Introduction:
Weight loss journeys are deeply personal, often filled with challenges, triumphs, and unexpected lessons. In this candid Q&A, Jane Doe candidly shares her unfiltered experience with Zepbound—a medication that’s helped her reshape her relationship with food, health, and self-image later in life. Her story offers valuable insights, from navigating emotional hurdles to practical tips, providing support and perspective for anyone considering or currently using GLP-1 medications on their weight loss journey.

Pharm Q1: And this is our Q & A interview! it’s just gonna be a transcript. But, uh, the first one is: What motivated you to start your weight loss journey and how did you first hear about the medications, the GLP1 medications?

Jane Doe: Okay, so, um I first heard about the GLP medications. um, well, through media, and through my daughter who had some, um [co-worker] nurses who were actually using them and were successful. So I drew interest in it because, as I’m getting older, I’m in my 60s now, and weight loss is getting harder for me. So as much exercise as I do, I was putting in ten thousand miles, or not 10,000 miles, 10 thousand steps. 10 thousand steps, and just, you know, in small amounts of time because I would try to do it quicker and faster and harder and um although I felt the muscle, I felt good, I had the energy, but nothing was coming off. So, um, and eating, you know, I was trying to eat a little better. So anyway, I just wasn’t feeling good about myself as much as the exercise helped, I wasn’t feeling good.

Pharm Q2: Can you describe the process of deciding to try a GLP1 medication and what were the initial steps you took once you decided to begin the treatment?

Jane Doe: Okay. Well, there was um kind of hesitancy on my side. I was reluctant. I was kind of like, oh gosh, I’m almost embarrassed to reduce myself to having to reach for this, this, I felt handicapped like, you know, like, okay, I can’t do it on my own so I’m going to ask for help or, or try to seek help. So anyway getting it, I found it through Weight Watchers. I wanted some kind of guidance and so I started, I joined Weight Watchers and I started doing their exercises online to prepare and uh do all of that. So I joined it and then the next step was to request the help of the Zepbound, which is what I chose after some family discussion and it was the right one to choose.

Pharm Q3: How did you feel when you first started the medication and what were your early experiences like within the first four weeks?

Jane Doe: Okay. Well, once I got the medication because I do want to speak to the fact that I had a hard time getting the prescription filled. And uh, actually, some of the attitudes of some of the pharmacies were like, you know, “I’m sorry, but we don’t have it” or “it’s not available, “it’s on back order” or “who are you getting this prescription from?” I almost felt like I was doing something wrong or illegal, but I initially, I eventually got it. I got it from my own pharmacist, the pharmacy that I normally go to with no problems, no questions asked and I felt, I think I felt with my first shot, tired, almost like flu-like maybe the first day or two and I think I remember feeling, I mean it’s amazing how food just turns you off. So you kind of look at something and you look at that pizza and you kind of go, oh, like, that’s disgusting. So certain foods really kind of turn your stomach and and you kind of like, yeah, it’s kind of, it’s amazing what it actually does for you…and you’re not hungry. So you feel no hunger and I remember eating like a couple spoonfuls of something of a meal and then pushing the plate away and saying, okay, that’s it. I’m done. But for me, it was important to obviously hydrate. Drink a lot of water, drink a lot of water, drink a lot of water. And I remember something that’s interesting is I have IBS. I’ve had that all my life and I’ve not had an issue with that since starting, although you will have an issue with something acting up if you force yourself to or not force yourself, but if you eat something that you know is not going to be good for you. So if you have that greasy slice of pizza and that glass of wine, you’re going to pay for it. I felt like, you know, at night or something I was like, oh gosh, now I’m paying for a few minutes of what I thought was all joy; eating pizza and having that glass of wine. So now I just kind of just stay away.

Pharm Q4: So how did your daily routine or overall lifestyle evolve as you continued with the medication?

Jane Doe: Eating habits definitely change. You wanna make sure that what you’re putting in your body because you’re going to get full fast or you’re going to limit yourself to maybe two meals instead of the typical three meals or if you do have the three meals, you want to make them count so you want to make sure you’re getting your protein, you’re getting, you know, whatever vitamins you can in those meals because that’s going to kind of carry you along. And then the exercising, you got to stay focused because, for me, it was rapid, rapid weight loss, and I lost a lot of muscle. Initially I am going to say I was just adjusting to the eating and more concentrating on all of that. I didn’t put a routine of working out and staying on point with the exercising to compensate for that muscle loss or the weight loss.

Pharm Q5: Would you say that you’ve improved with that now?

Jane Doe: I’ve been better, definitely. I’m working on all of them.

Pharm Q6: Can you share any specific milestones or specific moments when you realize the medication was making a difference or you felt a sense of accomplishment?

Jane Doe: I’m going to say, um, I got a dress for my son’s wedding. And when I put it on, I bought it and then like two or three weeks later, I tried it on again just to check the hem. And it was too big on me, so I had to go back and I exchanged it for a smaller size. And I remember looking in the mirror and thinking, wow, this is…I feel like me again. I’m starting to feel like me again. And I feel good about myself. And I’m good with this. I’m good with this weight. I’m happy. If there’s a way to just kind of maintain this, I would have been happy. So I would say that was like the moment. And then when I shared photos and family saw the photos of me that day. Also, they were..they all complimented me, it was a happy, complimentary surprise for me that everybody noticed the drastic amount of weight that I had lost. So um that was a milestone moment.

Pharm Q7: Did the use of Zepbound change your perspective on diet and exercise? And what emotional or psychological changes did you experience as you progressed through your journey?

Jane Doe: Okay, I’m going to say, jeez, emotional psychological, my perspective on weight loss. You know, if you can get help and you’re doing everything, um maybe you weren’t doing everything, but you’re trying. At least you do try. So these are you know, I think mental health and part of it is feeling good about yourself, not part of it. I think a lot of it has to do with “do you feel good about yourself?” If you wake up every morning, you look in the mirror and you go “oh God, I’m so frumpy.” If you’re going to be frumpy then you’re going to act frumpy. You’re gonna live life frumpy, you’re just going to continue to feed into that mindset. So I think um, you know, you, if that’s how you can feel good about yourself or feel better about yourself, if weight loss is part of it, then do it. As long as you’re doing it in a healthy way. Don’t do it just to do it. You weigh 105 pounds and you want to lose five more because you want to be 100. I think that’s kind of silly and unreasonable to do that to your body because I take this seriously. Sometimes I kind of say, oh my God, is the shoe going to drop? Is there some side effect that’s going to rear its ugly head and now I’m going to pay the price for it? So all of that, it still stays with you and you’re thinking about it every day, but in the meantime, you’re going to do whatever you can. I mean, if you’re not doing the hard work yourself at that point, then, you know, then you might as well give it up. No, but [in all seriousness] it’s hard. And then with the psychological piece comes, you know, the fact that I personally haven’t vocally announced to everybody, “hey, I’ve lost my weight on Zepbound.” People look at me and say, wow, you lost a lot of weight. I don’t offer how I lost the weight. If someone comes out and say, hey, are you on Zepbound, and I won’t deny it, but I’m not going to offer that either because part of it is you’re kind of embarrassed. It’s not like, you know, I took the easy way out because that’s how some people are labeling it. I was able to do it financially. It’s not cheap. Um, I don’t get it paid for. I do get a discount [through the patient savings program]. I get like 50% off. So I think I could say I’m paying $550 for it monthly. That’s $550 monthly I can spend on something else. I can buy a nice car! But I choose to do this because I’d rather, than sit in a car and walk around or drive around and say look at my fancy car, I’d rather walk around and say, hey, I feel good about myself today. So that’s the psychological bit.

Pharm: Thanks.

Pharm Q8: So how has this journey impacted your overall quality of life and outlook on health for your future?

Jane Doe: So I’m hoping that um, well, I’m hoping that for one, my cholesterol levels have dropped. So I think if that’s confirmed and I can get off of that medication, I’m going to be jumping for joy. So that’s the quality of life piece because I had a hard time accepting the fact that I needed to get a medication to lower my cholesterol because I couldn’t do it on my own. I’m not a believer in taking any medication and here I am shooting myself up with Zepbound, but uh, so I’m kind of contradicting that, but um I feel better. I feel better. I do. I get up every morning and, you know, my outlook is, you know, I I’m looking forward to uh, the warm months and you know, to get back out there and continue building the muscle that I lost because I did lose a lot of muscle. So I just, you know, the work isn’t done. The outlook is if I can just get a little bit of a assistance from this Zepbound or as minimal as possible, I will continue to do that until, um, need be. And in the meantime, keep learning how to really do it on my own and continue the good habits that this is forcing you pretty much to take in.

Pharm and Jane Doe: **High five**

Pro tips from the interview!

 💧 Prioritize Hydration:
“Drink a lot of water, drink a lot of water, drink a lot of water.”
Staying well-hydrated helped Jane manage side effects and maintain overall well-being during treatment. Make hydration a daily priority.

 🥗 Make Every Meal Count:
Since Zepbound reduces appetite, Jane found it important to focus on nutrient-dense meals. Aim for balanced portions rich in protein, vitamins, and fiber to support your body, even when eating less.

🏋️‍♀️ Don’t Neglect Muscle Maintenance:
Rapid weight loss can lead to muscle loss. Jane recommends staying consistent with strength training or physical activity to preserve muscle mass as your body adjusts.

🧠 Address the Emotional Side of Weight Loss:
Jane’s journey highlighted the emotional hurdles tied to weight loss medications, like feelings of embarrassment or stigma or having to be a strong advocate for yourself. Remember, seeking support isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a proactive step toward better health.

⚠️ Be Mindful of Trigger Foods:
Some foods, especially greasy or heavy meals, caused discomfort for Jane. Pay attention to how your body reacts to different foods and adjust your diet accordingly to avoid unnecessary side effects.