Hypothermia (with severe illness)
Users on Reddit report experiencing significant issues with feeling cold while on GLP-1 medications, with some describing severe, debilitating episodes that could be likened to a severe illness in terms of their impact on quality of life. While users do not typically use the clinical term "hypothermia," their descriptions point to extreme cold sensitivity and difficulty regulating body temperature.
Experiences with Severe Cold:
Another user on Zepbound reported intense temperature dysregulation with increased dosage: "came constant discomfort - either I'm too hot or too cold. I am never just naturally at a comfortable temperature anymore. I wake up at least 5 times a night. I go to bed all bundled up cuz I'm cold and abruptly wake up a couple hours later sweating and so hot that I ligit throw the covers off me b/c I'm burning up. Not even two minutes later, I'm literally freezing and can't warm up fast enough. " This user described the experience as a "mental grind is real and exhausting. "[3]
Some users experience persistent coldness, with one stating, "I’m cold all the time now (I’m typing this under a heated blanket) and didn’t think to link it to the medicine! "[4]
Remedies and Preventions Recommended:
For severe cold episodes with shaking and chattering teeth, users have tried:
Using a car heater at high settings. [1]
Crawling under sheets/blankets, although this was noted as sometimes initially insufficient. [1]
A hot shower was also suggested as a potential remedy for such episodes. [2]
For more general or persistent feelings of cold, or for managing temperature dysregulation:
Bundling up, though one user noted this could lead to a cycle of overheating then freezing. [3]
One user experiencing severe temperature dysregulation including freezing episodes mentioned considering a dose reduction of their medication: "I hate to go back to the 10mg and slow the weight loss to a trickle b/c I still have 30 lbs to lose, but that may be my only option.
Experiences with Severe Cold:
- One user described experiencing "sudden \"drops\" where I cannot get warm and get the shakes.
Remedies and Preventions Recommended:
For severe cold episodes with shaking and chattering teeth, users have tried:
- Getting hot soup.
For more general or persistent feelings of cold, or for managing temperature dysregulation:
- Using a heated blanket.