This is an email, shared with permission:
Dr. Usen, I wanted to write this message to thank you for your outstanding support over the last year or so, on my weight-loss journey… and, perhaps, more importantly, to help other patients who might benefit from hearing the experience of someone who lost more than 70 pounds using the Zepbound medication.
First of all, I want to say that my weight gain, which occurred over many years, was likely caused by my love of food, NOT due to stress or biology or other medical issues. Add to that, I grew up in a family that taught me to “eat everything on my plate” and, since I go out to eat frequently, the crazy portion sizes at restaurants made it easy to keep adding pounds. I also ate too quickly, which I now know made it easier to eat more than you need, at every meal. Over the years, my weight increased by nearly 50% from my younger days (I’m 70 years old now). The added weight increased my blood pressure, caused my triglycerides to get very high and resulted in pains in my ankles.
With your help and support, my last 13 months taking the Zepbound injections have resulted in a 31% weight loss (from 236 pounds to 163 pounds) and I now weigh what I weighed back in Graduate School, more than 40 years ago. AND… it feels great. No more pains; better numbers on all of my bloodwork; I don’t snore anymore; and I feel great, overall. Throughout the journey, I didn’t experience any side effects of discomfort. For me, it’s been amazing.
I was very apprehensive about giving myself the injections. I don’t have a fear of needles, but I thought it would be tough giving them to myself. That fear was completely unjustified. The syringes that are supplied with the medication are so small that I don’t even know I’ve poked myself. Each month, I increased the dosage by 2.5mg until I reached 12.5mg. I kept track of the weight loss, charting my weight, once a week, on the day of the injection. For the first 25 weeks or so, I averaged 2 pounds a week lost. Then, it slowed to 1-1.5 pounds a week until I plateaued 73 pounds later. Some people want “faster” weight loss, but I was delighted that it was slow and seemed very healthy.
For the most part, I didn’t change what I ate (or eat now), but I did need to make some minor changes in my eating habits: Perhaps, the most important thing I did was learn to eat more slowly. That gave my stomach a change to feel full (it helped that my wife was a great coach, urging me to slow down if she saw me eating too quickly). Then, I had to get used to NOT finishing what was on my plate (that was pretty easy, because I listened to my body when it said I was “full.” In the past, I’d continue to eat even when I was feeling full). I didn’t change what I ate. I tried to enjoy all my favorites (otherwise, I knew the weight would come back eventually, if I denied myself the things I love to eat). I did cut down on the bread they served at restaurants, before the meal. But I did that, because it would fill me up with “empty calories” and I’d be unable to eat and enjoy the rest of my meal. For the same reason, I’d try to minimize the bad calories of my meal. for instance, I’d take away half the bun of the hamburger. That way, I could enjoy more of the burger and fewer of the calories in the bun. At a steakhouse, I used to order a potato and a vegetable. Now, I can’t even finish the steak, so I usually skip the potato and just do the vegetable (I still get to take home half the steak and half the vegetable, so the potato would just be more “empty calories.” I DO eat potatoes, sometimes. Just not as often. Aside from that, I haven’t changed many of my old eating habits. I don’t get very hungry between meals and I’m still trying to find “snacks” that quench the urge to eat, without piling on the extra calories.
The bottom-line is that I feel GREAT! I walk faster and don’t ache at all. AND… it’s a lot of fun when someone hasn’t seen me for a year and I look like a different person. I hope this is helpful for anyone who might be wondering if the GLP-1 medications actually work or what it’s like for someone who isn’t in the TV commercials.
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DR JOSHUA USEN 