u/BackdoorMasterTaker

I am currently paying $375 a month for compounded tirzepatide since I have zero insurance coverage. I am making it work for now, but my budget is incredibly tight and it is starting to cause a lot of stress. I have already cancelled all my streaming subscriptions and I basically never eat out or go to movies anymore. My social life has pretty much disappeared because I am terrified of spending money that needs to go toward my next refill.

I am constantly worried about what happens if I lose my job or if the pharmacy decides to raise their prices next month. For those of you paying out of pocket, how are you actually managing the math? Do you keep a separate savings account just for your vials or do you use an HSA to cover the cost? I am even considering skipping a dose every few weeks just to create a small buffer so I do not run out of money. What is your strategy for when you hit a financial wall and cannot afford the next shipment?

I hit my goal weight 3 months ago. I feel great. My A1C is normal. My blood pressure is normal. Everything is good. My endocrinologist says I should plan to stay on Mounjaro indefinitely. "Obesity is a chronic disease," she says. "You wouldn't stop your blood pressure medication just because your BP is normal. Same principle." I get the logic. But I'm 35. That's potentially 50 more years of weekly injections, refrigeration, prior authorizations, and side effects. That’s fifty years of building my life around a medication.