Does going up the doses mean it will be harder to come off?

[Lilacdreamowl]

Just wondering when I reach goal and my plan is to maintain for a couple of months then slowly taper down, if I was on higher doses it that going to make it harder to come off as I’m used to higher levels of the drug?

im currently on 5mg, and would like to go to 7.5mg but worried that means when I do hit goal, tapering down will be harder? And to try and manage on 5mg as when I come off I’m going to be hungry. Or is that not the case?
looking for experiences of tapering down

I have no idea, given that I am not yet at goal. I have been on 10mg for several months, and would move up to 12.5mg if I felt I needed to to get to target. I don't think I will, as I am about a stone away from my final goal so hope to get there on the 10mg. But if I stopped shifting the weight for a prolonged period, then I would move up without worrying about it.

I would lose the weight and get to target first, moving up if you need to, rather than be afraid of what might happen later on.

There are a couple of long running maintenance threads in this section which might be worth a read, or asking your question there.

I was very slow to go up the doses, and spent quite a few weeks at 2.5, 3.75, 5 and then 6.25. Indeed, it took me 8 months to work my way up to 7.5mg, and only stayed there for about 4 weeks. I am on my way down now (had a couple of weeks at 6.75). To be honest, this slightly lower dose seems to be working better than 7.5mg did. I know that makes no sense, but I believe my metabolism/appetite has reset and a plateau of about 6 weeks, and where I was struggling not to eat more. My appetite is now more like what is was when I first started. It feels like it should be easy to reduce a little more over the next few weeks. Plan is to reduce slowly, but I want to be off before going to Asia for a few weeks over Easter as it saves traveling with it.

Not imho. I went up 2.5 every 5 doses from March last year. Got to 15 in August 24. Stayed there until Jan 25 by which time I had lost 6.5 stone. Titrated down at 2.5 every 5 weeks until I got to 5 mg in June.. have remained the same since I reached goal. I maintain on 5mg. Will stay on it forever.

Hi this is so useful how often fo you dose at the 5mg now is it every week? I’ve said the same I will stay on it it’s been so great x

I think as long as you plan to titrate down slowly, so I did an extra month on ten, whilst reverse dieting, then moved to 7,5, did a month of that, then 5, the slow increase in cals offset the slow decrease in the meds and it always felt the same, but I’m staying on 5mg, so I guess you’d need to keep doing the same if you want to fully come off, so a month or two at 2.5

your hunger will come back like before though when you’re fully off. The drugs don’t work when you don’t take them, so you need to be prepared and managing your diet so ensure you can maintain.

I can’t see why it would make it harder.

I got as high as 12.5 (only for two weeks though as it was waaaay too strong for me!) and am now happily maintaining on 5mg. Yes, I can eat more than previously and do get hungry but only at appropriate times. I have a little food noise and can also drink more wine than when I was on higher doses but I am reminding myself that I do have willpower and I can’t rely on MJ to do all the work for me!

That’s how it works for me, too, I could easily eat and drink a lot more, but the maintenance dose means it’s equally as easy for me to exert will power and say no thanks, I just don’t have those cravings, or deep hunger, or food noise any more. But if I’m out socialising I can easily partake. And if I gain a few, which has not yet happened, but I’ve had big weekends, I can nudge the dose up after.

im off on an all inclusive shortly, I fully intend to not exert will power, but know the drug will make me stop and not over indulge. And I will gain some weight, which is fine, as when I come back I will slightly increase and just do a cal deficit for a few days or a couple of weeks, to get back to where I am now.

it makes managing weight, and still being able to enjoy life much more achievable.

I guess it will depend on many different things and one person may struggle while another may be fine. Some reasons will be medically outside our control for many people they can control more.

One (extreme) example, if one person with the help of WLIs adjusted their diet significantly reducing the usual foods that trigger cravings and hunger, focussed on whole foods and macros that increased satiety, not relying completely on the medication and tried over time to embed that way of eating into their routines they are more likely (not guaranteed) to be more successful at tapering down than someone who relied completely on the medication to fully suppress their appetite while eating the same foods as before.

I also think how aware and what we learned about ourselves and how we responded to different foods when initiating the meditation, during its use and then a willingness be patient, to continue learning and adapting as needed while attempting to taper down will support us in the hardest part of the journey.

We cannot guarantee success when tapering down, it may be impossible for some, but there are things we can do to increase the odds.