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 😊

@SerenadeOfTheSchoolRun I really hope it can be a supportive and informative thread for those of us actually on the drug and now most of us coming off it. I think we should just ignore the goady posts that try to derail us.

How long have you been on ozempic? I'm four months in and it's worked well. I'm with juniper and like everyone else upset that I can't continue my treatment plan.

@Sugarplumfury I moved up to 0.75mg. I had done an extra month of 0.5 due to side effects but the weight loss stopped. I'm two weeks on the 0.75 eating the same and losing again

@TheWayOfTheWorld I'm taking 0.75mg doses from my 1mg pen to eek it out and I don't think I could tolerate 1mg. Nausea and constipation are back with a bang but the scales are shifting. I'm dreading going down to 0.5 as it does nothing for me. I might take three 0.75 instead of four 0.5mg doses from my next pen if that is possible I'll need to work out the clicks.

Good luck everyone xx

How is everyone doing with savoury breakfasts?

My dinner tonight would make a nice breakfast

Fried egg
70g of beans
25g of eatlean cheese (tolerable mixed with beans)

18 grams of protein 227 cals (using half tablespoon of oil/butter)

@bellac11 I had to google eatlean cheese. It sounds as much fun as vegan cheese. But with more protein 😅

What are others eating?

I have all my vitamins, biotin, Collagen, fiber gummies and a chocolate protein shake at about 11am. I find the longer I can go without anything after taking my Rybelsus, the better the appetite suppressant effect seems to work.

I'm eating the same as normal just far less of it. I'm on 1400 calories so eating from a wee plate rather than a big pasta bowl. I'm eating carbs as I'm really nauseous so nibbling on carbs.

@Itisyourturntowashthebath agree I'm vegan and vegan cheese is beyond vile for me.

How many more weeks of treatment have folk left. I'm with juniper and don't know whether to bother buying another 0.5 pen or not. I don't lose on that dose.

I wonder how much wegovy will cost. For me this drug has been life changing so so helpful and I really hope more people can access it in the future(please no debate about current supply and diabetes etc that's not my point) Apart from vile nausea and fatigue I've found it not too hard to be in a calorie deficit and lose. I'm 51 on hrt and morphine. I feel so much better as I'm sure lots of us do x

Im also concentrating on small portion sizes. Today I’ve had strawberry kefir and strawberries for breakfast and a toddler ready meal pasta and bolognese. I’m full after it which is great. I’ve bought some ready meals which I rarely do because I’m feeling a bit rubbish at the moment and can’t be bothered cooking. My 0.5 pen should come tomorrow and I hope these small portions still fill me up once being back on the lower dose. I’m taking my usual combo of vitamins - 1000mg vit C, b complex, vit d and zinc.

I’m now 11 days since my last 0.75mg jab and I am seeing real hunger coming back. Over 2.5 stone lost but still probably had another stone to go but came off it because I just couldn’t stand the side effects any more. And seeing how I’ve felt this last 11 days only cements my decision to come off it: I’ve felt so much better.

Trying to intermittent fast and stick to 1200-1000 calories a day but am worried about maintaining my current weight.

Its not overly cheesy its true and I am a cheese connoisseur but because I need to keep to certain protein levels but cant eat big enough meals to do this easily I need foods that are really high in protein

Today I had an omlette with the cheese, really nice so it works in things like this. Its very low in lactose

@Canyoudigityesyoucan I too am looking forward to being off it as I've been nauseous every single day for over four months, I've also had no energy. It's great to hear you are feeling good,are your energy levels good.
IF sounds a plan, I've been reading about it great you are sticking to your calories. You've done brilliantly to lose 2.5 stone

@Sugarplumfury that's a good idea a wee toddler ready meal, your calories stay low and brilliant you were full. It's hard though isn't it always having to be mindful of calories and eating

I was on Ozempic for around 4 months, stopped taking it around 2 months ago. So far so good - I lost 32lb on it and another couple since, though my aim is just to maintain at the moment.

I may want to lose another stone, but while I'm still definitely overweight I'm feeling quite neutral / slightly positive about my body at the moment, and don't want to risk changing that any more failed dieting attempts right now!

I only had 6 weeks at 1mg I think, as stretched my second 1mg pen out a bit tapering back down doses. It seemed sensible to me to do that and gave a feeling of control - I would have stayed on it longer if not for shortages, but did also struggle with constant nausea so overall pleased I stopped then.

I'd say my appetite is pretty 'normal' now, but having eaten smaller portions for a while that seems to have become habit. I do prioritise protein, eating 3 food size meals, minimal snacking and sugary treats. I'm hopeful I can maintain eating like this, and am quite active. Time will tell I guess, but having lost and maintained an 8st loss for a few years previously, I'm conscious that it's an ongoing fight for me.

@Hurdygurdygurdy well done on your loss and maintaining so far. That's really encouraging to hear that your body is used to smaller portions,I am hoping mine will be the same. I eat out of a small bowl instead of those big pasta dish bowls to keep my portions small.

The nausea on ozempic is vile.

My juniper who I am still with despite them being a shit show say they will be offering wegovy in a few weeks as soon as it becomes available. I'm hoping not to need it but will review once my ozempic runs out. I'm a bit weary of it all and tired of feeling sick, constipation one day diarrhoea the next, you never know how you are week to week on ozempic. X

Ok that's 3 weeks I've been off Ozempic now and I'm...OK! Using glucose goddess hacks and signed up for Zoe. I have a lot of good habits that I'm continuing to use like IF which I love, it really controls my appetite and makes me feel good. I'm aware some may still be in my system but as I weaned off at 0.25mg not much I guess. I'm noticing sugar and how it affects my appetite and cravings a lot more. Feeling pretty good. 😊

@supermarketscrunchie That’s great. Do you feel more like ‘yourself’ now you are off it, or was that never an issue? i suppose I am wondering about tiredness/fatigue and general mood.

@WeightInLine I'm less nauseous and constipated but that never over bothered me tbf. I feel bloody great!

on a psychological level I think looking and feeling good is an extra motivator. It's so hard sitting in a size 20/22 body, overeating then thinking 'whats the point'. At a size 10 when I overeat it feels easier (at the moment) to think i don't want to lose what I already have so will pull it back tomorrow. I'm really working on how food makes me feel and how to overcome sugar cravings. Signed up for Zoe in Oct. More bloody money! lol

I am joining the Coming Off Ozempic group. I have been on it since Feb 2022 and have lost three stone. Have been stuck since around December with very slow loss since. Have gone up to 1.5 at one point and it was helping but then the shortages kicked in so I’ve gone back down to 1mg and now 0.5. Definitely feeling hungrier and am eating more. I suspect I may need the higher doses of Wegovy but until that is available I am going to stick to 0.5 - I think I have ten weeks left on that. If the shortages have eased by then I will see about upping the dose if I need it.

In the meantime I have signed up for a two week trial of Noom and am hoping that will help alongside Ozempic. And I also have the Glucose Goddess book. I have also read the Ultra Processed People book about the effects of ultra processed foods and how that affects us.

My downfall is wine so need to get that sorted too. So switching to weak white wine with soda from tomorrow. I used to drink that a lot and actually really like it.

Like most of us who have been obese for a long time I know what to eat and how etc. It just feels relentless to constantly start a diet of some description with six stone to lose and get to about two stone down and then ‘fail’. Having read about our weight set point I now know why that happens and now know it isn’t me failing. The book “Why we eat (too much)” by Andrew Jenkinson is good on that subject. Having now lost three stone on Ozempic I am hopeful I can lose the next two with a low dose of Ozempic and Noom and watching WHAT I eat as much as how much I eat.

@supermarketscrunchie can I ask how much Zoe is? Does it involve the glucose monitor and muffins they supply.

I'm on 0.75mg for another few weeks then four weeks of 0.5 and I don't know if I'll do a pen at 0.25. Might go onto wegovy once available but I don't know if I could tolerate even their lowest dose.

Hoping to continue to eat in a calorie deficit, eating smaller portions and less carbs and less crap. Might look into IF not sure.

As others have said losing the weight and feeling good for the first time in decades I hope will be a motivating factor. Main positive for me boobs gone from 36E to 34C, I no longer have a big matronly bosom. X

@Peridot1 also trying too focus on WHAT I eat. The difference to my mood and overall sense of wellbeing is significant when I eat healthy v junk. I don't drink at all now for the same reasons. I feel and sleep 100x better without it so fortunately that's not an issue for me. 3 stones is great, huge well done.

I am not doing well coming off. I am REALLY struggling not to return to old habits.

@wearesuceeding have you read the glucose goddess? There are also sugar cravings meditations to try if that's your kind of thing? I agree, it's not easy

Thank you I haven't but I will. I have been eating well but cannot quench the sugar craving which then leads to the blow out.

Three weeks here too. Not gained but not lost anymore. Am now trying to fast where I can and eat two meals a day or one big one. I’m still indulging in a little treat here and there but have maintained being alcohol free too so that’s good. Focusing on activity too, got the old iWatch back on to track activity and steps which is helping!

what kind of things do you eat when you do a sugar blow out?

is there a world where you still have a sugary “blow out” but do damage limitation on what you blow out on?

so instead of ice cream get some frozen yoghurt (M&S do a birthday cake one which is amazing and very low in calories)

or nice chocolate rice cakes with some peanut butter, fruit and some tiny meringues? When I feel like this my old Slimming World habits kick on and I go make a small plate of low calorie treats and blow out that way…..

@wearesuceeding sorry above post was for you!