Weight loss on 2.5 dose Mounjaro or increase?

[Amibroken]

Hi. Been on Mounjaro for two months on the 2.5 dose. I'm not sure whether to go up to 5. I've lost a stone which I'm happy about and I don't want a drastic fast weight loss. I've heard mixed experiences about the 5 dose. I know only one friend who has been on M twice and recommended staying on the lower doses as long as possible. Has anyone stayed on the 2.5 dose longer than two months and continued to lose weight?

I went up to 3.75 after something like 8 weeks, but I was still losing weight so I could have stayed on 2.5 longer. Now after 13 weeks I'm on 5, which is a bit much in terms of suppression and side effects. I felt like the suppression and fullness effects were wearing off, but quite possibly I was just getting used to my new normal and adjusting my expectations.

I don't intend to go up any more unless this dose really stops working. If I carry on losing at just under a kilo a week, I should be at my stretch goal in 14 or 15 weeks.

My provider, which is doctor-led not just a pharmacy, is keen to keep patients on as low a dose as possible for as long as possible. Just like any other medication.

Any decent pharmacy will support staying on the lowest dose possible that gives you the effects you want.

I look for obsessive food noise gone, and appetite moderately suppressed/feel full enough to allow me to keep to the calorie deficit I want with a bit of will power thrown in.

If 2.5mg gives you what you want just now stick with it. But I would suggest buying a 5mg pen as the price difference is usually not much. You can then take 5 doses of 2.5mg within 30 days from it (30 clicks), and it gives you the flexibility to move up mid pen if needed.

I have been taking Mounjaro for over 8 months and currently happy on 3.75mg. I will only move up again if the effects I need diminish for a few weeks and I can no longer, with that bit of will power thrown in, keep to my calorie deficit.

Are you doing that special thing where you turn the pen a certain number of clicks to get 3.75?

I have had 19 doses on 2.5mg, or even less in the early days. I have only recently gone up to 3.75 by counting clicks on a 5mg pen. My weight loss is slow and steady but recently stalled. I probably stayed on 2.5 a little too long from a results point of view. And like PP I don't want massive suppression. I still get a little hungry, especially coming up to jab day.

I use a 5mg pen. 60 clicks turning the dose knob takes you the number 1 in the window and is a full 5mg dose.

45 clicks is a 3.75mg dose. It would be 30 clicks if you are sticking with 2.5mg.

With 45 clicks I can get 5 doses out of the pen before the pen locks. I can get a 6th dose with a syringe on day 35. 5 days beyond the 30 day limit, I am personally comfortable with that and wouldn’t go any further – up to you to research/risk access and see how you feel about doing that.

3.75mg is a sweet spot for me (so far). 2.5mg might be your sweet spot, stick with it until you need to go up. Work out what your triggers will be to go up – food noise, struggling to keep in my calorie deficit for at least 2-3 weeks are mine – weight loss hasn’t been so far – if I am genuinely in my calorie deficit and not losing I don’t see why moving up would help any further. I don’t want an unhealthy calorie deficit, I am happy with the food noise and portion control, I know this is not going to be a long process and patience is needed.

I don't go up just because there is remaining medication in the pen that I could use, if I get the effect I want for 5 (perhaps 6) weeks I am winning.

Thank you for your detailed response. I've gained 1 1/2 pounds which I know isn't much but that and feeling like I'm not sticking to my targets for protein and fibre etc, mean I feel I'm on a slippery slope so I may choose to go to 5 but take 3.75. I don't want to have strong suppression because I'm planning on a steady weight loss as I'm in my 50s and don't want to be disappointed in how I look after.

Have you definitely gained that? My scale readings go up and down, but the ups are water or constipation and soon get lost in the downwards trend.

I’m on my second 2.5 pen and keep going back and forth between wanting to try out 5mg in case it’s revelatory and sticking with 2.5 as it’s working pretty well for now. I do still get hungry, and fancy crap food sometimes but I can ignore it and stick to my plan, and I am steadily, if relatively slowly, losing weight. I might try 3.75 if I can figure out how to do it with my current pen!

What are you eating? That’s what dictates your weight loss