INTRO Introduction, pleasure to "meet" you guys!

[body4wife]

Hello, all. I came across this forum while hunting down additional information. I'm a 45 year old guy in Utah, 6'2" tall, and right now the scale reads 273 pounds.

For 3 weeks I've been using reta, and from my very first pin I could feel it working, more or less. My starting point was 288 lbs, and I had reservations about GLP-1s. My doctor kept recommending them, yet I turned them down every time, since dropping weight had never been an issue for me. Since my early 20's, my diet and weight have gone up and down like a yo-yo.

Over the last 18 months my weight has sat near 300 lbs. I wanted to shed the pounds once more, but the mental toughness and the easy progress I used to have just weren't there. After months of feeling stuck, I chose the "gray" market path and purchased the reta, because I didn't want any of this showing up on my medical record, or anything like that. In a year I plan to renew my life insurance, and I'd rather not have any red in my ledger (not sure it would really matter, anyway).

My starting dose was 2 mg/week, split into two 1 mg injections. Since I'm a bigger guy, I figured that was a sensible dose to begin with. As of this week, I've moved up to 3 mg/week, given as three 1 mg injections spread apart. Bloating is the only side effect. I'm bloated nonstop. My weight swings around too. Some days I'll actually put on weight when that should be physically impossible. I log everything I eat, so it has to be the bloat. It never lets up and it's miserable.

So I'm here to tell my story and hopefully take part in yours, to stay motivated, and maybe pick up some tips or hacks for handling this journey. Even though the weight is definitely coming off, I feel bigger and fatter on the reta than I did without it. Perhaps that will fade, or perhaps my dose is too high; either way, I'll give it time and hope to get it dialed in.

 

[body4wife]

The scale refuses to move again today. All week I've been stuck at 273, and I can't figure out why. Most days I get in 2-4 miles of walking, plus I'm preparing for a long bike race in September (the main reason and motivation for dropping weight), which has me riding 1-4 hours/day. I've been at this training since last fall without any weight loss. That's what led me to try peptides.

Just from activity alone, I can burn 1000-4000+ calories daily.

On most days my intake is 1600-2000 calories, except on long ride days when I eat during the ride and can take in another 700-1000 calories along the way.

I'm averaging 180 grams of protein daily. The first couple weeks the weight fell off fast, but now it's stalled even with a higher dose. The bloating is unbelievable, bowel movements have basically ceased, and my wedding band—which used to slide on and off easily—is now stuck on my finger most days, I assume from water retention/bloat.

I'm not sure what to do, but I'll stick with the plan and the training, since the weight did start to move, at least at first. 15 pounds in just over two weeks is good progress in my book.

 

[body4wife]

The scale is finally showing some encouraging progress. My bike rides have become a regular habit, and as the pounds come off, my movement feels smoother. I'm eager to keep shedding weight and to notice the gains on the bike—covering more distance and going quicker while putting out the same effort.

Today the scale read 266 lbs. I'm making a real effort to keep protein up and stay hydrated, yet I catch myself being pretty lax about it, which could cause issues. Maybe I'll set a watch timer so that it prompts me to eat and drink on schedule.

 

[Supern0va]

I've come across mentions that things can get a bit unpredictable in the bathroom department. Has psyllium husk been something you've given a shot? Someone in a different thread said it did the trick for them. And besides cardio, have you worked any lifting into what you're doing?

 

[body4wife]

Supern0va said:

I've come across mentions that things can get a bit unpredictable in the bathroom department. Has psyllium husk been something you've given a shot? Someone in a different thread said it did the trick for them. And besides cardio, have you worked any lifting into what you're doing?

Thankfully, things are moving along better in the bathroom department. I've upped how much fiber I take in. Rice, though, really seems to bring on a lot of bloating for me.

When it comes to lifting weights, I have a lot of experience behind me, and I'm aware I should be back in the gym. The problem is that training for a 200 mile bike race eats up nearly all of my spare time, so I haven't made it back. Every so often I'll do a kettlebell session, hoping to make it a regular part of my routine and commit to it fully, but it leaves me too drained for my cycling workouts, so I never manage to stay consistent.

 

[Supern0va]

body4wife said:

Supern0va said:

I've come across mentions that things can get a bit unpredictable in the bathroom department. Has psyllium husk been something you've given a shot? Someone in a different thread said it did the trick for them. And besides cardio, have you worked any lifting into what you're doing?

Thankfully, things are moving along better in the bathroom department. I've upped how much fiber I take in. Rice, though, really seems to bring on a lot of bloating for me.

When it comes to lifting weights, I have a lot of experience behind me, and I'm aware I should be back in the gym. The problem is that training for a 200 mile bike race eats up nearly all of my spare time, so I haven't made it back. Every so often I'll do a kettlebell session, hoping to make it a regular part of my routine and commit to it fully, but it leaves me too drained for my cycling workouts, so I never manage to stay consistent.

That's great news — I'm relieved the routine is falling back into place. It was exactly the thing on my mind! From what I understand, two trips to the bathroom daily is the healthy benchmark, and I'm certainly someone who goes twice a day

The bloating has me concerned though! Every meal I eat includes carbs, and I've been weighing out my portions. Nothing has been started on my end yet. There's so much information on here that I'm still trying to take it all in lol.

Best of luck with your bike race!!!

 

[unclebuff702]

body4wife said:

Supern0va said:

I've come across mentions that things can get a bit unpredictable in the bathroom department. Has psyllium husk been something you've given a shot? Someone in a different thread said it did the trick for them. And besides cardio, have you worked any lifting into what you're doing?

Thankfully, things are moving along better in the bathroom department. I've upped how much fiber I take in. Rice, though, really seems to bring on a lot of bloating for me.

When it comes to lifting weights, I have a lot of experience behind me, and I'm aware I should be back in the gym. The problem is that training for a 200 mile bike race eats up nearly all of my spare time, so I haven't made it back. Every so often I'll do a kettlebell session, hoping to make it a regular part of my routine and commit to it fully, but it leaves me too drained for my cycling workouts, so I never manage to stay consistent.

A 200 mile bike race sounds insane! I can't wait until I'm able to manage even a 2 mile ride, haha! Nice work, and best of luck!

 

[unclebuff702]

Supern0va said:

body4wife said:

Supern0va said:

I've come across mentions that things can get a bit unpredictable in the bathroom department. Has psyllium husk been something you've given a shot? Someone in a different thread said it did the trick for them. And besides cardio, have you worked any lifting into what you're doing?

Thankfully, things are moving along better in the bathroom department. I've upped how much fiber I take in. Rice, though, really seems to bring on a lot of bloating for me.

When it comes to lifting weights, I have a lot of experience behind me, and I'm aware I should be back in the gym. The problem is that training for a 200 mile bike race eats up nearly all of my spare time, so I haven't made it back. Every so often I'll do a kettlebell session, hoping to make it a regular part of my routine and commit to it fully, but it leaves me too drained for my cycling workouts, so I never manage to stay consistent.

That's great news — I'm relieved the routine is falling back into place. It was exactly the thing on my mind! From what I understand, two trips to the bathroom daily is the healthy benchmark, and I'm certainly someone who goes twice a day

The bloating has me concerned though! Every meal I eat includes carbs, and I've been weighing out my portions. Nothing has been started on my end yet. There's so much information on here that I'm still trying to take it all in lol.

Best of luck with your bike race!!!

For a stretch, my wife dealt with bloating and unpredictable bathroom trips. Check out Mag07 — it's a magnesium supplement that remains in the digestive tract and draws water into the bowels. It does amazing things, sort of like scrubbing bubbles, except inside your body

 

[Supern0va]

unclebuff702 said:

Supern0va said:

body4wife said:

Supern0va said:

I've come across mentions that things can get a bit unpredictable in the bathroom department. Has psyllium husk been something you've given a shot? Someone in a different thread said it did the trick for them. And besides cardio, have you worked any lifting into what you're doing?

Thankfully, things are moving along better in the bathroom department. I've upped how much fiber I take in. Rice, though, really seems to bring on a lot of bloating for me.

When it comes to lifting weights, I have a lot of experience behind me, and I'm aware I should be back in the gym. The problem is that training for a 200 mile bike race eats up nearly all of my spare time, so I haven't made it back. Every so often I'll do a kettlebell session, hoping to make it a regular part of my routine and commit to it fully, but it leaves me too drained for my cycling workouts, so I never manage to stay consistent.

That's great news — I'm relieved the routine is falling back into place. It was exactly the thing on my mind! From what I understand, two trips to the bathroom daily is the healthy benchmark, and I'm certainly someone who goes twice a day

The bloating has me concerned though! Every meal I eat includes carbs, and I've been weighing out my portions. Nothing has been started on my end yet. There's so much information on here that I'm still trying to take it all in lol.

Best of luck with your bike race!!!

For a stretch, my wife dealt with bloating and unpredictable bathroom trips. Check out Mag07 — it's a magnesium supplement that remains in the digestive tract and draws water into the bowels. It does amazing things, sort of like scrubbing bubbles, except inside your body

Will it have me running to the bathroom nonstop, the way a laxative does? I'm in an office setting, so ideally nobody would be within earshot of what's going on

 

[body4wife]

unclebuff702 said:

body4wife said:

Supern0va said:

I've come across mentions that things can get a bit unpredictable in the bathroom department. Has psyllium husk been something you've given a shot? Someone in a different thread said it did the trick for them. And besides cardio, have you worked any lifting into what you're doing?

Thankfully, things are moving along better in the bathroom department. I've upped how much fiber I take in. Rice, though, really seems to bring on a lot of bloating for me.

When it comes to lifting weights, I have a lot of experience behind me, and I'm aware I should be back in the gym. The problem is that training for a 200 mile bike race eats up nearly all of my spare time, so I haven't made it back. Every so often I'll do a kettlebell session, hoping to make it a regular part of my routine and commit to it fully, but it leaves me too drained for my cycling workouts, so I never manage to stay consistent.

A 200 mile bike race sounds insane! I can't wait until I'm able to manage even a 2 mile ride, haha! Nice work, and best of luck!

Yeah, it is!!! That is exactly why we joined. Every year my brothers and I pick something to push us into better shape. Last year we "ran" the Grand Canyon from North to South Rim. It is a rough 25 miles. I got down to 230 and finished it in six hours.

But, the moment that goal is hit, the discipline wheels come off and the weight piled back on really fast.

This year we picked a race with the idea that it had to be something that scared us silly, and to pull it off we would have to become entirely different people (i.e. skinnier than I have been in decades). Being a fat man on a bike is no fun at all, the inclines especially.

So, as I said in my first post, I sat on a trainer all winter, yet did not drop the weight I meant to (the more I pedaled, the more I ate), and now I am giving reta a run hoping to make the most of the few months left.

 

[body4wife]

Supern0va said:

unclebuff702 said:

Supern0va said:

body4wife said:

Supern0va said:

I've come across mentions that things can get a bit unpredictable in the bathroom department. Has psyllium husk been something you've given a shot? Someone in a different thread said it did the trick for them. And besides cardio, have you worked any lifting into what you're doing?

Thankfully, things are moving along better in the bathroom department. I've upped how much fiber I take in. Rice, though, really seems to bring on a lot of bloating for me.

When it comes to lifting weights, I have a lot of experience behind me, and I'm aware I should be back in the gym. The problem is that training for a 200 mile bike race eats up nearly all of my spare time, so I haven't made it back. Every so often I'll do a kettlebell session, hoping to make it a regular part of my routine and commit to it fully, but it leaves me too drained for my cycling workouts, so I never manage to stay consistent.

That's great news — I'm relieved the routine is falling back into place. It was exactly the thing on my mind! From what I understand, two trips to the bathroom daily is the healthy benchmark, and I'm certainly someone who goes twice a day

The bloating has me concerned though! Every meal I eat includes carbs, and I've been weighing out my portions. Nothing has been started on my end yet. There's so much information on here that I'm still trying to take it all in lol.

Best of luck with your bike race!!!

For a stretch, my wife dealt with bloating and unpredictable bathroom trips. Check out Mag07 — it's a magnesium supplement that remains in the digestive tract and draws water into the bowels. It does amazing things, sort of like scrubbing bubbles, except inside your body

Will it have me running to the bathroom nonstop, the way a laxative does? I'm in an office setting, so ideally nobody would be within earshot of what's going on

Regarding Mag07, I can't really say — I take a magnesium pill every day and it's been fine for me.

One piece of advice: don't eat a whole bag of Trader Joe's sugar free sour gummy worms hoping to move things along faster. You'll end up dealing with exactly the kind of trouble you're worried about.

 

[unclebuff702]

Supern0va said:

unclebuff702 said:

Supern0va said:

body4wife said:

Supern0va said:

I've come across mentions that things can get a bit unpredictable in the bathroom department. Has psyllium husk been something you've given a shot? Someone in a different thread said it did the trick for them. And besides cardio, have you worked any lifting into what you're doing?

Thankfully, things are moving along better in the bathroom department. I've upped how much fiber I take in. Rice, though, really seems to bring on a lot of bloating for me.

When it comes to lifting weights, I have a lot of experience behind me, and I'm aware I should be back in the gym. The problem is that training for a 200 mile bike race eats up nearly all of my spare time, so I haven't made it back. Every so often I'll do a kettlebell session, hoping to make it a regular part of my routine and commit to it fully, but it leaves me too drained for my cycling workouts, so I never manage to stay consistent.

That's great news — I'm relieved the routine is falling back into place. It was exactly the thing on my mind! From what I understand, two trips to the bathroom daily is the healthy benchmark, and I'm certainly someone who goes twice a day

The bloating has me concerned though! Every meal I eat includes carbs, and I've been weighing out my portions. Nothing has been started on my end yet. There's so much information on here that I'm still trying to take it all in lol.

Best of luck with your bike race!!!

For a stretch, my wife dealt with bloating and unpredictable bathroom trips. Check out Mag07 — it's a magnesium supplement that remains in the digestive tract and draws water into the bowels. It does amazing things, sort of like scrubbing bubbles, except inside your body

Will it have me running to the bathroom nonstop, the way a laxative does? I'm in an office setting, so ideally nobody would be within earshot of what's going on

Nope, zero issues there. The routine is simple: dose it right before hitting the sack, then get up the next morning feeling set (not in a frantic dash to the bathroom, more like throw an extra set of underwear in your bag just in case lol).

With Magnesium Citrate I've dealt with that full-on volcanic eruption of liquid hot magma, but next to that, Mag07 feels more like a soft summer breeze!

 

[unclebuff702]

body4wife said:

unclebuff702 said:

body4wife said:

Supern0va said:

I've come across mentions that things can get a bit unpredictable in the bathroom department. Has psyllium husk been something you've given a shot? Someone in a different thread said it did the trick for them. And besides cardio, have you worked any lifting into what you're doing?

Thankfully, things are moving along better in the bathroom department. I've upped how much fiber I take in. Rice, though, really seems to bring on a lot of bloating for me.

When it comes to lifting weights, I have a lot of experience behind me, and I'm aware I should be back in the gym. The problem is that training for a 200 mile bike race eats up nearly all of my spare time, so I haven't made it back. Every so often I'll do a kettlebell session, hoping to make it a regular part of my routine and commit to it fully, but it leaves me too drained for my cycling workouts, so I never manage to stay consistent.

A 200 mile bike race sounds insane! I can't wait until I'm able to manage even a 2 mile ride, haha! Nice work, and best of luck!

Yeah, it is!!! That is exactly why we joined. Every year my brothers and I pick something to push us into better shape. Last year we "ran" the Grand Canyon from North to South Rim. It is a rough 25 miles. I got down to 230 and finished it in six hours.

But, the moment that goal is hit, the discipline wheels come off and the weight piled back on really fast.

This year we picked a race with the idea that it had to be something that scared us silly, and to pull it off we would have to become entirely different people (i.e. skinnier than I have been in decades). Being a fat man on a bike is no fun at all, the inclines especially.

So, as I said in my first post, I sat on a trainer all winter, yet did not drop the weight I meant to (the more I pedaled, the more I ate), and now I am giving reta a run hoping to make the most of the few months left.

Man, you've gotta keep me posted on how that turns out lol that's seriously cool.

My brother's idea of a good time is just booze and fishing lol, the only running we do is getting winded lol

 

[Gantz236]

body4wife said:

Supern0va said:

I've come across mentions that things can get a bit unpredictable in the bathroom department. Has psyllium husk been something you've given a shot? Someone in a different thread said it did the trick for them. And besides cardio, have you worked any lifting into what you're doing?

Thankfully, things are moving along better in the bathroom department. I've upped how much fiber I take in. Rice, though, really seems to bring on a lot of bloating for me.

When it comes to lifting weights, I have a lot of experience behind me, and I'm aware I should be back in the gym. The problem is that training for a 200 mile bike race eats up nearly all of my spare time, so I haven't made it back. Every so often I'll do a kettlebell session, hoping to make it a regular part of my routine and commit to it fully, but it leaves me too drained for my cycling workouts, so I never manage to stay consistent.

Greetings from another person here in Utah. I've been using Reta for 3 weeks now. Both my wife and I ran into bowel problems from reta, and because of that, keeping hydrated has been tough — especially since I put in 10 hours of hard labor every day under the desert sun. Adding fiber and magnesium changed everything.

Yesterday marked the first workday where I didn't have that feeling that something was off. The higher heart rate and elevated body temperature have made things difficult too. I'm not eager to find out how it'll feel once the temperature reaches 110+

 

[body4wife]

Gantz236 said:

body4wife said:

Supern0va said:

I've come across mentions that things can get a bit unpredictable in the bathroom department. Has psyllium husk been something you've given a shot? Someone in a different thread said it did the trick for them. And besides cardio, have you worked any lifting into what you're doing?

Thankfully, things are moving along better in the bathroom department. I've upped how much fiber I take in. Rice, though, really seems to bring on a lot of bloating for me.

When it comes to lifting weights, I have a lot of experience behind me, and I'm aware I should be back in the gym. The problem is that training for a 200 mile bike race eats up nearly all of my spare time, so I haven't made it back. Every so often I'll do a kettlebell session, hoping to make it a regular part of my routine and commit to it fully, but it leaves me too drained for my cycling workouts, so I never manage to stay consistent.

Greetings from another person here in Utah. I've been using Reta for 3 weeks now. Both my wife and I ran into bowel problems from reta, and because of that, keeping hydrated has been tough — especially since I put in 10 hours of hard labor every day under the desert sun. Adding fiber and magnesium changed everything.

Yesterday marked the first workday where I didn't have that feeling that something was off. The higher heart rate and elevated body temperature have made things difficult too. I'm not eager to find out how it'll feel once the temperature reaches 110+

What's your duration on reta so far? I've hit week 6 and the results are nothing like those initial weeks.

My dose likely needs increasing—today the cravings were intense—yet I'm going to stay put so my vials stretch further.

 

[Gantz236]

body4wife said:

Gantz236 said:

body4wife said:

Supern0va said:

I've come across mentions that things can get a bit unpredictable in the bathroom department. Has psyllium husk been something you've given a shot? Someone in a different thread said it did the trick for them. And besides cardio, have you worked any lifting into what you're doing?

Thankfully, things are moving along better in the bathroom department. I've upped how much fiber I take in. Rice, though, really seems to bring on a lot of bloating for me.

When it comes to lifting weights, I have a lot of experience behind me, and I'm aware I should be back in the gym. The problem is that training for a 200 mile bike race eats up nearly all of my spare time, so I haven't made it back. Every so often I'll do a kettlebell session, hoping to make it a regular part of my routine and commit to it fully, but it leaves me too drained for my cycling workouts, so I never manage to stay consistent.

Greetings from another person here in Utah. I've been using Reta for 3 weeks now. Both my wife and I ran into bowel problems from reta, and because of that, keeping hydrated has been tough — especially since I put in 10 hours of hard labor every day under the desert sun. Adding fiber and magnesium changed everything.

Yesterday marked the first workday where I didn't have that feeling that something was off. The higher heart rate and elevated body temperature have made things difficult too. I'm not eager to find out how it'll feel once the temperature reaches 110+

What's your duration on reta so far? I've hit week 6 and the results are nothing like those initial weeks.

My dose likely needs increasing—today the cravings were intense—yet I'm going to stay put so my vials stretch further.

Saturday marked my 4th injection, still holding at 2mg. I began on Sundays, but switched to Saturday so I'd have a buffer before the work week — the days right after pinning tend to hit me hard, and it's worse when I'm out in the heat. Might shift it to Friday after I clock out instead.

Snack urges have crept back in. Beer is still a struggle to finish even now. Since the weight keeps coming off at a decent pace, I'll remain at 2mg for at least a few more weeks. Titrating upward can test your patience, yet I'm also wary of what a higher dose might do side-effect wise.

I also kicked off KLOW this past week, so I'm eager to see how that plays out over the next several weeks.

 

[body4wife]

It's been 2 weeks since I first posted, and progress has hit a wall once more. For multiple days now the scale hasn't budged, despite keeping calories down and staying busy with exercise and activity. I'm still puzzling over why that is.

I don't want to raise my dose another time, and I also don't want to end up "too reliant" on the medication, since there's no intention or wish to continue this over the long haul, so I'll just watch and see what happens.

My plan was to hold off on any dose increase until July, but with how things stand right now, I might not make it that far.