Fatigue / Lethargy / Exhaustion / Tiredness / No energy / Sluggishness / Feeling Sedated
Users on Reddit report experiencing fatigue, lethargy, exhaustion, tiredness, lack of energy, sluggishness, and feeling sedated while on GLP-1 medications. These symptoms can vary in intensity and duration, with some users finding they subside over time or with adjustments, while others continue to struggle.
Experiences with Fatigue and Low Energy:
For some, fatigue can be severe and impact daily life. A user with fibromyalgia described their experience: "The fatigue… Glp1 can make normal peeps feel like fibro fatigue briefly. Imagine me? Legit just have to laugh to stop from crying on how hard it is to go from bed to the toilet. "[2] Another shared, "I have horrible fatigue and nausea. Im struggling to work and do chores around the house. "[23]
One user on a compound semaglutide experienced "exhaustion" as a side effect. [8]
A user on Ozempic for 18 months still experiences "Fatigue, brain fog, palpitations, all of that. "[3]
Another user on Semaglutide reported being "really, really tired. "[6]
A user on Zepbound noted, "The hardest side effect for me to have any impact on is the exhaustion, especially for the first 2-3 days after injection. "[20]
Some users feel "a little sedated. "[10]
A user on Wegovy described fatigue as "bone deep. "[19]
One user mentioned, "I started in October. I've lost 35 lbs, but I'm fatigued all the time. There is a significant change in energy levels if I skip a week. "[7]
A user with lupus on Ozempic noted, "I have noticed that I seem to be more fatigued than usual but, that's all. "[21]
A user with dysautonomia reported, "My energy plummeted and I felt like I was going to pass out almost every time I stood up... I ended up discontinuing because of how sick it made me. "[17]
Another user with dysautonomia on GLP-1s stated, "Definitely made my pots/dysautonomia symptoms worse. All resulted in worsening pots symptoms and fatigue as well as out of proportion GI symptoms to the doses I was getting. "[16]
Remedies and Preventions Recommended:
"I found that whether working out or just going about my day, Liquid IV or LMNT kept me drinking water regularly. "[4]
A user asking for tips on post-shot fatigue mentioned, "I’ve read to make sure to drink electrolytes and get vitamins in the next day which I already do. "[22]
"When I drink a ton of water (around 135 ounces), I don’t have a lot of side effects. I thought the hydration aspect was a bit overblown, but no, it’s definitely true and very important for your kidneys as well! "[15]
Dietary Adjustments & Nutrition:
"focusing on high nutritional value foods may be able to help a bit*. Since we are eating substantially less, it's even more important than ever to make sure those foods are providing quality nutrients. "[24]
"The fatigue is likely due to being in a caloric deficit due to the curbed appetite... focusing on high nutritional value foods may be able to help a bit*. "[24]
Dosage and Timing Adjustments:
"I changed up my injection date so that the majority of the fatigue would take place on my days off work. That helped! Eventually the fatigue went away with time. I also decided to go back down a dosage to reduce nausea and fatigue side effects. "[5]
"A poster on this site said she divides her dose into two, and does them every 3-4 days, and that lowers the side effects. "[20]
One user with fibromyalgia found taking less than prescribed helped: "My body can’t handle more than 20, even though I have tried multiple times to acclimate from . 10 to . 25, I just can’t handle the side effects of fibro pain past . 20. "[2]
Supplements:
A user with fibromyalgia recommended "magnesium malate and CoQ10. They seem to give me more energy. "[2]
B12 injections are sometimes co-administered, with one user stating they are on "Tirzepatide + B12. "[9] Another user mentioned getting weekly B12 shots but hadn't noticed a difference with them regarding fatigue. [17]
Lifestyle Adjustments:
Some users found that fatigue subsides over time. "I was super tired for the first few weeks, but I’d say by week 6 I felt the best I’ve felt in years. "[14] Another said, "Adjusting to the medication is a little tough, like weeks 6-10, but if you make it through that hump, you get your energy back. "[13]
It's important to note that some users, particularly those with pre-existing conditions like fibromyalgia or dysautonomia, report amplified fatigue. [2, 16, 17] One user with ADHD felt GLP-1s made it "much harder to do anything at all" due to lack of reward/motivation and fatigue.
Experiences with Fatigue and Low Energy:
- Many users report fatigue, especially in the initial stages or after an injection.
Remedies and Preventions Recommended:
- Electrolytes and Hydration:
- "Like others have said, electrolytes and protein will help with the fatigue!
"focusing on high nutritional value foods may be able to help a bit*. Since we are eating substantially less, it's even more important than ever to make sure those foods are providing quality nutrients. "[24]
- "Make sure that you are getting enough protein...
"The fatigue is likely due to being in a caloric deficit due to the curbed appetite... focusing on high nutritional value foods may be able to help a bit*. "[24]
- One user mentioned their doctor advised them to eat enough: "My doctor actually told me to add a few small snacks a day after the first 2 weeks because I wasn’t eating enough calories.
It's important to note that some users, particularly those with pre-existing conditions like fibromyalgia or dysautonomia, report amplified fatigue. [2, 16, 17] One user with ADHD felt GLP-1s made it "much harder to do anything at all" due to lack of reward/motivation and fatigue.