u/Low-Kaleidoscope4733

Does anyone have access to the whole article?

Regina Castaneda, Dima Bechenati, Elif Tama, Rene Rivera Gutierrez, Maria A Espinosa, Jose Villamarin, Tamim I Rajjo, Andres Acosta, Stephanie Faubion, Chrisandra Shufelt, Maria D Hurtado Andrade. The role of menopause hormone therapy in modulating tirzepatide-associated weight loss in postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity: a retrospective cohort study. The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology,, 2026; 2 (2): e118 DOI: 10.1016/S3050-5038(25)00145-1

What has your lived experience been?

Im 64, on 2.5 mg Zep, just took my 9th shot. I started MHT patch 3 weeks ago and I have a waist again! I didn’t realize how much I missed having one! I had to do some arm-twisting to get the MHT from my OB (She told me that although the medication was likely to help me, she didn’t recommend it because it was ((gasp)) ‘off-label’)

There is a very tiny increased Cardiovascular risk because I didn’t start the MRT right away.
I feel angry because I have asking for this medication and suffering the brain fog and bone loss and stubborn weight for 8 years but I was refused or allowed myself to be talked out of it.
I feel sad because I suffered needlessly for so long and lost so much bone density needlessly.
I feel grateful that I can start now.
I feel hopeful that because I started now I will be able to continue for a long time,as the thinking continues to evolve.
I want every eligible person to know about the rapidly changing landscape so that no one else has to suffer needlessly.

My doctor didn’t do any labs before I started, but at age 64F, i’m starting to think a lot about metabolic dysfunction, causing weight loss (and cycles of weight loss increasing metabolic dysfunction as well, sadly)

I’m considering ordering some of these labs to help me track and hopefully give insight about when to lower my dose.

I’m curious if anyone else is taking this approach.

Metabolic Marker
What It Tracks
When to Re-test

Fasting Insulin & Glucose
Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR)
3 months
Triglycerides & ApoB
Lipid clearance & heart health
3 to 6 months
hs-CRP
Systemic inflammation levels
3 months
ALT / AST
Reduction in liver fat
3 to 6

My local doctor didn’t test my A1C since 2024 even though I started Zepbond 2 months ago and now I am hearing about fasting Insulin and I am all confused and frustrated.
Also - is IR related to Osteoporosis?

Is there a ‘start here’ file?

Thanks!
OP

Hello all

I love IFS and have been using it on myself for 2 years. I am much calmer now, with more moments of embodied joy.
Im also interested in CBT, David Burn’s TEAM CBT in particular, and the 5 secrets of Effective Communication the most.

I am very interested in seeing if TEAM CBT and IFS can integrate usefully. Does anyone else share my curiosity or be willing to share their experiences?

I tried regular CBT and I hated it because I felt like the provider hated me, felt superior to me and didn’t understand me.

Here is a humorous version of how it went.

It went something like this:
Him: Has anything upsetting happened lately?
Me: I was angry with myself for getting to work late again. Im always finding it so difficult to get out the door and get to work.
Him: Did you know you have cognitive distortions there? You are using all-or-nothing thinking and should-ing all over yourself.
Him: (Scribbling notes)
Me: (thinks: he is probably writing down all my faults on his notepad). {fortune telling, lol}
Me: okay, I will try again- It concerns me that I often find it difficult to get to work on time, and that I am actually at least 20 minutes late 75% of the time. Here’s a copy of this month’s timecard.

I believe that being late is negatively affecting my work performance and job security, which makes my lateness frightening. Here’s a copy of my quarterly performance review.

Him: That’s a real concern. You have no more distorted thoughts, therefore from now on you will get to work on time. I cured you. Congratulations to me.

Anyway - I love IFS and 5 secrets of effective communication because they both show promise of helping people (generally and therapists in particular) be more empathetic. That’s one overlap.

I haven’t yet tried to use the 5 secrets on my parts but I think there are somewhat embedded in the Befriend questions such as - how old are you? Do you have a gender? What’s your job? What would you rather be doing if you didn’t have to do this? (Cognitive Empathy, Feeling Empathy and Inquiry)
Thank you for doing your job. It saved me. I feel grateful to you for doing it (Disarming Technique, I feel statement )
I won’t try to talk to the Exile you watch without your permission because I respect you and your hard work and your expertise. (Stroking)

Id be delighted to hear your thoughts and experiences

I’ve been working with IFS for 2 years on my own for the most part. I have had 2 therapists during that time but they work other ways.

I noticed that some of my parts, who I perceive of as ‘having a job’ could be framed as internal bodily structures, and their job is primarily health related, with or without emotional burdens. They communicate very similarly to more traditional parts, and they find Self energy and Self Leadership to be yummy, like more traditional parts do. They seem more focused.

Im curious if you have similar experiences.

It’s been decades since I was a student and I want to develop my hand note taking skill both to help me learn but also with an eye towards note-taking in a professional setting. Im interested in taking notes onto a device that converts to text that I can upload to AI for interactive study.

Also - evening classes and I am a champion napper during lectures. So I am wondering about pro/cons of making audio recordings. A family member wants to gift me the latest and greatest in hardware and software because they know my handwriting is illegible. What do you recommend?

I woke up this morning with the intuition that a new part has joined my system. It is my age, and it knows and likes and relies on Self, but it feels different from Self in that it has a narrow interest. It is rooted in my gut and it wants the job of escorting my bodily gut sensations to the seat of awareness. I recently had a stomach bug and now that has healed, it seems like a part is saying’Ah, so that’s how it’s done! Yes, that’s helpful information, I am happy to take the job of helping the system know when the gut is full.

This is a wish I have been consciously working towards for the last 3 years.

I understand that IFS is a constraint release model but it is also true that as we develop, new parts come online.

If you have have experiences of part-birth, I would love to read your story. If you have advice based in IFS knowledge I would like to hear that too.

Thank you 🙏

A friend of mine was asking for advice about a mismatch in desire with his (monogamous) partner.

I started quoting the IFS chapter and verse about becoming the primary caretaker for your parts and it occurred to me that I should ask here.

Has this actually worked for anybody? Is it really true that when you offer your internal parts the emotional intimacy that they’re looking for that the part-led Physical desire for your partner gets less urgent and more patient? Or is the drive more like Neurodivergent folks who are just wired to be more neronally active than average, perhaps due to instinct or biology?

I just finished reading

https://www.audible.com/pd/1666135100?source\_code=ASSORAP0511160006&share\_location=library\_overflow

The Family Crucible, about family systems therapy by Augustus Y. Napier and Carl A. Whitaker, published in 1977, and there were several mentions of parts. There isn’t any befriending of parts though.

One time it was explaining something by referring to the way we all have polarized parts. Another it describes low-differentiation couples as parts contained in a single being.

Dick Schwartz developed IFS in the early 1980s.

I think it’s remarkable but I can’t say why. Have you read this book and do you have any reaction?

Thanks

I am feeling frustrated and worn out. I would like to tell my story and receive advice and support.

Mid January  2026 I contract scabies while traveling, night itching,extensive rash.

Mid March: diagnosis and 2 rounds of treatment, itching vastly reduced, rash improved by 70% but still throughout.

Late April follow up - rash decreased but present, equivocal scrape test. Didn’t treat because seemed to be improving. 
Early May - rash spreading, Mid January  2026 contract scabies while traveling, night itching,extensive rash-2 rounds of treatment. 

It is now a full week since my 2nd treatment in the recent round. My skin is clear except 1 itchy patch on my back. What do I do now? Do I go back to living as normal? Am I contagious?

I have an appointment with my Dermatologist in mid June. I have a refill on my Ivermectin treatment. What should I do? How should I decide what to do? I don’t really understand how treatment ever works, tbh

Suggestions?