I'm based in the US, but happy to give you a hand
So how far back was it that you were on semaglutide?
Is most of your weight gain down to overeating (same as me), or are you just stuck with a rubbish metabolism and a hit-or-miss diet?
I've only just begun week 3 of reta. About to step on the scales and find out what week 2 took off.
Semaglutide suppresses appetite hard, and so does tirzepetide. Someone who's been on a GLP before, like you, will probably need a bigger reta dose to get that suppression back and build some momentum.
The way I see it: you (and I) only have so much time to get where we want to be. As the months pass, retatrutide's effects will flatten out and eventually plateau — or we'll run into side effects we can't tolerate once we're up in 6+mg territory.
The research says: aggressive retatrutide dosing (a higher initial starting dose of 4mg) plus (steeper monthly titration of +2mg each month) PROVED CONCLUSIVELY better for weight loss... IF the side effects stay tolerable. The therapeutic maintenance doses studied were 8mg, 12mg, and lower, depending on side effects.
That said: we're not cavemen. We aren't obliged to stick to whatever Eli Lilly chose to test or skip. This drug clears with a half-life of six days, 50% of it is still circulating six days after your shot. For me the appetite suppression starts fading 2-4 days after the last dose. Dosing several times a week has worked very well for me.
Who I am: a 235lb, 6' tall white American male, metabolism mostly on my side, but serious discipline and overeating problems and serious mental health problems.
What I actually did:
Week 1:
0.5mg dosed on Monday
Picked up very mild appetite suppression, a slightly sharper sense of smell, very minor muscle twitching, minor skin sensitivity, broken sleep
0.5mg dosed on Wednesday
Appetite suppression working better, very minor skin sensitivity, broken sleep
0.5mg dosed on Friday
Essentially no side effects, but appetite hard to control
0.5mg dosed on Sunday
Appetite suppression reached, side effects largely absent.
THE EFFECT: I effectively started on 2mg while side-stepping everything that comes with injecting 2mg in one go as a beginner. If anything, I'd have gone quicker.
Dropped 4.5lbs across 7 days. Running daily, 100g protein a day.
---------
Week 2:
1mg dosed on Wednesday
Feeling genuinely good by now, appetite more or less gone. Training sessions are stronger. Fruit and protein through the day, protein and veg at night. 500-1000 calorie deficit (aiming for 1500 to 2000 calories a day).
1mg dosed on Sunday
The late dose was because suppression held up really well right through saturday, even though I snacked a bit more on Saturday. Looking back, I'd have dosed a day sooner.
THE EFFECT: dosing twice a week lets me raise the weekly total by two milligrams simply by upping each shot by 1mg, and my blood levels stay even. My plan is to sit at 1mg per 3 days until it stops doing the job. I'll tighten the diet toward far more protein and fibre with fewer carbs and less fat. 3-4 meals daily, 30g protein each.
TODAY: Monday morning. I'll weigh myself tonight and I suspect 5+lbs will be gone. I look good and feel genuinely pleased with where I'm at.
What I'd tell you: climb slowly, quickly, until it feels right. If you took 1mg yesterday and the munchies hit late tonight, inject 0.5mg rather than reaching for food. If you're still hungry, take another 0.5 or 1. Hold an effective dose. Count your calories and your protein. Eat as soon as you wake. Move your body.
Think about adding a little tirzepetide if appetite is getting away from you.
Victory for both of us.
