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Weight loss injections/treatments

Discuss weight-loss injections and treatments, including personal experiences. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any treatments.

BMI under 27 - Off Label/less to lose

473 replies

ritala · 29/03/2026 12:17

I am mid 40’s and just can’t lose the weight like I used to. I’m fed up of losing and gaming the same two pounds. I’m about a stone and a half more than my happy weight (where I would be approx bmi 23).

I have tried to find a thread for people who have been approved ‘off label’ Wegovy or Mounjaro with less to lose but couldn’t find one, so thought I’d start here. I have a BMI higher than 25 but less than 27 with a couple extra health conditions. Hoping to start after Easter. I’d like to stay with a very low dose if possible. Half a pound a week loss would be good for me. I really want to avoided side effects.

Anyone who is in a similar boat and wants to share experiences or ask questions, please join! X

OP posts:
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Notsosweetcaroline · 29/03/2026 13:22

voy And MedExpress currently prescribe for bmi 25, you will need to email med express I think,

Namechangeoften · 29/03/2026 13:28

I'm in the same position in my late 40s. I was accepted at Voy (photo in the app and passport) and have just started wegovy. My photo, and the fact they accepted it without question, was a bit of a wake up call! I'm 15kg over my old stable weight.

ritala · 29/03/2026 13:32

I carry a lot of weigh around my mid section, so hoping the weight loss will address that. I’m going to keep on a low dose. @Namechangeoften- are you going for a ‘slow and steady’ approach?

OP posts:
Notsosweetcaroline · 29/03/2026 14:52

ritala · 29/03/2026 13:32

I carry a lot of weigh around my mid section, so hoping the weight loss will address that. I’m going to keep on a low dose. @Namechangeoften- are you going for a ‘slow and steady’ approach?

It doesn’t work like that, it is like any other prescription med. You need the dose which works for your body, that could be 5 it could be 15, you can’t will it to work at a lower dose any more than you can a blood pressure med, unless you count placebo effect, so if you go on, you need to prepare thay you may need to move up for it to work and also ensure you understand how to manage if you come off.

madcatters · 29/03/2026 15:07

ritala · 29/03/2026 13:32

I carry a lot of weigh around my mid section, so hoping the weight loss will address that. I’m going to keep on a low dose. @Namechangeoften- are you going for a ‘slow and steady’ approach?

You might as well inject water if your plan is to remain on a low dose regardless. See how you get on, your body might be happy on a low dose but you might be like the majority and need to move up to have the effect you want.

Notsosweetcaroline · 29/03/2026 15:36

Also maintenance, the Lower our body weight the less cals required to maintain, so as you’re maintaining at a higher weight now, you need to accept when you hit goal what you can eat is a lot less before gaining.

You will need to taper down the meds, wholst reverse dieting, ie upping cals a hundred or so a week till you hit maintenance. And then I’d advise staying on for a min 6 months, ideally 2 years till your new weight and eating habits embed.

you will,also have to go on a diet, the drugs don’t melt the fat off, you need to be in a calorie deficit, and eat clean snd healthy, ensure you eat your protein and do strength training, to ensure you lose fat and not muscle, as that reduces the cals we can consume even lower.

as much as you don’t want to lose much, many people find they go a bit lower for a buffer, but weight loss injections is not often the easy answer people proclaim it to be, it is much easier than dieting without clearly. But you still need to work at it. During and after, particularly after, as the drugs don’t work when you don’t take tnem, so hunger comes back as normal but as it’d been controlled, and you’ve no cravings it can feel very strong indeed.

good luck, but important to go into this fully prepared. And your comment on staying on a low dose, is a red flag.

WeAllHaveWings · 29/03/2026 16:22

Be aware before you start with a lower BMI and off label prescribing, they may only prescribe you the lowest two doses only. They likely do this to reduce risk/liability. Example picture from Medexpress.

BMI under 27 - Off Label/less to lose
TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 29/03/2026 16:24

WeAllHaveWings · 29/03/2026 16:22

Be aware before you start with a lower BMI and off label prescribing, they may only prescribe you the lowest two doses only. They likely do this to reduce risk/liability. Example picture from Medexpress.

That's interesting.

ritala · 29/03/2026 16:39

I am new to WLI and still learning. My comments are not red flags. I lost a lot of weight around ten years ago with a calorie controlled diet but this time it’s much harder. I am apple shaped and always gain and lose around my stomach, so expecting and hoping the same will happen again. I am happy to move doses if that is what is safe and best for me.

OP posts:
Namechangeoften · 29/03/2026 16:39

@ritala I'm hoping for slow and steady, as I want to get into better eating habits. I've been on the lowest dose for a few days and have been really encouraged to notice that I'm not getting the midnight munchies. That was my downfall, as I can't sleep if I'm feeling hungry.

Thank you for your posts @Notsosweetcaroline - that's helpful info!

ritala · 29/03/2026 16:41

Namechangeoften · 29/03/2026 16:39

@ritala I'm hoping for slow and steady, as I want to get into better eating habits. I've been on the lowest dose for a few days and have been really encouraged to notice that I'm not getting the midnight munchies. That was my downfall, as I can't sleep if I'm feeling hungry.

Thank you for your posts @Notsosweetcaroline - that's helpful info!

Yes - this is my problem. Food noise and what I used to do in the past not working like it did. I’m pleased it’s working for you.

OP posts:
MeridaBrave · 29/03/2026 16:49

madcatters · 29/03/2026 15:07

You might as well inject water if your plan is to remain on a low dose regardless. See how you get on, your body might be happy on a low dose but you might be like the majority and need to move up to have the effect you want.

I never went above 2.5mg. I decided at the outset that it would be a tool to help me with the mindset to lose (as in I’d been trying myself and failing) - I lost it all with a 2.5mg dose and I’m titrating down to maintain.

Lovemycat2023 · 29/03/2026 16:57

Watching with interest - I’m just over 27bmi but as I’m short I really only need to lose about 14 -18 pounds or so, but having to fight so hard at the moment just to not put anymore on. I don’t have any specific weight related health conditions but in my family we have a lot of high blood pressure so keeping a close eye. I also can’t afford medication at the moment but might be able to in a few months. Really keen to follow your progress OP and thanks for sharing.

kljdhs877 · 29/03/2026 17:01

I’m with Voy, BMI was 25.1. Not sure if being a lower BMI adds to this but there is no chance I’d need higher than 5mg. I stayed on 2.5mg for 2 months and lost a good chunk of the weight, I was still losing but I have gone up to 5mg due to wanting to speed it up a bit this month. Side effects were a pain in the first month, but was fine by the second. Honestly it’s been life changing for lots of reasons, I’m planning on staying on it longer term.

I was told I wouldn’t lose much on 2.5mg, but when I looked into it lots of people stay on 2.5mg or don’t go beyond 5mg, you just might need to be patient. Took me 2 months to lose 10lb, but that was over half of what I wanted to lose anyway. I probably could have lost more the old fashioned way, I know I could lose 7lb in a month when really focussed, but the key difference is the fact you’re not fixated on food. It’s mentally very freeing! I don’t feel like I’m on a diet, but I’m losing weight. (I do still get hunger, appetite isn’t fully suppressed, but I’m much more in control, especially for that dopamine seeking type of craving, my downfall).

livsummer · 29/03/2026 20:32

That’s not true about the lower doses being like injecting water for a lot of us.
I lost a lot on 2.5, and didn’t need to go above 5. I did one week at 7.5 and because it affected me so strongly it took months for my stomach to recover. I started at BMI 31 and now BMI 23 I’m maintaining at 5 but going to start titrating down and hopefully maintain on 2.5

madcatters · 29/03/2026 20:35

livsummer · 29/03/2026 20:32

That’s not true about the lower doses being like injecting water for a lot of us.
I lost a lot on 2.5, and didn’t need to go above 5. I did one week at 7.5 and because it affected me so strongly it took months for my stomach to recover. I started at BMI 31 and now BMI 23 I’m maintaining at 5 but going to start titrating down and hopefully maintain on 2.5

It’s also not what I meant. I used 2.5mg for over a year and lost 8 stone before moving up to 5mg. But, what my post was about was that OP didn’t sound like she was willing to move up whether needed or not. OP has since clarified she is open to doing so. It’s irrelevant really now anyway as someone posted that it’s only the 2.5mg and 5mg that are available for this kind of patient.

ritala · 30/03/2026 09:39

Thank you @kljdhs877 - this is very encouraging to read. I’d be over the moon with 10lbs in two months! I really do not want to lose too much too quickly, so this rate would be great for me. I don’t have a goal weight in mind but something in the middle of the weight range for my height would be good.

OP posts:
ritala · 30/03/2026 09:44

MeridaBrave · 29/03/2026 16:49

I never went above 2.5mg. I decided at the outset that it would be a tool to help me with the mindset to lose (as in I’d been trying myself and failing) - I lost it all with a 2.5mg dose and I’m titrating down to maintain.

Again, this is good to read. I am starting on 0.25. I’m with MedExpress and happy to go up if needed. Did you start lower and how long were you on a lower dose for?

OP posts:
MeridaBrave · 30/03/2026 09:56

ritala · 30/03/2026 09:44

Again, this is good to read. I am starting on 0.25. I’m with MedExpress and happy to go up if needed. Did you start lower and how long were you on a lower dose for?

No I started on 2.5mg and it was enough to make it really easy stick to the 1,200 calorie plan I wanted to follow. I lost the weight within 3 months and I stayed on that dose for 2 more months and now tapering down.

ritala · 30/03/2026 10:14

MeridaBrave · 30/03/2026 09:56

No I started on 2.5mg and it was enough to make it really easy stick to the 1,200 calorie plan I wanted to follow. I lost the weight within 3 months and I stayed on that dose for 2 more months and now tapering down.

Edited

Perfect, this is really interesting. Thank you. Glad it’s worked so well for you.

OP posts:
RockChik · 30/03/2026 11:36

I started at a lower BMI and stayed mostly on 2.5mg. The highest I went up to was 3.5mg but the SEs were too much. I’ve been off it for about 2.5 months and oh boy did the food noise come back! It was worse than before I took MJ and I inevitably started putting weight back on, so I decided to restart the drug again last Wednesday. So far I’ve had zero effects (good or bad), so I’m going to inject another 2.5mg again today instead of waiting until Wednesday 😬

ritala · 30/03/2026 12:39

Good luck with the restart @RockChik. I’m also a bit worried about food noise being worse than now once I’m off the drug, but I can’t keep carrying around the extra weight. Did you have a lot to lose in the first place?

OP posts:
AMouseWithValour · 01/04/2026 08:07

I’m in the same boat as the OP I reckon. Would like to lose just over a stone and a half and just starting out.

I think I’m going for Wegovy with Voy. Happy with slow and steady, upping exercise and improving diet. Am very concerned about side effects but I suppose everyone is different and you won’t know until you try.

can I ask does anyone have any recommendations for a meal plan app or book for on the jabs? I will google but just wondering.

kljdhs877 · 01/04/2026 08:25

@AMouseWithValour I have to say ChatGPT has been my faithful companion. I have a project set up called health and I log everything in there from jab day, side effects etc, food intake. It’ll tell me if I’m not getting enough protein and fibre (really important on WLI) make sense of my side effects for me, tell me what to do if I’m not feeling well, and you can write in the instructions what you want from it, I asked for it to be nutritionist and coach and it’s just really helpful…

Weigh in day today and I’m down 2lb, 5lb to target, big holiday in 5 weeks 🥳🥳

AMouseWithValour · 01/04/2026 08:30

@kljdhs877 that sounds really helpful. And will also polish up my AI skills as well! Thank you