Stopping Reta a week before vacation - Feel "grey"

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Tfeff1

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I have been on reta for about 6 weeks and am going on vacation in about a week. Currently on 4mg/week. I have lost about 10 lbs and generally everything is great; but I am thinking of stopping now (so about a week before the vacation). I do feel "grey". Sex drive down, don't want to drink or enjoy things as much. I want to get a little of that back before I go. I do plan to eat the same as I have been (healthy, low cal, high protein, daily weight lifting). I plan to restart about 2 weeks after stopping when I get back. Is there anyone that has done this? Anything I should know. Thanks!
 
Tfeff1 said:


I have been on reta for about 6 weeks and am going on vacation in about a week. Currently on 4mg/week. I have lost about 10 lbs and generally everything is great; but I am thinking of stopping now (so about a week before the vacation). I do feel "grey". Sex drive down, don't want to drink or enjoy things as much. I want to get a little of that back before I go. I do plan to eat the same as I have been (healthy, low cal, high protein, daily weight lifting). I plan to restart about 2 weeks after stopping when I get back. Is there anyone that has done this? Anything I should know. Thanks!

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Your body may still be getting used to Ret, and stopping might not do what you think it will.

10lbs in 6 weeks is a great achievement, if you still have a lot to go it might make more sense to take a smaller dose as opposed to cold turkey.

I noticed that after I was on my program for a while things leveled out for me.

There are a few on here that have done it, I will let them chime in.
 
Tfeff1 said:


I have been on reta for about 6 weeks and am going on vacation in about a week. Currently on 4mg/week. I have lost about 10 lbs and generally everything is great; but I am thinking of stopping now (so about a week before the vacation). I do feel "grey". Sex drive down, don't want to drink or enjoy things as much. I want to get a little of that back before I go. I do plan to eat the same as I have been (healthy, low cal, high protein, daily weight lifting). I plan to restart about 2 weeks after stopping when I get back. Is there anyone that has done this? Anything I should know. Thanks!

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Sorry, but the stuff doesn't work like that. Stop and drink, eat and party isn't in the playbook. It also takes a while to get out of your system. No way I'd take 3 weeks off.
 
I asked Google AI, it made these suggestions..

The best strategy to enjoy food on vacation while taking GLP-1 medications is to shift your focus from quantity to quality by planning your dosing schedule and eating mindfully. You do not need to stop your medication entirely to have a great culinary experience. [1, 2]

Optimize Your Dosing Schedule

  • Delay your shot: If you take a weekly injection, consider taking it 1 to 2 days later than usual if that aligns with the start of your trip. [1]
  • Leverage the half-life: GLP-1 medications generally reach peak concentration 1 to 3 days after injection. Delaying the dose ensures the strongest appetite suppression wears off just as your vacation begins. [1, 2]
  • Avoid mid-trip changes: Do not skip multiple weeks entirely, as this requires you to restart at the lowest dose to avoid severe gastrointestinal side effects. [1, 2]

Smart Eating Strategies

  • Prioritize protein and fiber: Eat your protein and vegetables first during meals. This ensures you get essential nutrients before your stomach signals that it is full. [1, 2, 3]
  • Order appetizers as mains: Navigate restaurant menus by selecting two appetizers instead of a heavy entree. This allows you to taste different local flavors without wasting food or overeating. [1]
  • Share everything: Split richer dishes, desserts, or street food with travel companions. You get to experience the taste without the physical discomfort of a full portion. [1, 2]
  • Stop at 80% full: GLP-1 meds delay gastric emptying. If you eat until you are completely full, you will likely feel uncomfortably stuffed or nauseous an hour later. [1, 2]

Managing Side Effects on the Go

  • Watch the alcohol: GLP-1 medications can change how your body processes alcohol, leading to quicker intoxication or nasty hangovers. Stick to one or two drinks maximum and alternate with water.
  • Pack a rescue kit: Bring over-the-counter remedies like antacids, ginger lozenges, and anti-diarrheal medication. Vacation foods are often richer and can trigger reflux or nausea more easily on these medications.
  • Hydrate aggressively: Travel, heat, and GLP-1 medications all increase your risk of dehydration. Drink plenty of water and consider packing electrolyte packets.
To help tailor these tips for your trip, let me know:

  • Which specific medication are you taking?
  • What is the culinary style of your vacation destination?
 
Heh I'm in for a rough patch. I'm about to spend 3 weeks in Europe and I'm gonna miss a couple of weeks of shots. I'm also currently at 4mg and when I get home I'm stressing back at 2, but might dose more frequently than every 7 days, depending on how it goes.
 
hotsauceboss said:


Heh I'm in for a rough patch. I'm about to spend 3 weeks in Europe and I'm gonna miss a couple of weeks of shots. I'm also currently at 4mg and when I get home I'm stressing back at 2, but might dose more frequently than every 7 days, depending on how it goes.

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Bring them with you?

They are supposed to be good for 21 days at room temp.
 
Anhedonia is pretty common on Reta but stopping and restarting is not really the ideal way of using GLP's.

There are a lot of threads covering both subjects.
 
hotsauceboss said:


Customs won't harass me about them? I'd probably bring 1 vial, 3 syringes in my checked bag.

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Search the forum. Someone makes a post about traveling with peps at least once/week in this forum.
 
Many people have stated that they travel with vials and syringes no problems. I personally don't have any experience with it myself though.
 
FWIW, I'm on Tirz and Cag. Went to Japan for 3 weeks and didn't bring it along (no refrigerators in some hotel rooms). I gave myself a slightly larger dose just before leaving. It wore off after a couple days and I started eating like a pig. When I came home, I was surprised that I'd only gained 3 pounds. Restarted Tirz and Cag at the old dose and got the appetite suppression I was hoping for. Two weeks after returning, I'm back to the weight I was before leaving. YMMV.
 
I just returned from a two week European vacation. Took my last 5mg shot the morning we left and restarted the night we returned. I don’t see any reason to overthink this. Oh, and I still lost 2 pounds lmao! We walk everywhere!
 
FartfulCodger said:


FWIW, I'm on Tirz and Cag. Went to Japan for 3 weeks and didn't bring it along (no refrigerators in some hotel rooms). I gave myself a slightly larger dose just before leaving. It wore off after a couple days and I started eating like a pig. When I came home, I was surprised that I'd only gained 3 pounds. Restarted Tirz and Cag at the old dose and got the appetite suppression I was hoping for. Two weeks after returning, I'm back to the weight I was before leaving. YMMV.

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This type of Data is so helpful!!

Thanks!
 
I have the same issue, I go to Ibiza for a party holiday with friends soon. Lots of drinking and other "party supplies".

I'm considering titrating down then stopping for a couple of weeks to lower steady state levels of reta in my system.

I've found the one or two times I have drank alcohol heavily since starting reta the hangovers can be quite bad.

Of course, reta isn't ideal for cycling, as you essentially reset your maintenance dose which has built up systemically.
 
Here's one more day point. Not as extreme a break as you are planning, but I just returned from a 11 day trip. Took my standard 4mg Reta dose 3 days early immediately before departure and then resumed with a 4mg dose immediately upon return 1 day later than normal.

Appetite definitely increased near the end of the trip. It felt like I was eating and drinking substantially.more than usual with calories ramping up over time. I made no effort to limit consumption and totally skipped my normal 3x a week weight lifting and cardio workouts.

I accepted that the scale would jump up a couple pounds and just figured progress would resume after returning to my normal routine. Instead, I lost 2.6 lbs on the trip 🤷. I don't think the outcome will be as good at the gym.
 
I never understood the appeal of stopping to eat like crazy on a vacay. I pin myself usually the day before or the 1st day of the vacay so I can enjoy festivities w/o thinking about food.

I primarily use Tz so the food suppression is top tier I can go at least 10 days w/o food noise. If Ret's sides are that bad I would recommend you switch bc you want to take breaks to "feel normal" again
 
hotsauceboss said:


Customs won't harass me about them? I'd probably bring 1 vial, 3 syringes in my checked bag.

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Print a Tirz label that makes it look legit and bring it in carry on. My compounded tirz came in prescription vials, see if you have old Rx bottle that you can pop it in. My sis just brought 18 months worth of Tirz to ireland - no probs
 
hotsauceboss said:


Customs won't harass me about them? I'd probably bring 1 vial, 3 syringes in my checked bag.

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Most people say no, search forum, there are many threads. Since I found out the peps last for 21 days no refrigeration. it became less complicated.
 
Derby said:


Search the forum. Someone makes a post about traveling with peps at least once/week in this forum.

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The people I've seen post about regularly travel are flying domestic, haven't seen anyone mention flying internationally. I'd hate to wreak a 3 week European vacation, Europe is to awesome and expensive for that nonsense.
 
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