What happens when you stop taking Mounjaro?

[pistachio89]

One thing I am finding is that it's really helping to reduce my compulsions to eat certain foods. I wonder if there is something about the drug that enables new synapses to form in the brain, new pathways, where the more you mentally decline and ignore these compulsions, the easier it's going to be when I come off the drug?

Also does your stomach shrink so longer term you feel fuller quicker?

I am finding having some discipline around eating windows really helpful. Fasting is relatively easy on this drug. I know it will be harder when I am off it but hoping as long as I can stick to the windows I will be ok.

It’s not about touching a nerve.

You, someone who has no experience with these injections came on to the weightloss injection forum to tell people how easy it is. And ‘all you need to do is…’ condescending attitude is rude.

The misconception that people obese people are obese because they just don’t know what to do and just need it explaining is patronising. Of course it’s going to annoy people. But the whole ‘oh I have touched a nerve’ is also patronising. couldn’t possibly be that your post was inappropriate or unhelpful or rude. Must be that other people are triggered by what you said. An attempt to absolve yourself of any responsibility for your inappropriate posts, it’s other people who are having an emotional reaponse.

Look at what you have written here ‘I have no problem with some people using it’. It’s non of your business who is using it or at what weight they are using it. Why would you have a problem with anyone doing what they feel is best for themselves? Why would you assume people need to know which situations you are ok with it and when you aren’t ok with it?

Your posts show a distinct lack of self awareness and awareness of these infections and the many reason people may or may not opt to stay on them or the reasons people are on them in the first place.

I am not planning on staying on them. But choosing to stay on them is entirely a personal and valid choice.

MJ has given me an insight into what I need to eat to consistently lose weight. It's a hell of a lot less than any other medical resource or diet has ever told me. And through taking it, I've developed a wider range of meals and food types that I've found help me to stick within my calories and improve my protein intake. So that in itself is something I can carry forward if I ever stop taking it.

But if I can afford it or it becomes available on the NHS, I intend to take it forever. The fact that I've tried for 20 years with no success and then a medication can almost instantly work proves to me that there was a biological reason behind my weight previously. And if it's a biological issue, then I have no hesitation in taking medication long term to fix it just like I would any other medical condition.

Ah, @PaminaMozart there's always one. Why would you look down your nose at people trying to be more healthy asking an innocent question and infer that what they are doing isn't a good idea and they should be looking at "natural" measures? What was it that made you think that was useful / helpful / a generous contribution to a valid question?

I have no idea what you mean by a more natural measures for losing weight. As far as I can see, unless you are living on a remote island practicing self-sufficiency there is nothing natural about our food chain today. I am quite sure that in your food cupboards and fridge there will be processed foods and ingredients that have been sourced from all corners of the globe, treated with pesticides and fertilizers. (Although I do of course fully expect you to now tell me that you are in fact a fully self-sufficient islander only eating locally caught fish and vegetables that you grow yourself.)

Obesity has been on the increase for decades now, despite doctors dispensing the sage advice that we should all eat less and move more. Whilst eating less and moving more can lead to weight loss, you have to wonder why despite this stellar advice people are getting fatter, not slimmer. What could the cause of that possibly be? Why aren't these morons getting slimmer, they bloody well should be. Why on earth aren't they pursuing natural measures for not being obese?

Hmmmm, could it possibly be that for thousands of years humans were programmed to store every iota of fat to survive when food wasn't so plentiful? Could it possibly be that food manufacturers have specifically designed foods to encourage over-eating because that is how they make their profits? Could it be that humans have pleasure centres in their brains that light up with delight when they eat high sugar foods, just the same way that as drug addicts? Could it be that there are now generations of families growing up with disordered eating? Could it be that with the disintegration of traditional lifestyles and extended families, people have turned to food for comfort? Could it be that when women hit peri-menopause or menopause they find it nearly impossible to shed the pounds? Could it be that now we are all working and driving everywhere that it isn't so easy to be walking enough to make a significant difference to weight loss?

We are all responsible for ourselves and the weight loss medications are giving some of us a chance to take responsibility for our weight in a new way. Yes, it is a bit of a brave step as these medications haven't been widely available for long. However, it is a very positive step for lots of people and they are seeing weight reduction and health benefits. It isn't always plain sailing but what in life ever is.

So how about recognising all of that and putting your unhelpful comments on hold.

In answer to @pistachio89 I don't know. For the first time since childhood, I have the absence of food noise. I feel like I understand what slim people's brains must be like, as I have lost interest in food. I eat because I have to because it is fuel that I need. I'm hoping that my time on MJ will give me a chance to re-programme a bit, as it is already forcing me to deal with my emotions differently. However, I don't know. If coming off doesn't work, then I will consider suppliers with maintenance programmes like Oushk.

Oh goodness! Thank you! I hadn’t thought of that!

Of course you have, and you fully intended to. People using these drugs are using them because for whatever reason the wonderful solutions you so patronisingly graciously suggested haven't worked.

What other people choose to put in their bodies is up to them, lots of lifelong medications have long term side effects and the potential for these is discussed when prescribing. People choose to still use them because the benefits outweigh the negatives.

The question was not about what sanctimonious idiots think you should do instead of taking the drug, it was what happens when you come off it. It's like someone saying "what colour is the sky?" and you answering "giraffe". It's completely unhelpful.

@PaminaMozart

Good quote for you to consider before you comment

"Is it true; is it kind, and is it necessary?"
Socrates

I am glad you have given some people permission to do what they feel is right for their own bodies. So kind

You haven't touched any of my nerves, I have a very thick skin. You are embarrassing yourself with your ignorance, educate yourself or leave topics you don't understand alone.

Alternatively if your uninformed, targeted, patronising, judgemental posts are a result of your own low self esteem I suggest seeking help.

Gillian RIley runs course on "Eating Less" - she is essentailly teaching how to eat less, for those of us who eat too much. Her courses are like MJ without the MJ.

SHe talks about how our brains are wired around food and we are essentailly pavlovs dog - as soon as a food trigger happens we start salivating and very soon we are (over) eating. Her whole course revolves around rewiring parts of the brain to learn new pathways and break these old habits. Our brains are primitive and very effective so we have to actively combat the old neuropathways and create new ones.

Gillian also teaches how the voices inside us are like an army against us (I can't find my notes so I am paraphrasing). So even when we are determined to eat well, the voices in our heads seek to undermine us - "just this once" "you've been doing so well - you can relax a bit now", "No one will know" etc. YOu know all the negitive self talk around food.

I think the pavlov dog conditioning with the negitive undermining self talk is what we are calling "food noise". Every time we DON'T act when that food bell rings, every time we interrupt our internal negitive food coach, we are creating new pathways in our brain.

For me this has to be the way forward post MJ. I know how to eat well for my body. In fact on MJ I am eating the way I prefer to eat - and as a lifelong big portion overeater, portion size has always been my downfall.

In reality our battle isn't with food - its with our own brains. Our brains ahve run amok and our bodies suffer for it.

Gillian Riley has published a couple of books and runs online courses called "Eating Less Online". I must find my notes. While everything Gillian taught made sense, in the face of so much to lose and at a point in my life when I was refusing to diet anymore, I didn't take it all on board. However as a maintance plan I think what she teaches will be very useful.

In the back of my mind I wonder if, eventually, replacing the monthly mounjaro cost with monthly behaviour therapy might be a way to maintain and help me change my mind/behaviours. It's certianly something I will continue to think about.

The thing is, I am still not convinced we're not trying to solve a biological issue with a mental solution. If it's biology (e.g. chemical reactions) at the root then all the therapy in the world is not going to help.

I don't know the answer.

For a while there I was thinking the 'answer' was just to be fat and accept it, try not to let it limit how I live my life too much and enjoy the time and health I did have. MJ has given me another option here and some hope there may be a way to better health.

Its only a biological issue in part.

If you listen to the Dr in this podcast he talks about how not that long ago, in order to eat calorie rich tasty food we had to exert a huge amount of effort. Whereas these days calorie rich tasty food is just a hand away. Add to that our bodies are programmed to store fat and some of us are VERY effective at it. A few centuries ago our ability to store fat would have given us a massive advantage.

With the availablity of all the high calorie food we can eat at our fingertips, and a society that normalises unhealthy eating, and makes it seem like everyone is doing it and they are absolutely OK, plus the overall glamourisation of food, the psychological shackles are very stong.

Because even when we know how to eat, to keep weight off, to be healthy, it can be such a huge psychological battle to do so. The relief from "food noise" MJ uses report is all too real. It feels like a miracle.

In my life, biology doesnt do the shopping, cook, or buy the food I eat. Biology doesnt put food in my mouth. That is 100% my brain.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/66nGbjub7Xbbr8Zw0DaNY8?si=9958efb47e944195

@ShiftAMountain I had a couple of years of therapy (abusive childhood) and it did have an unexpected impact on my food consumption in that it stopped me binging. However, it didn't stop the constant and relentless chatter of food in my head. I had no idea how loud and persistent it was until it stopped!

I think if you know you eat for emotional reasons, therapy may well be helpful. It is certainly worth considering. However, I agree with you and @RobinEllacotStrike that it is hard to separate what is biological and what is psychological. I think that the psychological over time may alter the biological in some way - i.e. stress, anxiety, abuse etc rewire your brain and drive physiological or biological mechanisms. IYSWIM!

I hope you say this to other people who rely on other ''pharmaceuticals" for the rest of their lives, of which I'm one. So should I stop taking those too and "adopt other, more natural measures"?

You don't seem to want to acknowledge that there could be other reasons to weight gain that only meds could fix just like any other medical issue in the body, you just want to preach at "severely overweight people" about their obvious lack of discipline, constant overeating and no movement because that's all it's about to you.

I was very obese. I lost 4 stone taking Ozempic over a year period. Then despite still taking it the weight loss stopped. I stopped taking it and did not put on any weight over 4 months as better habits had formed. I then decided to start taking it again starting on low dose again and I'm now losing a bit more weight.

Hi unfortunately I've been told to stop Mounjaro as it has caused severe gastritis.
Ive been getting really loud gurgling in my stomach, cramps & diarrhea. Has anyone else faced this. Plus I'm desperate not to put the 3 stone back on. 😢

Op sadly no, it’s physiological, not psychological, as your blood sugar and insulin is now optimised it means you don’t have the cravings any more. Sadly when you come off the drugs, things will return to normal. The drugs don’t work when you don’t take them and they don’t change your brain.

I forgot to take my jab with me when I went on holiday recently. I was only a few days late taking it but in those days my hunger came back with a bang and I was able to eat a lot.
Has made me worry about coming off it- I only have 10lb to go so for me personally I plan on staying on a maintenance dose.

My GP says Mounjaro is relatively new & not a great deal known about it but a lot of patients are reporting stomach issues. Gastritis is a common side effect. I'm still 19 stone, I wanted to carry on. I lost 3 stone & stayed there. I'm very disappointed but Gastritis is so painful plus stomach polyps. I've been on Lansoprazole for years & now need to stay on it for the Gastritis.

I'm prepared to stay on it for the long haul, but I'm hoping I can maintain at a lower dose. It's changed my life

I think your GP is mistaken. There’s nothing relatively new about Mounjaro. It has been around many years and there have been many studies on its long term use. Those studies have shown, and continue to show, many unexpected long term benefits.
For example, a recent study showed a huge increase in 5 year survival rates of people who had colon cancer. It is also showing significant benefits of reduction in cardiovascular disease, even when obesity is taken into account.
Some people (not you!) have suggested that it’s a bad idea to take this drug long term when the long term effects are unknown. I would respond to that by saying long term studies have been done and continue to be done, and all the findings so far have shown only positive and wide ranging beneficial outcomes. Short term side effects are well known and usually manageable for most people (including gastritis) although there are those who can’t tolerate the drug.

So far the research suggests most people fail to make changes and pot the weight back on. In the meantime, unless you’ve done a lot of weights, you’ll have lost muscle mass. You may however have gastroparesis - a permanent deadening of your gut’s ability to digest and move food through efficiently

Mounjaro etc have been around 40yrs - you are right

But… they haven’t been used at such high doses for this period. GLPs in the injectable form are being used at eg 40 times higher doses than doctors have used then historically and that is the unknown

I’ve accepted that when I come off if MJ I will try my very best to maintain the weightloss but it’s highly likely I will have to go back on it from time to time as obesity isn’t just about eating less and moving more it’s a complex issue that involves hormones and try as I might my hunger levels seem to be off the charts despite making ‘good choices’.