Friend on Wegovy - looks haggard and sick

[Anonymous]

Be happy for your friend. Weight loss won't look the same on all of us, but more than likely he will start "looking" more healthy as his body adjusts to the weightloss. His physical appearance may not correspond to his probably better physiological health, but eventually will.

[Anonymous]

OP, I've been on a weight loss medication for almost nine months. There have been ups and downs during this period impacting how I felt and probably how I looked to others who haven't seen me in a while. When I was about four months in, I was under a lot of stress in my family life and was definitely having trouble eating enough. I learned to recognize times when my blood sugar was low and changed my eating habits to prevent that. As others have said, rapid weight loss, however achieved, tends to make people look haggard, particularly for those of us who are older. I've had periods when I lost weight rapidly, but there have also been stretches when I lost only a pound over the course of 2-3 weeks. During those slow times, my body seemed to redistribute weight, so I noticed changes in my face and body, even though there was no change in the scale.

It's a process, and I'm still learning. Your friend probably is too.

[Anonymous]

With “friends” like this…

[Anonymous]

Whenever I see someone who’s just lost a very large amount of weight, they almost always have a period of looking sickly where I’d suspect a devastating disease or cancer.

They have to adjust to their new weight. And you do, too—eventually you’ll get used to their new appearance. It just takes time.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

I know why he chose to go on wegovy - would like to settle down and get a boyfriend/hopefully husband, but was having a rough time on dating apps.

All health indicators were perfect (no issues with BP, lipids, Hgb A1c etc), but he’s just a big guy and Manhattan is a tough dating market.

Makes me frustrated as I think he’s fantastic and funny and perfect. I kind of hate that wegovy seems to be making being thin the only acceptable option regardless of body type. As I said, I was of course supportive in person! It just freaked me out because he looked ill.

And I worry that doctors don’t know what they are doing! It was so much, so fast! And he seemed so subdued and weird. He was freezing cold the whole time. Hopefully he will feel better when this is over. And be able to find a boyfriend.

But seriously, someone please come up with service that supports people on wegovy! His doctor just write a prescription months ago & that’s it - hasn’t seen him since. That’s what my doctor suggested, too - just write a script & I’d be on my own.

I think patients may need additional support to titrate the speed, monitor diet, and make sure not too much muscle mass is lost. If nothing else, I think that this sort of ancillary service will make a lot of money. Especially in the big cities where the docs are pushing wegovy and it has become the new norm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

I know why he chose to go on wegovy - would like to settle down and get a boyfriend/hopefully husband, but was having a rough time on dating apps.

All health indicators were perfect (no issues with BP, lipids, Hgb A1c etc), but he’s just a big guy and Manhattan is a tough dating market.

Makes me frustrated as I think he’s fantastic and funny and perfect. I kind of hate that wegovy seems to be making being thin the only acceptable option regardless of body type. As I said, I was of course supportive in person! It just freaked me out because he looked ill.

And I worry that doctors don’t know what they are doing! It was so much, so fast! And he seemed so subdued and weird. He was freezing cold the whole time. Hopefully he will feel better when this is over. And be able to find a boyfriend.

But seriously, someone please come up with service that supports people on wegovy! His doctor just write a prescription months ago & that’s it - hasn’t seen him since. That’s what my doctor suggested, too - just write a script & I’d be on my own.

I think patients may need additional support to titrate the speed, monitor diet, and make sure not too much muscle mass is lost. If nothing else, I think that this sort of ancillary service will make a lot of money. Especially in the big cities where the docs are pushing wegovy and it has become the new norm.

Well I certainly hope all these doctors come to their senses and ask for your advice!!

[Anonymous]

Manhattan sounds like a hell hole. OP should probably leave that cesspool.

[Anonymous]

This reminds me of the quote attributed to Coco Chanel on regards to middle aged, female beauty;

“At some point, a woman must choose between her ass and her face.”

To this I say, chose wisely. Your friend has chosen dramatic weight loss that will indeed make the person look…diminished (deflated) and older, most notably in the face. Patron saint of dramatic weight loss in Al Roker - ooffff- he needs to gain some weight back because he looked better facially with some extra weight.

[Anonymous]

Saw a former colleague the other day - she was a tri-athlete (with a lanky to skinny distance runner build) and now she looks frail and elderly at 62 -lined, craggy face and stooped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

I know why he chose to go on wegovy - would like to settle down and get a boyfriend/hopefully husband, but was having a rough time on dating apps.

All health indicators were perfect (no issues with BP, lipids, Hgb A1c etc), but he’s just a big guy and Manhattan is a tough dating market.

Makes me frustrated as I think he’s fantastic and funny and perfect. I kind of hate that wegovy seems to be making being thin the only acceptable option regardless of body type. As I said, I was of course supportive in person! It just freaked me out because he looked ill.

And I worry that doctors don’t know what they are doing! It was so much, so fast! And he seemed so subdued and weird. He was freezing cold the whole time. Hopefully he will feel better when this is over. And be able to find a boyfriend.

But seriously, someone please come up with service that supports people on wegovy! His doctor just write a prescription months ago & that’s it - hasn’t seen him since. That’s what my doctor suggested, too - just write a script & I’d be on my own.

I think patients may need additional support to titrate the speed, monitor diet, and make sure not too much muscle mass is lost. If nothing else, I think that this sort of ancillary service will make a lot of money. Especially in the big cities where the docs are pushing wegovy and it has become the new norm.

This already exists. I get Wegovy through a weight loss clinic that offers a nutritionist and behavioral therapist, and very basic fitness advice that emphasizes the need for strength training. There are a million weight trainers in Manhatten who your friend could hire. He could back off the dose or take Zofran if he's feeling ill. Sorry but this ultimately comes down to your friend's decisions. It sounds like you want to limit his ability to get an Rx unless he's doing things you think are appropriate.

But LOL that Wegovy is the reason people feel they need to be thin. Wegovy didn't create the demand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Saw a former colleague the other day - she was a tri-athlete (with a lanky to skinny distance runner build) and now she looks frail and elderly at 62 -lined, craggy face and stooped.

Be kind. We all age, and she might be unknowingly ill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Saw a former colleague the other day - she was a tri-athlete (with a lanky to skinny distance runner build) and now she looks frail and elderly at 62 -lined, craggy face and stooped.

Be kind. We all age, and she might be unknowingly ill.

DP. There is such a thing as "runner's face." Google it. Lean people who spend a lot of time outside can look prematurely haggard.

[Anonymous]

This post isn't really about your friend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Saw a former colleague the other day - she was a tri-athlete (with a lanky to skinny distance runner build) and now she looks frail and elderly at 62 -lined, craggy face and stooped.

Be kind. We all age, and she might be unknowingly ill.

DP. There is such a thing as "runner's face." Google it. Lean people who spend a lot of time outside can look prematurely haggard.

This PP and absolutely- she could be ill and that’s concerning. Only expressing this here but it made me realize that I’d rather be curvier than rail thin at same age. I’m also a smaller person and can look unhealthy (and have) with this much weight loss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Ok, so it seems like everyone is mad at me.

I didn’t name any snide remarks behind his back - never even said anything to my husband. Just mentioned on an anonymous board that the rapid difference was startling and disturbing.

Also, I’m in Manhattan with a high/nornal BMI - but that’s chubby for my cohort - no reason to lose weight for health reasons. The private practice docs here are just VERY quick to offer it here.

If someone here who is a trainer wants to make a lot of money you should start a program to optimize the health/fitness/wellness of people on wegovy. I think that they may have specific needs that are not being met by a doctors simply writing an Rx every few months.

Your friend’s health indicators like cholesterol, blood pressure and A1C have probably all improved. But you are complaining about his face and that he didn’t drink wine? You don’t seem like a “friend” at all, at least not a very nice one.

That's what I think - but someone from Manhattan is more likely to care about what someone likes like vs actual health.