@oldguy awesome info, thank you for sharing! Mind letting us know where you aquired the filters?

I wanted to give an update on my journey using peptides to this community first, probably post a larger article online;

Some background. In November of 2023 some test results from my doctor’s office came back with some pretty high blood pressure and blood sugar readings that were alarming. The results were Glucose readings of 319mg/dL, an A1C of 12 and blood pressure readings of 190/120. To myself I felt like me, or how I have for a long while. However, what got me was the look in my doctor’s face, I could tell she had genuine concern and told me I could have a heart attack or stroke at any time. At this time, I had a weight of 350lb (2023) however at my highest weight I was 390lb (2020), I have always fluctuated weight gradually hitting new highs over many years. I knew I add to do something drastic to change these results from the look on her face alone.

This started a couple of journeys, one of medical intervention and one of habit change. Referred to a different doctor that wanted to prescribe a slew of medications. I do not take new medications without researching them first, I’ve had a history of being sick, asthma, in the hospital in and out for different issues, back surgery for a herniated disk, gallbladder removed due to gallstones. It has taught me to research a bit first. Any who…it was suggested to take Ozempic (Semaglutide I would come to know), a couple of statins, insulin and metformin after these results. I said I would consider them and let them know in a follow up. First off family members had bad experiences in the past from using statins….so those were not something I wanted. Starting insulin right off the bat wouldn’t be my first choice, the basic principle being trying to let my body correct itself first with what it had (sometime that type of thinking isn’t the best, but why I didn’t want it then), Semaglutide was just hitting the hype from Hollywood folks taking it and it was just started as weekly injections, the info at the time showed issues with gastrointestinal slowing, causing issues, in some severe cases up to death (Australian 60 minutes story) so I didn’t like the idea of this without more data. Researching Metformin, it has been around a long time, proven results, and was showing potential for longevity not just treating diabetes. So, after this I declined all but Metformin and some BP meds. My doctor also told me about CGMs and a class the medical facility hosted, so I joined that and it seem like a logical move instead of taking insulin. This was a journey in itself. The CGM was denied by my insurance due to the requirement that to qualify I had to be taking insulin. I called them up to explain the other medicines they wanted me to take would have a higher cost than the CGM, it sounded like a cheaper option for the insurance than the recommended medicines I was offered, plus it also gave a chance for me to correct the situation on my own. The next day it was approved.

The changes. Now with the CGM and taking the class to learn how to use the information that the CGM provide, in addition I hired a personal trainer, I started journey of figuring out what foods did to my blood sugar, how to read the CGM and then take action on it. The trainer gave me the support to start working out again after not having to do that in this manner since high school. Over the next 12 months from changing nourishment and exercise habits I gained muscle, lost weight, to 298 in June (2024). This was pretty good. However, struggles in life made me slowly lose the habits I had just worked for near the end of 2024. It was not just one factor but a number of them that added up, some of it being depression. I gained weight back and by May of 2026 I was again 375lb. At this point my doctor recommended a new GLP1 medicine, Mounjaro. This kicked off another struggle with insurance. I paid out of pocked for the first month’s doses and would work on the insure to get it covers. This led me to find out about Zepbound, Mounjaro, and how they were the same, however had different qualifications by insurance providers. This started the research about GLP-1 beyond just Semaglutide and then the Diary of a CEO episode about peptides was released. I found out about peptides and shortly after, this forum. That started a whole other research journey. Eventually after months, 3-5 appeals to the insurance, they finally covered Zepbound. The rub…, the price was the same as me paying out of pocked. I order my first vials of Triz and Reta. Let the researching begin “on my rat Barnaby”.

I can’t tell you how this this forum provides such an alternative of information, support, and a place to learn how to take your health into your own hands. As I still had my first month of Mounjaro and I can tell you the first shot has somewhat of a “high” effect, a tingle, a feeling in my head, it was a specific feeling. What people called “food noise” was apparent right away. I really had never felt like that prior. It was easy to not think of food, but I’m not a big fan of the term “food noise” because I think it limits what it can actually do. It not only calms the craving of food, but also calms the mind. Decisions which I would deliberate over, were easier. Thinking was calmer. My pocket book felt this, as those easier decisions made me start doing tasks I would have only deliberated over before. Initially I used some Triz shots, research grade, just to test if it gave the same feeling as the name brand, it did. Then I started the journey of Reta. Now what I would call food noise, isn’t as strong, but other effects are. From all the reading I decided to start at 1mg. It seemed that people started lower and a lot of the trial data released at the time seem to start at 2mg (TRIUMPH1-4). I decided that I would follow the 4-week titration starting at 1mg, 2mg, 4mg, 6mg. Originally my goal was to try Reta for a 6-month period. I picked Reta because I had liver scans of S3, F3, which is fatty liver and the next stage not being good. Let me use some AI to show a pic

Part of early data from Reta is the ability to reduce fatty liver. My thinking was to switch to Triz after Reta, the plan I want to give my liver the best chance it could. Any who, I can tell you the steps are slow…. probably because you want results quickly, but they are quick, just not the time frame your initially thinking of. I think I could have started out at 2mg dose wise, but still happy I started with 1mg. I did have some side effects, lose stool sometime, I ate more fiber (pistachios were my go-to for a while) I also took some supplements, magnesium for help the stool movements, zinc to help with the sleep, because it does impact your sleep. Overtime I started back into the gym two times a week, doing lower body and upper on different days. Keep things simple and do some basic stuff, upper days are bench press, Lat pulldown, cable-fly (hi) and (face-pulls), triceps pushdown and shoulder press. Lower days are Quats, lunges, leg press, let extensions, and leg curls. I alternate sets of 12, 10 and 8 each week. Not only does the strength training retain mussel, it also helps with maintaining better sugar levels. One of the bests habits I would say in life, if your able, is to walk. I enjoy walking (once started), it’s a calm period, I had to start that slowly again, but over time move up to doing about an hour in the morning. I find that its one of the best things for the body to move when first waking up. At one point my knees started hurting, probably from the leg days and age, however a friend told me about Olympic weight lifters typically had knee issues except for on nations, and the big difference was pulling a sled backwards. I started to walk backwards for a period of my walks in the morning. To my utter surprise about after a few weeks my knee pain was gone. You look like a goof doing it, but it’s worth it!

Beyond using GLP meds I’ve stocked up on all the research peptide stuff and will be explore as much as I can to determine what continues to work best for me. This is only possible with un-biased information. Again can’t state how unfiltered information sources like this place are imperative to freedom, freedom of healing and learning. Anyone of these topics I mention could be a book so I’ll end it with, Thank you. Here are some stats on my current Reta use.

Tootles!

Wanted to say that this is a great source of information and we, Barnaby my rat, have been enjoying reading and learning as much as possible.

We would have to say Barnaby’s journey started after being denied Tirzepatide by the insurance provider. That made us go down a rabbit hole of what the drug was, how it's used, and ultimately finding info on peptides in general. Love the ability to choose with the available information. We paid out of pocket for the first shots of Triz, and after administering two doses we realized this is the way to go.

Looking into this because of NAFLD at S3/F3 results. When started to read about how particular peptides can help solve this in weeks, we wanted to give it a go with Reta on Barnaby. By the end of his second week of Reta (1mg) results can already be seen. We will see how it goes, planning to try for 24 weeks and see what labs/scans say after. After that time would use triz at a maintenance.

Started our research into what other peptides can do now; we're hooked on the info and need to learn what to stack if anything with it.

Thank you all, and thanks to Randy for making this community!

— Barnaby’s Research Log

I know I have some pens in here....I just order one of the xulin and one convi pens to check them out, want to see if its better than the v2 or v4. I expect to be spoiled.

@Stan-Douglas I would be interested in hearing your story. I have a lot more to mine, just didn't want to write a book on an intro post. I started a few years ago with high blood pressure and T2D. A1C of 12.something. I didn't take the boat load of drugs they offered, and didn't eat bread or most sugar products for a year. And did a workout schedule of at least 2x a week. Dropped a lot of weight (prob ~100lbs) and my A1C to 6.something. I just got lazy for a year and gained most of the weight back, but A1C is like 5.something now....and the liver thing.

Thanks for the welcomes! @wisgal64 @shaqdiesel

@mrjoshua44 I was inspired by your milwaukee case so I did this with some off brand ones, my pile was getting out of hand! Thanks for the concept, have enough to fill a number of these now

I just tell my vet I'm on a GLP1, not that its reta, so it doesn't go in the computing device and transmitted to all the places that transmitted too Otherwise I would tell my vet everything, why t f not. I asked for a bunch of blood work and was told I didn't need that. I nodded, and ordered it myself. Capitalism, gotta love it!

@MacLeeezy nice collection, and love the art work!

6th day of SS-31, second pin of NAD+. One of the days i notice some reaction on the back shoulder, bumps, however might not be related, it was the first NAD+ day. I can tell you on the upper body day, recovery was easier. However today I was drained, and had to nap. I think I remember reading the first few weeks of SS-31 can be draining....I think this might be that. Will keep you all posted.

Hey, I wanted to get peoples experience that are on GLPs and drink coffee and/or caffeine. I ask because I see a number of video says that you shouldn't drink x amount of coffee. I enjoy coffee all day long. Wonder what people think, and their experience.

The biggest thing I can think of is dehydration due to it being a diuretic.

@ResearchCat You are not alone in this thinking. We are all very similar (humans) its just hard to see/think about sometime! Thanks for the honesty!

Was just telling someone the other day, I don't change, the vision I see outward is the same, however what people see is different, they look, treat you different. Its crazy concept. Reta for 3mo now, down 37lb. I think the biggest change I've experienced outside the weight loss, is the mental change of making decisions. It is way easier to pull the trigger on something I would have thought about for a lot longer. Which in itself changes life. Bank account feels the easy decisions, not only with peptides but other things too. Wonderful time to experience these things! Thanks for the info this community provides!

Catalax, SS-31, KVP

Actually used that myself, because of availability, until I realized deionized water is different from sterile water: https://theberkey.com/blogs/water-filter/the-difference-between-sterile-distilled-and-deionized-water

@ashtoncoleman I'm using it right now and for the past 4 weeks. Can't tell you it doesn't work, but won't use it after this 3ml pen is done and now have Hospira BAC.

Very interesting, I've been going down the lab rabbithole myself. My inflammation markers are high, off charts. I just sent them to my doctor and will have to see what they come back with:

Currently taking
Basic B Complex (Thorne)
Magnesium Glycinate (Thorne)
Some blood pressure medicine which I'm still trying to figure out (Olmesartan)

Been having a pain under my right side rib cage trying to figure out what they hell is causing it. CT nothing, MRI nothing.

@stan-douglas or just get a crypt exchange account and a kewl wallet like Tangem and self custody. However you can get use software wallets too.

Hi! Great place to learn!

I actually just did this. What I did, and don't know if its best, I took my hydrapeak from my freezer the day before and put it into the fridge prior to opening. Then the next day, from the fridge to my desk. Waited 10min, added my new vials, and replaced my descendants. Back to the freezer for long term storage.