When to stop

[MoralHighGroundGrandWizard]

Hi all!

I’ve been on Mounjaro since August. I started at 16 stone (5ft 6) with a BMI of 35. Even as a teenage I was around 11stone 11lb so my original target was 12 stone. Now I’m 11 stone 9, and on 12.5mg. I’m wondering when to stop. My BMI is 26 - I feel conflicted. Part of me wants to start tapering down, but a part of me wants to keep going, maybe until 10 stone.
im also worried about coming off and piling the weight on but I accept that I have to eventually due to finances as I’ve only really budgeted for a year.
im not sure at what point they would refuse prescription though.
does anyone have any thoughts or advice?

Maintenance friendly pharmacies will only stop prescribing when BMI gets to lower end of healthy BMI around 21-22ish, but it should depend on the individual and be part of a consultation process. I wouldn't worry to much about not being able to get a prescription.

You can see maintenance friendly pharmacies and guideline BMIs they stop at on the monj website.

As for how you should handle tapering down and/or moving to maintenance I guess it will be individual and a bit of trial and error to find out what works best for each of us when we try it. I am not there yet, but hopefully some one who has been can share their experience, but be mindful yours may be different.

Book a consultation with a pharmacy that supports maintenance who will work with you to formulate a plan.
I have one booked in 3 weeks time with Oushk who have many plans, but there are others too. I'm now 10st 8lbs bmi 26.2 and want to get to 10st but I am 5ft 3" and South Asian so a normal bmi for me is from 23. Its normal to expect some weight gain when stopping mounjaro due to the reduction in inflammation and water retention that it works on, but there are many who maintain well with clean eating and exercise. Some also choose to stay on a low dose, I probably will due to prediabetes and insulin resistance. I have been on it 7 months so I have learned and practised better eating practices so hoping that will help my maintenance.

You don't stop, you'll need a maintainence dose forever. 95% of people who stop return to their original weight within a year.

I’m at a similar point. I started in August at 17st 7lbs, I’m now down to 11st 7lbs.

Originally my goal was 10st, but now I’m not actually sure if I want to go that far. I feel pretty good as I am, and think I might look a bit unwell at 10st. Also, I know MJ can get me to 10st, but I’m not sure I could sustain it independently.

I was always on a fairly low dose, only got as high as 7.5mg. At the moment I’m doing most weeks at 5mg, with the odd week a bit higher if I feel I need it.

I’m not sure how much longer I’ll stay on for. Maybe low doses to the end of the year.

It has been an absolute miracle though.

This is incorrect. Some weight gain can be expected but 95% of people returning to their starting weight is not an accurate statistic.

Where do you get your information? Can you share the evidence of this?

Are you happy with your weight where you are?

Personally I wanted to get into the middle of a healthy BMI. A lot of people will say BMI isn’t accurate, that if they get to a healthy BMI they will look unwell etc but I don’t really agree. For the vast majority of people, a healthy BMI is an appropriate target and being say 24BMI won’t make anyone look unwell. I didn’t want to stop before I reached that.

I aimed for around 22.5, got there and have come off (I’ve lost a further 5lbs since coming off so I’ll need to buck up my ideas if I want to gain 5 stone back in a year, I’ve only got 10 months left now!)

This is really interesting. I was wondering what the long term plan needed to be for people who have used it successfully.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/14/people-who-stop-weight-loss-drugs-return-to-original-weight-within-year-analysis-finds

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/14/people-who-stop-weight-loss-drugs-return-to-original-weight-within-year-analysis-finds

Bollocks. Utter bollocks.

I am on it also however I am not going by number on the scales or BMI, I am 5ft 8in and was a size 12/14 at 14stone so going by how I feel.

Ask yourself if you are happy with your progress and how your clothes look/feel? If the answer is yes then stop.

Did you read the academic paper the news article I linked references?

Nowhere in that article does it say 95%. The point they’re making is that unless you make behavioural and lifestyle changes alongside using mounjaro etc you’ll go back to your old habits when you stop taking it.

I think this is based on people slipping back into old habits. If people continue to put in the work with fluid intake and calorie deficit then there won’t be a need for the jabs

It's in the academic paper they reference.

"The point they’re making is that unless you make behavioural and lifestyle changes alongside using mounjaro etc you’ll go back to your old habits when you stop taking it."

Yes ofc - did you think I was trying to suggest anything different?

Yes - the authors say this.

The reason why people use weight loss injections (myself included) is that they cannot regulate fluid and calorie intake on their own (due to will power, lifestyle, poor dietary choices or any of the other millions of reason why people struggle with their weight), so when the injections stop, old habits return and the weight goes back on.

Oh ok 👍🏽

The whole reasons these drugs are being used for weight loss is because of how difficult it is to maintain new habits, there needs to be strong professional and ongoing support for weight maintenance to happen and that is just not realistic for a majority especially if the reason that they are stopping these drugs is because of ongoing cost.

It’s an interesting question.

i started at a BMI of 39. I’m now at 30.

i was 16 and a half stone, now 12 and a half.

I’m 5’4, aged 55, and am a size 14 for most things now.

i think I want to get to a 12-14, with some good muscle-mass, which will mean a BMI of 27 - still overweight, but I think that will suit me.

that means about another stone of fat loss - then I will fiddle around to find a good maintenance dose.

do you feel ready to wean yourself off? What sort of overweight timeframe have you had - has it been long term? if so, I’d suggest being really aware of a possible longterm need.

What utter nonsense. You use these jabs and the appetite supression to form good and healthy habits that you can maintain.

BMI is utter bull shit. My friend is 11 stone of
pure muscle but is 5ft 4. Eats lean and healthy and lifts weights. BMI is 26. The system
needs to be scrapped.

But the research shows for 95% of people those healthy habits aren't maintained..................

https://easo.org/is-coming-off-semaglutide-slowly-the-key-to-preventing-weight-regain/#:~:text=The%252520researchers%252520conclude%252520that%252520patients,semaglutide.%E2%80%9D%252520says%252520Dr%252520Gudbergsen.

Tapering maybe the key.

I was on Wegovy for 8 months last year, and lost a total of 30kg. In tandem I started doing the couch to 5k, changed the way I eat (intermittent fasting). The last pen I used to taper down, over a further 3 month period. I have since maintained that weight loss. I think if you are looking to taper down and come off it, you need to ensure you have exercise routines etc in place first. I have kept running and now regularly run (3-4 times a week, between 5 & 15km). I also still am mindful of my eating, and have kept doing the intermittent fasting. I obviously can't guarantee I'll continue to maintain, but I definitely intend to!