[00:00:00] Hey guys, welcome back to How It's Really Going at 50 and I wanted to do an update on a couple of things for this podcast. It's funny, when I look back at the, the last few, I don't know, let's say 10 podcast episodes that I've done, the most popular ones that you guys seem to enjoy are the ones where I'm either talking about my journey with hormones or the few episodes that I've done so far on my journey with the GLP-1s.
And so this is a combination of both, just talking about sort of some of the things that I've changed and how things are going and, just some of my thoughts and, just a stream of consciousness update on all of the above. And let's start with the GLP-1, because I'm coming up to my one year with that.
And I would say probably a year ago as of, right now, this moment, I was deep into research and getting information and really trying to make the decision as to whether I wanted to [00:01:00] go forward with trying a GLP-1. And I think one of the reasons why I like to do these episodes is because I know there's a lot of you out there thinking about taking one, and I know that because when I've done previous episodes, I have gotten direct messages, , on my Instagram with questions and, people just saying, "Hey, thank you for that.
I've been thinking about this," or, "Where did you get it? 'Cause I wanna try it and I, you know, my doctor won't give it to me, so where do I go?" kinda thing. And so, I do address those questions specifically, some of those questions specifically in the previous episodes I've done, so you can definitely go back and watch those.
But one year ago was where I was, in that space of trying to make the decision, and at that point, I didn't have a doctor, that I had been with long enough where I felt comfortable asking her about it. And I knew that I also didn't fit, the whatever, the markers that you need. Like, I'm definitely not in the [00:02:00] obese category.
I'm a 50-year-old menopausal woman that's got about 20... that had about 20 pounds of extra weight, that just came on over the course of what felt like a year maybe, and really just wasn't feeling like myself, really just trying to do the things, doing the workouts, trying to eat the right things.
And just nothing was changing, basically, and if anything, it was continuing to get worse. And I look back at some photos of me during that time, and I just look so puffy, and I just didn't feel comfortable in my own skin. And so I decided to use an online pharmacy, a vetted Canadian, like, you know, it's not like a, a TikTok shop or anything like that.
It was, a vetted online FDA-approved pharmacy who approved me for the medication for a GLP-1, and I, started that in July of 2025 And so this, at the year mark, I'm just, I'm very happy. I'm not... I have no complaints. , I [00:03:00] lost the 20 pounds that I've, that I gained during that sort of year of dealing with perimenopause, so I'm back at my normal goal weight.
I haven't lost any more than I've wanted to. I've been able to maintain that weight loss. I do take Ozempic, is the one that I take specifically, and I've been taking the minimum dose, which has really worked well for me. Now, I do wanna say I'm not a doctor. I'm not a specialist. I have no formal training in any of this.
This is just my own experience and my own journey and my own story. Everybody's story with this kinda stuff is going to be different. So the way that it worked for me might not be the way that it works for you, right? Like, everybody's, I... Some of the people who have messaged me about this who have started the medication didn't have the same amount of weight loss, or they had to titrate up to a, a different dose before they started to really get the results that they wanted.
For me, I'm very fortunate. I, I think they say that they're called, deep responders or something like that, where I use the minimum dose, and it's done [00:04:00] what I needed it to do, and I've been able to stay on that, and everything's been great so I'm really happy. Like I said, I've lost the weight.
I feel stronger. I am... I feel, just in general, I feel happier . And that could have to do with my hormones too, 'cause I feel , that I've also, , really worked hard on getting the right, hormone replacement therapy for myself too, and trying different levels of different things. And I finally feel like at this point, I have the right combination of, resources and tools that are helping me feel like my best self, and that has been amazing.
That feels amazing. I, I can tell you my h- my husband is happier because I'm happier, and just overall just it feels really good. Now for those who are, thinking about a GLP-1, a couple things that I do wanna share, because the unfortunate part about, these drugs, the GLP-1s [00:05:00] is... And whether it's Ozempic, tirzepatide, Rega- reg- whatever it's called.
There's a couple of new ones that are gonna be coming out, Wegovy, whatever. There's a lot of crazy shit on the internet, and it's really unfortunate, and it makes it really hard and confusing for those who are trying to get information whether to think- whether to see whether this medication's right for them or not.
And I just wanna share some of the things that I've seen and, and what I've learned about it, and my own experience in regards to those things because, like I say, the... it can be really confusing and you might, you know, think like... You might be scared to actually move forward because people are sharing information that maybe isn't fully true, or isn't fully studied, or just is flat out bullshit.
And so I, first of all, wanna say the mindset around this Is you don't need permission from the internet or any- anybody in your life really to do what's right for you. That'll be first and foremost. Like, when I made the decision [00:06:00] to take this medication, the only person that I chatted with about it was my husband.
He was the only person who knew that I was even doing it unt- until I was ready to start sharing that I was doing it. And it wasn't even like I needed his permission either. I just was like, "Okay, I wanna do this. Are you on... can you be on board with me?" You know, kinda thing, and, and just support me through this, and he was like, "Absolutely," like, "Whatever you need."
And so that for me was all I needed as far as, you know, being able to say, "Yeah, I'm gonna do this." So you don't need permission from anyone, especially the internet, to make a decision like this for you. And second of all, because this is a, a big message online that I've seen, is it's not cheating. It's not shameful.
This is a personal decision for you, right? If your, if your health feels like... If you don't feel like yourself, like I did, and maybe your s- health is struggling, like, you know, when you're doing all the things and you're not getting any results and in fact you feel like you're going backwards when it comes [00:07:00] to results, to have a tool to help support you with that, like, that's okay.
There are tools for all different things in life. I don't know why people feel like they need to shame this specific tool. I don't know if it's 'cause it has to do with weight loss and, and physical appearance, but, like, I use all kinds of tools for my health. I'm using hormones to keep my sanity, you know?
I'm using, you know, testosterone. I'm using estrogen. I'm using progesterone. Like, am I cheating on my, hormones because I'm taking a supplement to help me, feel my best self? Like, it's all bullshit. And so I really want you to, like, clear the noise and really sit with the decision, with, like, sit with yourself to make this decision.
That's the only right way, I believe, and i- is to make this decision for yourself is to do what feels right for you And, and you might try it and you might not like it, and that's okay. And you might try it and you might love it, and that's okay. And you might try it and you might love it, and you might never tell a single person that you're doing it, and that's [00:08:00] okay.
But I, what I wanna say is that there is no shame in this game. If you feel that this is right for you, do not feel like you can't say anything because you're worried about what other people are gonna think. Fuck what other people think. Who gives a shit? It's your life. You know, I feel like I'm 50, I want my remaining years of my life to be the best years that I could possibly make them.
And if feeling really good in my own skin and getting dressed in the morning and putting on clothes that feel good on me, and I feel confident, in myself, and , in more ways than one. This is not just about physical appearance, it's about getting strong. It's about seeing some muscle definition.
It's about feeling strong in my workouts. It's about having energy. It's all of those things. And if I, if for, in order for me to get to that feeling, in order for me to get to that in my personal, being, and it requires me to, to use some tools, then so be it. Like, that's my choice. And I've done the research on the long-term effects.
There are tons of studies, 'cause that's the other [00:09:00] thing you're gonna hear is people go, "Oh, we don't know the long-term effects." People have been taking GLP-1s for over 20 years, okay? They're not dropping like flies. Like, there's actually a lot of really positive things that they're discovering now that more and more people are taking GLP-1s, that there are GLP-1 receptors all over the body.
They're researching how the, it can maybe potentially benefit different types of cancer. As far as treatments are concerned it's... There's studies coming out about heart health and GLP-1s. Like, you know, there's a lot of things that are, we're discovering. It- probably some good and some bad.
We definitely... There are more studies happening because more and more people are taking this, which is great. But I don't... I could not see in my own research any long-term things that were, like, for me, that were so bad that I was like, "Oh my gosh, I'm not gonna do this 'cause I might die."
The studies that, or the people that have had adverse reactions to this stuff, they're, they are quite small, and you have to, definitely work [00:10:00] with a medical professional because you do have to submit a medical history. There are certain things that if you have certain conditions, yeah, you probably won't get approved because there's, maybe a reason why you can't take it.
So you definitely need to work through a proper channel t- in order to get this medication. I, I think in the US there's a lot of TikTok shops that sh- share sell,, dark web stuff. I don't know. But you don't wanna go down that road. You wanna work with a medical professional who knows your medical history, who can walk you, walk through this with you.
As far as, what you're seeing online You know, there's a lot of myths about, muscle mass loss, and bone density loss, and hair loss, and yeah, those things absolutely can happen if you don't do the right things while you're taking the drug. It's... E- even if you didn't take the drug, but you went into a massive calorie deficit to lose weight, and you did it through eating celery every day, and that's it, or whatever, you're gonna have those same potential [00:11:00] s- negative side effects.
You'll lose muscle, you'll lose bone, you'll lose hair, because you're in a calorie deficit. So it's not like the GLP-1s are specifically targeting muscle and bone. It's GLP-1s help
create the... They help satiate the hunger hormones and the craving hormones, and then you end up eating a bit less because of it, which means you're reducing your calories, which means, yeah, y- if you're not working out and lifting weights, if you're not eating high protein, and c- and good carbs, and fiber, and yeah, you'll probably lose some hair a- as you lose weight, 'cause that's a natural response to a, a weight loss.
So yes, those things can happen, but it's not the drug specifically that's causing it, it's the calorie deficit that's causing it. So, you do have to do the work. This is... , and I've seen this also online, is that people, talk about GLP-1s as being like a, a, an easy way to lose weight.
It's the fast track or whatever, all these things. Yeah, it's gonna help [00:12:00] you lose weight faster, for sure, but it's not easy. Like, I think about what I'm eating, I think about when I'm working out, I think about, not in an obsessive way, but in like a way that goes, "Okay, if I'm going to do this, I need to really support myself."
So I'm making sure. It's like, okay, I'm gonna work out this day, that day, this day. You know, I need to make sure I've got eggs, and tuna, and all the things that I cycle through in a week. It doesn't mean that I don't have pizza and chips, and it doesn't mean that I don't have the odd glass of wine here and there.
I absolutely do, but I am more focused on being healthy because I am taking this medication versus, where if I wasn't, it's kinda like, well, it doesn't really matter 'cause nothing's changing, and, you just kinda feel defeated, and then you just don't make good choices. And so- This isn't an easy way.
Even if you were to take the drug and do none, none of the work, you're gonna suffer because you will lose bone, you will lose muscle, you will lose, the things that are important, and that's not cool either, right? [00:13:00] So it's a tool like everything else that we do in order to be our, in our best shape, and you have to work the tool, right?
It's not just a, a quick fix. So that is a myth. And if you think that you can take this medication and not do the work, unfortunately you are gonna get those negative side effects, those negative things that we talked about. So you really want to make sure that you have a plan in place. And that's why there's a lot of...
In, in Canada, I don't know how... I, I know in the States there's some really good companies that have nutritionists on their staff, and, and so they have doctors that work with you as far as the medication's concerned, and nutritions that- nutritionists that work with you as far as, like, your fitness and your food is concerned, which is great.
In Canada, I don't know if we have that, but, or if there's companies that do it that way. I'm sure there are. But if you don't, have that part, just make sure you're doing your own research on the type of diet that you should eat , when you're doing this. Like I say, pro- protein is a priority.
I've eaten more eggs in the last year than I've probably [00:14:00] eaten in my entire life, and your girl doesn't love eggs. I'll eat them. I can... i'll do my best, but you know. So, like, I'm making better choices because of taking this medication. But like I said, I still have fun. I still eat. I still tr- like eat, you know, junk food every once in a while.
I still have wine 'cause I will say- From the, for the GLP-1s, one of the biggest surprises for me that I didn't expect was the fact that I, the way that the GLP-1s take away the cravings for alcohol. And I'll be honest, as an ADHDer, we t- tend to have a it's like a, a craving for alcohol because alcohol, when you have ADHD, your brain's constantly running at 100.
I'm always 100 steps ahead. My husband cannot keep up. Every time I'm like, "Oh, that thing on Wednesday," and meanwhile it's Sunday, and he's "What? Like, what are you talking about?" My brain is constantly moving and constantly thinking and planning and checking and looking and doing. So at the end of the [00:15:00] day, after my brain's been going 100 miles an hour, a glass of wine is something that I would crave because taking the glass of wine would slow my brain down, and I could, like, chill.
And as an ADHDer, I could get through Monday, Tuesday, but by Wednesday, your girl's starting to think like, "Okay, it's Wednesday. We're halfway through the week. Maybe I could have a glass of wine or a cold beer on the patio or something like that." And being on the GLP-1 has really diminished that, and that's been great.
I definitely drink way less than I did before, or at least I crave it way less. And, and I think, that's a, a huge benefit, a huge benefit of this medication. They're actually researching how GLP-1s affect ad- addiction because they do turn off that reward system, or they, they dull that reward system so that it's not as loud in your brain.
And same for the food noise. Like, the food noise is the same. Like, you know, you, you... If I work from home, my kitchen [00:16:00] is literally 10 steps from my office. It's so easy for me to, you know, distract myself by going into the kitchen, finding something to snack on, you know? And so that, all of that has been turned down.
What was at a 10 is now at, like, a four. And so for the first month or two, though, it was at, like, a zero. So it was, like, really bizarre to not have that noise in your head. And so as I've, a year into this now, yeah, it's come back a bit for sure, and I'm okay with it. I've, I've learned that, how to manage it, because I didn't see it before until it was turned down and then I was like, "Oh, wow."
Like, that's..., i didn't realize how much of a craving I had for that stuff until I didn't. And so now I'm aware of it, and so now it's like even though that little sound kind of is there a bit, I'm not as... I'm like, "Okay, yeah, but it's only Wednesday." Like, I can wait. It's not a big deal."
Like, "I'll, I'll have a glass with my friends on Friday," "i don't need it tonight." And the other [00:17:00] thing with all of this is I have really started prioritizing my sleep, and I know that, sometimes even just one glass of wine really disrupts my sleep. So I'm a big... Like, I'm in bed by 9:00, 9:30.
I like to get a full, for sure, eight-hour sleep if I can. Now we have a puppy who's typically up around 6:00, 6:30, so I don't get to sleep in much these days, w- which is why I go to bed so early. But I really love my sleep, so I'm really trying to decide, is it worth it for me to go and have that one or two glasses of wine and disrupt my sleep, or do I really wanna sleep well tonight?
Those are things that I didn't even really consider before this. Like, I was just doing what felt good in the moment and following my cravings, and so I'm really happy with the fact that I feel like I have more control over those things being on a GLP-1 versus not, you know? So there's been a lot of really great things that have come from this.
I'm very happy with it. If I have to... 'Cause the, the other thing people say, "Well, what [00:18:00] happens when you stop? You're gonna gain all the weight." And very true. That, that might be the case, but I'm not planning on stopping. Like, I don't... If I have to be on this for the rest of my life to keep the, everything under control, then so be it.
That's my choice. That's my journey. I don't see anything wrong with it unless... Until my doctor, who is my actual doctor, is now on board with this with me. She's taken over my prescription. I'm no longer using the online pharmacy. We've done my full blood panel. We've done my vitamin panel. Everything is good.
The only thing I was low on was vitamin D, which is normal for women our age, but all my blood work came back really positive, and now that she's taken it over, she's, you know, gonna keep an eye on all this stuff for me. And as long as there's nothing that is looking like it could be harmful for me, I'll stay on it, and I'm okay with that.
That's a decision that I've made, and, and I feel great about it. And especially now that the price has come down. It, what was costing $300 a pen is now $100 a pen, and I get about a month and a half out of a pen, so cost-wise, [00:19:00] you know, it's not that crazy for me. And yeah, I'm just really overall very, very happy And I will say, and, and to switch gears over into the hormone p- piece, I do think part of the reason I'm happy, yes, is because my weight's under control.
I feel like I'm more in control of my cravings, all that kind of good stuff. I'm feeling better in my own skin. But I've also got my hormones dialed in, and, that was a couple of years of experimenting with different hormones and, and different levels and, the shifts and the changes that have been going on over the past few years.
And just as a small recap, I probably started perimenopause... Well, who knows when I started? It's probably m- my late 30s, but I really started noticing symptoms around 46. 46, 47, and then 48, 49 was really bad. Like, those were my worst years, where I was just out of sorts, feeling depressed just really, really angry, anxious.
I just felt just uncomfortable. I was [00:20:00] not in good shape. And of course I have done episodes on this. Took me a long time to find a doctor who would support me on hormones. Finally found some really great people, and now today I have my estrogen dialed in. I've got a patch that I wear. It stays on every week, and it delivers my estrogen every day on its own, this little patch.
I don't understand that technology. It's so weird, but it works. And I have my testosterone that I take every week, and then my progesterone, which helps me to sleep. And the cocktail of things that I have going on right now is just really made me feel amazing. And I think, you know, it's hard when you're going through this.
I... And, and if you're in that, that thick stage where everything just feels really hard, I totally get it. Like, it makes me emotional thinking about it because I know how hard it is, and to wake up every day and just feel anxious and to feel uncomfortable and to feel [00:21:00] angry, and you just don't have any reason as to why, and everything is annoying, and you just, you don't know how to talk to people.
You don't know how to relate to people. It's a, it's a really fucked up time for women, and it's really... I mean, I'm so grateful that we, online, there's more conversations and more people coming out and talking about this, and the doctors are starting to turn a, turn a leaf and help women and, and stuff, but there's still a lot of doctors out there who are Not, you know, willing to, to help women with hormones and stuff, and it's really unfortunate.
And if that's you and you're in a situation where you can't find somebody... Like, I can't tell you how many DMs I have from people who are h- asking me how I got my hormones and how they can get theirs, 'cause their doctors won't help them. Keep fighting, keep going, keep asking. And if you have to, go online to something like Felix Health, any of the online pharmacies.
They will help you with hormones, and it makes such a difference. And it's [00:22:00] not gonna be an overnight thing. I think the progesterone, when I first got my progesterone, that kind of felt like an overnight, like, holy shit, I'm sleeping. This feels good. The anxiety started to, to wean down. But once I got onto the progesterone, then the estrogen and then we added the testosterone, like...
And it took me a little while to figure out what levels, 'cause something would work for a bit, and then I would start to kind of feel rage-y again, and, like, you know, the anx- anxiety would slip back in. And so that's... , i went back to my doctor, and we'd adjust the levels. You kind of have to work with them.
It's not a one-size fix, you know, fits all fix. But keep going, and keep f- and keep going until you get someone who will support you, and the online pharmacies will support you if you can't find a doctor who will. And so w- getting onto hormones and getting that really leveled out. Now, I will say I am also, I think I'm 90 days, not even, 80 days away from being in full menopause.
I hope to God that it [00:23:00] just rides out and I'm actually, this is, this is, this is it, 'cause I would like... You know, 'cause what happens is, is once you're in full menopause, I think there's still gonna be some fluctuations for probably maybe a year or so. Who knows? It's, it's, everybody's different. But once you do get on the other side, your hormones do level out, and then you kind of can stay on the same s- you know, the same program, and it should hopefully be the same from here on out, and you feel much better.
I think that's where I'm headed. I think I'm really close to that because, like I said, I'm... I think it's at, I have my Oura Ring tracks it, and I think it's at... So let me just look I am, I'm at, it's been 259 days since my last period, so I'm almost there. So don't... Not like I'm counting down the days, the hours, the minutes, by any means, but I have heard horror stories of people being like two weeks or a, a [00:24:00] month before they're in full menopause and they get a period.
But I am hopeful that I am on the right track and that, all of this work, because that's what it's felt like. The last four years have just felt like I've had cement shoes on trying to figure out how to get my health back to, feeling good, and I just finally feel like I've, clicked in the right combination of things, and the GLP-1 was absolutely part of that equation.
And that's why I say don't let the internet or anyone else tell you or make you feel like you should or shouldn't do something. Can you imagine if the internet shamed women for taking estrogen, for cheating on their hormone health because they're taking something to help them feel better? Like that, that's just fucking ridiculous, and it's no different for a GLP-1.
There are women who are struggling with body fat, m- stomach fat, just extra weight that they just don't seem to be able to do, to be able to take off [00:25:00] no matter how hard they work, and it is definitely a hormonal thing. Nothing changed for me. I wasn't like I w- I have been doing the same kind of, physical fitness for the last few years, and then the weight just kinda started going on and wouldn't, it wouldn't stop.
So you know, I just feel like don't let anyone tell you you shouldn't. I, it, the only person is if your doctor says, "This isn't good for you because you have X, Y, Z condition," obviously you're gonna listen to that. But you know, this stuff that it's a quick fix or it's e- it's the easy way or, you've gotta just h- you're lacking discipline or you're lacking whatever, bullshit, you know.
Discipline is different for everyone. Y- y- the thing is, is like It, what bothers me about that is that I feel like discipline, it's not, again, a one-size-fits-all thing. Like d- there's so much stuff that plays into people's ability to do hard things, like how you were grown up [00:26:00] or how you grew up, what your parents were like, what things you were taught.
Like, there's deep-rooted emotional conditioning that everybody has that's different, and it affects our decision-making and our thinking and our thoughts and, and our, our belief systems, and all of that plays into, into discipline. All of that plays into willpower, and not everybody has the same version of that.
And so you've... You might feel like, "Oh, I just need to work harder. I just need more discipline," 'cause that's what the internet says. Well, yes, maybe, but maybe it's harder for you because growing up you learned this things to do things this way, or you had this trauma, and that makes this even harder. And so it just, it's just not, it's not the same for everyone.
And so if you need to use a tool to help you get something done and help you feel your best self, so fucking be it. Like, you know, I'm not judging you. I think it's great. I think you need to do what's right for you. [00:27:00] And so, and that's why I do these episodes, because I want you to know that it's a personal thing.
It's a personal decision about hormones and about GLP-1s. There are people who don't wanna take hormones 'cause of whatever reasons, beliefs, things, and that's fine. You know, you- everybody has their own personal choices. But if you are not doing something that you really wanna do because you're worried about what Karen down the street has to say about it, fuck Karen.
Like, do what's right for you, and she, it's none of her business. All right? So- That's all I have to say. I am, like I said, one year in, one year into GLP-1, about two and a half, maybe three years into hormones, and I'm finally feeling like, like I'm finally feeling great. And I, if I... My husband's not here, but if he were, if I were to bring him in the room and just say like, "Do you...
Am I different now than I was even, even a year ago?" He would [00:28:00] absolutely say yes. Like, I just know it. I can feel it. I just know it. Don't get me wrong. There's still days. There's still days. There's still hours. There's still sometimes he's chewing or breathing or doing something that makes me crazy. But in general, I'm way happier, way more level, feeling so much better.
And I hope that you, if you're struggling right now, that you continue to keep moving forward to find the right thing for you. And I promise you you'll get there if you just keep asking, keep pushing. Like I said, if you need to use the online pharmacies until you find somebody, you know, to help you personally, I think that they're, they, they're medical professionals and they're gonna, they're gonna do what's right.
I, and I believe that if that's what you have to do in the meantime, that's what you have to do. So that's it. That's all I have to say. And I hope that you guys are doing well. Bye for now
