I wanted to circle back to the update I shared with you on Sunday about my decision to take a GLP-1. To say I received lots of questions about this would be an understatement!
I went back and forth about whether to write this at all. It’s personal, and I know this topic can feel sensitive or even triggering for some. But I also know how much I wanted real, first-hand information when I was trying to make this decision myself. So I’m sharing, with the understanding that this may not be for everyone—and that’s completely okay. If this isn’t something you’re interested in, feel free to skip today’s post. I’ll be back to our regularly scheduled programming very soon!
But if you’re curious, here are the questions I was asked most. My answers reflect what this experience has looked like for me so far.
- Why a GLP-1 now? This wasn’t a quick decision. I’ve spent the last couple of years trying to manage my weight in the ways I always have—eating well, exercising, being intentional—and I just wasn’t seeing the same results I used to. At my age, I’ve come to understand it’s less about willpower and more about what’s actually happening hormonally and metabolically. I wanted to feel better and be a little more comfortable in my own skin. This felt like a tool worth exploring.
- Where did you get it? I went through a local medical provider—Beyond Gyne Health—and am working with their nurse practitioner (N)P Betsy Bail who specializes in this area. That piece felt important to me. I wanted guidance and someone I could check in with along the way.
- Which one are you taking?I’m currently taking Zepbound at the lowest starting dose. I’m four weeks in and met with Betsy yesterday for a check in. She’s happy with my progress (I’ve lost 6 pounds so far!) and didn’t feel there was a need to up my dose, or lower it since I’ve been handling fine.
- Is it a shot or a pill? It’s a once-weekly injection.
- Is the shot hard to give yourself? This was one of my biggest hesitations. But in reality, it’s much easier than I expected. The needle is very small, and after the first time, it really wasn’t a big deal.
- Have you had any side effects? I haven’t had any! I’ve been shocked at how the food noise has completely disappeared. I didn’t understand what people meant when they talked about “food noise,” but it’s that desire to eat, those hunger pangs that just send you to the fridge. I have none of those and my sweet tooth has definitely been curbed. (That’s a miracle!) I’ve had a little bit of food aversion—like sometimes chicken just doesn’t sound great, but that passes, too. The one thing I’m trying to do better is fueling for my workouts. I hate to feel like I’m not giving my all and I know it’s because I need to put a little more gas in the tank.
- Is it covered by insurance? In my case, no. My NP connected me with the pharmaceutical company that makes my medicine and I can order it from them directly. It’s delivered right to my home and costs $299 per month.
- How long will you be on this? I don’t have a fixed timeline. Right now, I’m taking it one month at a time.
- What are your goals? Of course I have weight-related goals, but more than anything, I just want to feel like myself again. My NP emphasizes every time I see her that my weight and BMI goals at 55 can’t be what they were at 35. So I’m really trying to get away from thinking of success as a number on my scale.
Before I let you go:
- All of this is just my experience. It’s not advice, and it’s not something I think everyone should do. It’s simply one path I decided to explore after a lot of thought.
- I also think it’s worth saying that there is no “right” way to navigate this stage of life. We’re all figuring out what works best for our own bodies.
Please let me know if you have any more questions and I’ll do my best to answer.
Ann Marie 🩵
Photo of me by Jenn Marie Edwards
