Is using GLP-1 weight loss programs like the ones offered by MEDVi actually safe for long‑term use?

[SnowBall1999]

So I’ve been thinking about trying one of those GLP‑1 weight‑loss programs, kinda like the ones MEDVi advertises everywhere, but I’m low‑key freaked out about whether they’re actually safe long‑term.

I’ve been struggling with my weight forever, and this seems like the first thing that might actually move the needle for me. But I don’t wanna mess up my health just to drop some pounds, you know?

If anyone here’s been on these meds or knows someone who has, I’d seriously love to hear what the real deal is before I take the plunge.

 

[RandyT]

Been on Zepbound for 12 weeks so far. Biggest issue to date is the constipation, but hear that some people get diarrhea. Currently down 25 pounds. According to my doctor should be a 12-18 month treatment before weaning off of the meds to see if I can maintain weight control. GLP-1 meds have potential serious side effects, some of which are also present if using diabetes meds. But also need to keep in mind that being overweight has very high risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes.

In my case A1C was 6.1 and creeping up into full diabetic range. Blood pressure was 150/100 and elevated cholesterol.

If you take the plunge be prepared to eat about 1 meal a day or less, and need to concentrate on high protein diet, such as meat, milk, eggs, cheese, because the weight loss can cause issues with muscle loss, especially if you start dropping weight quickly. so need to try to eat a balanced diet, but need to concentrate on proteins over anything else you eat. Meaning if you sit down to eat a balanced meal with veggies, and starches, etc, eat your protein first, because when you are eating a meal, when you get full it will be a hard stop.

 

[jyoutz]

Try the low carb diet. Eat meat, eggs, and vegetables and avoid carbs. You’ll drop weight fast and won’t be hungry.

 

[Torvy]

^what J said.

My older daughter is on one of those drugs. Wife went the bariatric surgery route.

Both get you to the same place as just eating a low-carb diet. The only difference is willpower. They couldn't seem to deny themselves, so the drugs and surgery forced them to do it.

I'm more than happy to share some reasonable options to make low carb eating easier. La Bandarita makes a good zero net carb tortillas. I can get them at Sam's, but not all stores carry them. I use them instead of bread. Peanut butter, cheese, meats all wrap nicely. I even bring them on trips so I can have a sandwich in the drive-thru and just move the insides into my tortillas and toss the bun. (Arby's beef works nicely that way). Not all veggies are low carb. Green beans, broccoli and most of the leafy stuff is fine. Carrots and most root veggies are sugary. Berries are usually fine. Avoid bananas, oranges and pineapple.

 

[jyoutz]

^what J said.

My older daughter is on one of those drugs. Wife went the bariatric surgery route.

Both get you to the same place as just eating a low-carb diet. The only difference is willpower. They couldn't seem to deny themselves, so the drugs and surgery forced them to do it.

I'm more than happy to share some reasonable options to make low carb eating easier. La Bandarita makes a good zero net carb tortillas. I can get them at Sam's, but not all stores carry them. I use them instead of bread. Peanut butter, cheese, meats all wrap nicely. I even bring them on trips so I can have a sandwich in the drive-thru and just move the insides into my tortillas and toss the bun. (Arby's beef works nicely that way). Not all veggies are low carb. Green beans, broccoli and most of the leafy stuff is fine. Carrots and most root veggies are sugary. Berries are usually fine. Avoid bananas, oranges and pineapple.

It’s true that not all veggies are low carb, but most have fiber. Fiber with carbs helps to slow their digestion.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

It’s true that not all veggies are low carb, but most have fiber. Fiber with carbs helps to slow their digestion.

A 15 to 20 minute walk after eating also helps slow digestion, commonly known as "the fart walk".
Mediterranean diet is also a good wight lose solution.

 

[mark in portugal]

Millions of people (try to) follow hundreds of diets, and a few lose weight.
The new weight lose drugs actually work; that's a big deal, and a life saver for many people (and I know a few of them).

Personally, I never succeed in dieting. My desire to eat always gets ahead of my desire to lose weight for just long enough to scoff down something I shouldn't.

I go on a full fast once every few years to get off the accumulation.
Last time I took off 25 lbs in 20 days.
It's like addiction; full abstinence is easier than quantity control.

 

[RayIN]

I once asked my Dr., what is the best way to lose weight and keep it off?
He said, "come-on Ray, stop bending your elbows"..

 

[Oaktree]

According to my doctor should be a 12-18 month treatment before weaning off of the meds to see if I can maintain weight control. GLP-1 meds have potential serious side effects, some of which are also present if using diabetes meds.

I've always read they WERE diabetes meds, not recommended for those who aren't diabetic. I've also heard that once you start using them, you're pretty much on them for the rest of your life.

Try the low carb diet. Eat meat, eggs, and vegetables and avoid carbs. You’ll drop weight fast and won’t be hungry.

The old Atkins diet. Was kind of a fad maybe 20-25 years ago. Like most fad diets, it's (1) not really healthy and (2) rarely sustainable.

 

[jyoutz]

I've always read they WERE diabetes meds, not recommended for those who aren't diabetic. I've also heard that once you start using them, you're pretty much on them for the rest of your life.

The old Atkins diet. Was kind of a fad maybe 20-25 years ago. Like most fad diets, it's (1) not really healthy and (2) rarely sustainable.

The Adkins diet was mostly meat; what I said was meat, eggs, and vegetables primarily. You can also add some high fiber carbs such as beans and full grains such as brown rice and oats, just not a lot of carbs. More of a low carb diet instead of no carbs. It can be healthy and sustainable.

 

[RandyT]

I've always read they WERE diabetes meds, not recommended for those who aren't diabetic. I've also heard that once you start using them, you're pretty much on them for the rest of your life.

Some are licensed for diabetes such as Ozempic, and some are licensed for weight loss such as Zepbound. Neither has a major effect on blood glucose levels. But in some cases can cause low blood glucose. I had a 65 about 6 weeks ago.

The Adkins diet was mostly meat; what I said was meat, eggs, and vegetables primarily. You can also add some high fiber carbs such as beans and full grains such as brown rice and oats, just not a lot of carbs. More of a low carb diet instead of no carbs. It can be healthy and sustainable.

Sounds like the cross between carnivore and keto. Ketosis is the basis behind burning viseral fat leading to weight loss, and is the mechanism in which the GLP-1 drugs operate due to not eating.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I sort of view glp1 drugs, like declaring bankruptcy. It may reset you, but it didn't fix the issue. Eating well and exercising is key, there is no quick long term fix.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

to the OP... wrt to safety I think like most new drugs that is still TBD.

Also i would strongly recommend you investigate how long you plan to take and pre consider what is your plan to wean off if used for weight loss versus things likely kidney problems / diabetes where people will stay on for life.

it appears that those who use it for weight loss or obesity you will likely need to take if forever (or at minimum long-term). Evidence shows weight comes back on for those who use for obesity / weight loss. different views from different doctors for sure but appears weight comes back 9and potentially even more) when you stop.

So make sure you investigate and ask around to those who are specialists in the area and not from those who have vested interests like those who profit from selling. Taking advice from people like me is also useless IMHO. Advice from those pushing it for money, etc... is also as wrong as listening to uneducated like me.

Check out what Myo clinic and other org's that do not have financial interests say.

Cheers and good luck with your journey. Weight loss is not easy.

 

[RandyT]

I sort of view glp1 drugs, like declaring bankruptcy. It may reset you, but it didn't fix the issue. Eating well and exercising is key, there is no quick long term fix.

And that is the bottom line truth. the GLP-1 drugs give you the reset that is needed sometimes, but need to work on exercise and diet while on the drugs to prevent a relapse.

 

[ruffdog]

Remember back when phen-phen was the miracle drug to lose weight? Yeah, a friend from work was losing weight when he was taking it....then died.

"Phen-phen" was the popular name for a combination of two weight-loss drugs, fenfluramine and phentermine, which was widely prescribed in the 1990s but voluntarily withdrawn from the market in 1997 due to links to serious, potentially fatal, heart and lung conditions.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Safe and effective!

 

[mark in portugal]

I have to say something about exercise; it's great, it's healthy, many benefits.
Weight loss is not among them.

Unless you do something really hardcore like 100 mile bike rides or 5 mile swims, exercise only burns a few extra calories; counter-intuitive I know, because it feels like you're doing great.

We get fat by overeating; anyone who is seriously overweight has an appetite problem, similar to addiction.
Chemicals released by exercise make you hungry, exacerbating the real problem.

All those fitness freaks telling people with weight problems that exercise is the answer, are simply wrong. And probably have something to sell.

My OH has been using Ozemic in pill form for over a year, with really good results. She takes it once a week in pill form, and about 20% of the recommended dose.
Due to illness, she can't exercise. She lost 25 lbs over 6 months.

We buy 14mg pills and break them in 1/4s at first, now 1/2. They sell the higher dose at the same price as lower dose, and tell you not to break the pills. That's BS.

Her appetite does come back when she doesn't take the pill for a few weeks. This medication has been around for a while, as a diabetes treatment; there has been little serious adverse effects.

It could be that a person with a serious overeating disorder will need to take it indefinitely; but you can certainly taper right back to a small dose once you get your weight down to a healthy level.

As for the Atkins, low carb, whatever diet; my Dad was a true believer for decades. He was always morbidly obese and died young of heart attack.

My older brother was also morbidly obese as a teenager, absolutely terrifyingly huge; he got himself thin by sheer will power and stayed that way until today. He's 66 and rides bicycle 400 miles a week (which will, as stated above, actually burn some serious calories).

I am a food addict. I love to eat, everything, all the time. I've struggled with it my whole life. I can abstain for a time (Eve a 20 day fast), but moderation is really tough. At this time, I'm 180 lbs at 5'8", which is ok.

Fat will kill you; these new drugs will not. Exercise is great, I recommend it.
But if you need to lose weight, and you're over 50, and you didn't succeed before, just take the drug. It can save your life.

 

[RandyT]

I have been thinking for a period about how to respond. Mark brings up several good points about weight loss not being as easy as following a diet and exercise. For the people that like to blame fat people for overeating you may want to consider what may of triggered the overweight issue to start with.

Don't overlook that some people may of had injuries or illnesses that may have contributed to the issue and the overweight didn't happen overnight, possibly could of accumulated over 40 years.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

Maybe I missed it, but what does your Dr. say? While people on here can tell you their success stories, everyone is different.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I have to say something about exercise; it's great, it's healthy, many benefits.
Weight loss is not among them.

Unless you do something really hardcore like 100 mile bike rides or 5 mile swims, exercise only burns a few extra calories; counter-intuitive I know, because it feels like you're doing great.

We get fat by overeating; anyone who is seriously overweight has an appetite problem, similar to addiction.
Chemicals released by exercise make you hungry, exacerbating the real problem.

All those fitness freaks telling people with weight problems that exercise is the answer, are simply wrong. And probably have something to sell.

My OH has been using Ozemic in pill form for over a year, with really good results. She takes it once a week in pill form, and about 20% of the recommended dose.
Due to illness, she can't exercise. She lost 25 lbs over 6 months.

We buy 14mg pills and break them in 1/4s at first, now 1/2. They sell the higher dose at the same price as lower dose, and tell you not to break the pills. That's BS.

Her appetite does come back when she doesn't take the pill for a few weeks. This medication has been around for a while, as a diabetes treatment; there has been little serious adverse effects.

It could be that a person with a serious overeating disorder will need to take it indefinitely; but you can certainly taper right back to a small dose once you get your weight down to a healthy level.

As for the Atkins, low carb, whatever diet; my Dad was a true believer for decades. He was always morbidly obese and died young of heart attack.

My older brother was also morbidly obese as a teenager, absolutely terrifyingly huge; he got himself thin by sheer will power and stayed that way until today. He's 66 and rides bicycle 400 miles a week (which will, as stated above, actually burn some serious calories).

I am a food addict. I love to eat, everything, all the time. I've struggled with it my whole life. I can abstain for a time (Eve a 20 day fast), but moderation is really tough. At this time, I'm 180 lbs at 5'8", which is ok.

Fat will kill you; these new drugs will not. Exercise is great, I recommend it.
But if you need to lose weight, and you're over 50, and you didn't succeed before, just take the drug. It can save your life.

10,000 steps of just walking can burn 500 calories. Per day, that's a pound per week. 52 pounds in a year... Not working out, WALKING

Health is holistic. When garden season begins, I lose 10 pounds in 6 weeks. Just because I'm in the garden working.

You can eat whatever you want, if you balance it with moving your body