent elevated risks for heart disease and metabolic syndrome.
  
• Brain-Gut-Endocrine Connection: Scientists are exploring how the brain's signaling and the gut microbiome interact with endocrine pathways, shedding light on why mood changes, fatigue, and cognitive fog are core components of the condition.

Click to expand...

.

 

[LadderCo5]

Bundabaddie said:

Hey all,

I've never really done the forum thing before, and honestly the amount of info out there is a lot to take in. Still, I figured I'd say hi, share a bit about myself, and ease into things.

Some background on me:

Work: I earn my living as a first responder.

Why I'm here: I spent time working in this industry/space before, but a toxic work environment pushed me out. These days my reasons are purely personal zero desire to work in this world again, I just care about my own health, recovery, and learning.

What I'm trying to accomplish health-wise:

Gut & Hormones: Right now I'm trying to repair a wrecked gut and deal with PCOS alongside modern medicine, though I'm hungry for every bit of info and any extra tools available.

Skin: I've got stubborn acne tied to those hormonal imbalances underneath, plus the fallout from several rounds of antibiotics I took to try and fix it.

My experience with compounds so far:

Tirzepatide: I gave it a shot before, but it left me feeling terrible, so I'm done with that one though RETA has my attention.

BPC-157: I'm on this one now and it's been going well. There are a few other compounds sitting in my cabinet, but I won't touch them until I've learned enough to feel fully at ease with how they function.

Mostly I want to absorb as much as I can, settle my worries about particular compounds, and get a handle on the science and protocols for gut repair and hormonal support. My aim is to be informed, careful, and ahead of the curve with anything I take.

Excited to dig through the threads and pick up things from all of your experiences! Appreciate the welcome!

Hey, another first responder here. Are you fire, EMS, or law enforcement? I'm on the fire side, and a few of the things you brought up match my situation. Right now I'm running Reta, cjc/ipa, and NAD. Lined up for later cycles are kisspeptine, HCG 5000, selank, and Semax.

After being stuck near 180, Reta got me losing weight again (I'm at 175 now). The main goal of my research is to come off TRT after 9months and return to a natural state, ideally for good. I'm also hoping to stop vyvanse and get a handle on my attention span and brain fog. I hope you come across useful guidance here for your own journey!

 

[mgu44]

Hey, glad you're here!! Good to know there are others on this sub dealing with PCOS/PMOS too

 

[Bundabaddie]

orngcatbox said:

Sorry your tirz didn't go well. PCOS is something I deal with as well, and it got me to a healthy BMI in the end. The strange part? Every single pcos symptom is still there ! Zero improvement. I'd like to know whether any non glp peps are doing anything for people in our situation

In my line of work, GLP medications do remarkable work against insulin resistance, and PCOS is essentially that — a condition rooted in insulin resistance. I've witnessed some truly amazing outcomes. Still, if diet stays poor and exercise is not consistent, very little shifts. Both my mother and my sister have PCOS too, and they've each been using GLP for a while now. My sister, though, continues to deal with plenty of symptoms since she doesn't work out on a regular basis. From what I've seen, it's simply one more instrument — and I've reached the point of exhaustion trying every possible option apart from this one.

 

[Bundabaddie]

Just A Cat said:

Sounds Promising. In case I wasn't explicit, cronometer wasn't for watching macros. The macro side is simple. As far as macros go, once my daily protein was sorted out, my muscle synthesis got better. The bump in base metabolic rate that came with it is a bonus too. About a month after I got my protein intake in order, I actually had to raise my daily calories.

Picture telling my AI nutritionist that, when it came back with "adding calories will speed up your weight loss from here."

What I'm getting at is tracking beyond macros, into everything in the rda database. Give it 2 weeks and you'd have solid data. For me, changes were needed because of low... magnesium, potassium, several vitamin b, vitamin d. Choline is also low each day. Oxalate runs too high. Glycine per day sits at just 1/3 of rda.

If that's more than you want to take on, no problem. You can just tell me it's too much at the moment. Truthfully it's a lot of work and a real pain.

Some folks think I'm a bit crazy, maybe a bit nuts, but this obsessive nutrition tracking is doing so much for my weight loss. My hope is that it's only a crutch for a short while and that eventually I'll quit tracking and weighing food. Last thing I'll say: the past few months have taught me more about nutrition than my whole life before, and it's helping me.

A little overview you might find interesting.

Core Shifts in Understanding & Treatment of PMOS

• Upstream Metabolic Interventions: Medical focus has moved away from just masking symptoms with birth control. Providers now aggressively target insulin resistance using advanced therapeutics and lifestyle changes to stop the ovaries from overproducing androgens at the source.
  
• GLP-1 and Targeted Therapeutics: Medications like GLP-1 receptor agonists are heavily studied and utilized for their ability to correct hyperinsulinemia, reduce systemic inflammation, and aid metabolic regulation in PMOS patients.
  
• Personalized Fertility Protocols: Fertility care has shifted from a generic approach to phenotype-driven IVF, utilizing customized strategies like freeze-all cycles to dramatically reduce the risk of dangerous Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS).
  
• Cardiovascular Risk Awareness: Because PMOS is tied to long-term systemic health, research strongly emphasizes lifelong cardiovascular surveillance to actively monitor and prevent elevated risks for heart disease and metabolic syndrome.
  
• Brain-Gut-Endocrine Connection: Scientists are exploring how the brain's signaling and the gut microbiome interact with endocrine pathways, shedding light on why mood changes, fatigue, and cognitive fog are core components of the condition.

Click to expand...

.

Honestly, this really intrigues me. Tracking has never been a problem for me. What would the process look like to begin? Which AI nutritionist do you use? I'll try just about anything. There have also been times people called me crazy, though for different reasons. For example, I removed anything from my house that could contain even a hint of toxins, even down to paint. I did that for my own sake as well as for my husband and our cats lol. I also like to say that everything in my house has an expiration date. Our lifestyle is somewhat minimalist, but that's tied to OCD and similar things. So if I could take that same drive and apply it to how I eat, I'm in.

 

[orngcatbox]

Bundabaddie said:

orngcatbox said:

Sorry your tirz didn't go well. PCOS is something I deal with as well, and it got me to a healthy BMI in the end. The strange part? Every single pcos symptom is still there ! Zero improvement. I'd like to know whether any non glp peps are doing anything for people in our situation

In my line of work, GLP medications do remarkable work against insulin resistance, and PCOS is essentially that — a condition rooted in insulin resistance. I've witnessed some truly amazing outcomes. Still, if diet stays poor and exercise is not consistent, very little shifts. Both my mother and my sister have PCOS too, and they've each been using GLP for a while now. My sister, though, continues to deal with plenty of symptoms since she doesn't work out on a regular basis. From what I've seen, it's simply one more instrument — and I've reached the point of exhaustion trying every possible option apart from this one.

Even though I train with weights 4 times per week and my diet is solid, every symptom is still there — and that's while I'm on anti-androgenic birth control. It's beyond frustrating! I also went through dexa and ultrasound scans to look at visceral fat and ovarian cysts, and supposedly everything came back fine. But my bloodwork shows an FAI sitting at a huge 10.0! My cycles are actually regular as well, yet the hyperandrogenism signs hit hard: a really deep voice, acne on my back, oily skin, extra facial and body hair, and so on.

It really does seem to show up so differently from one person to the next. I was genuinely hoping that changing my lifestyle would make it better

 

[Bundabaddie]

LadderCo5 said:

Bundabaddie said:

Hey all,

I've never really done the forum thing before, and honestly the amount of info out there is a lot to take in. Still, I figured I'd say hi, share a bit about myself, and ease into things.

Some background on me:

Work: I earn my living as a first responder.

Why I'm here: I spent time working in this industry/space before, but a toxic work environment pushed me out. These days my reasons are purely personal zero desire to work in this world again, I just care about my own health, recovery, and learning.

What I'm trying to accomplish health-wise:

Gut & Hormones: Right now I'm trying to repair a wrecked gut and deal with PCOS alongside modern medicine, though I'm hungry for every bit of info and any extra tools available.

Skin: I've got stubborn acne tied to those hormonal imbalances underneath, plus the fallout from several rounds of antibiotics I took to try and fix it.

My experience with compounds so far:

Tirzepatide: I gave it a shot before, but it left me feeling terrible, so I'm done with that one though RETA has my attention.

BPC-157: I'm on this one now and it's been going well. There are a few other compounds sitting in my cabinet, but I won't touch them until I've learned enough to feel fully at ease with how they function.

Mostly I want to absorb as much as I can, settle my worries about particular compounds, and get a handle on the science and protocols for gut repair and hormonal support. My aim is to be informed, careful, and ahead of the curve with anything I take.

Excited to dig through the threads and pick up things from all of your experiences! Appreciate the welcome!

Hey, another first responder here. Are you fire, EMS, or law enforcement? I'm on the fire side, and a few of the things you brought up match my situation. Right now I'm running Reta, cjc/ipa, and NAD. Lined up for later cycles are kisspeptine, HCG 5000, selank, and Semax.

After being stuck near 180, Reta got me losing weight again (I'm at 175 now). The main goal of my research is to come off TRT after 9months and return to a natural state, ideally for good. I'm also hoping to stop vyvanse and get a handle on my attention span and brain fog. I hope you come across useful guidance here for your own journey!

EMS!

Last night was my first dose of glutathione, and BPC has been in my routine for about 2 weeks now. A few more are stashed away, waiting their turn: GHKCU and KPV. Semax and selank were something I only just searched up, even though they've been on my radar for a while. Selank might do me some good. Whether it ends up helping you is something I'd really like to hear about! Any negative effects from TRT on your end? Back when I worked in that space, it was my specialty. My husband is 33 and has been considering it too, but fertility later on is on his mind, even though there's solid research suggesting TRT doesn't reduce fertility by much.

 

[klrik]

welcome, excited to have more real pros here.

 

[LadderCo5]

Bundabaddie said:

LadderCo5 said:

Bundabaddie said:

Hey all,

I've never really done the forum thing before, and honestly the amount of info out there is a lot to take in. Still, I figured I'd say hi, share a bit about myself, and ease into things.

Some background on me:

Work: I earn my living as a first responder.

Why I'm here: I spent time working in this industry/space before, but a toxic work environment pushed me out. These days my reasons are purely personal zero desire to work in this world again, I just care about my own health, recovery, and learning.

What I'm trying to accomplish health-wise:

Gut & Hormones: Right now I'm trying to repair a wrecked gut and deal with PCOS alongside modern medicine, though I'm hungry for every bit of info and any extra tools available.

Skin: I've got stubborn acne tied to those hormonal imbalances underneath, plus the fallout from several rounds of antibiotics I took to try and fix it.

My experience with compounds so far:

Tirzepatide: I gave it a shot before, but it left me feeling terrible, so I'm done with that one though RETA has my attention.

BPC-157: I'm on this one now and it's been going well. There are a few other compounds sitting in my cabinet, but I won't touch them until I've learned enough to feel fully at ease with how they function.

Mostly I want to absorb as much as I can, settle my worries about particular compounds, and get a handle on the science and protocols for gut repair and hormonal support. My aim is to be informed, careful, and ahead of the curve with anything I take.

Excited to dig through the threads and pick up things from all of your experiences! Appreciate the welcome!

Hey, another first responder here. Are you fire, EMS, or law enforcement? I'm on the fire side, and a few of the things you brought up match my situation. Right now I'm running Reta, cjc/ipa, and NAD. Lined up for later cycles are kisspeptine, HCG 5000, selank, and Semax.

After being stuck near 180, Reta got me losing weight again (I'm at 175 now). The main goal of my research is to come off TRT after 9months and return to a natural state, ideally for good. I'm also hoping to stop vyvanse and get a handle on my attention span and brain fog. I hope you come across useful guidance here for your own journey!

EMS!

Last night was my first dose of glutathione, and BPC has been in my routine for about 2 weeks now. A few more are stashed away, waiting their turn: GHKCU and KPV. Semax and selank were something I only just searched up, even though they've been on my radar for a while. Selank might do me some good. Whether it ends up helping you is something I'd really like to hear about! Any negative effects from TRT on your end? Back when I worked in that space, it was my specialty. My husband is 33 and has been considering it too, but fertility later on is on his mind, even though there's solid research suggesting TRT doesn't reduce fertility by much.

I'm 35, and my time on it has only been roughly 1.5 years. Since I don't keep up with my trt injections on a regular schedule, the symptoms fluctuate. At one point I paused and was prescribed clomid so that my wife and I could try for a baby (she's due next week!!), and it did the job. That leaves me wondering whether HCG and kisspeptin could support me in coming off trt and returning to a natural state, particularly now that I've made changes to my health. With any luck, what I find out can also serve as guidance for someone else

 

[Just A Cat]

Bundabaddie said:

Just A Cat said:

Sounds Promising. In case I wasn't explicit, cronometer wasn't for watching macros. The macro side is simple. As far as macros go, once my daily protein was sorted out, my muscle synthesis got better. The bump in base metabolic rate that came with it is a bonus too. About a month after I got my protein intake in order, I actually had to raise my daily calories.

Picture telling my AI nutritionist that, when it came back with "adding calories will speed up your weight loss from here."

What I'm getting at is tracking beyond macros, into everything in the rda database. Give it 2 weeks and you'd have solid data. For me, changes were needed because of low... magnesium, potassium, several vitamin b, vitamin d. Choline is also low each day. Oxalate runs too high. Glycine per day sits at just 1/3 of rda.

If that's more than you want to take on, no problem. You can just tell me it's too much at the moment. Truthfully it's a lot of work and a real pain.

Some folks think I'm a bit crazy, maybe a bit nuts, but this obsessive nutrition tracking is doing so much for my weight loss. My hope is that it's only a crutch for a short while and that eventually I'll quit tracking and weighing food. Last thing I'll say: the past few months have taught me more about nutrition than my whole life before, and it's helping me.

A little overview you might find interesting.

Core Shifts in Understanding & Treatment of PMOS

• Upstream Metabolic Interventions: Medical focus has moved away from just masking symptoms with birth control. Providers now aggressively target insulin resistance using advanced therapeutics and lifestyle changes to stop the ovaries from overproducing androgens at the source.
  
• GLP-1 and Targeted Therapeutics: Medications like GLP-1 receptor agonists are heavily studied and utilized for their ability to correct hyperinsulinemia, reduce systemic inflammation, and aid metabolic regulation in PMOS patients.
  
• Personalized Fertility Protocols: Fertility care has shifted from a generic approach to phenotype-driven IVF, utilizing customized strategies like freeze-all cycles to dramatically reduce the risk of dangerous Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS).
  
• Cardiovascular Risk Awareness: Because PMOS is tied to long-term systemic health, research strongly emphasizes lifelong cardiovascular surveillance to actively monitor and prevent elevated risks for heart disease and metabolic syndrome.
  
• Brain-Gut-Endocrine Connection: Scientists are exploring how the brain's signaling and the gut microbiome interact with endocrine pathways, shedding light on why mood changes, fatigue, and cognitive fog are core components of the condition.

Click to expand...

.

Honestly, this really intrigues me. Tracking has never been a problem for me. What would the process look like to begin? Which AI nutritionist do you use? I'll try just about anything. There have also been times people called me crazy, though for different reasons. For example, I removed anything from my house that could contain even a hint of toxins, even down to paint. I did that for my own sake as well as for my husband and our cats lol. I also like to say that everything in my house has an expiration date. Our lifestyle is somewhat minimalist, but that's tied to OCD and similar things. So if I could take that same drive and apply it to how I eat, I'm in.

Many food tracking apps exist, yet cronometer stands out because it digs into micronutrients. You begin by weighing your food and logging every item you consume in the app.

Cronometer tries to cover everything, but beyond foods that carry usda recommended daily allowance (rda) values, the information becomes less reliable. A large share of that extra section involves monitoring individual amino acids. That is fine, since nearly all the details you would want fall under the rda category.

Numerous cronometer walkthroughs are out there. Written guides, YouTube videos, you name it. Even AI can assist in describing how cronometer functions.

When it comes to AI, simply choose one. You might rely on a single AI or put several AI models side by side to compare their responses. For whatever it is worth, Gemani and ChatGPT appear to be the most widely used.

Get the free version of cronometer and try it for a few days. Should it suit you, then you can venture further down the rabbit hole.

 

[Bundabaddie]

orngcatbox said:

Bundabaddie said:

orngcatbox said:

Sorry your tirz didn't go well. PCOS is something I deal with as well, and it got me to a healthy BMI in the end. The strange part? Every single pcos symptom is still there ! Zero improvement. I'd like to know whether any non glp peps are doing anything for people in our situation

In my line of work, GLP medications do remarkable work against insulin resistance, and PCOS is essentially that — a condition rooted in insulin resistance. I've witnessed some truly amazing outcomes. Still, if diet stays poor and exercise is not consistent, very little shifts. Both my mother and my sister have PCOS too, and they've each been using GLP for a while now. My sister, though, continues to deal with plenty of symptoms since she doesn't work out on a regular basis. From what I've seen, it's simply one more instrument — and I've reached the point of exhaustion trying every possible option apart from this one.

Even though I train with weights 4 times per week and my diet is solid, every symptom is still there — and that's while I'm on anti-androgenic birth control. It's beyond frustrating! I also went through dexa and ultrasound scans to look at visceral fat and ovarian cysts, and supposedly everything came back fine. But my bloodwork shows an FAI sitting at a huge 10.0! My cycles are actually regular as well, yet the hyperandrogenism signs hit hard: a really deep voice, acne on my back, oily skin, extra facial and body hair, and so on.

It really does seem to show up so differently from one person to the next. I was genuinely hoping that changing my lifestyle would make it better

Depending on my work schedule, I get to the gym anywhere from 3 to 6 days each week. Honestly, PCOS shows up so differently from one person to the next. I can see that just by looking at my mom and my 2 sisters and how each of us deals with different symptoms. My cycle comes like clockwork, but the pain is really intense. Last cycle I had a cyst burst. My sisters, on the other hand, have never dealt with that, and their periods are sometimes all over the place. Weight is a struggle for both of them though. That hasn't been my main problem, but now that I'm 31, I can tell things are slowing down somewhat. Even so, changing my lifestyle hasn't made much of a difference, and neither has changing what I eat. I can't stay on such a restrictive diet forever. That's the reason I suspect a lot of what I deal with, like my acne and this histamine intolerance (assuming that's what it is), comes back to my gut. Also, the number of specific supplements I'm taking at the moment is honestly crazy.

 

[Shittersfull]

Bundabaddie said:

Just A Cat said:

If you're open to talking about it, I'd like to hear what side effects you experienced with tirz.

Absolutely, happy to share.

My body reacts badly even to basic over-the-counter stuff, so none of this caught me off guard.

What I was doing was microdosing. The precise numbers escape me now (this was more than 2 years back), but it was tiny — around 5u on an every-other-day schedule, or near enough to that. I stopped after just 2 shots. By day 4 I woke up feeling terrible: a splitting headache, unbelievable nausea, and total repulsion toward food. Because of that I went the whole day without eating, did a workout, then headed into my overnight shift. Once I arrived I was sitting around talking with one of our RNs when suddenly I blacked out, became extremely dizzy, and my heart took off racing like an SVT episode. According to her, my color drained to ghost white and then flipped to lobster red in seconds. My guess is that low blood sugar caused it. I made myself eat a plate of pasta, and that was the final time I used it. Kind of wild that I'd even consider another GLP after that, lol. Still, I'm determined to clear up this adult acne, and I'm reaching for anything that might work. I suspect a big chunk of what happened came down to user error — especially since I was being supervised by physicians, given that I worked in that space at the time.

Hi, and glad you found this forum. I appreciate you putting this experiance out there. Sharing the bad ones matters a LOT. The more detail, the better, because that's how other people pick up on what to avoid and keep it from repeating. From what you describe with tirz, the issues that stand out were preventable ones. Tirz can be a fit for you, assuming it's done the right way. There's plenty for you to pick up, and this is a solid spot to do it. Read a ton, and before starting a new post, run a search to see if the info is already there. A couple of pointers:

1. Get clear on how a "u"(unit) differs from a mg. That one's huge.

2. Titration. Learn what that word actually means.

One more thing that helps: add your relevant details to your signature, age, starting wieght, current wieght, goal wieght, age, sex, etc.

Welcome once more, and I'll see you around.