So I survived my first week on retatrutide, and honestly, I wasn't prepared for how quickly things would change. This is my raw breakdown of week one: the nerves, the setup, the immediate effects, and that crazy initial weight drop that had me questioning everything. ## The Setup: Learning to Inject Myself I started with a 2mg dose for week one. Before touching anything, I must have watched [this YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNnzIueOt_g) about 20 times. The guy was clear, confident, and systematic about reconstitution. Exactly what I needed to see. Based on his process, I ordered everything I'd need to match his technique: **My injection supplies:** - **[3mL Syringes with 23Ga needles](https://amzn.to/4kV5s3K)** for drawing bacteriostatic water - **[1mL insulin syringes with 29Ga needles](https://amzn.to/4kWvweL)** for the actual injection - **[Alcohol prep pads](https://amzn.to/45kJ4vZ)** for sterilization - **[Sharps container](amazon-link-here)** for safe disposal *Click the links above to get these exact supplies from Amazon* ## Reconstitution: Following the Protocol I reconstituted a 16mg vial with 2mL of bacteriostatic water, which gives you a concentration of 8mg/mL. For my 2mg weekly dose, that meant drawing 0.25mL (25 units on an insulin syringe). The process was methodical: draw the BAC water with the 3mL syringe, angle the needle to the side wall of the vial to prevent the vacuum from pulling water in too fast and potentially damaging the powder. Then wait. And wait some more. I waited 30 minutes for the solution to become completely clear, rolling it gently in my hands like the video showed. Never shaking it. I wore gloves the entire time during both reconstitution and injection. ## The Moment of Truth: First Injection Here's the thing: I'd never injected myself with anything before. Ever. I was excited to finally start this journey, but honestly nervous as hell about the line I was crossing. Research peptides aren't exactly mainstream. After the solution was completely clear and I'd waited another 30 minutes, I drew 25 units into the insulin syringe. Used an alcohol swab to clean a spot on the left side of my gut, sat down on my bed, and worked up the courage to actually do it. The needle going in? Didn't even feel it. I could tell I used just a bit too much force pushing it in, but I depressed the plunger, removed the needle, capped it, and dropped it into the sharps container. Done. ## Immediate Effects: Within Hours Within about 30 minutes, I got light-headed. Not dizzy enough to feel like I'd pass out, just this light, floaty feeling. And I could feel a difference in my appetite within just a few hours. That was it for side effects. No headaches, no nausea. Just that initial light-headed feeling that passed pretty quickly. ## The First Week Experience Over the week, I developed what I'd describe as "keto flu" symptoms. But since I was starting a strict carnivore/keto diet at the same time as retatrutide, it could have been either. I was unprepared with my glucose and ketone meter because I'd forgotten to order new test strips, so my data tracking got delayed a few days. **The scale shock:** I got on a couple days later and wasn't surprised to see a big drop. Ten pounds in two days. Had to be water weight, which explained why I was pissing constantly. By July 11th, I was down to 322.4 pounds. That's a 14.2 pound change in one week. I tried not to get too excited about those initial numbers. I've been down the path of chasing the scale before and wound up disappointed. ## Diet Strategy: Why I Chose Carnivore/Keto During the week, my appetite was like I'd been water fasting for a week already. Zero desire to eat. I thought about food, but purely for logistical reasons. I decided to go carnivore/keto and keep carbs super low while taking this. My thought process: if retatrutide switches your body to burning fat, I could naturally assist it by getting into dietary ketosis. From past diets, I know my body responds very quickly to zero/low-carb approaches. I know it's not a requirement for reta to work its magic, but I like that way of eating and figured it can't hurt anything. ## Intermittent Fasting: By Accident I also switched to intermittent fasting, mainly because I hate packing lunch for work and I hate leaving my office for anything except going home. So I figured I'd just eat when I get home around 4:30-5:30pm. Other than that: water, diet coke, and black coffee. **What surprised me:** - No hunger pains at all - No desire to drink alcohol (this was unexpected) - I could feel my brain calm down - Better focus at my desk ## Week 1 Results: Beyond the Scale **Starting weight:** 336.6 lbs **Week 1 weight:** 322.4 lbs **Change:** -14.2 lbs (mostly water weight) But the real changes weren't just the number on the scale: - **Food noise:** Almost completely gone - **Alcohol cravings:** Disappeared (this shocked me) - **Mental clarity:** Noticeably better focus - **Appetite:** Like being a week into a water fast - **Energy:** Stable, no crashes ## The Reality Check I tried not to get too excited about the initial big numbers. Water weight drops are dramatic but temporary. What convinced me this stuff was actually working wasn't the scale, it was how the cravings just... stopped. By the end of week one, I was glad to be on it, if for nothing else than making the constant food and drink noise in my head go away. **Next week:** Sticking with 2mg for another few weeks. After lurking in the [retatrutide Reddit community](https://www.reddit.com/r/Retatrutide/), the consensus seems to be staying at each dose for 4 weeks before bumping up. Given how well it worked and how I felt, I don't see any need to rush to 4mg for week 2. Also hoping to get my ketone/glucose tracking back online once my test strips arrive. ::subscribe[{"variant":"default"}] --- **Disclaimer:** The information provided on this site is for **educational and informational purposes only** and reflects my **personal experiences and opinions**. It is **not** intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Retatrutide is an **investigational drug** that is **not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)** for any use outside of clinical trials. Do not attempt to obtain or use this compound without proper legal authorization. Always consult a licensed healthcare professional before making any decisions regarding medications, supplements, or medical treatments. The author does **not** sell or distribute any pharmaceutical products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this site may be affiliate links.