PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH A GLP-1, ZEPBOUND

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH A GLP-1, ZEPBOUND

Over twenty years ago, I was diagnosed with a sleep disorder. I had an extensive sleep study conducted in the sleep laboratory at St. Francis Hospital in Beech Grove. I spent a night in the lab connected to every physical monitoring device my body had enough of room to accommodate. I had wires glued to my scalp to record my brain waves, or an EEG. This told the doctor which levels of sleep I reached during the 7 hours I “slept” in the lab. I had electrodes attached to my chest, legs, and arms to record my heart rate and heart rhythm. I had a belt wrapped around my chest to record my respiratory rate and depth of breathing. I had a pulse oximeter taped to my finger to record my blood oxygen levels. And lastly, I had several wires glued to my legs to record any movement my legs might have. 

Through that night, I didn’t fee like I slept well at all. But the morning after, the doctor said the brain wave recording indicated I had slept. I didn’t reach REM sleep, but did reach lower sleep levels that were sufficient for adequate rest and to be able to diagnose sleep-disordered breathing. My oxygen levels were not abnormal so my sleep interruptions did not reach the level that was a risk to my overall health. What I did have was detected by the device that  recorded the movement of my legs. During my sleep hours, my sleep was disrupted numerous times each hour by involuntary jerking movements of both legs, and these movements occurred without my awareness. What was diagnosed, though, was called periodic limb movement parasomnia. It is a variety of restless leg syndrome. 

Treatment initiated for my problems was twofold: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, CPAP, was prescribed for my disrupted breathing, and medication to control the leg movements. I didn’t notice much difference while using CPAP, but I used it every night for several years as was recommended. Medication to calm my leg movements was effective, however. For the next several years, my use of CPAP was sporadic, but finally, Five years ago I stopped it altogether. Then, late in 2025, I decided to be reevaluated for sleep apnea. 

This evaluation included a consultation followed by a 3-night sleep study done at home. Technology has advanced greatly in the interim so much more accurate data was obtained those 3 nights. I failed the sleep study miserably! I had several criteria diagnostic of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: oxygen saturation below 90% most of the night, an Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) of 30 (any level above 7 is abnormal), and a BMI of 35; I was obese! 

In addition to a sophisticated CPAP monitor that recorded duration of use, sleep disrupting events per hour, and calculated my AHI, the doctor recommended I start on Zepbound to lose weight. If a sleep apnea patient meets certain criteria, Medicare will approve the use of a GLP-1 (Zepbound) to supplement treatment. I met those criteria and started Zepbound on February 28th. 

Zepbound is a once-weekly subcutaneous (under the skin) injection. The dose starts low and is increased every 4 weeks as tolerated. I have been taking Zepbound for four months and have experienced a nearly 30 pound weight loss. My CPAP monitor says my AHI averages 4.1 (much lower), and my blood pressure has improved to where I have been off lisinopril for two weeks. It runs in the 120/78 range consistently. 

The title of this post is “Personal Experience with a GLP-1, Zepbound.” After 4 months and 16 weekly injections, I have experienced much from this drug. The drug works, ie. It has destroyed my appetite and caused a nearly 30-pound weight loss. The injections are simple to do and are virtually painless. I take the shot on Saturday morning. On Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday I have an icky feeling 75% of the time. Thursday and Friday the ickiness is less and at other times I’m actually hungry. 

When I try to eat, after several bites l begin to feel an aversion to what I’m eating. I begin to sense I need to stop. It’s not a nausea per se, where I fear I’m going to vomit, but instead a queasiness that forces me to stop eating. I have thrown away more food from uncleaned plates in the last four months than I have in all my life. Starting a meal, food tastes good, but as I eat the taste fades and so does my appetite.

Constipation has been a major side effect of Zepbound, too. Some of that is drug-induced, but some of it is from eating an incredibly smaller amount of food. I’ve taken a stool softener-laxative combination, but the effect has been minimal so far. I feel the urge to have a BM most of the time, too. I have no pain, bloating, heartburn, or other symptoms, fortunately. 

Most gratifying, though, is the weight loss I have experienced plus the significant drop in my blood pressure allowing me to stop taking blood pressure medication. Also, the improvement in my Apnea-Hypopnea Index that means I’m sleeping better and more efficiently. 

I definitely plan to continue CPAP and Zepbound. I plan to increase the strength of Zepbound if I haven’t lost more weight the next time I weigh myself. I’ve asked several people who have been on Zepbound if they have experienced feeling “icky” as I have. No one has said their experience was similar. For now, I plan to continue as prescribed.

Personal memories and reflections from Wm. Gilkison MD