Mounjaro 'buffer' weight?

[Pegs11]

Wondering if people have given themselves a 'buffer' when they use mounjaro - i.e, deliberately losing more weight than their goal weight, in case they gain back some pounds when they come off the jabs...? I'm 5 foot, and 10.7 stone currently. I would be happy to end up at 9-9.5 stone, but thinking of trying to get down to 8.5 stone initially... then if I do put (up to) a stone back on, I won't feel too terrible about it 😅. Anyone else done this?

Yes, I have done this. I’m 5ft2 and weight just over 8st and I’m a size 6-8. I’m not getting rid of the size 10s that I can’t wear as if I ever do come off I expect to gain half a stone in inflammation at least. I’ve been on since August 2024 and I’m tapering down to find a maintenance dose and will stay on that potentially for another couple of years or forever. I’m in no hurry to come off a medication that has done what it needed to.

I have a weight window 7lbs either side of my goal weight at which point I’ll take action. It feels more comfortable to have a zone than one number.

This is what I am planning, my original goal was 10 stone 4lbs, I’ve hit that so have changed my goal to 10 stone, but want to give myself a 7lb buffer and get to 9 1/2 stone. I then have 7 pounds that I can ‘play’ with. Having to deal with a 7 lb gain will be a whole lot easier than what I originally started with!

7lb buffer here as well. My initial goal was 10st, dropped another half a stone after that to get my waist/height ratio into the green, and now aiming to maintain under 9st 7lbs. That means I will take action if I drop below 9st or go above 9st 7.

A few weeks ago I tipped over 9st 7lbs so went back to "dieting" - basically being more aware of calories & macros, being sure to be 3-500 in deficit, keeping the right mindset. I know how to diet, I've done it a million times. MJ made it possible to do it long term and successfully. Losing a few lbs is much easier than losing several stone!

I am still taking mounjaro though, with no plans to come off any time soon. I am trying to titrate down slowly with the aim of maybe coming off in a year or so just to see how I go - but I think I'm likely to go back to it. The other health benefits for me are worth it on their own.

Hi.
It's my intention to do this, yes.

I'm down 9st 6lb from 20st 2lb, so I currently weigh 10st 10lb.

That gives me a BMI of 26.6

I'm in size 8 - 10 clothes now (I started off in size 24 - 26) so I don't need to lose more, really, but I'd like to lose another 8lb and get down to 10st 2lb.
Even then, my BMI will be classed as Overweight. It's ridiculous.

But that'll give me some wiggle room.
🤣

I'm on wegovy but I'm planning on doing this.

Can I ask how tall you are? I weigh the same as you and my BMI is around 21, I’m 5ft 7.
I actually really love that the differences in our bodies mean that BMI will be so different - it shows that a weight alone means nothing because it also depends on height but I’m really curious, are you quite petite? Or am I just really skewing the numbers in my head?!

ETA please ignore, I read that as you were already 9st 6 not that it was what you had lost! Well done by the way on the phenomenal loss, I started at 16st 2 and am now just under 9 and a half, it’s just still so incredible to me.

I'm 5' 3"

If I lose another 8lb I'll still have a BMI of 25.5.

I'll also be a size 6 by then. BMI is bollocks. But we all know that.

Thanks, I went back in my app to see what my BMI was when I was 10 10 to check and realised that you must be a little shorter than I am.
Haha yes, it’s not the be all and end all and certainly not been my focus but it’s been nice to see it come down from 35 all the same. What I have found the most pleasing non scale victory though was writing down my measurements from day 1 and seeing those change. My weight has been pretty stable now for a while but the measurements keep changing little by little as my muscles come out (I say the word muscles with some irony 😂 I’m not hench but definitely more firm in some places now than I was before!).

How are you managing to get a continued prescription at your weight? MedExpress refused my most recent request because of my weight loss. Another pharmacy agreed to prescribe me but my BMI is now below 30 so I doubt they'll prescribe it again unless I lie. It's getting soooo expensive too.

I am on a maintenance plan and my bmi is high enough (21/22 when I got my last prescription, but my pharmacy will go down to 19.5 case by case). You can look at monj for what pharmacies cut off bmi is, none are 30, most mid healthy bmi.

Med express might have thought you were just starting, you’ll have to show previous prescriptions to show your history.

This was my plan. I’m 5ft 1 and started at 12 stone 9 lbs. I wanted to get to 10 stone. Then realised I was still not in a healthy bmi so planed for 9 stone but my aim is now 8 1/2 stone which I am a couple of pound short of achieving as I’m currently 8 stone 10.

I’m planning to do this. Currently at 10st 2lbs and wanting to get to 9st 7lbs with a 7lbs buffer to 10st

I went down to BMI 21 and maintain there, it gives me room to go up and down a bit and still be comfortably within the healthy range. Practically that means at 5ft 8 I stay below 10st.

How much below 30?

They'll prescribe it if your BMI is 27, or if you started out like that.

I've had no trouble getting prescriptions.

I don't know.

Pre mounjaro diets I would have had this as an aim. But it didn't end well. This is why I'm imagining being on mounjaro for life.

I'm debating this at the moment. My original goal was just to get to a healthy bmi but now I'm a bit closer I think a buffer zone would be good as weight fluctuates.
I'm 5'4 and currently 10 stone 12 so bmi about 26. I'm a size 12 even in jeans (something I never thought would happen when I was 17 stones) and feel pretty good.

I've considered stopping at this weight to be honest, but then I think, why not at least get in the healthy range. 10 stone 4 is the highest bmi for my height so I think I will try to get just under 10 stone. I know a lot of people who are 5'4 are lighter than that but at my age (61) I think I'm in a fairly good place already.

I don't want to be just on the boundary as every time I fluctuate a couple of lbs I'll be technically overweight again. And psychologically that would annoy me.

There is no problem getting continued prescriptions with a lower bmi as long as you have a history of taking it. Many pharmacies will prescribe for maintenance and I intend to take it indefinitely.

@idrinkandiknowthings all pharmacies should continue to prescribe till you are in the healthy BMI range. Some will stop prescribing if your BMI gets lower than their cut off which can vary. Many will continue to prescribe as long as your BMI doesn't get too low. Have a look at the list on Monj for suppliers who will take you on with a BMI in the healthy range, with a history of previous prescriptions.

https://monj.co.uk/mounjaro-maintenance-pharmacies/

I’ve lost approx 4 stone on MJ, taken me over a year ,
I’m currently fluctuating between 10 7 & 10 12, still jabbing fortnightly at a low dose and will continue to do so for foreseeable , if I go back over 11 I’ll take drastic action 😂 .

You are my long lost twin same height, weight and starting date.
im currently microdosing 3ml and maintaining.

@onlymethen I have hope I can micro dose and maintain one day! I’m so scared of dropping doses. You give me hope I can do it too.

No, I haven’t because I’m not planning to stop taking the medication. I know I will need to take it long term.

Do you mean 3mg?
What strength pen are you buying, out of interest?

I haven't given myself a buffer. As someone in their mid-late 50s I don't want to go too low. I have had 19 months of consistent losses, so I tapered down a little before I hit a normal BMI as I didn't want to over-shoot.

I am in the right ball park now and plan to stay on the medication for at least 6 months tapering down very slowly until the loses stop.

Thanks all for your replies. How do you microdose the medication?