Mounjaro 2.5mg every 5 days?

[IStayCosy]

I'm on my 3rd week of Mounjaro, all going great beside the side effects, which thankfully are now wearing off. I don't particularly want to go up a dose yet as my suppression is very strong. But I do notice that the last few days before the next jab, I do get rather hungry and eat more than previous days.
I have a friend who has been doing 2.5mg every 5 days since the start and has had great results, without the side effects of going up a dose. So I'm just wondering of anybody has done this?
I do plan on going on to 5mg, but would like to stay at 2.5mg for as long as I can (the side effects were pretty brutal and I don't want to experience that every month).

Anyone else tried 2.5mg every 5 days? With success?

At three weeks in you aren't even on to a therapeutic dose yet, your body is just getting used to the medication. Stick at 2.5 if it's working for you, but if it's wearing off to the point you'd considered taking it more often than it's prescribed for, why would you not just go up to the 5 dose? Messing with the dosing schedule like you are contemplating is not a good idea.
I think for most of us day 1 suppression is noticeably stronger than day 7. That's the nature of the medication. If you are hungry, eat food! Just try to eat as well as possible so you don't undo any of the faster losses from earlier in the week.

I can't face going straight up to 5mg, from what I've read, the side effects will ramp up again, and life doesn't let me sleep for 15 hours straight for the first week of side effects 😅

I'm definitely going up to 5mg, I just want to do it very slowly and not in one go

I’d do a 3.75, but sounds like it’s working fine for you if it’s wearing off. I get folks like to mess with the dosing guidelines, but reading this forum the folks who hit the most problems are the ones that do that. Stalls, not able to tolerate higher doses, struggling to lose etc.

there is also an element of your friend will have a psychological impact as well, if she believes it will work it will or she maybe determined to stay on a lower dose and for it to work, maybe due to cost.

id not, I’d simply do a fifth or sixth week at a slightly reduced dose. Many folks have reactions at five, but it is short lived.

I wouldn’t tinker with the days in between doses. The medication works in a way that you are less hungry the first few days and more hungry towards the end of the 7 days - that’s normal and to be expected. It all balances itself out, as usually people have less appetite and eat less the first few days, so less calories in, then they get a bit more hungry and eat a bit more - slightly more calories in. Over the course of the week it balances out, you don’t want to have full suppression constantly or to be undereating consistently.

Personally, I stayed on 2.5 mg for 2 months because it was working great; then when I didn’t lose for a week or two, I did make my own in-between dose of 3.75 mg by counting clicks - and no, I am not advocating for it, but many people do it and it works well. I did 3.75 mg for about 6-8 weeks and then moved up to 5mg and didn’t have any side effects. But then I didn’t have any side effects from starting 2.5 mg either. So that may be just me.

Then going up to 3.75 would be the more sensible approach - using less rather than using more frequently is much lower risk of both sides effects and more serious complications.
There are no guarantees with the side effects though so I wouldn't assume going up to 5 will automatically be bad. I went to 3.75 at the start of my first 5 pen as I was worried about side effects while I was with family over Christmas, but I've had less on 5 than I did at 2.5.

How much are you eating on the days that the suppression wears off? And how much on normal days?

Thank you for all the suggestions! I am really pleased with Mounjaro, just not keen on the side effects. I am literally a zombie for 3 or 4 days after the injection. I could sleep all day and all night. I felt beyond sluggish. Although I must say, after my 3rd dose 2 days ago, I am doing much better, hence not feeling ready to go up a dose.

I'm eating well, maybe 1200 cals a day most days, sometimes a little less. But other than walking the dog, I am not really active (plus have hypothyroid) so I'm happy with the calories.

I think the 3.75mg sounds like a good plan, I'll look into clicks etc.

If you reduce the days from 7 to 5, the dose will build up and increase more than standard, so the risk of side effects is higher. Mounjaro does have a half life of 5 days which is why the last 2 days most people fele hungrier. But they are good for building healthy eating habits by staying within calorie deficits and eating clean. Plus you can use those 2 days for a treat especially if you ate much less at the start of the week and have weekly calorie allowance left.