New Year’s Eve on Zepbound

New Year’s Eve is built around staying up late. There is usually a big dinner or a party spread, drinks through the evening, champagne at midnight, and a very slow start to New Year’s Day. For many people, it is also the moment they make plans for the year ahead, including plans about their health.

On Zepbound or compounded tirzepatide, the late night, rich food, and bubbles are a combination that can leave you uncomfortable just as the countdown starts. Here is how to enjoy it.

Bubbles, burping and reflux

Champagne, prosecco, and sparkling cocktails are central to the night. Carbonation on a slowed stomach is a common trigger for some of the less talked-about side effects of these medications.

In the weight-reduction trials described in the Zepbound label, burping, listed as eructation, was reported by 4% to 5% of people on the medication, depending on dose, against 1% on placebo. Gastroesophageal reflux disease was reported by 4% to 5% against 2%.

Add a large late meal and lying down soon after midnight, and reflux becomes much more likely.

Save the bubbles for midnight, and drink something still before then.

Sip slowly. A glass of champagne at midnight is plenty.

Stay upright for a while after eating and drinking.

Your tolerance has probably changed

Your old tolerance is not a reliable guide on these medications. People on them are often eating less, drinking less water, and may weigh less than at last year’s party. A long evening of drinking on an empty stomach is the riskiest version.

Eat before the party, or eat early at a dinner.

Alternate every drink with water.

Set a limit and tell a friend.

Plan your ride home before you start. New Year’s Eve is one of the busiest nights for impaired driving.

Food

Eat a proper dinner with protein earlier in the evening rather than grazing on party food until midnight.

Take small portions of rich appetizers and desserts.

Leave a gap between your last big meal and bed.

Plan your dose around the holiday

Side effects tend to be strongest after a dose increase and in the day or two after an injection.

Time your injection so New Year’s Eve does not fall in the hardest window. Ask your provider before changing your usual day.

Hold any dose increase until after the holiday. Our guide on when to increase your tirzepatide dose covers how those decisions are usually made.

Do not skip a dose to drink more freely. Restarting at your usual dose after a gap can bring back strong side effects. Our guide on taking a break and restarting covers why, and the same principle applies to tirzepatide.

New Year’s Day

If you feel rough on January 1, sip water, eat something simple and bland, and rest. If you are vomiting repeatedly and cannot keep fluids down, contact your provider or seek medical help.

Resolutions on Zepbound

January is when many people decide to “get serious.” On an appetite-suppressing medication, the most common mistake is cutting food intake further, on top of the medication, in a burst of motivation.

Do not crash diet. Eating very little for weeks costs strength and energy, and is the situation most likely to cost you muscle along with fat.

Make resolutions about habits: protein at every meal, regular movement, strength training, water, and sleep.

Watch for signs you are not eating enough: fatigue that does not lift, feeling cold, hair shedding, dizziness when you stand, losing strength, or losing weight faster than you and your provider intended.

If you are starting Zepbound in January, our guide on the starting dose of tirzepatide covers what the first weeks involve.

If you are switching from semaglutide, our guide comparing tirzepatide and semaglutide side effects covers how the two compare.

Hosting a party

If you are hosting, you have more control. Plan a spread with lean protein and lighter options, offer good non-alcoholic drinks, and make sure you eat something before guests arrive. Hosts often graze all night and never sit down to eat.

Consider this scenario: someone on Zepbound steps up their dose two days before New Year’s Eve. They skip dinner, graze on chips and dips at a party from 9 p.m., drink several glasses of prosecco before midnight, and go to bed at 1 a.m. They are up most of the night with reflux and burping, and spend New Year’s Day nauseated. Holding the dose increase, eating a proper dinner, drinking still drinks until midnight, alternating with water, and staying up a little after eating would very likely have prevented it.

If you are staying in

Many people prefer a quiet New Year’s Eve at home, and that suits these medications well. A nice dinner with protein at a normal time, a single glass of something sparkling at midnight, and a good night’s sleep is a lovely way to start the year. If you are watching the ball drop with family, a late snack such as cheese and fruit is easier on a slow stomach than a second dinner.

The short version

Save the bubbles for midnight and sip slowly, since carbonation can bring on burping and reflux. Eat a proper dinner, alternate drinks with water, set a limit, and plan your ride home. Stay upright after eating. Time your injection away from the holiday, hold any dose increase, and never skip a dose to drink. On January 1, rest and rehydrate. Make habit-based resolutions rather than crash dieting.

If you want a provider who will help you plan the year ahead, TrimRx includes ongoing provider access alongside treatment.

This information is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Consult with a healthcare provider before starting any medication. Individual results may vary.