Tips for coming off the injectables?

[chindooly]

I have been on an injectable for 7 months now. I reached target about 6 weeks ago and have been lowering my dose and spacing injections out to try and ween off the medication.

The medication helped me top lose the extra 75 lbs I'd been carrying around for 10 years that I had always been trying to lose and failing at. I no longer have high blood pressure, raised blood sugars and my chronic migraines are a thing of the past.

However I paid privately for the medications and no longer meet the criteria nor do I have the money to keep spending £100's each month on them.

The medication has been so good for me that I do worry about what happens when I stop. Will I go straight back to craving sugary drinks and chocolate all day every day? Will my insulin sensitivity just go back to the way it was and all my weight and health issues come back?

I did also count calories and exercise during my weight loss as I have been doing for a long time but it was really the injectable that stopped me having the overwhelming urge to eat sweets and drink cola. If I have been free of that behaviour and eating healthily and exercising daily then will that be enough to help me maintain?

Are there any supplements that people try to help with the issues that the injectable was treating such as berberine?

No answers sorry as just about to place my first order but I’m following because I have just asked this morning about what happens when you stop. Hopefully someone will have some advice and answers for you.

@LiveLoveLifeForever I found this article elsewhere which says that regular exercise is key to maintaining results.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/exercise-helps-keep-the-weight-off-after-stopping-glp-1-drug-treatment

Firstly - huge congratulations. You have achieved so much already. I am nowhere near finishing my journey yet but my plan is to keep to some of the good habits I have begun.

For example - I used to drink wine and beer regularly, not huge quantities but little and very often . I have transferred to low cal soft drinks, 0% alcohol and have not missed the booze and frankly , just don’t fancy it on the meds. I plan to slowly reintroduce irregular wine drinking .. just for special occasions , special meals etc .

Also I have a new habit of using a smaller plate /portion size than my 6ft husband and growing teenagers . They now serve me smaller portions when they cook too. I used to dish up 4 equal size portions! I won’t go back to that.

I will continue to take my own food into the office and not pick up a pastry en route or pop out to one of the many takeaways nearby.

These are just some examples - I am sure you have started new habits which can be continued too?

Also am planning on buying myself a few special new clothing items - which I won’t want to banish to the spare room wardrobe! - that will also be an incentive to maintain.

Oh and I am planning a future activity holiday, so will need to stay fit and healthy for that!

Well done and good luck working out what will motivate you to maintain.

@pamplemoussed Thank you it was really the constant craving for sweet foods and drinks I had that was the issue and that vanished almost as soon as I started the medications allowing me to actually lose weight as my main meals were mostly healthy and I was exercising. I don't drink so that wasn't an issue.

Its just the concern about the slipping back into old habits but at least I am thinking about it now! I will probably keep weighing myself and using measurements and then as soon as I go 5lbs over my current weight for more than a couple of weeks I will log calories and cut back on food a bit. I know now I cannot afford to let myself be free and easy with food!

Unfortunately it's not that easy and you will have instant cravings worst than before. I did these injections and when I stopped I went of the rails and ended up weighing more than when I started. I didn't loose as much as you though so maybe you have a better chance than I did. I feel these injections totally messed up my relationship with food and no matter how hard I tried I just wanted to eat and eat when I stopped them 😩

@Samisam86 I am sorry to hear that. Yes it is possible however there are people who have reported a range of different experiences when coming off these medications. It does appear that having a slower rate or loss, exercise, maintaining muscle mass is key to having less chance of a rebound so it doesn't appear to be true that instant rebound and severe cravings are inevitable for everyone.

I stopped a few months ago after losing 4 stone. Still very gradually losing but at my goal weight now. I strictly calorie count and exercise. I've kept it up. Sugar cravings did come back but I'm now able to reign it in before doing damage like I did before. I also have so much more energy now I'm off the injections so can do so much more exercise.

@Candyfloss99 That is great to hear! My hope is that if I am metabolically healthier at the end of this and have been doing the exercise and diet changes then my body will be less depended on sugar for its energy and hopefully I will have less cravings!

this is the effect i am hoping for... i am 5lbs away from 4 stone lost and thats my goal so i then plan to reduce and eventually stop the injections.

i currently calorie count and exercise regularly so am hoping i have taught myself better habits and am better equiped to manage my weight once these stop

Resurrecting an old thread to see how you are all doing. I am only in the first month of MJ and it is working well but I am aware of the challenge of coming off it so already contemplating my exit strategy… Hope you are all doing well. Would be really interesting to hear how you have got on since stopping it.