Mounjaro - maintenance dose for life?

[DappledOliveGroves]

So, I've lost almost two stone since July, using Mounjaro, and have around 8 to 10 pounds to go until my target weight.

The medication is great. I'm not hungry, food noise and cravings are gone and if I do want to eat, I want something healthy. But, I'm not kidding myself - this is the result of the injection, rather than anything else. Whilst I could endeavour to replicate what I eat (or don't eat) on Mounjaro, once I'm off the medication, I highly doubt that the weight will stay off. Indeed, if this were the case, I wouldn't have yo-yo dieted for most of my adult life.

Whilst I know that various providers will offer a taper dose, I don't know how useful this will be as I'm still on a low dose (5mg) anyway. So, I suppose my question is whether there are providers that effectively offer an on-going maintenance dose for the foreseeable future? I appreciate it's a new medication, so it may be that pharmacists here end up following what is happening in the US, but I am wondering whether it seems likely that people will effectively end up being prescribed these drugs for life? Otherwise, given that various studies show that most people re-gain the weight once they stop the medication, people will surely end up just going on and off the drugs in a cyclical fashion?

It may be that it's simply an unknown at this point, given that the drug is relatively new. But would be interesting to hear people's thoughts.

I’m no expert but my understanding is that the 2 year limit is still in place. I would have thought with stockpiling and drawing out pens it might be possible to keep yourself on a constant low dose for that period of time but not sure what would happen after the 2 years.

my plan is to get to a healthier bmi maybe 27 (started at 34) and obviously try to maintain with more exercise etc, but if it creeps up to 30 then have another course.

also hoping that with more time and research they’ll improve the maintenance situation

I thought the 2-year limit was for Wegovy and that there was no specific limit on Mounjaro? It'll be interesting to see what happens in time.

I've seen 2 yrs mentioned regarding Mounjaro

During this maintenance phase would you not just keep losing weight though? Or would you try a smaller dose like 2.5 and eat well to try and maintain?

I suppose I would hope that a maintenance dose (whether 2.5mg or less, possibly), would enable me to just maintain, rather than lose weight. Perhaps it could be spaced out every other week or similar. I don't know. I suppose I won't know until I hit my BMI and then work out how to stay on target and not lose more weight.

There's a podcast I listen to which has an American doctor and a nutritionist who've discussed this - they talk about taking super-low doses and widening the gap between doses. I'm not sure how that would work here but it would be the equivalent of say 4 x 2.5 doses lasting three or four months. I think the patients are injected in the surgery (from what I could understand) and the dose was micromanaged until the patient was able to manage.

It's called the Pound of Cure Weight Loss Podcast - I listened to it on Spotify. The name sounds weird, now I look at it properly, but it's an interesting podcast.

The 2 year limit was/is for Wegovy not Mounjaro. Many pharmacies followed that format when they started prescribing MJ but have since got rid of it.

Those pharmacies who are offering maintenance are generally offering the option of staying on a maintenance dose indefinitely with close monitoring.

Snap! I could have written your post for myself. Same weight gone, same to go and same thoughts about how to maintain. Also the yo-yo dieting and stress around food. I haven’t figured out what to do yet. I’ll watch this thread and hope to get some inspiration.

Oushk Pharmacy have an ongoing maintenance plan.

It seems that perhaps the people selling these drugs should have worked this out and given the thousands of people who are taking them an answer to this question.

This is what puts me off taking them. Who wants to be medicated forever?

What the hell is that going to do to your gut? It doesn't seem right to me.

So don't it take it then and you won't have to worry

@JacketPotatoFoodOfTheGods what is it that you're worried about happening to peoples "guts"?

I think it's a valid worry (gut health with long term use)

@JacketPotatoFoodOfTheGods - lots of people take various medications for life. Statins, blood pressure meds, thyroid meds - why the concern for anyone who takes weight loss medication for life?

For me it doesn’t feel like I’m on medication; it’s literally just as though someone has turned an ‘off’ switch in my brain where I don’t think about or crave food. It’s purely an afterthought. It’s so liberating.

"One year after withdrawal of once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide 2.4 mg and lifestyle intervention, participants regained two-thirds of their prior weight loss, with similar changes in cardiometabolic variables. Findings confirm the chronicity of obesity and suggest ongoing treatment is required to maintain improvements in weight and health."

Definitely looks as though people will need to take it for life. That puts me off if I'm honest, although I am happy to take HRT for years!

Is it? Why, could you possibly explain? What's the action that might cause damage to people's digestive systems from "long term" use? Is that something that's been noted from the recent research projects into these drugs?

People are medicated for many things for life.You don't hear people saying statins or blood pressure neds are worthless because they stop working when you stop taking them.
It is very likely that uk will come to the same conclusion as their US counterparts. They are all dealing with ghe same science.

I’m on lifelong medication for other conditions 🤷‍♀️ so that wouldn’t bother me particularly. I just hope the costs come down!!

Yes it would be the cost that would put me off.

@Kiuyni is there similar data for Mounjaro (tirzepatide) as the quote you've given refers to semaglutide which is Wegovy/Ozempic?

Ah I don't know sorry!

I’ve been on inhaled steroids for the last 36 years, ADs for 26, and BP meds for 5. I wouldn’t blink if a lifelong maintenance dose is necessary. Medication is medication, and if it’s serving a purpose with no discernible negative impact I will not martyr myself.

Funnily enough I've always resisted the thought of any lifelong medication and thankfully haven't needed to go on any. But a glimpse behind the curtain of what it feels like to no longer struggle with food and weight, which would open up the rest of my life to being able to attain a really high level of health, fitness and wellbeing - I'd definitely consider it with MJ.

How does Mounjaro switch off the food noise? How does this happen? Absolutely fascinated. I'm so tired of the constant craving for junk food.

It stops you feeling hungry and as a result you stop thinking about food. No cravings.