INTRO Hello, All

AngieHolmes

Explorer
Joined
Apr 22, 2026
Messages
296
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Location
Los Angeles
Glad to finally join in! For a while I've just been reading along, picking up on how things work around here. If I slip up, I'm trusting (and hoping) someone will point it out.

I'm a married woman in the older range, based in SoCal. When wildfire coverage comes on, that's my neck of the woods. My weight has been an issue for as long as I can remember -- my mother could confirm that. Growing up, I picked up the message that being heavy would shut doors and rule out ever having a partner unless I shed pounds, and that stuck with me as an obstacle. Only lately have I come to see the metabolic side of things, and I've made peace with the fact that without medical help, losing weight or keeping it off is basically out of reach for me. During Covid, across roughly 2 years, I dropped 60 pounds (248 down to 188) -- honestly it felt almost unreal, since my appetite simply vanished for a couple of years. That was the first time I encountered [[Q1]] no food noise. [[Q1]] Then last year the scale started creeping up and I felt completely powerless, even though nothing about my habits had shifted. One day my weight held steady, the next it was back at 205.

When I told a doctor I had no idea why I was putting on weight or what to do, she brought up a GLP1. It hadn't been on my radar at all. I spent a couple days mulling it over, then went back to her office a couple days after that, in December, 2025, for my first 2.5mg of brand-name Zepbound. My appetite disappeared again right away, and it felt like angels singing. Now, a little over 5 months in, I'm at 175. Dosing for me is guided by food noise -- if I can hear it, at any point from 5 - 14 days, that's my cue for the next dose. I believed I was still on 2.5mg, but after 4 months I figured out I'd miscalculated and was really getting 1.66. Lately the same 4 pounds have been going up and down week after week, so I added reta 2mg weekly.

I'm nearly out. There's more in my possession, but I won't inject until test results come back. The previous kit I tested (tirz) was reported as "ND" -- no tirz detected. Splitting testing costs through a group appeals to me, though I'll pay the whole amount myself if that's what it takes to know what's in the vial. My workouts happen at home and I walk when I can (chronic illness gets in the way more than I'd like), and I've thought about signing up at a local gym. Lifting is probably the next step.

So much of what I know has come from all of you. I'll likely stay pretty quiet, and chime in with a comment or two if I think it could help. I promise I'm not usually this long-winded.
 
AngieHolmes said:

Glad to finally join in! For a while I've just been reading along, picking up on how things work around here. If I slip up, I'm trusting (and hoping) someone will point it out.

I'm a married woman in the older range, based in SoCal. When wildfire coverage comes on, that's my neck of the woods. My weight has been an issue for as long as I can remember -- my mother could confirm that. Growing up, I picked up the message that being heavy would shut doors and rule out ever having a partner unless I shed pounds, and that stuck with me as an obstacle. Only lately have I come to see the metabolic side of things, and I've made peace with the fact that without medical help, losing weight or keeping it off is basically out of reach for me. During Covid, across roughly 2 years, I dropped 60 pounds (248 down to 188) -- honestly it felt almost unreal, since my appetite simply vanished for a couple of years. That was the first time I encountered [[Q1]] no food noise. [[Q1]] Then last year the scale started creeping up and I felt completely powerless, even though nothing about my habits had shifted. One day my weight held steady, the next it was back at 205.

When I told a doctor I had no idea why I was putting on weight or what to do, she brought up a GLP1. It hadn't been on my radar at all. I spent a couple days mulling it over, then went back to her office a couple days after that, in December, 2025, for my first 2.5mg of brand-name Zepbound. My appetite disappeared again right away, and it felt like angels singing. Now, a little over 5 months in, I'm at 175. Dosing for me is guided by food noise -- if I can hear it, at any point from 5 - 14 days, that's my cue for the next dose. I believed I was still on 2.5mg, but after 4 months I figured out I'd miscalculated and was really getting 1.66. Lately the same 4 pounds have been going up and down week after week, so I added reta 2mg weekly.

I'm nearly out. There's more in my possession, but I won't inject until test results come back. The previous kit I tested (tirz) was reported as "ND" -- no tirz detected. Splitting testing costs through a group appeals to me, though I'll pay the whole amount myself if that's what it takes to know what's in the vial. My workouts happen at home and I walk when I can (chronic illness gets in the way more than I'd like), and I've thought about signing up at a local gym. Lifting is probably the next step.

So much of what I know has come from all of you. I'll likely stay pretty quiet, and chime in with a comment or two if I think it could help. I promise I'm not usually this long-winded.
Thanks for the warm welcome and for telling us your story — what a great intro! Using food noise to decide your dose is something I'll keep in mind... Group testing is what drew me here as well; it's the main reason I signed up. Best of luck with everything ahead!
 
Welcome aboard! I've spent close to 2.5 years on tirz, and my weight has been sitting at 205 for months now. I recently began stacking Reta, so I'm hoping that leads to additional weight loss. Using food noise as your guide is something I appreciate too. Best of luck on your journey!
 
Mamaofthree said:

Welcome aboard! I've spent close to 2.5 years on tirz, and my weight has been sitting at 205 for months now. I recently began stacking Reta, so I'm hoping that leads to additional weight loss. Using food noise as your guide is something I appreciate too. Best of luck on your journey!
I appreciate the warm welcome. Over the last 2 weeks I moved up to 2mg of reta, and at last the weight is coming off once more. I hope you get the same result.
 
Alma said:

AngieHolmes said:

Glad to finally join in! For a while I've just been reading along, picking up on how things work around here. If I slip up, I'm trusting (and hoping) someone will point it out.

I'm a married woman in the older range, based in SoCal. When wildfire coverage comes on, that's my neck of the woods. My weight has been an issue for as long as I can remember -- my mother could confirm that. Growing up, I picked up the message that being heavy would shut doors and rule out ever having a partner unless I shed pounds, and that stuck with me as an obstacle. Only lately have I come to see the metabolic side of things, and I've made peace with the fact that without medical help, losing weight or keeping it off is basically out of reach for me. During Covid, across roughly 2 years, I dropped 60 pounds (248 down to 188) -- honestly it felt almost unreal, since my appetite simply vanished for a couple of years. That was the first time I encountered [[Q1]] no food noise. [[Q1]] Then last year the scale started creeping up and I felt completely powerless, even though nothing about my habits had shifted. One day my weight held steady, the next it was back at 205.

When I told a doctor I had no idea why I was putting on weight or what to do, she brought up a GLP1. It hadn't been on my radar at all. I spent a couple days mulling it over, then went back to her office a couple days after that, in December, 2025, for my first 2.5mg of brand-name Zepbound. My appetite disappeared again right away, and it felt like angels singing. Now, a little over 5 months in, I'm at 175. Dosing for me is guided by food noise -- if I can hear it, at any point from 5 - 14 days, that's my cue for the next dose. I believed I was still on 2.5mg, but after 4 months I figured out I'd miscalculated and was really getting 1.66. Lately the same 4 pounds have been going up and down week after week, so I added reta 2mg weekly.

I'm nearly out. There's more in my possession, but I won't inject until test results come back. The previous kit I tested (tirz) was reported as "ND" -- no tirz detected. Splitting testing costs through a group appeals to me, though I'll pay the whole amount myself if that's what it takes to know what's in the vial. My workouts happen at home and I walk when I can (chronic illness gets in the way more than I'd like), and I've thought about signing up at a local gym. Lifting is probably the next step.

So much of what I know has come from all of you. I'll likely stay pretty quiet, and chime in with a comment or two if I think it could help. I promise I'm not usually this long-winded.
Thanks for the warm welcome and for telling us your story — what a great intro! Using food noise to decide your dose is something I'll keep in mind... Group testing is what drew me here as well; it's the main reason I signed up. Best of luck with everything ahead!
I really appreciate it, and all the best to you as well!
 
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