INTRO Hello from Pakistan

[SlimPathway]

Hey all. I'm 24, male, and I live in Pakistan.

Obesity was part of my life for as long as I can remember, right up until about age 21, and diabetes was in the picture too. In time I dropped a large amount of weight, going from 112 kg to 62 kg, and I began strength training. For the last 3 years my weight has stayed roughly at that level.

What people see on the outside, though, doesn't match what's actually going on.

Food dominates my whole existence. Not in a typical way — in a way that's obsessive and draining. My mind is always on the next meal: how much I'll eat, how to keep it under control, how to avoid losing control. And even with all the effort I put into staying disciplined, I binge. Often.

These episodes aren't simply [[Q1]]. It's as if something else takes over, as if I genuinely cannot stop even when I want to. I continue eating far beyond fullness, until I feel ill, and I still don't stop. There's no off switch, it seems. Then the guilt arrives, along with frustration and anger directed at myself… and the same cycle starts over.

I've attempted every method I could come up with to manage it: high protein, high fiber, structured meals, willpower, [[Q2]], every one of them. Nothing truly sticks. After losing so much weight, it feels like my brain has become wired around food.

A major reason I'm depressed is this as well. It isn't just depression in a general sense; it seems to be directly connected to this ongoing struggle with food and my inability to control it. My mood, my focus, my ability to function day to day — all of it is affected. I can't unwind, I can't properly enjoy anything, because food noise never leaves the background.

Several psychiatric medications have been prescribed to me, and I've gone through therapy, yet none of it has truly addressed this particular problem.

Semaglutide was something I did try, and it did lessen the food noise and the urge to binge — honestly the first moment I felt any relief. The problem is that where I live, affording it long term is extremely hard.

I've started researching other GLP-1 choices, such as tirzepatide and retatrutide, and I hope to find a way to begin something and remain consistent with it, so I can live a normal life without constantly battling my own brain over food.

I'd really like to hear from people who've faced similar things, particularly with binge eating and food noise, and how GLP-1s have either helped you or not.

 

[Vash]

It's great that you came across this forum, and I hope it gives you whatever you're after. I can't say I've dealt with those same issues myself, but from what you describe, Tirz sounds like it could be useful. Ideally, somebody who's been through something comparable will jump in and share their thoughts.

Best of luck, and don't stop pushing forward.

 

[birdwhacker]

Yeah man, I know exactly how that feels. It's what happens when you're a big guy. Hell, a starving guy, even. Sprinting to the fridge in the middle of the night. Shoving handfuls of candy bars into the bedroom while hating myself, feeling like complete garbage the whole time.

That's all behind me now. I'm just about through week 5 of reta. The first 3 weeks I dropped 12+lbs. One day I couldn't control what I ate at all, and basically overnight I was logging calories.

My starting dose was 0.5mg. A few side effects showed up but nothing good came of it. A few days later I took another 0.5. Then came another 0.5, and then one more 0.5. That means week 1 totaled 2mg, which lines up with the weekly starting dose used in the human trials.

For the following 3 weeks I took 1mg every 3 to five days, depending on how I was feeling. Once week 2 of the 1mg-every-few-days routine passed, appetite suppression hit hard and I had control over my eating.

The studies found that going up by 2mg per month worked better than going up by 1mg per month. So when week five arrived, I switched to 2mg every 3 days. It's been flawless.

Today I had what I call a "cheat day." 4 protein shakes in water, a lot of psilium husk fiber, one huge brownie, and a ton of walking. 1500 calories. For hours I've been lying in bed with a mostly empty stomach. I feel good.

There's nothing left to worry about. You've already won the battle. What's left is learning the science behind reconstituting, injecting, sourcing, storing, and keeping peptides sterile. And nutrition too, obviously, you need plenty of protein, and fiber goes a long way toward curbing appetite.

I brought up my dosing method because I'm really pleased with the result and I believe it's the best route. Don't stress. If hunger hits you hard, add another half milligram. If appetite suppression feels strong, take a day off. Keep it simple. Just track your food and picture finally having a girlfriend again in 2 years. Or having abs in a few years if you put in serious work.

You'll be fine, buddy.

 

[boerboel]

Welcome! For your situation, Reta is likely the top option. Look into it thoroughly and don't hesitate to ask things. There are plenty of well-informed people in this community. My suggestion: no matter which route you pick, begin at the smallest dose and move up gradually in tiny steps.

 

[ravii]

I get you completely, 100%. Several nights each week, the food noise even makes its way into my dreams... particularly when I've had a huge binge and I'm drowning in guilt afterward. It feels like this is my final shot, and if it fails, I'm finished. Wanting to keep going is genuinely hard for me in these conditions. That's especially true since I see myself as a failure in every other area - a mediocre job, few friends, no family, and so on.

Still, you've already made it so far, so remind yourself of that now and then. So have I... even while being heavy and unable to shed weight, I still drag myself to the gym 5 times a week. You've made changes without glps, so if you discover something that works for you, you could be unstoppable when it comes to reaching your goals There seems to be plenty of information right here. Once you've got what you need, there's a large community ready to back you up. At least, that's what I'm hoping for myself. Even when the road ahead isn't clear, maybe we can make the trip together.