No longer works, anyone else?

[GoingDownDown]

I started losing weight last Jan, then started MJ in April. Lost almost 4 stone. But now I’m on 15mg and feel no effect at all from it. I’m feeling just as constantly hungry as I ever did.

Just feeling so despondent. It’s never had a big impact on me, but took just enough of an edge off that I could lose weight consistently in a way I have never managed before. But it looks like that’s over. I don’t know what to do next. I’m wondering about trying Wegovy, but I know that’s generally less effective. I had previously been thinking about bariatric surgery. I’m desperate to keep losing weight, I feel like being healthy was almost within reach and now it’s being snatched away.

You lost nearly 4 stone so it is having an effect, unless you are gaining. I have been on it longer, 18m, and just can’t get past 3.9 stone loss. I should be walking every day, but that isn’t happening. I only really need to lose last 1/2 stone.

it’s not the answer by itself, you have to do lots of other things too. How much have you still got to lose?

Congrats on your weight loss to date. That’s great!

Have you recalculated your calorie needs now that you weigh less? Drinking lots of water, protein, fibre etc?

You may need to shake things up a little.

Retatrutide is coming and it is more powerful than Mounjaro. It works in 3 ways rather than the 2 for Mounjaro. It is not approved yet so please don't be tempted to try buy it now as anyone selling it is likely to be a scammer and could send you anything.

For now revisit your pillars of health. Are you getting enough sleep? Are you stressed? Are you eating nutritious food and taking a multi vitamin?

I think if you are tired, stressed, unwell/recovering from illness or pre-menstrual it can over-ride the effects of the medication. So take good care of yourself and get your sleep, exercise and stress management in order as well as eating well with lots of good nutrition - protein and fruit & veg as well as a multi vitamin and see how you get on then.

Good luck x

What's your exercise regimen? Have you recalculated your TDEE?

How long has it been going on - are you sure it’s not just a plateau?

if not, have you reduced your calories to go with your smaller (congratulations!) body? You will need a lot less now than you did four stone ago.

Yes, I exercise and I’ve recalculated my TDEE. I still have 5 stone to lose to get to an healthy BMI, my calorie deficit figure is pretty high still. And I am finding it impossible to stick to. I’m not saying “I’m eating right and not losing weight” I’m saying “I cannot eat right” when the whole point of MJ working is that it helps you to eat right.

It has worked for me for a while. It has, in previous months, taken the edge off food noise. It’s meant that eating a full meal makes me feel full, made it possible to refuse a snack. But now that’s totally gone. No quieting of food noise, no appetite suppression.

That is very frustrating :(
could you try a short break to see if that increases efficacy? When you plan meals are you planning well, and including enough fibre and protein?

Oh no - that is tricky. We'll done on you loss so far. Are you maintaining at your current weight?

Have you tried fasting and/or cutting down on carbs? I find the MJ works quite well for me but if I don't fast (I do time restricted eating so skip breakfast) or eat too many carbs (especially bread and pasta) - the MJ stops working). I think I am insulin resistant - so I need the three pronged attack (MJ, fasting, lowish carbs) to lose weight at all and pre-MJ I couldn't stop gaining weight.

When I was at both 12.5 & 15, I felt it was like injecting water. They were both useless doses & I felt like I was wasting my money. I took a break of a couple of months & then restarted on 2.5 which had good effect.

I think 15mg stops working in terms of suppression given enough time because we become tolerant just as we do to lower doses but as others have said retatrutide is coming and if mounjaro is at least helping you maintain then that is something good.

I would suggest though that a short break might help? Prescribers vary on advice on the dose you need to restart on after a break but personally I had a break of three weeks and restarted on the same dose (15 mg) and am finding mounjaro is working better.

I am not saying everybody should always restart at the same level if they have a break but I have never had any negative side effects throughout my time (14 months) on mounjaro so I think my body copes with it pretty well.

I would also say that sometimes I found the feeling of suppression has varied from week to week throughout my time on the drug with no apparent reason (not meaning when it was clearly time to move up) so it is possible that you may find your suppression improves again if you keep going.

There is also the “set point” theory so your body may be fighting the mechanism of limiting hunger whilst it adjusts to your new current weight.

Im having the same issue op, been on 15mg for 2 months only, I've lost 10 stone and only have 1 more to go but I feel like im not on it, my eating has been at times like it was before I went on mj at all. Im fighting it but cravings are huge, food ive not been able to touch ive now eaten with ease, suppression is non existence. Food noise is back. Ive successfully managed plateaus on my journey in past and this does not feel same at all, cal deficit is correct, exercise 5 days a week. Ive changed up my exercise. I upped my cals then reduced again to restart my metabolism. High protein and fibre. I dont know what else to do. Im thinking of going down a dose to 12.5mg (which always worked well and I was on for around 6 months - im 22 months in in total) so im looking for advice on this thread too.

Reducing the dose won't make it more effective, it doesn't work that way. If a lower dose was more effective it means you were less accustomed to the drug when you were on it

With the greatest respect ive been on the drug 22 months, I know how it works. I dont want a total break or to end up going back down to 2.5mg and restarting. I cant lower my calories any more. I cant exercise any more. I eat 100g protein daily. So considering going down to 12.5mg for a couple of months to then go back up to 15mg in hope it kick starts again. Do you have another idea though, happy for other ideas?

Thanks all, it is good to hear from other people with a similar experience.

I am going to take a break. I have to, can’t possibly keep paying the money for nothing. This gives me some ideas to consider about what to do next.

I hope you find a solution. Using the jab i wondered how this could be a long term solution as we know that often the supression stops being so strong,so how can people have the full suppression for a life time.

good luck, i can only imagine how you are feeling

I'm sorry you're facing this, it is a fear of mine.

I think take heart that there is another new drug on the horizon.

I wonder what the evidence was for capping the max dose at 15mg. There seems so much variation in how people respond. I've been on it for 18 months and not got higher than 8mg so far, not lost weight very fast but have been fairly consistent and I'm liable to some gastro effects so have been cautious.

Whereas others can go straight up to the max in a few months and not get any negative side effects.

My friend was similar to you and has switched from 15mg to 2.4mg wegovy, well she tried 1.7 first which she said was ok and then 2.4mg which she said kick started her suppression again and weight loss. Another friend has switched from 7.5mg to 1mg and says she can't finish her meals due to good suppression. I switched from 10mg to 1.7mg and its very strong suppression and satiety, stronger than mj. Done 2 pens on it and about to start my third and I've lost weight 3lbs on first pen to get to my goal of 9st. There are many that say its not as effective so it's a risk but a lot cheaper and worth a try if you are stalled on 15mg.