The shot is the cheapest part. Here's the rest of the bill.
- I don't pay for my GLP-1. I asked, and here's exactly how it happened.
- The real costs are headspace, the internet's opinions, and a mirror that hasn't caught up.
- I'd still do it all again. 100 percent.
I don't pay for my GLP-1.
I'm putting that first because if you've followed me for a while, you've probably wondered. And if you're new, you deserve to know it before you read another word from me about cost or medication or what this is actually like.
So here's the whole thing. Ungatekept.
How my medication became free
I started in 2023 and paid out of pocket for the first few months. During that time I noticed some people were getting their medication covered by becoming an affiliate for the company they used.
So I shot my shot. I was already sharing everything online and had almost 1,000 subscribers. I emailed my telehealth company and basically said: I use you every month, I know you're legit, I'm already talking about you. Can I sign a contract and get my meds covered?
They said yes. I think I was their third affiliate, back before those deals were a thing.
I didn't stay with them, though. Other companies started showing up with much better prices for my followers, mine wouldn't budge, so I moved on, and eventually landed at Elara. They're woman-centered, they'll actually call you if you need help, and they're the best telehealth company I've worked with. Could my deal change someday? Absolutely. I'm not pretending it's forever.
What I still pay for: some supplements, like B12. And clothes. Clothes are the real money. You'll want new ones over and over.
And the most honest thing I can say? Starting a GLP-1 hasn't cost me money. It's made me money. Brand deals, my community, Picky Girl HQ. Before this, I didn't have a story anyone wanted to hear.
I'm not telling you this so you feel behind because you pay. I'm telling you so the next time someone online makes this look effortless, you know to ask what they're leaving out. And when you pick a provider, price matters, but ask the other question too: will they actually pick up the phone?
The real cost is your headspace
I don't track much. I don't meal prep. I make my drinks in the morning and cook a little more than I used to. That's it.
Headspace is different. I teach all day, come home, take care of my kids, and almost everything left over goes to this. Writing, posting, building, talking to you. What I don't spend it on is worrying. I don't lie awake wondering if I ate wrong.
Don't let this medication move into your head and take over every room. Make it part of your life, not the whole thing.
The internet will have opinions about your plate
The people in my real life didn't change. If anything, those relationships got better.
The internet is another story. Strangers love to tell me I'm doing it wrong. No fast food. Change a million things at once. If I'm not overhauling my whole life by Tuesday, I'm apparently wasting the medication.
Social media has been the hardest part of this. It's also been the best part. Same place that sends the meanest comments is where I found my people. People who don't know you don't get a vote. Find the few you trust and let the rest scroll by.
The mirror hasn't caught up
I'm 75 pounds down, and when I look in the mirror I mostly see the same person. Sometimes I see it in pictures. Sometimes not even then. I still reach for clothes that are too big, and I honestly don't always know what size I am.
Nobody warned me my body would change faster than the way I see it. If you feel like nothing happened when you look in the mirror, you're not crazy. Take the pictures anyway. They'll tell you the truth on the days your eyes won't.
The thing I miss
I'll say it plainly, and I'll keep saying it: I miss being able to eat everything in sight.
That was how I comforted myself, and now I can't do it the same way. That's a real loss, and we don't talk about it enough. If you're grieving food a little, you're not doing this wrong. You're just being honest.
What it gave me that I'd pay for
I feel less alone now than I have in my whole life. I have friends I met online who I can text anytime, and they get it. They know what a hard week on this feels like. They text back.
Find people on this medication too. Keep them in your back pocket. Reach out before you need to.
Would I do it again? 100 percent. The mirror, the comments, the food I miss. All of it was worth it.
Quick note: I'm not a doctor. This is my personal experience, not medical advice. Some links on this site are affiliate links.
Nobody should do this alone or in the dark.
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