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Beginning the Zepbound journey

Posted by mef46 @mef46, Nov 11, 2025

I’m a 78 year old retired teacher who has struggled with being overweight since my late 30’s. I’ve tried numerous diets over the years but none were successful for very long. Now I’m dealing with a multitude of health conditions….high blood pressure, fibromyalgia, GERD, sleep apnea, glaucoma, asthma, multiple allergies, arthritis… to name a few. My 80’s are looming in the near future. I just received clearance to begin Zepbound. Does anyone have any experience with this GLP—1 that could share any tips, advice or approach to meal planning while on this weight loss medication?…I’m hoping that losing weight will help me reduce medications and overcome some of the many chronic conditions which have impacted my quality of life. —Mary from Indiana

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Lisa Lucier, Moderator | @lisalucier | Jun 30 10:26am
In reply to @thomctc "@thomctc Six-month update - I have now lost a total of 47 pounds and will be..." + (show)
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@thomctc
Six-month update - I have now lost a total of 47 pounds and will be at my goal weight of 200 lbs soon. The journey has been slow, but very steady. Sometimes a week or two with +1/-1 changes, but a consistent downward trend. Activities have increased and I have much more energy. Gym, pickleball and walking regularly throughout each week - dumbbells next to my desk and in use during conference calls.

Last weekend, I started purging my fat clothes. It is a really nice feeling to put on something that is a bit more flattering than the XXL shirts I had been wearing.

I stopped snoring! Have a retest at the sleep center in a few months- CPAP may be gone? Atorvastatin dosage reduced by 50% a few weeks ago.

Note- I made only one change in dosage - now at 5.0 once a week. No real significant side-effects anymore. Thanks Zepbound for being the catalyst to help me reclaim my health.

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@thomctc that is fantastic!

Will you talk more about only making one change in dosage? Did you start at the lowest dose, or how did your doctor have you do your shots?

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thomctc | @thomctc | Jun 30 11:17am

I started at 2.5 and used this for the first three months. It was working so there was not a need to make any changes. At about month four, I was stuck and the weight wasn't changing over a 3-4 week period. I then consulted my doctor and he reviewed my progress up to that point and also reviewed my bodies reaction / tolerance to Zepbound. At that point, we both agreed to move to 5.0 weekly. It helped me get moving again along this journey with minimal side effects.

Note - I am close to my goal and will review a maintenance plan with my doctor. I hope to go back to the 2.5 at some point in the future.

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mef46 | @mef46 | Jul 7 1:22pm
In reply to @dsisko "I am 72 YO woman, down 60 lbs in one year on zepbound and am now..." + (show)
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I am 72 YO woman, down 60 lbs in one year on zepbound and am now at goal weight. Started on 2.5 for a month and have stayed on 5.0 dose for the rest.

Non-scale victories have been remarkable - inflammation from sarcoidosis in my lungs has virtually vanished making it easier for me to breathe than for the last 30 years, I’m off blood pressure meds, cholesterol is way down, I have a new wardrobe, so many compliments from others, and I have much more energy.

Learnings from the journey - drink lots of water, focus on protein, I eat at home much more often than out so I know what I’m taking for calories, I log everything I eat although I know many who don’t- helps me know if I’m on track for the day. Fast weight loss can lead to hair loss regardless of the drug so be careful on losing too quickly. Day to day weight loss can vary based on water retention, bowel movements, and other factors so don’t be overly concerned on a single day change, look at trends. Constipation is an issue for many- I take mag07 every day and have read that others are helped by prunes, water, fiber, and small does of miralax.

A support group has helped. This forum plus a Facebook site “women over 60 on glp-1s” have been a wealth of info. Good to learn what others are experiencing and how they are dealing with concerns. I have no problem being quiet with others who ask how I did it as there are so many opinions on whether taking a drug is good or bad. I simply say, “like every single person who loses this amount of weight, I eat less.”

Good luck on your journey. Hoping for many non-scale victories in addition to the ones you see when you weigh in. Remember that it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

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@dsisko
….mef46….what is s “YO woman” ?

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grammamo | @grammamo | Jul 10 5:20pm

Hi Mary, I am in my 70s also, and gave my first injection yesterday. I had read some horror stories about side effects but so far, just waves of queasiness. I have been feeling full all day(first time in my life) and have to remind myself to eat. That is my question. Do others eat even though they are full? I know eating enough protein and fiber is important, but how do you know how much to eat. Thanks .

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ksalvia | @ksalvia | Jul 11 11:33am
In reply to @grammamo "Hi Mary, I am in my 70s also, and gave my first injection yesterday. I had..." + (show)
Profile picture for grammamo @grammamo

Hi Mary, I am in my 70s also, and gave my first injection yesterday. I had read some horror stories about side effects but so far, just waves of queasiness. I have been feeling full all day(first time in my life) and have to remind myself to eat. That is my question. Do others eat even though they are full? I know eating enough protein and fiber is important, but how do you know how much to eat. Thanks .

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@grammamo I think you will find that eating when you feel full doesn’t feel good. In my case, I have a lot of leftovers and to go boxes, but they come in handy when I don’t want to cook but know it’s time to eat something to stay nourished. After a year I am starting to actually get hungry sometimes, especially right before it’s time for the next shot.

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grammamo | @grammamo | Jul 11 12:17pm
In reply to @ksalvia "@grammamo I think you will find that eating when you feel full doesn’t feel good. In..." + (show)
Profile picture for ksalvia @ksalvia

@grammamo I think you will find that eating when you feel full doesn’t feel good. In my case, I have a lot of leftovers and to go boxes, but they come in handy when I don’t want to cook but know it’s time to eat something to stay nourished. After a year I am starting to actually get hungry sometimes, especially right before it’s time for the next shot.

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@ksalvia thanks for your reply.. it amazing that you felt full an entire year!! So did you eat meals while feeling full? Did you eat smaller meals more often during the day? What dose are you on after a year?

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ksalvia | @ksalvia | Jul 11 1:00pm

Hi - After several months, I did notice that towards the end of the week I would start to get hungry. But always if I felt full I would stop, often shoveling what remained on my plate over to my husband to eat. OK I admit I kept eating once or twice but didn’t like the discomfort following that experiment. Yes, more frequent smaller snack meals worked too. I am currently experimenting to find my maintenance dose and doing the 5 dose every 2 weeks. But noticing I am getting hungrier! Probably will try 2.5 weekly but seeing doctor next week to discuss.

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thomctc | @thomctc | Jul 12 9:28am
In reply to @grammamo "Hi Mary, I am in my 70s also, and gave my first injection yesterday. I had..." + (show)
Profile picture for grammamo @grammamo

Hi Mary, I am in my 70s also, and gave my first injection yesterday. I had read some horror stories about side effects but so far, just waves of queasiness. I have been feeling full all day(first time in my life) and have to remind myself to eat. That is my question. Do others eat even though they are full? I know eating enough protein and fiber is important, but how do you know how much to eat. Thanks .

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@grammamo - I had that full feeling often. I would still eat during my normal mealtimes, however I would reduce the quantity by 50% of what I had been eating. Instead of a dinner-size plate, I would use the smaller salad plate. While dining, instead of starting with the French fries, I would begin with a carrot. By the time I reached the unhealthy options, I was full (I now order the steamed veggies, or a side salad instead of fries).
Note- I focus on protein as I want to keep my muscle mass healthy.

*** Started at the minimum 2.5 and moved up once to 5.0.***

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grammamo | @grammamo | Jul 12 1:55pm
In reply to @thomctc "@grammamo - I had that full feeling often. I would still eat during my normal mealtimes,..." + (show)
Profile picture for thomctc @thomctc

@grammamo - I had that full feeling often. I would still eat during my normal mealtimes, however I would reduce the quantity by 50% of what I had been eating. Instead of a dinner-size plate, I would use the smaller salad plate. While dining, instead of starting with the French fries, I would begin with a carrot. By the time I reached the unhealthy options, I was full (I now order the steamed veggies, or a side salad instead of fries).
Note- I focus on protein as I want to keep my muscle mass healthy.

*** Started at the minimum 2.5 and moved up once to 5.0.***

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@thomctc I just started eating 1/2 of the meal I prepare and finish the rest later. This is working, as far as eating just enough before overeating. I am really focusing on protein first.
This is for those, like me, that are constantly fatigued. My blood labs were all normal except my B12 took a nose dive from a previous test 5 years ago. I am assuming this is due to not eating red meat or dairy and just plain aging. I started using an organic B12 spray daily and can't believe what a difference it made in my energy level.
Thanks for your advice.

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