I Took Semaglutide for 5 Months. Here’s Exactly What Happened

Let’s just get this out of the way: yes, semaglutide works. But what no one really talks about is how it feels to be on it week after week, especially when you’re not starting from a place of obesity.

I took a compounded version of semaglutide for five months. I wasn’t trying to lose a dramatic amount of weight. I lift consistently and stay active, but I still felt a little soft. The muscle was there, but it wasn’t showing the way I wanted it to.

I had been putting in the work, but progress was slow. I was grazing throughout the day while working from home and just felt stuck. I wanted to cut back the extra and see the results I had worked for.

This is my honest breakdown of what I took, why I did it, what happened to my body (and brain), and what I’d do differently now.

First, What Even Is Semaglutide?

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist originally developed for type 2 diabetes. You probably know it better as Ozempic, Wegovy, or Rybelsus. It works by mimicking the hormone that helps regulate blood sugar, slow gastric emptying, and reduce appetite.

Wegovy is FDA-approved for weight loss; Ozempic is approved for diabetes but often prescribed off-label. Rybelsus is the oral version. What I took was a compounded version of semaglutide, ordered through Willow, a telehealth platform.

What’s a Compounded Semaglutide?

A compounded drug is a custom-mixed formula made by a pharmacy—usually because the brand-name version is out of stock, overpriced, or modified for specific needs. My prescription was semaglutide with added B12 at first, then later glycine.

These compounded versions are everywhere now, and at first, I honestly didn’t think they were meant for people like me. I assumed semaglutide was only for those who were significantly overweight—not for someone just looking to lose a few stubborn pounds. But then I started seeing more platforms offering it for “vanity weight” and realized how common it had become. It was surprisingly easy to access.

The pharmacy I chose offered pills or injections. I went with the injectable version instead of pills. The dosing felt simpler, and based on everything I’d read, the results were more reliable.

You Might Like: Not a Candidate for Ozempic? Here are Better Alternatives

My Experience with Willow and Starting the Compound

Note: Not sponsored at all! Just my experience.

Getting started was really easy. I signed up through Willow, uploaded my ID, was paired with a Doctor, and was shipped my first vial within days. I started on a low dose of semaglutide with B12 and was injected weekly.

Willow later switched to a different pharmacy mid-treatment and added glycine to the mix. I didn’t notice much of a difference in how it felt.

Injections were once a week. They sent everything along with instructions.

Semaglutide Side Effects

I tracked everything obsessively with my Lingo glucose monitor, Oura Ring, and notes app : sleep, HRV, resting heart rate, recovery, appetite shifts, even nausea. Here’s what stood out:

• Week 1: Very mild nausea and heartburn. My sleep took a hit. Resting heart rate jumped up from mid 50s to low 70s.
• Week 2–3: Appetite dropped dramatically. I had to force myself to eat enough protein and most the time, just couldn’t do it. Nausea lingered the day after injection day, but was manageable. My Lingo monitor proved that even after eating a high-glycemic meal, the medication kept the glucose spike super low.
• By Week 4: Cravings for carbs increased, but I was still eating way less overall. Energy came in waves. I had to eat before workouts or I’d crash. I was down 5lbs and felt great. Finally!
• Sleep: Resting heart rate stayed higher than normal. Deep sleep suffered. Oura picked up stress patterns I could feel in my body.
• Mid-Treatment: I started lowering my dose on my own—way below what was prescribed and then I’d even extend my injection day each week by one day. It helped and extended by prescription. Less nausea, better sleep, still effective.
• By Month 3–4: Fatigue crept in. I had days where I felt flat-out drained. My HRV dropped and stayed low. Still losing weight—too much, honestly.
• Month 4-5: My dose was pretty low (maintenance) and I felt good overall. I was maintaining the weight loss and had no side effects. My heart rate was still higher than normal but it didn’t bother me at all. I could have kept taking it and felt good, but I ran out and decided to take a break

Semaglutide Before and After: My Results After 5 Months

Yes, I lost weight. Over 10-12 pounds, which was more than I wanted. I started around 120 and dropped to about 110, hitting a low of 107 briefly.

Unfortunately, I also lost muscle. A lot of it. I had a DEXA scan before and after, and while body fat decreased about 3%, muscle loss was significant. That was the part that hit me hardest.

What I Learned (and What I’d Do Differently)

If you’re already active, already eating decently, and only looking to lose a small amount of weight, here’s what I’d say:

• Start way lower than prescribed. The default doses are too aggressive if you don’t have a lot of weight to lose. I did better with less than half the recommended dose.
• Prioritize protein like it’s your job. Eating enough was hard. Protein especially. If I had to do it again, I’d double down here to avoid muscle loss.
• Track recovery, not just weight. My Oura Ring was the MVP here. My body was clearly stressed. High resting heart rate, low HRV, poor sleep quality—all red flags. Again, lowering the dose helped this.
• Don’t chase “more”. I felt best on lower doses. Higher ones wrecked my sleep, tanked my workouts, and pushed my weight down to a level I didn’t need.

The Worst Parts

• Poor sleep and recovery
• Constant low-grade fatigue because calories are lower
• Muscle loss!
• Harder workouts, slower recovery
• Occasional nausea and heartburn in the very beginning. Eating a light diet helped with this.
• Cravings for quick carbs despite low appetite

The Best Parts

• Clear appetite control
• Weight loss (obviously)
• Less inflammation and bloating
• Simple process with Willow
• No serious side effects especially once the dose was adjusted
• Flexibility—I stretched one vial over months

Post-Semaglutide: What Changed After Stopping

I took my last injection on December 6. Within a week, my sleep improved, and my resting heart rate dropped within. a few days. Hunger returned, but not in a chaotic way. My appetite feel more normal again.

I’m currently focused on rebuilding muscle, getting stronger again, and maintaining the weight that feels best for me. But I’d absolutely consider using semaglutide again, with way more intention and a slower ramp-up.

Final Thoughts

Semaglutide works. Honestly, it’s an amazing drug and I’ve recommended it to those who are struggling with weight or other health conditions.

You just have to know why you’re using it and how it affects your body. If you’re already active and in a healthy weight range, less is more. Protect your muscle, track your data, and don’t ignore how you feel just because the scale is dropping.

Would I do it again? Yes. But next time, I’d be smarter about it.

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