I have an experience to share that might help you. I started 5 weeks ago on .25 and after EVERY dose I felt terrible for at least 2-3 days-like I had the flu. Naturally I was afraid to go up to the.50, but I had read on here that different doses affect people in different ways & there doesn’t seem to be much reasoning behind it(for example, some people have lots of side effects at 1.0 but not 1.50, etc.). So I finally went up to .50 last week and sure enough, my nausea was barely noticeable and I only threw up once on day 2-after my GERD/heartburn got the best of me from bending over too long. So the moral of the story is that you might actually do BETTER with side effects at a higher dose than a lower one. Fingers crossed🤞🏻

The question of GLP-1’s ability to impact/reduce unhealthy, addictive behaviors, is well documented & the focus of a few exciting new studies on addiction. We know that it goes to work in the brain’s pleasure center/pathways(i.e. better food choices, due in part to slower digestion AND less “food noise”), and we also know that addictive behavior & impulse control comes from the pleasure center…so how could it NOT lessen the “noise” associated with other addictions. What we don’t know, is the degree to which glp1’s can alleviate non food related cravings & what percentage of people/addicts will benefit from it, etc. That’s why GLP-1’s aren’t helping EVERYONE shop less…but it IS helping a quantifiable percentage:)

I’ll put it this way…the Eletta Explore is only $300 more than the Dinamica Plus right now(FIY: when the E-Explore first came out it retailed for $2,799, so I think DeLonghi has a newer version in the works), and the Eletta has the same features as the D-Plus…and a whole lot more! It does have the same “over ice” feature as the D-Plus, but the E-Explore goes further with about 15-20 over ice options, a tasty “cold brew” option that seeps low & slow(ready in 3mins), as well as 2 dedicated carafes for hot AND cold foam(even my low calorie, plant based/non dairy milk comes out surprisingly creamy). It also has a 2go option that brews double or triple the amount of needed to fill up a thermos(it can accommodate a 32oz Yeti), and DeLonghi’s “bean adapt” feature that takes a lot of the guesswork out of proper grinder settings, etc. If you can’t tell, I REALLY love my new machine😍

That was me for the last month or so and I FINALLY made a decision when the machine that tied for first place went on sale(from $1,799 to $1,599). I purchased the DeLonghi Eletta Explorer and I LOVE it! I’ve been making cold brews with it and both hot and cold lattes and they’re all wonderful! For the price you really can’t beat the features. It also comes with a 3yr warranty!

I’m EXACTLY where you are in everything from the starting date, dosing AND lack of results at .25mg☹️My biggest issue is that after 4 shots I’m STILL getting horrible side effects for 24-30ish hours post jab so I’m not sure if I can handle going up to .50mg. And I’m not talking mild side effects either…it’s the same kind of nausea & physical symptoms that comes along with a nasty stomach virus🤢 At least now I feel completely fine by day 2, because after the first two jabs I was feeling like that for 2-3 days…so I guess it HAS improved somewhat. Are you experiencing any side effects from the lower dose?

I wish it was something as simple as that, but I’m lucky if i can keep a slice of toast or an apple down the day after the shot-I’ve had GERD and IBS since I was a teen so I haven’t eaten fried food in years. I do however have a bad habit of not eating anything until like 3-4 in the afternoon(and that was BEFORE I started on glp-1), so I’m wondering if maybe an empty stomach is the culprit🤷🏼‍♀️ If I knew it would get better I could put up with it, but its only gotten a little bit better after 4 wks on the lowest dose-just 1 day of nausea instead of the 2 or 3 I had after the first 2 shots. I really appreciate your input though, so thank you☺️

I’ve only been on it for 4-1/2 weeks and I’d LOVE to keep taking it, but…I STILL have a solid 24-36hrs of feeling really crappy, almost like I have the flu (i.e. nauseated, clammy and lethargic🤢) after receiving my .25 dose. The .25 isn’t really working anymore but I can’t imagine how bad it would be I took it up to .50 as recommended. So if I had to guess, I’d say it’s probably a combination of cost and side effects. If I only had myself to consider, and my family didn’t have to deal with me being utterly sick in bed & useless for 1-2 days a week (which is about 5-8 days out of the month) I’d 100% stay on it. It’s just really discouraging🫤

I’m in a similar situation but for different reasons. I’ve always been more of an “open book” than private person and I’ve willingly shared my issues with addiction & mental health with anyone willing to listen. But since I started the shots 7wks ago(still at .25 bcuz scared to go up), I’ve had a hard time sharing that I’m on it with people because of the side effects. At first I was a bit “rumbly” down under & felt like I had a mild flu for 2-3 days. The second shot had me puking my guts out for 2 days and I felt clammy/feverish. After the 3rd shot it has consistently been the one day of nausea(upon standing)& just feeling really “blah” for 24hrs, and by the 36hr mark I’m back to feeling normal…better than normal! It’s not like I can power thru this kind of side effect and I can’t really hide it or complain about how I’m feeling because I’m doing it to myself. In other words, being sick 5-7 days a month because of the side effects has made it extra difficult to share my journey with others. I’m SO hoping the side effects get better once I reach my ideal dose, because it’s working on physical AND mental level! I just REALLY hate throwing up😭

I’m guessing your practitioner simply increased the intensity (i.e. needle depth, etc) for your second treatment. Your first day pic from the first treatment is EXTREMELY mild, whereas the most recent day 1 pic looks pretty typical. The deeper they go the more painful & bloody the experience…but you get far better results too. PS-You look EXACTLY how I looked yesterday after my first treatment.

That’s SO disappointing & I’m just sorry you even have to consider other options. But if you can afford $150-$250 a month, and you’re willing to take a compounded/generic GLP1, you can go online for a “consult” & have the medication sent to you-self administered. I go into a local med spa once a week for weigh-ins & my weekly injection and I pay $175 a month for all of it. The meds are definitely working because I’m losing weight, so if you’re desperate and really want/need to stay on it, you do have another option(albeit less than “ideal”). Best of luck🙏🏻

The queen of England wore a dress all the time and she was 90 something. So no offense, but I’m really not sure where your friends got such a ridiculous idea, but it wasn’t from anything observable…like reality🤔

I can’t focus on what’s NOT in front of me(at least not consistently & I’m also an all or nothing kind of person), so it’s easy to forget that I should be focusing on the many people I love and I miss very much. I know I’m actively disappointing people with every day that passes without contact, but to contemplate this reality(without plans to see them very soon)brings me pain & debilitating shame, so my distractions have become a protective mechanism for me/my mental health. I’m also an ever hopeful, chronic optimist & avoider/procrastinator, so it’s easy to forget how most people LIKE to focus on the sort of habits & qualities I’ve clearly failed at in life (things like a timely returned phone call, call frequency, checking emails, etc). I get that my experience with ADHD has made it easier for me to look past the more surface level, executive function stuff (i.e. all the stuff I suck at, like consistency, focus/attention, and time management skills) and to focus instead on the deeper, more honest aspects of my relationships. But that’s why it’s so discouraging & disheartening when people who SHOULD know what kind of person I am, actually CHOOSE to focus on my weaknesses &/or the things I’ve NEVER done well in life, over the huge heart they KNOW I have, my ability to understand & easily forgive, along with all the other qualities I’ve had to cultivate over the years to make up for a plethora of deficiencies🥴 In truth, it hurts my heart to think about all the family & precious friendships I had to leave behind when we moved out of state 18yrs ago(for husbands work), but I KNOW that dwelling on it or even hearing their voices over the phone, will send me down a nostalgic spiral that diminishes everything I have right in front of me AND dampens my enthusiasm and ability to envision the future. So long story longer…I totally get you☺️

Go to bed wearing a full face of makeup(liquid liner & all)and you too can wake up looking someone who has attained the impossible…well as good as you always look with makeup on;)

I know…I was tempted to ask for the exact filter she uses🤔But I didn’t because I can clearly see that she’d be pretty without the editing-ie. the blurs and feature enhancements.

I’m SO jealous! I WISH I was so paranoid about being late(which I am. But I’m also an eternal optimist, so😏)that I actually left my home early. But I just can’t! And even when I do SOMETHING outside of my control will happen that makes me late anyways☹️

I don’t think there’s a cutoff age for wearing makeup-and that includes heavier evening makeup. If anything we need it more as we age😏You look great(I should say LOOKED great since it was a few days ago;)

Start by giving yourself a more pronounced “V/heart” on your top lip and slowly move down from the sides(to the left and right of your cupids bow)until it looks like YOUR lips…your slightly enhanced lips;)👄

Considering that men get to wear them(without input from the age “appropriate” police btw!)until they’re ancient and decrepit…I think it’s only fair that women get to wear them past the age of 40😏

Can you be a BIT more specific about what exactly is wrong here? My photo looks nothing like the “unacceptable” photo examples provided-I believe my photo would be considered a 3/4 tilt which according to your rules IS acceptable. My pic has no filters, isn’t a mirror selfie, I’m not lying down & I’m not smiling, etc. So ya…I’m genuinely stumped here🤨

Oh my gosh…me too! Unfortunately my husband of 20 years has far less patience these days for my daily compulsion/super human ability to point out every person I see who looks “so much like what’s his/her/their name from that one show/movie”.😬He USED to think it was an adorable, albeit quirky, little habit-now, not so much😏I’m sure he’d feel differently about it IF I could remember their name(s) OR the name of the show/movie, OR just keep it to myself🤐But it’s no use…once I notice a resemblance, it’s like an itch that I can’t ignore😆

Ahhh…to be 20 again and working towards GAINING mass in my butt/glutes. Those were the days😏 Seriously though, you look great! Enjoy your body & appreciate the control you have over it for the next 2-3 decades☺️

This has been quite educational for me. I developed a new nervous habit a few years back(although it’s not really “nervous” as I only do it when I’m watching something or relaxed)in which I feel compelled to run single strands of my hair between my thumb and pointer finger. Unfortunately, about 30% of the time I end up accidentally pulling the strand out of my head or the strand breaks. But what I’m really here to say is that every once in a while I’ll find a particularly satisfying strand that’s oddly thick & looks like a zig zag. I wonder if we all have at least SOME of theses “uncontrollable” strands of hair🤔

But you do look great:)

Being 20 years old doesn’t hurt either😏