The hair thing was rough, I won't lie. Around month 6, I started noticing a LOT more hair in my shower drain and on my brush. At its worst (month 8) I'd guess I lost maybe 20-25% of my hair volume. It was noticeable to me but nobody else seemed to notice (or they were polite about it).
What my dermatologist explained: it's telogen effluvium, not true hair loss. It's triggered by the rapid weight loss and caloric deficit, not the drug specifically. Basically your body shunts resources away from hair growth when it's under metabolic stress. It's temporary.
What I did:
- Kept protein high (this is important for hair)
- Started biotin 5,000mcg daily
- Added a multivitamin with iron and zinc
- Used Nioxin shampoo system
- Most importantly: tried not to panic
It stopped at month 10 and I can see new growth coming in now. My hairstylist confirmed lots of "baby hairs" at my temples and crown. It comes back. 🙏
tine, congratulations on your remarkable progress. Your journey illustrates several important clinical points:
- The extended titration worked well for you. Spending 8 weeks at 5mg and 7.5mg before progressing gave your body time to adapt and likely reduced overall side effect burden.
- The BED therapy was critical. Tirzepatide reduces appetite but doesn't address the psychological drivers of disordered eating. Combining pharmacotherapy with cognitive-behavioral therapy for BED is the gold standard approach.
- The slowing weight loss at 15mg is completely expected. As you approach a lower body weight, the caloric deficit narrows, metabolic rate adjusts, and the rate naturally decelerates. You're not "stalling" — you're approaching equilibrium.
- Your metabolic improvements are extraordinary. A1C from 6.4% to 5.0% means you've completely reversed prediabetes. The blood pressure normalization may allow medication reduction if you were on antihypertensives.
Wonderful work. Your story will help others.
— Board-certified endocrinologist
Pinning this as a featured success story. MounjBrad, thank you for being so thorough and honest — including the side effects and the BED therapy is so important. It gives people a realistic picture of what this journey looks like, not just the highlight reel.
89 lbs down. 17 to go. You've absolutely got this. 🌟
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View ResultsThank you everyone 😭 I genuinely don't know if I would have started this without this forum. The information, the support, the shared experiences — it all made the difference. I'll post again when I hit goal.
And also — check in on the forum after your first shot. We'll be here. ❤️
SW: 271 | CW: 182 | GW: 165 | 14 months on Mounjaro | BED in recovery | Living my life