Has semaglutide contributed to unhealthy food issues for you?

[Anonymous]

To answer the question in your subject line: no. I am being monitored by a physician and am on a diet given to me by a registered dietician. My bp has come down, and I am on the lowest dose of my bp medication.

[Anonymous]

This has nothing to do with Semaglutide and more to do with a topic of conversation that makes you uncomfortable. I have no problem telling food-obsessed people that conversations about restrictive dieting are triggering/uncomfortable for me and can we please change the subject.

[Anonymous]

Op here - thanks for the helpful comments.

You’re right- the title of this post is completely wrong. Written pre-caffeine. I guess I was aiming to get the perspective from someone who may be on the other side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not a troll. I specifically stated that their choices are between them and their doctor. However, they have been making statements that are concerning for months now. If someone said to you “I think I may have an eating disorder” does that not mean anything to you?

Whatever would possess you to say something like that? Were you raised wrong or something?

I’m legitimately confused. I haven’t said much of anything to this person about it. Have actually been supportive as they get to their goals. What did I say wrong here?

First, for speculating and wondering in the first place. Second, for suggesting you would tell them they have an ED.

What is the point of your thread? Why are you even thinking about what other people do?

So weird and inappropriate. You worry about you.

OP: this beast you’re trying to communicate with loses what remains of her mind if ANYONE questions anything about semaglutides, because she was fat and is now getting thinner and assumes the world is…jealous of that. You’re fine. She’s a mess.

I am neither a she nor fat. I do take Ozempic because I have diabetes and I find the obsession with this therapy for diabetes to be offensive and harmful.

[Anonymous]

Wegovy has made me want to eat normal, healthy foods in normal, healthy portions. And I no longer have the 'food noise' telling me to grab a burger and onion rings at Culvers!

My weight loss has been moderate and steady, with no loss of muscle mass, no saggy skin and unchanged hair.

[Anonymous]

OP, the answer to your thread title is no: in fact it has really helped me with my food issues, because when I was dieting in other programs I had to think about food all the time and, tbh, I probably talked about food and exercise a lot. It was an unhealthy focus. I like that semaglutide lets me just not think much about it.

The answer to your actual problem is to say one of the following:
1. You've mentioned that you may have an eating disorder. Have you talked to a doctor?
2. I really don't want to talk about food. I'd love to get together with you for a non-food activity, like a hike, but if we're going to talk about food or dieting than I need to keep my distance for my own mental health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The stories coming out about the potential side effects which are ruining some people's lives make me feel befuddled as usual about why people want this drug so badly at such a high financial cost and knowing they'll need to take it forever to maintain the results when they could just quit sugar and processed foods and learn to eat a healthy high fiber diet.

It's really, really hard to binge or overeat excessively on a clean high fiber diet. Fiber stimulates your body's production of GLP-1 the natural way and yes, it shuts down the food noise. But no, it won't make you constantly nauseated at the thought of food and yes, you'll still have to do some work on the crap going on in your head that you cope with by stuffing your face with crap food. Nothing in life is easy breezy, hard things take hard work to deal with.

I just can't imagine wanting to risk shitting runny stool the rest of my life - or wearing a colostomy bag, even - because I'm so desperate to be thin and so angry at people who tell me to eat fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

https://nypost.com/2024/01/13/lifestyle/woman-suffers-life-threatening-bowel-injury-from-ozempic-suit/

Weight loss on semaglutide is easy for many people. And they are eating a healthy diet, losing 30-50 pounds and more, getting healthier and happier, and leaving old addictions to food and alcohol behind. For many, this leads to increased exercise and feeling strong and attractive again, and experiencing more confidence and better relationships.

[Anonymous]

To answer your question, no -- it has not contributed to unhealthy food issues for me. I was a healthy eater before, but tended to go over my prescribed 1200 calorie diet because I was always hungry. I eat the same as I did before, but now I am able to stick to 1200 calories. I have not had any of the adverse effects.

To the PP upthread who suggested we "just quit sugar and processed foods and learn to eat a healthy high fiber diet." Many of us do and have done that prior to the drugs, but we were always hungry. Be thankful you don't have our metabolisms or bodies because it really sucks to always, ALWAYS, feel hungry.

[Anonymous]

for many people, these drugs have led to a much healthier relationship with food. For some it may have contributed to or triggered an eating disorder.

There is some research on anorexia showing that weight loss itself can (does not always) trigger an eating disorder. Anecdotally I know a handful of people who lost a ton of weight and then became weight obsessed/too thin/disordered eating. It was an eating disorder, not just overcaution about not gaining weight. Its not the drug per se but any rapid weight loss has the risk of triggering an eating disorder.

As to what to say to friend, next time she brings it up, you could echo her. "I"m concerned for you and want you to be healthy. Have you discussed this with a doctor or therapist?"

[Anonymous]

It is absolutely causing unhealthy food issues. We are pretending that it is normal to go from one extreme to the other. People are losing weight so fast because they are literally under-eating. Then they act like this is a healthy relationship with food and it isn't. It's hiding eating disorders and I feel like 10 years ago we would have considered this very unhealthy. I foresee a lot of people with health issues in the next 5-10 years because of this obsession. I am a diabetic and have been on Trulicity since 2020. I have lost about 120lbs but it took well over 2 years to drop that vs people doing that in 4-5 months at this point. The good thing is - I eat normal. I eat what I crave and no foods make me sick. My A1C is normal. My cholesterol is wonderful. I eat out, I eat desserts and I eat normal portions, not a couple bites. I get sick if I DON'T eat. Knowing that this is a normal relationship with food and is not restrictive makes me see the red flags in other medications and how it is effecting people.

[Anonymous]

I have been on semaglutides for a year and no, it has not caused unhealthy food issues. I just eat like a normal person. Obviously this isn't the case for your friend.

There probably isn't much you can do so maybe try to divert the conversation away from food. If she insists then suggest she talk to her doctor. Unless you are an expert in eating disorders it's hard to see what advice you could provide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not a troll. I specifically stated that their choices are between them and their doctor. However, they have been making statements that are concerning for months now. If someone said to you “I think I may have an eating disorder” does that not mean anything to you?

NP. What is wrong with you?

[Anonymous]

I’m not sure what your question is. If you are asking whether GLP-1s can cause disordered eating— I’m sure they can some percentage of people who don’t meet the dispensing criteria (BMI 27 + comorbidity or BMI 30) will almost certainly seek these meds out as an anorexia aid. And some MDs— especially in sketchy telehealth sites where you self report weight— will prescribe them inappropriately. Like opiates. Like ADHD meds. And so on.

After kid 1, I used what was the Xenical to do rapid weight loss. And ended up losing my gallbladder. After kid 2, I tried extreme exercise instead and stress fractured my knee— 3x. I ended up needing surgery and was in an imobolizer for six weeks.

I then gave up on weight loss for 15 years. This time, I pledged to lose weight responsibly. I take Zepbound. I also see a bariatric PA and a dietician monthly, get inbody scans when I see them to monitor muscle mass, eat my protein and follow a dietician approved meal plan, exercise 60 minutes a day in a combo of strength training, Pilates, yoga and cardio— under the supervision of a personal trainer. And, I see a therapist regularly to work on stress management and body image issues that keep popping up. And my PA checks my exercise log and makes sure I’m keeping up with therapy at every visit. And I do discuss these things with close friends.

Now most people don’t do all of these things. I’ve learned hard lessons about crash diets and 0 to 60 exercise and want to multi faceted treatment plan. Some people don’t hav the resources to use a team approach, or don’t need a team approach, or are in because the want a magic fix. I do me and try not to judge when others do things differently.

So, there is certainly a way to use these meds that is both physically and psychologically healthy. I feel great, have retained almost all my muscle mass and have a very healthy diet of Whole Foods, except for on protein shake after I work out.

These meds can also be abused. If one of my friends said they thought they had an ED— in the context of Ozempic or dieting without meds— I’d take it seriously, express concern and urge them to get treatment. You can be overweight and have a ED. And EDs are very high mortality illnesses. So, like talk of suicide, I’d take the comments seriously. (but also realize that I can’t control the behavior of another cult, and that I not responsible for their decisions). But that’s just me.


If your question is should you drop your friend, that’s your call. I wouldn’t, but I am a quality over quantity type person with friendships. And almost all of my friends have hit rough patches, where a lot of their conversation focuses on a serious illness, trying to leave an abusive and/or addicted spouse, parenting a kid with extreme SNs, watching a parent die of Alzheimer’s, etc. I don’t drop friends for going through a hard time and needing support. My real friends have certainly been there for me when the going gets rough. And it sounds like your friend is struggling.

And maybe there is a middle ground, like drawing boundaries and saying that you don’t want to discuss dieting while enjoying a meal.

Or maybe you’re a concern troll min which case F— off.

[Anonymous]

Re your question - no, being on one of these injectables has not contributed to anything like what you're describing in your friend. And it does very much sound to me like your friend is struggling with disordered thinking around food.

When I started the meds it was a shocking turn around of mindset from having to try to regulate every single meal/calorie/pound for most of my life - to having to be sure I ate/drank enough to be healthy. It is very easy to see how these medications could contribute to or rekindle an unnatural fixation on diet. But I don't think that's the fault of the meds.

In terms of how to respond to her, I like a pp's suggestions about asking how to support her, encouraging her to discuss her concerns with a physician or therapist, etc... I might say (if it's a close enough friend), hey - you have said that multiple times now. I 'm worried about you, how can I help...

[Anonymous]

I find when people are on a diet, it monopolizes every conversation. From the best soup recipe made from cabbage and water to a dessert with zero sugar, but with a cup of Equal. It’s annoying, but it usually levels out. If the conversation is too diet centric for you, ask her to talk about anything else (kids, job, boyfriend). I wouldn’t get into the politics of semaglutide.