u/MissApocalypse2021

I (60F) lost 90lbs with 5mg tirz weekly over about 15 months, and have kept it off for over a year. Overall I feel better than ever and my inflammation is way down, making it so much easier to be active.

Over the summer I suddenly started snacking a bit more, and I wanted a little something before bed, and I could now finish a big restaurant meal instead of splitting half of it to-go. And just little changes here & there, causing me to gain 10lbs. I attributed it to stress, poor self control, maybe the 5mg just wasn't cutting it anymore?? And though I'm still ok and haven't yet gone up a pant size, I felt like this was a really scary trend and dreaded what it might mean.

I have familial high cholesterol. If I don't take statins my total cholesterol is around 350. I've taken a statin since my late teens (over 40 years), with an 8 year break when I had my kids and was nursing.

I recently started seeing a cardiologist for preventive care. All good - the statins have done their job over the years and I don't have heart disease. I was on 40mg atorvastatin and 10mg Zetia and he raised the statin to 80mg in June because of my family history (brother didn't take statins and had a quad bypass at 56) and the new guidelines for even lower total cholesterol and LDL. He also started me on Repatha, the new cholesterol lowering drug (not a statin) that helps lower LDL dramatically.

Then I saw a YT video by a geneticist who said in passing that statins, particularly high-dose statins, lower GLP-1 in the body. I was like WHAT?! Replayed it a couple times to make sure I heard that right, and then went down a rabbit hole. Yes, in fact, statins DO lower GLP-1 and other satiety hormones in our system, and now I'm mad/sad that I blamed myself for the 10lbs. and relieved that I have an answer and I'm not doomed to gaining back all that weight. And I'm not surprised at all that a drug I've been on my whole life is JUST now being shown to cause weight gain, and that my lifestyle and lack of self control was blamed instead by every medical professional and casual bystander I ever came across. No, not bitter at all....

I'm hoping that the Repatha lowers my LDL enough to go back down to 40 on my atorvastatin and it'll become easier again to keep the weight off. Meanwhile, I'm going up on my tirz. Went up to 7mg, and I'll just go up to 10mg or more if necessary, while I'm still on 80mg statins.

Here's some of the research, for others who are also on statins. I'm a HUGE proponent of statin therapy with proof that they work, and am not recommending anyone go off statins. I still have my mom with me, as healthy as ever at 83, because of statins. I also realize that some people have side effects from them that are too much to continue them. And I'm so glad this new drug Repatha, which isn't a statin, is now available for those of us with familial high cholesterol.

Statins aggravate insulin resistance through reduced blood glucagon-like peptide-1 levels in a microbiota-dependent manner: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550413123005053

Statins decrease leptin expression in human white adipocytes: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5789723/

Can Taking Statins Make You Gain Weight?: https://www.goodrx.com/classes/statins/statins-weight-gain

We'll be sailing transatlantic eastbound in January on the QE. This will be our third on Cunard and we loved our first two. We're pretty easygoing people, so the bar isn't too high, but everything was just magical on both of our prior trips. We loved the peace & quiet, tea in the afternoons, the library and quiet little nooks to read, the sunsets, the buffet, the occasional fancy dinner, etc. We don't drink alcohol, and the spa pool and a single indulgent pedicure were the most we've ever splurged.

We subsequently did an Alaska cruise on the QE in September a few years later, which was a lot more populated and seemed busier, naturally, given the time of year and the popularity of that itinerary. We loved that cruise as well, and delighted in watching all the wonderful ballroom dancers and mahjong players in the evenings.

I'm wondering how things might be different on a repo cruise. Are the food choices and staff the same as on regular sailings? Our prior January cruise Southampton>NYC several years ago was remarkably and wonderfully quiet, maybe because there were more Brits than Americans LOL, or maybe because it was January? Are repos typically fully booked/crowded? Because they seem a bit less expensive than what I remember.

Can anyone share their experiences on a Cunard repo cruise? How is it different, if at all? We're certain we'll enjoy ourselves immensely, regardless.

Wow, yesterday was summer, today is full on fall-like. My body doesn't like it one bit. I glanced back & saw a post from a couple months ago about Portland being #11 in cities with weather-related migraines.

I love the cozy. I don't love my head in a vice.