A DAD says the world was ripped from under him when doctors told him he could never work again.
The Chicago security worker had just welcomed his son when he got the life-changing news.
Derek Honig, 40, was told he could never work again because of heart failure[/caption]
His doctor prescribed Mounjaro to help him meet the strict weight requirement for a transplant (stock)[/caption]
At only 40, Derek Honig was diagnosed with stage five heart failure and stage three kidney failure.
“It was the end of the world,” he said.
“I was this big, young, strong kid. I probably weighed 300 pounds. Just had my son. And then I was told…the world was ripped from under me. I can’t work ever again.”
The Port Edwards, Wisconsin, man is now waiting for a heart transplant that doctors say is his only option for survival.
But before he could even qualify, he was told he needed to drop from 420 pounds to 220.
That’s when he turned to Mounjaro, a GLP-1 injection originally designed for diabetes that has also shown dramatic weight loss results.
“Basically, you’re gonna die if you don’t get a heart,” he recalled.
“You’re progressively going to get sicker and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
In the years that followed, his weight ballooned.
He gained more than 100 pounds and relied on an LVAD and pacemaker.
Doctors warned the devices would only last about five years. He’s now stretched them to 10.
“My doctor was like, ‘hey, I got this idea. If your heart team says cool, let’s do it. You need to get a heart transplant. Like, now’,” Honig said.
“So I said, ‘what the hell? I gotta be a dad. Let’s do it.’”
By last summer, Honig weighed 420 pounds.
What is Mounjaro?
- Brand name: Mounjaro (tirzepatide)
- Use: Originally approved for type 2 diabetes, also prescribed for weight loss.
- How it works: It’s a GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist that helps control blood sugar and reduces appetite.
- Results: Most patients lose 30–50 pounds; 80–90 pounds is considered rare.
- Limitations: 10–20% of people may not see any weight loss at all.
- Side effects: Can include nausea, diarrhea, constipation, gas pains, and fatigue.
- Dosing: Taken as a once-weekly injection, with doses ranging from 2.5mg to 15mg.
- Cost: Without insurance, prices can top $1,000 a month in the US.
His doctor prescribed Mounjaro to help him meet the strict weight requirement for a transplant.
One year later, he’s dropped 200 pounds and is holding steady at the target 220.
“I can go a day, two days even without eating,” he said.
“Not feeling hungry, not having any nausea, not having loss of energy. It’s weird.”
He’s now on 12.5 milligram weekly, one of the highest doses available.
Aside from some gas pains, Honig says he feels better than he has in 20 years.
The weight loss has transformed his daily life.
He no longer relies on a cart to move around and can finally keep up with his 11-year-old son, Brody.
“I like to do four wheeling, playing baseball and rough housing a lot with him,” Brody said.
“It’s been really fun and I’m proud of him.”
“My son is…he’s my number one,” Honig added.
“He’s the only reason I’m here. I mean, I don’t care about anything. Anything but him. I make sure I play with him. He pushes me.”
“He’s doing good and I’m excited for him to get a new heart,” Brody said.
Honig must now keep his weight steady at 220 and work on healthier habits to stay eligible for the transplant.
Experts say his results are extraordinary.
A U.W. Madison doctor said losing 80 to 90 pounds on GLP-1 drugs is considered rare.
Clinical trials show most patients drop 30 to 50 pounds, while up to 20 percent see no results at all.
Honig was diagnosed with stage five heart failure and stage three kidney failure[/caption]
Honig must now keep his weight steady at 220 and work on healthier habits to stay eligible for the transplant[/caption]
