What To Expect If You Stop Taking Weight Loss Medication

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Injectable weight loss medications like semaglutide (sold under the brand names Ozempic® and Wegovy®) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro® and Zepbound®) can be very effective at treating obesity. Studies suggest patients taking these medications can lose 15% to 20% of their body weight, on average.

But what happens when you stop taking them? Will you regain those lost pounds? Suki K. Singh, M.D., a family and obesity medicine physician at Henry Ford Health, shares how stopping these medications affects your body-and what you can do to maintain a healthy weight.

What Happens When You Stop Ozempic?

Injectable weight loss medications work in several ways. For starters, they slow down digestion. "Your stomach doesn't empty as quickly, so you get fuller on smaller portions," Dr. Singh explains.

The drugs also act on hormonal pathways to reduce appetite and food cravings-both physical feelings of hunger and mental cravings in the brain. "This is often described as a reduction in 'food noise,'" she adds.

When you stop taking weight loss drugs, you can expect their effects to wear off over several weeks. That means you might have a bigger appetite, and you may feel hungry again more quickly after a meal.

As a result, some weight gain is common after you stop the drugs. But there's no rule about how much you're likely to gain. "Weight gain can be really variable from patient to patient," Dr. Singh says.

How Not to Gain Weight After Stopping Ozempic

If you're thinking about stopping Ozempic or other weight loss medications, talk to your doctor first. If you have health conditions such type 2 diabetes, your doctor will want to monitor you closely to make sure your blood sugar is controlled. And even if you don't have other medical conditions, your doctor can help you make a plan to manage your weight moving forward.

People who make healthy lifestyle changes-like a balanced diet and regular exercise-as part of their weight loss plan are more likely to keep the weight off after they stop taking the medications. "Whether or not you are able to maintain your weight depends a lot on what you were doing before you stopped taking it," Dr. Singh explains.

Decreasing the medication dose gradually can help. "In an ideal world, our preference is for patients to taper down to see how well they can maintain their weight loss without medications," Dr. Singh says.

Dr. Singh offers these tips to avoid gaining weight as you discontinue the medication:

• Keep tabs: Log your daily calorie intake to make sure you aren't getting more than you need. Apps can be helpful for tracking, Dr. Singh says.
• Make a food plan: Instead of two or three big meals, aim for several smaller meals spread throughout the day. And don't skip meals.
• Pack in protein: Dr. Singh recommends a diet high in protein. That doesn't mean cutting out other food groups, though. Fruits and/or vegetables should be included in every meal.
• Snack smart: To set yourself up for success, avoid temptation. Keep processed snacks like chips and cookies out of the house. Stock your fridge with easily accessible snacks like carrot sticks and fresh fruit.
• Get active: Engage in at least 200 to 250 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. That exercise should include regular strength training exercises to maintain muscle mass.
• Turn in early: Getting enough sleep will help regulate your hunger and cravings. "A good night's sleep can go a long way," Dr. Singh says.
• See your doctor: "I recommend following up with your primary care doctor every three months to get your weight and blood work checked," Dr. Singh says. "If you start to regain weight, we can revisit the situation and figure out what to do together."

Should You Stop Ozempic?

Wondering if you should stop taking weight loss medications? The decision is an individual one and depends on a variety of factors. Obesity is a chronic disease that increases the risk of serious health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Obesity also increases the risk of many types of cancer, Dr. Singh notes. For some people, staying on weight loss medications long-term could help prevent serious chronic diseases, she adds.

Some patients want to discontinue the treatment because of side effects like nausea, diarrhea or constipation. If you're experiencing side effects, talk to your doctor. You may be able to reduce your discomfort by decreasing your dose or by making dietary changes.

Unfortunately, many people stop taking weight loss drugs because of the cost, or because their insurance companies won't cover them. That means many patients have to stop abruptly. But whether you stop taking these medications because you want to or because you have to, your healthcare team can help you make a plan for a healthy diet and exercise regimen.

"If you do have a spike in weight, don't panic," Dr. Singh says. "You and your doctor can work together to add interventions that help. That could mean going back on medication or trying other strategies, such as working with a registered dietitian or a health coach to identify where you're struggling what can be done to fix it."

Categories : FeelWell

Tags : Weight Management, Weight Loss, Suki Singh