Staying on 2.5

[RedorBlack]

Hi everyone, I am coming up to my 4th dose of MJ on 2.5mg. Good suppression, delighted with the loss so far, though I do get a little hungry around day 5. Some of the side effects are niggling though (mostly low mood and insomnia). I know this is the point where I "should" go to 5mg but am worried about making the side effects stronger.

Does anyone have experience of staying on 2.5mg that they would be willing to share. I've got about 2 days to make up my mind!

Thanks

I’ve lost 5 stone using just 2.5mg. If you are loosing no need to go up. Just keep an eye on it. I think you’ll know if you need to.

i’ve been on 2.5 since early Sept, and am now just shy of 2 stone down. I’m happy, I really wouldn’t want to lose any faster. I must be a really sensitive responder because I also only take it every 10 days or so and once took almost a 4 week break because I was losing well and felt totally in control for the first time ever.

I let myself feel hungry - mj gives me the willpower to just wait for the next meal and the feeling passes really quickly which unheard of for me.

But even though I’ve kept my doses low and slow, I find just MJ’s presence in the house is a huge support. I know if I were to slip I could go right back on it and therefore I don’t slip - I just feel I have control. The mind is a crazy place.

I had terrible sides on 2.5. Great suppression though but it was all too much. So I had a break, and have recently restarted. First 2 weeks on 1.25 ( 30 clicks) but that wasn't doing much, so this week went up to 40 clicks, and the suppression is right back. So I'll be staying as low as I can and being very careful about any increase. I know everyone varies, but my experience has taught me to be cautious and stay as low as possible. I know thats not really what you asked, but just another viewpoint.

Thank you all, really appreciate your stories. I'm with medexpress who are good but the communication all makes it sound like you must go up. I will stick to my instincts and stay where I am another month and then review again.

Thank you for posting. Interesting thread.

I will have to face this question fairly soon too.

It’s important for me not to lose weight too fast. I also want to minimise side effects. As long as there’s reasonable suppression and continued weight loss I personally would stay on 2.5 mg.

So I’m not sure why the manufacturers seem to insist on this exact climbing 0.25, 0.5, 1 etc rate every z4 weeks protocol. Surely we are all different?

If things are not happening as you hoped I guess one could try 5 mg but micro dose it in clicks to 3.75 or even back to 2.5 if it’s too much?

I would assume the way it should work,
like any medication, is to take the minimum dose that works for you that also minimises side effects. It’s not about following the manufacturers’ protocol to the highest dose for the sake of it, surely? Not everyone needs to be on the highest dose anti-depressant for example.

I saw a video recently where an American female clinician who was very knowledgable used only micro-dosing ( 1.25 or less per week, she didn’t say exactly how ‘micro’) mainly to keep her inflammation/health better. She wasn’t slim-slim as such - she said she used it just to keep that extra 20lbs shaved off so to speak.

ps. I was so nervous of side effects I micro dosed to begin with @ 1.25 every 4 days. But will do the 2.5 per week thing maybe soon. The thought of spending two days sick in bed or copious diarrhoea fills me with horror 😂, so I am being cautious. I’m usually sensitive to medications and I truly don’t have the stamina or health to power through them. The only side effect so far I’ve had is vivid dreams and disturbed sleep. The suppression effect is coming through slowly but I also seem to be making healthier choices naturally. I am happy to lose 1-2 lbs per week. I have about 40 lbs to lose and my target weight is actually a bit higher than my supposed BMI maximum.

The weight loss people have managed above on 2.5 mg is incredible, very inspiring. Very hard to imagine for myself to be honest. But I’m hopeful now. I also feel like I can approach this weight loss plan with a relaxed awareness rather than an over-focus in calories etc, and get on with other aspects of life and healthier lifestyle at the same time which feels liberating.

Currently week 5 day 5. I stayed on 2.5 as suppression is strong. Loss so far as of today 1 stone 5 lbs or 8.6kg. I will probably stay on it for January too unless I lose the suppression in next couple of weeks

Can I ask @Pumpkinforever what your starting weight was? That’s such an amazing loss. Thanks.

I’m with them too and you are right. I messaged them asking if they’d continue to support my journey just on 2.5, they said yes. Yet I still get their automated “you have moved up, you should” emails!

@MixMist my starting weight was 15 stone 12 (around 100kg). I have a lot to lose.

When people talk about micro dosing what do they mean? I have just ordered 2.5mg but I feel like it could be worth starting on a half dose to check for side effects.

Also how does that work? I have read that the medication lasts for six weeks once opened but if you dose at 1.25mg then it would last for eight weeks?

Also if 5mg isn't double the cost of 2.5mg why don't people go to that and then use half a dose?

Sorry if these are silly questions, just a bit confused.

Not silly questions at all - I would be very interested in the answers too!

I stayed on 2.5mg for two months and then decided to try 5mg. I hadn't had side effects and was losing a steady 2lbs a week.

5mg was disastrous for me - diarrhoea, vomiting, two days in bed, time off work - I skipped the next dose and when I resumed injections, I counted clicks on the 5mg pen. I have slowly moved up to 45 clicks of the 5mg pen over the past three months.

At this dose, my weight loss has slowed to 1lb a week and it does get a little frustrating when the scales just don't budge for days on end, or a fluctuation upwards wipes out the tiny bit of progress made but - I am losing weight. It's coming off. I have the energy to exercise, my work isn't disrupted, my health is good and I'm not suffering side effects. I tried 48 clicks once and the diarrhoea came back so I have learned my exact tolerance point where I am losing weight but not experiencing any side effects.

So it will be a long process for me. Three stone off in six months so far but at my current rate it will take me perhaps another year to lose the remaining three stone. It's expensive, but it works. I feel like my life and my body are under control for the first time ever. Even when progress is slow, I can finally have confidence that it will continue.

I also enjoy my current level of suppression. I eat three healthy meals a day and never want to snack. I enjoy food and it's never a punishment or a source of guilt or shame or uncontrollable longings. I have never gone so long in my life without bingeing, and now that compulsion has cleared away, I have been able to properly engage with therapy to understand my long and complex relationship with food. The calm that MJ has brought into my life is incredible. So for that reason too, I'm happy for this to be a slow and steady process and I don't need to rush it.

A pen should be discarded 30 days after your first dose from it.
So you can get 5 doses out of a pen within that timeframe.
Doses on days: 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

Oh yes I forgot to say this. I do five doses per pen. I wouldn't risk keeping it for longer.

I had similar low mood, anxiety and insomnia on 2.5mg. It lasted around a month and went after I increased my protein intake, added electrolytes to my water and have recently bought a vitamin D oral spray which has made a massive difference to my moods and sleep. A multivitamin may help. I've been on 5mg for 5 weeks now and love how its curbed my appetite.

As a 2.5mg and 5mg pen costs the same or a
similar amount, you could consider ordering the 5mg but just take 2.5 mg doses.

Personally, after 4 x 2.5mg doses I was nervous about going up to 5mg. I have just completed my 5th dose of 3.75 (and I could get the 5th dose out of the pen within those 30 days).

Weight loss has certainly slowed (.5 to .8 kg a week), I’m sometimes hungry and can eat more. But, on the other hand, I found the super fast initial loss a bit abnormal and frightening.

MASSIVE DISCLAIMER- I am using the medication against the prescribers’ and manufacturers advice. Always be super careful taking directions from strangers on the internet. Your prescriber will direct you to start on 5mg, the minimal therapeutic dose, as that’s their guidance.

Thanks @Pumpkinforever . I am 14 stone. To lose 1 stone 5 lbs is still an incredible weight loss in that time period, at least to my mind, though that seems not uncommon here. It would take me a year through serious normal dieting of whatever kind to lose that amount; it would be really hard work and wouldn’t even last!. Well done.

If you look up “micro- dosing” there is quite a lot about it, YouTube videos etc. It’s all to do with the number of clicks. I’m on Wegovy so don’t want to give my experience of micro dosing re that as most people are in mounjaro now I believe, and the number of clicks are different! If you microsose you also have to buy more needles if you decide to do more than 1 x weekly injections, as you cannot use the same needle twice. They are easy to buy separately, I paid £7 for 100 of them. I currently do 2 x 1.25 injections of Wegovy per week). I started off with 4 x 0.75 the first week as I am ultra cautious but most people are not that worried!

PS. As stated by pp this is not the manufacturers protocol, but I read (and I don’t know if this is true) the manufacturers did this because they believed people would not want the faff of injecting more than once a week.

Once I am sure I’m OK I will most likely go to once a week standard 2.5 dosing. As I said I just can’t afford to be sick as I build up tolerance. That said most people seem fairly fine on the 1 injection a week at 2.5 mg. If I felt I needed to move up to 5 mg I would probably do micro-dosing again to start with eg maybe 3.75 per week to begin with (whatever number of clicks that is). Also to reiterate, I am normally very sensitive to medicines, and many people are not; so they might be fine with the straightforward manufacturers protocol.

ps. If there was any left over at the end of the month due to micro-dosing I would throw away. The pen does not last more than about a month once opened. I would add that you are considering micro-dosing you do have to do your research but there is plenty out there in YouTube etc, even on MN

So, you can’t just buy a larger dose pen and make it last longer because - once opened - it’s shelf life is only a month! If they bring it out in tablet form - I read this might happen one day - it might be easier to string it out!

I like your name @WeepingInASunlitRoom. Your experience is very helpful.

I would order 5mg as the price is usually not that much different, then it gives you both options - stick with 2.5mg (30 clicks instead of 60), or increase to 3.75mg or 5mg if you feel the effect is wearing off and you you cannot sustain your weekly calorie deficit.

I dislike the common misuse of the term "microdosing" on these forums.

It originally came about from a Dr who discussed real "microdosing" (using very small amounts of MJ to support health issues like inflammation) and has grown arms and legs and now everyone uses it as term to inaccurately describe adjusting the dose in the the pen you have.

2.5mg is already the low starter dose and most people are not expected to stay on for long, so there is really no need to take a half dose. Some people are super responders and do stay on it for longer.

I would suggest take your 2.5mg pen as per the instructions (and the 5th dose if you choose) and become familiar with the medication and how your body responds before you start tweaking anything.

The medication instructions in the box say it lasts 30 days after first use (or from being out of fridge temperatures) which is fine for 5 doses of your 2.5mg pen on days 0,7,14,21,28. Read the instructions in both the leaflets carefully in full when you receive your pen to clearly understand what the standard instructions are so you can then risk asses for yourself the tweaks people suggest on here, as some of them are imo high risk.

Photo shows what I've ended up doing (plan to go up to 5 mg on my next dose).

I felt I wanted to go up a bit after 4 weeks on 2.5 mg. If I could go back I would've taken 3 x 3.75 mg doses after my first bonus dose (of 3.2 mg) before going up to 4.2 mg (where I was over suppressed but no bad side effects). First 4.6 mg bad side effects. So dropped back down. Made same mistake again. So, then went up more slowly. Now under suppressed on 4.6 mg so hoping 5 mg will be fine...My protocol now is to only go up a sub-dose a of every four weeks (max). Now way I could've know I would react so strongly to it and need to go up so slowly though. It has been a learning curve...