3 ms·

There’s a very vocal, puritanical anti-semaglutide crowd that thinks using the drug is a way of subverting the moral order. “You have poor willpower, you’re SUP

There’s a very vocal, puritanical anti-semaglutide crowd that thinks using the drug is a way of subverting the moral order. “You have poor willpower, you’re SUPPOSED to be fat as a punishment!” They don’t care that it helps people stick to their healthy diets and get better. They need these people to bear the stigma of the gluttony.

wonderwonder 1y ago
These people should be firmly ignored. I am very open with my drug use. If anyone objects I have labs that I will happily compare to anyone's and I am in better shape than 95% of 20 year olds. There should be no stigma associated with being the master and commander of your own body and health choices.
- jjcob 1y ago
  Why are you taking testosterone?
  - wonderwonder 1y ago
    Started out as Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT). I had low overall testosterone due to age (low 300's). Mid 40's. Not necessarily low for my age but low overall. Who wants the testosterone levels of an old man? Before I got on I was lethargic, unfocused and had no real drive. My evenings would consist of just sitting on the couch. I had been like that for years. I was middle aged. I didn't want to be like that so I saw a hormone doctor and got on. Best decision I have ever made. I am in the best shape of my life and the only time I sit on a couch is if I am watching something with my family. I have get up and go in spades now. Still on it, I occasionally take a full steroid cycle once a year though to accomplish certain physical goals. Generally run a single 14 week cycle each year where I essentially triple the amount of testosterone I take. I may add another substance for the 14 weeks as well. Then I return to the regular testosterone replacement therapy dose. I feel and look 20+ years younger. I get blood work done 3x a year and additional 2x while on a cycle to ensure I am good. My wife has also gotten on TRT, testosterone is required for women as well, just at much lower doses. Her levels were very close to zero, even her OBGYN was surprised. She has seen good results as well. Not the full new lease on life I have had as Testosterone is not as critical for women but an increased sex drive and more energy. She is very closely monitored by her doctor as too much will have negatives for women. I'm also on GLP-1 medication (Semaglutide), I got on in January and have lost 30lbs. Started at 240lbs and am now 210lbs. I have visible abs again and can bench 405lbs. These are the only medications I am on. Blood pressure is perfect, cholesterol is perfect, etc. Only negative I have is fatty liver which I was diagnosed with in my mid 20's. I'm going to self prescribe Metformin in a couple months (I am currently on cycle) to see if I can resolve that. If I can fix that then I will essentially be healthier that I have ever been in my life.
    - lingnerter 1y ago
      [dead]
zdragnar 1y ago
This is not a charitable take of the critics. If you go on a fad diet, lose weight, then gain it back when you stop, well, you haven't really lost anything other than time. If you go on semaglutide, lose weight, then gain it all back when you stop, you're out thousands of dollars, I'm out money when my insurance premium goes up to support the new expensive drugs, and you might have permanent health complications (rare though they might be). I haven't heard any success stories of people keeping the weight off after they stop taking it, though I've heard plenty of people gaining everything back, and being miserable from the side effects while they were on it. If semaglutide worked as a stopgap to help you get to the point where you could manage your weight on your own, I think it would be hard to argue with it. So far, though, I've had people tell me that it should be treated as just another vitamin supplement that you'll be on for life, albeit one that costs $12k a year or whatever the case may be.
- Spivak 1y ago
  > I'm out money when my insurance premium goes up to support the new expensive drugs It's a good thing then that insurance won't pay for it and these services don't even bill insurance. It's also not $12k a year for the generic, it's around $1200 a year. The drug isn't that expensive to make, the brand is just jacking up the price.
- const_cast 1y ago
  Most obese people are going to be on lifetime drugs anyway, in the form of metformin, statins, insulin, you name it. The "ooo scary medicine!" thing doesn't really work for people who are already sick and suffering. That ship has sailed.
- lotsofpulp 1y ago
  > and you might have permanent health complications (rare though they might be). Does obesity have permanent health complications and cost you extra in premiums?
  - zdragnar 1y ago
    There are other options for addressing obesity than "semaglutide or nothing".

wonderwonder 1y ago

These people should be firmly ignored. I am very open with my drug use. If anyone objects I have labs that I will happily compare to anyone's and I am in better shape than 95% of 20 year olds. There should be no stigma associated with being the master and commander of your own body and health choices.

jjcob 1y ago
Why are you taking testosterone?
- wonderwonder 1y ago
  Started out as Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT). I had low overall testosterone due to age (low 300's). Mid 40's. Not necessarily low for my age but low overall. Who wants the testosterone levels of an old man? Before I got on I was lethargic, unfocused and had no real drive. My evenings would consist of just sitting on the couch. I had been like that for years. I was middle aged. I didn't want to be like that so I saw a hormone doctor and got on. Best decision I have ever made. I am in the best shape of my life and the only time I sit on a couch is if I am watching something with my family. I have get up and go in spades now. Still on it, I occasionally take a full steroid cycle once a year though to accomplish certain physical goals. Generally run a single 14 week cycle each year where I essentially triple the amount of testosterone I take. I may add another substance for the 14 weeks as well. Then I return to the regular testosterone replacement therapy dose. I feel and look 20+ years younger. I get blood work done 3x a year and additional 2x while on a cycle to ensure I am good. My wife has also gotten on TRT, testosterone is required for women as well, just at much lower doses. Her levels were very close to zero, even her OBGYN was surprised. She has seen good results as well. Not the full new lease on life I have had as Testosterone is not as critical for women but an increased sex drive and more energy. She is very closely monitored by her doctor as too much will have negatives for women. I'm also on GLP-1 medication (Semaglutide), I got on in January and have lost 30lbs. Started at 240lbs and am now 210lbs. I have visible abs again and can bench 405lbs. These are the only medications I am on. Blood pressure is perfect, cholesterol is perfect, etc. Only negative I have is fatty liver which I was diagnosed with in my mid 20's. I'm going to self prescribe Metformin in a couple months (I am currently on cycle) to see if I can resolve that. If I can fix that then I will essentially be healthier that I have ever been in my life.
  - lingnerter 1y ago
    [dead]

zdragnar 1y ago

This is not a charitable take of the critics. If you go on a fad diet, lose weight, then gain it back when you stop, well, you haven't really lost anything other than time. If you go on semaglutide, lose weight, then gain it all back when you stop, you're out thousands of dollars, I'm out money when my insurance premium goes up to support the new expensive drugs, and you might have permanent health complications (rare though they might be). I haven't heard any success stories of people keeping the weight off after they stop taking it, though I've heard plenty of people gaining everything back, and being miserable from the side effects while they were on it. If semaglutide worked as a stopgap to help you get to the point where you could manage your weight on your own, I think it would be hard to argue with it. So far, though, I've had people tell me that it should be treated as just another vitamin supplement that you'll be on for life, albeit one that costs $12k a year or whatever the case may be.

Spivak 1y ago
> I'm out money when my insurance premium goes up to support the new expensive drugs It's a good thing then that insurance won't pay for it and these services don't even bill insurance. It's also not $12k a year for the generic, it's around $1200 a year. The drug isn't that expensive to make, the brand is just jacking up the price.
const_cast 1y ago
Most obese people are going to be on lifetime drugs anyway, in the form of metformin, statins, insulin, you name it. The "ooo scary medicine!" thing doesn't really work for people who are already sick and suffering. That ship has sailed.
lotsofpulp 1y ago
> and you might have permanent health complications (rare though they might be). Does obesity have permanent health complications and cost you extra in premiums?
- zdragnar 1y ago
  There are other options for addressing obesity than "semaglutide or nothing".