How to decide when to increase dose (Mounjaro)

[MrsAlwaysRight]

I'll be taking my 4th dose of first 2.5 pen today. My starting weight was 13.10 and I'm 13.4 today having steadily lost 2lb each week.

Trying to decide whether to stick at 2.5 and try and drink less wine and move more or get 5 but possibly take 3.75.

My suppression is pretty good on 2.5 but wondering if 3.75 would speed loses up slightly?

Any advice from anyone slightly further along their Mounjaro journey?

Thanks in advance

I’ve never done the full jumps between doses. I think I did exactly what you’re thinking of - split the difference and took 3.75 for a couple of weeks before moving up to 5mg. I’m near the end of my MJ journey now (BMI now 22, started at 29) and haven’t needed to go above 7.5mg doses. However, everyone is different. My approach was always to stay at the lowest dose where I was still seeing weight loss as that way I’d also be minimizing any side effects.

2.5mg is a dose to get your body used to the medication and some people don't lose any weight...you do know that?

Why would a higher dose increase weight loss if you're getting suppression on the dose you're on? It doesn't magically make the fat drop off.

Move up if you're not getting suppression but if you're still suppressed there's no point as a higher dose won't make anything else happen. Yes you can go up a half dose, I've done that.

Why are you drinking alcohol when you're trying to lose weight? You need to look at your diet and make long term changes.

In all honesty it sounds like you don't really understand how WLI work.

You don't have to give up all alcohol when you're losing weight @Titasaducksarse Jesus, it's hard enough as it is. I lost three stone enjoying a few glasses of wine a week.

@MrsAlwaysRight In your situation I did the 'bonus dose' from the 2.5mg pen and it was about 3.75mg as I remember then I went to a 5mg pen. You can always count the clicks and reduce the dose from that pen if it feels too much. I did about 4 months on MJ in total and never went higher than 5mg as that was fine for me. I'd get the 5mg pen as it gives you more options.

I know you don't have to stop alcohol but what's the point? Empty calories with no nutritional goodness, a defined carcinogen, actually just a poison....

I’d just move up. I’ve moved up every month apart from 7.5 where I did 2 months as suppression had been quite strong for the 4 weeks and I’d struggled to eat while my body adjusted initially. Was fine for the second month.
I aim to look forward to meals and not be hungry inbetween. That’s my sweet spot.

I would consider the following, are you experiencing side effects which affect your day to day? If yes don’t move up. Are you loosing weight at a higher rate of 2lb every week, if yes stick with your current dose. Also what do you have on for the next month, anything that would be impacted by move up a dose and feeling rubbish?

If you’ve got good suppression I’d stick with the 2,5 BUT as @SnacklessWonder said buy a 5mg pen (usually the same price) and count the clicks for a lower dose, That way if the suppression wears off throughout the month you can increase the dose.
Im coming to the end of 42 weeks on MJ and haven’t gone above 7.5 as yet, on average 1.75lb a week & I’m happy with that. I don’t drink every night but I still have nights out where I drink A LOT!

Mounjaro has been proven to reduce visceral fat. Also those on the highest dose on the trial lost the most amount of weight with those on the lowest dose losing the least. So there could still be benefits to increasing the dosage.