To GLP-1 or Not to GLP-1: That Is the Big Weight Loss Question!

I’ve had a weight problem pretty much my entire life. And, mainly to take the weight off my now-arthritic knees, I’m about to take a stab at one of the new GLP-1 medicines. Even Weight Watchers has a GLP-1 plan through its partner Sequence. (I did check into this one, but besides the extra monthly membership charge, the meds are no less expensive than anywhere else, so beware!)

So, here’s my story. My mom dragged me to her TOPS (Take off Pounds Sensibly) group for “Tiny TOPS” (where you were “awarded” the Turtle Badge for not losing weight that week—talk about Fat Shaming. Sheesh!). I was, as the doctor decreed, 10 pounds over the ideal weight for a 10-year-old kid. When that didn’t work, she took me back to the doctor, who put me on Preludin (AKA phenmetrazine—basically, speed). I was still only the same 10 pounds over the ideal for my then-11-year-old self.

I spent much of sixth grade in a state of constantly feeling wired and exhausted. Unable to sleep, I learned the rhythm of our furnace in the wee hours. What each clang and thump meant—and how many sounded between the hours of midnight and 6am. That I still remember these experiences so vividly many decades later says something (not sure what, but…something).

I won’t bore you with the entire play-by-play of the next couple of decades (I tried Atkins—with some success, but too many side effects), Weight Watchers, and everything else until I tried a physician-directed plan that was a success back in 2011 when my knees screamed at me in horror. She was less interested in my getting “skinny” than taking some of the pressure off my knees and getting healthy, whether or not I reached some ideal of a scale number.

Fast Forward

Although I put back some of the weight, I stayed pretty healthy, more or less. Now, my knees are calling again. I have arthritis in both knees (ouch), and although it’s not serious enough for surgery, I do miss out on things. I now live in a very hilly city and have a house with many stairs, so the knees…

So, at my annual wellness exam, after my doc told me all was well with my bloodwork, heart, lungs, etc. I asked him if he thought trying one of those weight loss miracle GLP-1 meds might help me take off enough weight to make a difference in my knees. He told me that every pound I lost would be eight pounds of pressure off my knees. So, yes. And I was a good candidate.

What Are GLP-1s?

GLP-1 medicines are GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic that were originally intended to treat diabetes. In the last couple of years, one side effect, weight loss, has caught the zeitgeist and spread through social media as the next silver bullet. The possibility it could help treat the epidemic of obesity in the U.S. has led to the proliferation of similar drugs intended specifically for weight loss. But, caveat emptor (buyer beware), they are expensive, and, sadly, most insurance doesn’t cover them. And, now, according to the FDA, we need to be aware of fake GLP-1s!

Injecting the pre-loaded pen just below the skin (subcutaneously) once per week should be pretty painless, but there may be unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects. However, I’m told they are fleeting and may never appear (especially if you start at a very low dose—which I will be).

What’s My Goal?

I aim to lose about 40 pounds (the BMI charts would argue it’s more like 80 pounds). My doctor said, “Give me five, and I’ll be happy. That’s where we have to start.” Luckily, I don’t have many of the issues that folks in their sixth decade suffer, just the pain in my knees. He’s less interested in my achieving some “ideal” weight than taking the weight off my knees (and avoiding knee surgery).

So—here I go. I’ve read everything there is to read, am aware of the potential side effects, and steeling myself for a (hopefully) short-lived tummy ache.

Have you tried a GLP-1 like Ozempic, Wegovy, or any of the others for weight loss? I’d love to hear about your experiences. Feel free to leave me a comment below or on social media. Find me on Threads (@bbarnett830) or Twitter (I refuse to call it X!) at @B_Barnett