Anyone been in this position? Dose advice …

[onlyhereforthechaletschool]

I was extremely fortunate to be offered MJ by my doctor for type 2 diabetes in Sept 24. I did one 2.5mg pen and then moved to 5mg where I remained until October last year. I lost around 20kg between September and April and then gained and lost around 2kg all summer. My BMI is around 30.2. I could not increase the dose as it was doing the job it was being prescribed for - controlling my blood sugar. It was clear though my body was used to it and the food noise came back. In November I was told I was being taken off it as it is too expensive. I lasted three weeks and then started paying for it myself. I was restarted on 2.5mg, did feel some suppression but didn’t really lose anything, I’ve lost the 2kg on the 5mg pen - and then put 1kg back on … would you move to 7.5mg? I need to lose another stone ideally … to give me a wriggle room and get me comfortably in the overweight category. I’m resigned to the fact I’m not going to be thin!!

What lifestyle changes have you made?
I.e. Exercise, water, protein, calorie counting etc

My water intake is decent, (I don’t drink hot drinks (or alcohol) and I only drink water in the morning and evening but do like a Diet Coke during the day). My protein intake is ok, 0% Greek yoghurt for breakfast, and I eat a lot of chicken (very little red meat). I haven’t been calorie counting - but I am short (5’2) so I know i can’t eat the ‘normal’ amount. I don’t exercise beyond walking, but can easily knock up 15000 steps on a weekend day and 25000 if I’m on holiday … but work days I am sat at my desk a great deal.

I’m a stress eater who was extremely overweight her whole life till I lost it all 12 years ago on my own (no slimming clubs etc) and kept it off for 8 years. Significant stress, caring for elderly relatives and the menopause all led to my regaining some but not all of the weight between 2020 and 2022.

I would move up to 7.5mg I think, and see how that goes. I might combine it with a week or two of tracking calories to check your portion sizes are ok and that you are definitely in a deficit.

Or, you could do exactly that, track calories and guarantee a deficit, for another 4 weeks on the 5mg dose and see if you make progress. Assuming you do still feel some effects on the 5mg dose in terms of reduced appetite?

I'd start by working out your daily calorie allowance and tracking it by weighing everything. Then see how it's going.
I say this as someone who moved up far too quickly every time my weight loss slowed down and if I was starting now I'd try a lot harder before I moved up the dose.

In my experience you need to move up as your body becomes tolerant so yes move up to 7.5mg and you may need to increase again in time.
I worked my way up to 15mg over about a year.

The pharmacist that I’ve got the paid for drug said as much … he said I shouldn’t expect to lose on 2.5mg and my body is now really used to 5mg. I’m hoping a couple of 7.5mg pens may be enough to get me to where I want to be, then I’ll taper back off.

I'm 5ft 3 and have an office job but them have busy weeks of being on my feet all day and week, like this week. I also drive 2-3hrs a day and now do 2 body toning HIIT workouts a week and I put my tdee as sedentary to work out my cals which is 1000 a day to lose or 1500 to maintain. It is so easy for me to eat upto my maintenamce calories especially after my workout and a few days after! I would suggest tracking calories amd I also need to eat high protein to lose weight consistently so its worth cutting the carbs.