Coming off Ozempic

[supermarketscrunchie]

I have been on ozempic for 8/9 months and am now at my goal weight. I lost nearly 2 stones before ozempic and 3 stones on. It's truly been the best thing to happen to me. It's a lifelong dream to be a size 10 and no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't achieve it.

I want to come off it now as feel I need to try to manage without it. It's sooo expensive! I'm so scared of regaining as research suggests this to be common. I have changed certain things in my life now though as I no longer drink and I fast as a general rule (no snacking at night and no breakfast).

Anyone else coming off and feeling nervous? Would be nice to share the experience 😊

I'm worried I will have to come off it not by choice as supplies are drying up. I'm 20kg away from goal weight, and like you I'm finding it life changing.
The Oz threads are talking about finding alternatives, none of which appeal to me and some sound downright dangerous, but people are so desperate to continue their weight loss.
I've got qualifications in nutrition and been in what seems like every diet under the sun, nothing has got rid of the food obsession and constant hunger like this. I'm dreading it coming back.

I don't want to sound rude, and I'm happy that this is working for people, but what happens once you come off it? Does the weight just come back on?

Pretty much in most cases, yes the weight just comes back. There might be rare exceptions. You are only meant to be on a weight loss involving the injections for a 2 year period, in the US it’s life time but over here it was different if I remember right. It may have changed I just remember a tonight programme about Ozempic mentioning the 2 year but that was early 2022.

I stopped Saxenda / Victoza due to national shortages after same time period as OP and my head isn’t in the right space. It didn’t reverse my diabetes either I’m afraid. (Had high hopes one time it would)

No side effects coming off, wouldn’t say it’s an instant back to old ways but I’ve kept up the exercise and try to remember I was heavier this time last year.

Aaaand now there's a huge shortage of it for NHS diabetic patients thanks to the private weight loss industry. Not your fault but really scary for those on it for medical purposes not having access to treatment that's keeping them alive because of a private weight loos industry. (also the private medical industry is not blameless. It's still accessible for those willing to pay the price).
Sorry OP, it just boils my blood. I really hope you're able to successfully come off it without unwanted I'll effects for you. It must be daunting. Well done on your success so far

Just taking Ozempic, is not going to reverse diabetes.

Using it as a tool to help you move to a healthier lower carb diet might.

Beating diabetes requires a life style change, that requires effort.

I’m considering coming off it this next week. I still have weight to lose (I’m down from 14’10 to 12,3) but the side effects are troubling for me. The appetite suppression has been so much I’m barely able to eat anything and am weak, tired and having horrendous panic attacks. I’m sick and nauseous constantly and I don’t feel like myself any more.

I’ve been on it since April and want to feel myself again, I’ve stopped for a week before and still found during that week that I felt the impact of it so you might find you still feel appetite suppression.

For me even with my 2.5 stone loss it means that I can, without ozempic, can keep a closer handle on my weight and won’t let it get to the place I did before.

@Canyoudigityesyoucan can you wean yourself down. As you go down move your diet over to a sustainable one.
If you had mac and cheese on Wednesdays can you swap out half the pasta for some beans and veg.

Thanks for your responses people. I have full intensions to keep up my healthier lifestyle. I believe new drugs are imminent and should lower the price and stop the shortages.

The 2 year cap by Nice is supposedly due to costs as research suggests this should be a long term thing. Also there's talk about the 2 year cap being revised.

I'll only really know how coming off it affects me in the next few months. The thought of gaining appals me so I'm determined to make this work. Maybe it'll be easier when at goal instead of aiming for goal when it can all feel a bit hopeless at times?

I've also found one of my insulin has gone out of stock and has been for about 2 months so far, as well as a couple of other types, because T2 patients have been moved onto it because ozempic is impossible to get a hold of. I'm T1 and facing having to change medication, having never been on anything else and not knowing how my body will react. It's shocking that the big pharma would do this to people in need of medication, and exploit people who are desperate to lose weight by charging them ridiculous amounts for it.

FFS don't feel hopeless. You have come a long way.

You can do it, long, slow steady and dare I say it a bit boringly. Eat enough protein, loads of veg and a bit of carb. Add herbs and spices to make it tasty. Don't obsess or overly restrict.

Its a shame that type 2 diabetics who developed the condition from being overweight were not able to have access to the medication to avoid developing diabetes in the first place

OP what you have to do is prepare quite carefully about what you think will work in terms of replicating the physical effects of the drug to cut your appetite, you have to work out what you react to, calorie deficit, low fat, low carb etc what way of eating works for you to enable you to maintain what you have achieved.

You also have to work out what your intake should be to maintain, that might be a bit of trial and error at the start.

I'd advise not going from a 1.0 dose to nothing. Titrate down just as you titrated up at the beginning of your journey. So could you take 0.75 for a month then 0.5 for a month then 0.25 for a month or maybe a bit longer depending on how you go? You should be very proud of yourself losing the weight and getting to your target weight. I'm on it, I've lost 3 stone and 1 lb in 16 weeks but I still have 6 stone more to lose at least.

I meant hopeless when I was 5 stones heavier. And the diabetes arguments are sound. It's true, obese people do feel utterly desperate.

bellac11 Thanks, good advice

caringcarer yes, I did titrate down 1 to 0.5 to 0.25, well done on your loss

DH had to come off because of supply issues. He had started eating tiny portions and not very often his weight loss was brilliant. I noticed that food wasn't disappearing so quickly and it was saving us money. He wanted to continue, we talked about willpower and that I would continue to give him sensible sized portions for dinner. After 4 days off the meds I started noticing 1/3 of a loaf of bread has disappeared overnight, we are going through ridiculous amounts of butter, there is always a packet of crisps or an enery drink on his desk etc.

He will probably pile the weight back on and more and I am so disappointed for him.

I'm not saying this to worry you, he has no willpower, but be aware that once the drugs are out of your system it is really easy to slip back into old habits. I truly hope you do better than DH has and are able to step back and say NO!

Good Luck.

As someone who lost a huge amount of weight - albeit with no medication, and have put half back on, I can say the danger zone is not the immediate period when you stop dieting. I think you are super aware in this period. I maintained a low weight for years and it crept back on when my appetite was at a "normal level". Eating less calories for an extended period meant I was used to not being hungry, not craving sugar etc. But after 3 years or so that started to change.

Remember that people who control diabetes by diet alone are a diverse bunch.

I have met people who have a borderline pre diabetes / diabetes blood test who can turn it around in 6 months. They are fortunate and a bit unusual.
More normal beings take 5 years of blood, sweat and tears.

Accept the help you got from Ozempic and keep working on it. You can do it, it will be rather hard.

I came off it 8 weeks ago after 5 months on. I found my appetite came back with a vengeance at first and I gained 3lbs in 8 weeks. I got a bit out of control and it scared me. I started fasting this week after getting my head sorted out and am pretty confident that this will keep me maintaining, I just need to do one day a week.
I found I went back to pre ozempic eating for a bit but was very aware of it. If you're aware of your eating and do the mental work to stay focused you should be able to maintain but it might be trial and error for a bit.

From what I have read, it is a drug for life. When you stop it, you rebound to starting weight.
Even those who were supported with nutritionists and access to a coach, being rigorous about lifestyle, saw the weight come back. At a slower pace, but it came back.

So be very very careful OP .

Ozempic hasn't been used for weight loss for long enough to say what happens as a general trend. Some people will rebound of course, same for any weight loss intervention if they revert to previous eating habits when they stop it.

I do appreciate the advice on here people. I am allowing myself a half stone leeway. I I can keep within this through fasting a few days during the week, walking more and staying sober I sincerely hope that I can maintain. If not I'll need to reconsider my options. I've been fat all my life so this is all quite new to me.

OP, have a look at the Glucose Goddess' Glucose Revolution hacks – the hacks flatten glucose spikes in the same way semiglutides like Ozepmic do. I imagine to a lesser degree but it might help with weight maintenance as you're coming off it?

I had to try half a dozen chemists to source my NHS prescribed Victoza for diabetes, so I'm with you on this

Inkpotlover thanks for this, off to have a look!

also the private medical industry is not blameless. It's still accessible for those willing to pay the price). Sorry OP, it just boils my blood.

This attitude is starting to boil my blood. People demanding that it isn’t on private prescription so they can get it for free on the NHS (paid for by the tax payer).

Essentially, ‘you must all buy my drug for me, but no you shouldn’t buy it for yourselves’. The people paying for it privately are doing the NHS a favour. We’re taking control and ownership of our health.

OP, it is so expensive to be on Oz for life, I can’t even think about it but I do wonder if 9mo is long enough to really change lifestyle.

Personally I get hungrier towards the end of the week, and I find that scary enough. I am sure I’ll be back to square one of the insane hunger within days of coming off it.