I’ve finished Mounjaro - weekly update to report on what happens when you finish!

[NearingendofMJ]

I started taking MJ at the beginning of April. I’ve been a slow loser, and have lost 2 stone in the time I’ve been on MJ.

My starting weight was 84kg and I am now 71.5, I am 5’7.

I took my last injection last Sunday, so just over a week ago and it was around 6mg (counting clicks on a 12.5mg pen)

I have definitely noticed hunger today. However I am able to deal with that at the moment by reminding myself I had lunch an hour ago etc so I do not need to eat.

I think everyone on these meds worries what may happen when you stop. It’s like any diet, if there isn’t a lifestyle change, you will regain all the weight.

I thought I’d start a thread for some real life experience of what will happen - I’m aware I’ll still have MJ in my system for the next couple of weeks, but will be a good experiment to see if the hunger becomes unbearable or manageable with my new found knowledge of better food groups to eat!

Having been on MJ for 6 months I’m fairly sure I am able to make better choices now - famous last words 😂

@NearingendofMJ thanks again fir doing the weekly update.
It’s fascinating to see how stopping is impacting you. And how you’re dealing with it.

And well done on your journey! 🎉🎉

I'm really pleased you are doing well @NearingendofMJ

I have changed tack and decided to carry on with a slower titration rather than stop abruptly. I'm calorie counting to find out what normal amounts of food is. I was obviously eating too much previously

Im now down to 4mgs (dropping a mg every 2-3 weeks from 10mgs). I am still having suppression but much less so and I have more energy to exercise

I have a window to maintain my weight of 9st2 - 9st 8. I am currently 9st4 and have maintained in my window for the last month. There are times when I am more hungry but I am strict not to go over my allocated cals for the day (1900 cals). As long as I am eating healthily - this is more than enough.

It's really great to be in a group with others at the same stage.

Well done OP, thanks for updating and being open about your experience!

if I’m being honest, although I have had a good experience on MJ, I do have some concerns so it’s good to hear your perspective.

My main concern is what, if anything, MJ is doing to my metabolism longer term. Sometimes I know I eat too little when suppression is high - I find it hard to get proper nutrition in on occasion. I don’t want my body to get used to that.

Plus it may be possible that I’m just used to life on the medication and if I came off, I’d have loads of energy etc like you do now.

I think it's a matter of looking at our bad habits.

For me I was having two good size glasses of wine every evening and would always have peanuts or crisps or something with that. I also had a bar of chocolate every day. It didn't matter what else I ate really, however good that was for me, because I was sabotaging it with those other things.

When I come off it I have absolutely no intention of drinking again. I haven't drunk anything for six months, and haven't had any peanuts or chocolate either. I figure if I can keep away from those three things basically for the rest of my life I should be fine.

I think that’s a fair concern, I was also worried about my metabolism slowing permanently if I stayed long term on the medication.

My appetite has returned to a manageable level, following the first couple of weeks off MJ, where it was off the scale!

I feel it’s much easier to have will power when you have something to lose (feeling better in yourself/clothes fitting better) than before where I just felt like I couldn’t lose weight so what was the point.

@NearingendofMJ so encouraging to read your weekly updates. By the end of January, I should be down to the weight I want to be at and ready to come off.

You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but why were you overweight? Portion control, food choices, emotional eater, lack of exercise, something else - combination?

I'm an emotional eater - never fully realised how much I was until I took MJ and couldn't. My portion sizes had increased too, so I was over-eating as well. I'm trying to lose slowly so I can develop new and better habits with the MJ working like a shield against poor choices - iyswim. I'm nervous but also excited to come off and see if I have made long term changes.

@NearingendofMJ
I feel it’s much easier to have will power when you have something to lose (feeling better in yourself/clothes fitting better) than before where I just felt like I couldn’t lose weight so what was the point.

This is so absolutely true!

I'm noticing more hunger now that I'm reducing my dose (down from 5mg now to 2.5mg), but it has been easier to think before I reach for the snacks because of the hard work I've done to get here and the enjoyment I'm getting from moving better, less joint pain, wearing clothes I like, etc.

I've realised how true it is that sometimes you think you are hungry but you're actually thirsty. I had terrible cravings and found myself prowling the kitchen earlier, but remembered to drink a glass of water first, then made myself a cup of herbal tea as I actually was thirsty. Didn't snack in the end and decided to wait for my dinner. Keeping it off really is one good decision at a time I reckon.

I think what made me initially gain the weight was lockdown. I was sedentary, eating everything in sight due to boredom and doing no exercise.

Following that I began mainly working from home, and continued those habits. I put on 2.5 to 3 stone and didn’t lose it, then it seemed to steep a hill to climb.

MJ has changed that in that in the 6 months I was taking it, I got out of the habit of mindlessly eating and I now move a lot more (being on MJ made me lethargic and feeling wiped out so didn’t have the energy for exercise). I try for 100k steps a week, always question if I actually need that snack or not and focus on protein when I do want to eat.

It’s the maintaining part I think I can do alone, now I’ve lost the weight it becomes easier to maintain by staying in a slight deficit, rather than having to lose the weight with a massive deficit for many months.

I also now look at it across a week rather than daily, so if I go out for a big meal on a weekend, I’ll counter that with a low calorie day in the week, whereas before that’d have been my signal to start binging because the diet was ruined anyway. For me, it’s a change of mindset and constantly reminding myself I don’t want to feel uncomfortable and almost ashamed to go out as nothing ever fit me, again.

Thank you @NearingendofMJ what you are saying all makes sense. Fingers crossed I will find myself in a similar position.

I have definitely noticed a reduction in energy on MJ. I feel slightly wiped out all of the time.

When I stopped taking it, I felt better within a week - not only did I have more energy, I also wasn’t carrying 2.5 stone more around so found moving more much easier!

Tell yourself you can do this because you can - there is a lot of fear mongering around stopping this drug, which I think is not warranted as there hasn’t been many people actually stop it yet as it’s so new, so more real life experience is needed to say what happens when you stop.

Each to their own, some people may feel they want to stay on it long term, but for those who want to stop, I think it’s important to share the experience of those who have stopped

Honestly @NearingendofMJ , what you said here rings true
I feel it’s much easier to have will power when you have something to lose (feeling better in yourself/clothes fitting better) than before where I just felt like I couldn’t lose weight so what was the point.
When I was obese, I didn’t care as it felt like I’m down already, how bad can it get. I went on an all inclusive holiday in July and I was just eating mindlessly, having lots of desserts, etc. DH on the other hand also ate really well but was eating mostly protein, he had fruits for dessert, he didn’t starve himself at all but there’s a big difference between what he ate and mine. He was mindful whilst I wasn’t.
However, after losing 2 stone, seeing how good my clothes are fitting now, not been too conscious of the camera, etc, I’m now more encouraged than ever to continue this good habits. I’m lucky as DH is also there to keep motivating me and I told him to remind me if he thinks I’m slipping back. When the time comes and I stop using MJ, I’ll still continue weighing myself weekly because I can see how easy it is to say o, I need to lose 2kg and than when it gets out of hand and I need to lose 2 stones for example so use than to keep me in check. I’m hopeful for the future now.
Thanks for always posting your updates.

I love that idea of a window! Much more manageable and better for the brain!

My last 5mg dose was Nov. 27th, so I am in my 3rd week without MJ and I have lost 2.6 lbs this week. Last week was tough, I put on 1lb and the food noise was horrendous and I wanted to eat everything. This week has been enjoyable. I have really loved my Fast 800 food and have had 2 meals out where I was able to enjoy a starter and a main. I am making choices about what I am eating and when. I have also enjoyed a couple of Huel meal replacements. I am taking vitamins, electrolytes and psyllium tablets daily and my motivation is back. I had a wobble last week where I was angry that I had had so many awful side effects with Mj and wished I could go back, but my Dh reminded me how sick and horrible I felt. This week I am so much happier that I can enjoy food again and I am enjoying the feeling of being hungry.
I am my lowest weight since April 21 and have 2.2lbs until the next stone bracket 😁

Well i have just finished week 4 of going back down to 2.5mg and its been awful! Food noise is back, will power is gone, and scales havent moved (yet!) only plus was no side effects. Thinking im going to have to go back up to 5mg... i wfh and the constant snacking is so easy! 🥺

Hey all, I'm 13lbs from goal and I've not been over 4mg since 5th August due to certain side effects of MJ. For those who are stopping or titrating down, are you, were you at goal before going down or stopping? I'm so fed up now but I can't muck up what I've achieved so far. I've lost 2st 8lbs, 6 of those before starting tje medication. I was planning on slowly going down each week to allow me to still lose the 13lbs and gradually getting my old self back. I did 50 clicks last week and 47 today, I know it sounds pathetic but I'm super sensitive to MJ. I'm also planning to be on one of the maintenance plans with Oushk as a safety net, not taking it, but if I can have 12 months of maintenance I'm hoping I'll have cracked the hamster wheel of emotional eating. X

@NippyCrab I was no where near goal when I stopped. I had done 4 weeks on 2.5mg and 2 weeks on 5mg. I had mild suppression on 2.5mg, but the 5mg was horrendous. I could hardly eat, was constantly burping and feeling sick and had terrible constipation and stomach pains. I lost just under a stone on MJ and have another 6 to go. I feel so much better being off the drug. I over eat because of so many different psychological issues and I felt that I was swept along on the MJ bandwagon without thinking it through. The lack of food noise was wonderful but I was not willing to be on a drug for life just for that. I need to work through many other issues and reset my whole life rather than just focusing on the weight loss. Yes I would have probably lost weight sticking with it, but I would not have sorted out the other problems of low self esteem and underlying anxiety when I had reached goal.

Week 8 update

72.2 so maintained again. I’ve been to a couple of meals/parties this week so have seen fluctuating in the scales this week but weighing everyday helps me rationalise that it isn’t permanent.

Started on some home exercises like sit ups/squats lunges and I can definitely feel it after a few days 😂 but this will keep me motivated

I still don’t feel like binging and at the Xmas buffets I’ve made sensible choices (apart from intake of alcohol!) so haven’t felt that awful regret the next day

So interesting to read everyone’s experiences on here and it’s promising to hear everyone’s experiences once off the drug

Id day the first 4 weeks as the drug left my body and my hormones were resetting were the worst as I haven’t felt hunger for 6 months so it threw me off - however I’d say I never have overwhelming hunger now and it’s very manageable. I’m very pleased with how it’s going

@NearingendofMJ so glad to hear you are doing so well. Weighing daily really helps me as well. :)

I'm not as brave as @NearingendofMJ so am doing a slower titration down. I was on 10mgs (4+ stone loss) and am now on 4mgs with a plan to drop to 3mgs next. I'm also doing 9-10 days between jabs

My hunger is back but I'm easily keeping it in control with lots of very natural unprocessed food and my maintenance cals of 1700 cals (although sme days this is much more to match cals I burn in exercise)

My energy is back so I can exercise much more.

I am determined to maintain - I'm looking far too good at the moment to let it all go!

@Helloandgoodmorning2 thank you for sharing that.

Hi OP I've just read this whole thread and I appreciate you sticking with it despite the negativity earlier on. I'm in a similar boat to you, although a couple of months behind. I started at BMI 29.5 (high cholesterol) and I'm currently 25.6 and I plan to stop the MJ as soon as I hit my goal so reading your experiences is really useful. I'm also historically slim-ish person with weight creeping on over the last decade so hopefully I can keep it off as well as you are. I've got spinal surgery in February so that could throw a spanner in the works for me but I'm hoping being in much better shape will speed up the recovery!

@NearingendofMJ how are you getting on?

I've titrated down to 2.5mgs and will probably stop after the next dose as me weight is nearing the bottom of my allowable 'window'

I do have so much energy now, dh asked yesterday what is going on! It's a combination of having hardly any MJ (it did make me v tired) and just not carrying all that extra weight.

Thanks for asking, I’ve enjoyed the Xmas period! It was in my plan to not restrict what I’ve eaten over Xmas and I’ve had a lovely time, going out for meals and eating what I want 😂

My weight is now 75kg so around 3 kg up on what I finished MJ on but I knew I would gain, and have planned for 2nd January when I will be shedding that by meal replacement (Huel) for a couple weeks while I get back in the swing of things. The Huel is ready and waiting, and is barely palatable, but it’s a fully balanced meal which I tried one morning and it kept me full for around 4 hours.

Well done on the loss and finishing MJ - I haven’t found it difficult to maintain, and I don’t think Xmas really counts as a measure of weight regain because I didn’t want two weeks where I counted every calorie, and have loved it!

I stopped at the beginning of December, according to the scales I’ve gained around a stone!!! I’d much prefer to lose this without MJ as I’ve got used to living without the side effects again but I’ll give it to the end of January to see how I get on.

Have you been calorie continuing during that time or eating unrestricted?