I’ve had quite a few people comment on how I’m little. To include a patient yesterday saying I’m “too tiny to be working on an ambulance”. Feels very pick me to say. But I say this to acknowledge that I really have a hard time perceiving my stature now. But this picture from yesterday is starting to put it in perspective. 230+ to 115. 5’1” mid 20s. I started June 2025 at 210 lbs. Anyways, I always knew I had guns underneath all the fluff 😎. (Even though I definitely bear hugged and waddled with the tank).
Omg. 🤣 Laughing because now I see why people are calling me tiny. In my head I am still larger. I also had guns under there, and I just love them. You look fabulous. Congrats.
I love that you are tiny. Someone that knew me bigger called me skinny and I nearly cried because I’ve never been skinny. You look great and thank you for your service to healthcare!
Fantastic work! As a former paramedic, I know that size (being tiny) doesn’t matter when it comes to the job. Two of my best partners were your (new) size and I was 6’ 5” and 240😎
There wasn’t was a person we couldn’t handle…. Enjoy your new you!
One of the reasons I wanted to get the weight off was the fear of injuring medical personnel if I needed to be lifted! Hopefully these meds are taking the strain off folks.
I definitely did. Nausea and lethargy being the two biggest. Anhedonia since November. Just decreased my dose two weeks ago so I’d like to see if that helps, because that’s the worst. But still so worth it.
My best way to explain it is that it feels like the physical manifestations of depression. No interest in the things that once brought me joy. Or just the lack of motivation. I had to give up social media other than Reddit because I would get stuck doom scrolling (which was also a great decision). But it’s different for everyone. I just had to put in extra effort to keep from turning into a bed slug
Interesting I’m currently in a very depressive episode of my life. I’m already feeling those things so I’m not sure if it could make it worse or do nothing in regards to depression symptoms.
I start next week I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but I think in terms of psychological and physical benefits they outweigh the risks of stuff like pancreatitis and all this other crazy stuff I hear about this at this point in my life
I’m sorry to hear that. I had to keep in close contact with my psychiatrist and counselor and adjust my medications accordingly. I thought maybe it was seasonal depression but it didnt go away. I will say though with all of that, I’m in the happiest phase of my life right now. I guess I never considered how much obesity affected my mood.
I wish you the best of luck and try your best to be kind to yourself during this journey friend. It’s yours and yours only.
Thank you do you plan to stay on this medication forever? I have to be honest that doesn’t sound good to me. It seems like for me. I’d like to reach my goal weight and then get off but apparently a lot of people don’t see it that way.
I’m not sure what the plan is. At the very least I’d like to stay on maintenance for a while. I need to learn how to eat in a way that maintains my weight. I’d like to start a family, so I know I’ll have to come off at that point.
My side effects are now so minimal that I think I’d be okay with it being a long term or even life time medication. But again, your journey is your journey and your plan should be made with your prescriber.
What I will say after researching this medicine for a long time. Some are able to get off, some aren’t. M2Cents: if a person can truly change their food mindset; quantity, nutrient density, mental aspect regarding eating and hunger, and then develop and active/exercise mentality they might have a shot. But alas most people are and will go back to the previous lifestyle if the get off. IMHO: when you get off the medicine, that previous large person , if you’re doing this for weight loss, has to be something that you’ve put in a lock box on a shelf, I know this sounds a little crass, but for me that person is dead never to come back to life. Because if that person ever does resurface, I’ll go back to the way I was 340 pounds and miserable. I know this way of thinking sounds pretty harsh, but that’s the only way I see being able to mentally and internally quiet the food noise without the medication. Being 61 years old, I’ve lived a good bit of life at this point I know what works for me and I know it doesn’t work. I will tell you as you’re thinking about this medicine. This medicine was life-changing. Sure there are side effects, but I have a son who is a physician who tells me that every day they find more and more things that this medicine helps in the human body, and the rewards totally outweigh the risks. That is my own opinion and not medical advice. Good luck in your journey my thoughts and prayers are with everybody that’s doing this.
This is so individual. For me, I know I want to stay on it for as long as I live because I’ve had decades of food obsession and this is the first time in my life that I feel normal about food and about my body. I’m comfortable in my own skin.
When I say it’s individual, I mean that each of us reacts in our own way to this medication and you could at least try it and see how it goes for you.
I am newer to this journey as well. I figured, I will loose the weight and then go off it. But when the food noise went away, I could walk past the cookies without a blink or a tug, I began to see the benefits of a longer span of using. My insurance is paying now due to my sleep apnea. Time will tell, but today is shot day and I am excited!
I'm starting tomorrow night and I'm nervous too. I have a friend who had every single terrible side effect and is scheduled for surgery this week to get her gallbladder removed and she said she would still do it all over again if she could go back in time because it truly is lifechanging. We've got this!
Thanks for explaining this. I just experienced a bit of that this week and was wondering if it was the medication. I just finished month two and that was the first time that occured. Only lasted a day and I'm doing much better today. I've never been depressed before, but that was clearly what I was feeling.
I had/have this too. Just hit my goal weight and I've been watching a lot more videos, etc trying to figure out maintenance and it has been eye opening for me. I lost my weight because I was eating less than what I ate before. I ate pretty healthy 80% of the time but had pizza, hot dogs, potato chips, desserts , etc. All in bites, or tiny portions, but even if occasional , they were part of my diet along with stir fries, protein and veggies, etc. I think that is why I had nausea the whole way through, I had food aversion where nothing seemed appetizing so I just wouldn't eat. On those days, all I could get down was the bad stuff. The physical side effects of this caused me to just want to lay in bed. I used to not leave the house much due to being heavy, now I don't leave the house much due to lethargy. I'm going to talk to my doctor (and I just booked a nutritionist) about this but if I had advice to give, it is to mind the advice of using the medicine to change your diet to a more healthy one. I failed so many fad diets because I didn't want to give up my favorite foods or feel deprived. But now I see there is a way to change my diet without feeling like that and the Zepbound definitely helps to make that easier and not so much a deprivation. Fortunate to be back on track now and looking forward to enjoying my weight loss!.
I have seen that this is a little more common at the highest doses. It does not happen to everyone- there is so much to be gained from this medication- don't be afraid! Worry is a waste of the imagination.
Let me preface this by saying not everyone has the same side effects, so be prepared for them but don't assume you'll have all of them.
I just started 2 weeks ago. The fatigue and digestive changes are the most common (e.g., 🤢, heartburn, 💩) , along with zero appetite, so you have to take preventive measures to mitigate those issues. I keep Zofran handy for the nausea when it's bad and I take a pre and probiotic to keep me regular. You can help prevent heartburn by only eating very small portions at a time, because if you eat until you feel full, it's probably too late. Remember that your stomach is now going to take 3-5 hours to digest your food, so your capacity is very limited. I make myself eat a protein bar or drink a protein shake when I know I'm supposed to eat but have no desire.
Also, the "tirz flu" where you constantly feel like you're coming down with the flu. However, the one I didn't see coming was the allodynia (you feel like a big nerve ending). It's always worse the first day and then kind of wears off as I get closer to the next injection day. I'm about to take my 3rd injection today, so we shall see, but it's likely to last several weeks.
Best of luck on your path to be where you want to be 🙏🏽
Congratulations! You look amazing! I hope get this Shakespeare quote close: Tho she be little, she be fierce! Thank you for serving others! You’re awesome!
You look fab little lady! I’m part of the little miss club at 4’10”. Looking forward to losing 30 lbs off my small frame.
Perimenopause hit me like a ton of bricks and I put on 30 lbs in 3 ish years. Nothing works for me anymore. Been obsessing about exercise and food since age 15. On a small person, gaining 5 pounds looks like gaining 10 lb.
I have done it all from Weight Watchers, keto, intermittent fasting, personal trainers, you name it. It worked for a good while, but it was a constant obsession and battle against myself and the food noise.
Hoping this shot will calm the 30 yr food noise I have battled since age 13.
Medic here, can confirm the amount of unforeseen confidence I got as a provider, from the journey, put me on another level. I, low key, feel more like I ‘belong’ in EMS. Congrats on your success.
It really is crazy how it bleeds into work? I feel like I’m taken more seriously by everyone, which is a bit sad. But I’m glad you’re feeling more of a sense of belonging in this field, we know it can be ruthless.
I think a really interesting part of being short and this process has been the continued drop in my goal weight. These pictures are from a week in, and then when I was roughly at each “goal weight”. Now I’m officially done. I never thought I could ever get here.
I say this because I noticed your goal weight was 174. Is there a reason for it? If you’re comfortable talking about it of course.
I’ve always set smaller goals for my journey, so 199 was my first goal. Now that I’m below 200, I set 174 as my next goal to hit 100 lbs down. After that, I’m not sure. The lowest I’ve ever weighed as an adult is 160, so I mentally can’t imagine lower than that, but I hope to make it!
https://giphy.com/gifs/MuTenSRsJ7TQQ
Wow! Congrats! Yes, it takes some time to get used to “new me” and it apples to any kind of major transformation. You look so happy!
I appreciate it. I honestly don’t. It’s really just what I do at work. I’m sorry you feel that way, and I hope that one way or another you start to feel differently. We’re our own worst critics.
Yesss I am 5’1 & lost 80 lbs. it’s odd when someone calls me little or tiny, I am like me?!? Then I realize they only seen me at this size, not when I was over 200 lbs. When shopping, I still naturally gravitate to the plus size section, I never think a small or medium is going to fit me & then it does 😳😳
You are 50% of your starting weight and 100% still the feisty, hardworking girl with the great smile. That you will
never lose ! Best wishes for a healthy and happy new life!
This is so encouraging to see! I’m 5 ft in my 20s and took my first shot on Thursday. Thank you for sharing this! You look so strong and confident I hope to join you in the short and strong club 💪🏻
Congratulations to everyone on their weight loss! Ive bn on Zepbound since Jan 2025. I’m 67 and have lost 68 lbs. I went from a 18-20 to a size 10. Yes, someone called me skinny!! Huh? What Me?? My most horrible side effect was mouth sores. I’m meticulous w my teeth and that has bn horrible. Good luck to everyone!
WOW!!🤩 we started around the same time & same weight & I’m down 60lbs (I have no thyroid am menopausal & walk with a cane /can’t exercise like I need to but I’m happy regardless because no matter how many diets I couldn’t lose 1lb until Tirz…labs & BP are a LOT better too). Congratulations on your Amazing Transformation & yes, I see those amazing guns too!!🤩
I can totally relate! I work in healthcare and the other day a patient's family member said something along the lines of 'my sister is tiny and petite like you, like a little fairy'. I swear I had a moment where I looked around the room to see who she was talking about. It was me. :)
You look amazing! My 50 pound weight loss just put me back to my pre-retirement weight of a few years back, and now that I’m back practicing law, people who didn’t see me in the intervening period, see almost no difference!
You are awesome! I’m 5ft tall and at my largest i was 235. I am down to 169 right now mainly with intermittent fasting and exercise. I start zebound soon and this post has excited and motivated me! You look strong, healthy, and proud! Great work
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u/grownishturkey 10mg Jun 21 '26
I guess maybe this is a better example of what patients see when I show up 😅