Users report that hunger patterns shift with dose and time on the medication, often becoming less predictable at higher levels like 15mg. Some stay at 5mg successfully for months while losing weight steadily, while others titrate as needed and focus on consistent protein and fiber intake instead of following hunger signals. Experiences range from no noticeable hungry days to brief windows of appetite that can vanish quickly.
What this discussion establishesWhether to follow standard titration schedules or only increase when weight loss stalls
Still openWhy some feel hungrier on pin day while others feel it the day before
Nothing here is advice.
On which day do you notice a bit more hunger, the one before injecting or the injection day itself? Mine changes after going up to 5mg, where I seem hungrier on pin day rather than before, unlike at 2.5mg when I was ravenous the day prior.
Early on at 2.5mg your levels are still building toward something steadier. Later, once doses are higher, the pattern can shift around. Right now at 15mg I see almost no consistent pattern at all. Sometimes I am starving two days before the shot and then have zero interest in food the morning of. I try to keep protein, fiber, and calories steady every day no matter how hungry I feel so I am not totally tied to the medication.
How long did it take you to reach 15mg weekly? I want to stay at 5mg until I hit my goal weight. Did you go up because it stopped working? Some days I wonder if it is still doing enough, but then I take a few bites and the ick hits and I realize it is. After five years of tracking calories I really do not want to go back to that.
I dropped 63 pounds over 7 months to reach goal weight. I only reached 15mg after I started TRT and began trying to recomp. I have not counted calories in a year now, and next month will be two years since I began Tirz. Paying attention to protein plus some resistance training really helps protect muscle.
I actually saw your chart in another thread and copied the idea for my own sheet, though mine uses kilograms. Solid progress, congrats. I plan to stay at 5mg as long as possible since I still have about 30-35 kg to lose, then figure out maintenance. Once I drop a few more kilos I will add training so I feel steadier.
I am also at 15mg but I pin every six days and have done so for months. I no longer have any clear hungry day. Shot day just kind of appears without warning.
That sounds like a smart approach and plenty of people manage it. Just stay open to adjusting if progress stops. I did not stick to the usual titration steps and only went up when I needed to. One trick that helped me was making a big pot of high-protein, high-fiber soup that was low in fat and calories. A full liter bowl gave me a warm, full feeling for around 300 calories.
I do not notice any real difference in appetite the day before or the day of the shot. At 18-20mg the medication pretty much removes any strong urge to eat. I still get hungry sometimes, but only when I actually need food. My higher-calorie day lines up with pin day because it is Saturday, not because I feel hungrier.
Here is the other chart I keep.
Slinks off in shame... Nice work!
I am old school about it. The apps handle a lot now but I still prefer my own sheets. I have separate tabs for supplies, TRT, calories, exercise, and I even paste links into cells when needed.
Holding at the lowest effective dose as long as possible makes sense. I started at 2.5mg and moved to 5mg after a month, then lost 31kg over ten months without going higher. Which day you feel hungrier depends on what you ate earlier. Sugar brings hunger back faster and carbs make you eat more. Plateaus happen, so give your body time to settle at the new weight. Only increase if you start gaining again. Avoiding sugar, carbs, fat, and junk food while getting enough protein and training helps protect muscle.
Today is also my pin day and I always do it in the morning. By 8pm I had gone out to wash the car and was actually looking forward to pasta, which used to be a weakness but became impossible once I started Tirz. I even had an appetite. Then while waiting in line at the store the strongest ick hit just thinking about it. My short cheat window was over and I could not eat the pasta after all. It is a love-hate thing but I still love being on Tirz.
Same here. I read that the company tried for FDA approval on every-six-day dosing but was turned down because it would be harder for most people to track. The half-life is basically six days though.
Levels build in a way that makes the half-life depend on the dose. At certain amounts you are already above the 15mg mark. A chart shows troughs around 11.8mg and peaks near 21mg. More frequent dosing can lift the low points, but it mainly matters for people who struggle at those troughs.
How long it takes tirzepatide to reach peak levels can differ between people and also depends on injection site and things like blood flow. It generally takes about 24 hours to peak, so it is possible to have lower levels right after a dose than you had the day before, even while levels are starting to climb.
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