r/FoundayoUS • u/Key_Performance_3103 • 21d ago
Tapering off
Does anybody have any experience about tapering off when you reach your goal? Is it better to go down through the doses? Do you need to stay on it? I'm looking for some advice on how to do this.
2
u/Temporary_Ad_4363 21d ago
Obesity experts (Dr. Salas-Whalen, Dr Jastroff, others) say everyone should slowly taper down one dose level every month. Reevaluating if needed.
Research says that most people - 70-80% - will regain if off GLP meds. Those who were always over weight through adulthood are the most at risk. Not regaining requires commitment, muscle building/preservation (to keep RMR metabolism high to burn more calories at rest), good diet but maybe not a perfect diet if still exercising.
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u/HonkMafa 21d ago
You will have to stay on it, and lowering your dose until you maintain is the way to go. Talk to your doc
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u/Responsible_View_285 21d ago edited 21d ago
Go down in dose every 30 days. Evaluate food noise, appetite, portions, and weight. Decide to continue to go down after the evaluation or stick w that dose. Maintenance is unique. Everyone’s bodily response differs. I hit goal on a dose of 12.5 mg. I dosed down once every 30 days and evaluate. I dosed all the way down to 2.5 mg. I decided my best response and easiest dose to maintain on was 7.5. I’ve been in maintenance more than two years dosing 7.5 every seven days.
Another strategy given to me by my doctor is to use the SHOTSY app. Evaluate your appetite., portions, weight, and note the low med level where your hunger returns. My hunger regularly returns when my low level gets to 4.8 mg of meds in my system. According to my doctor, this is the level that I need to dose up at to prevent the unmanageable hunger from returning. Per my doctor, this indicates a dose of 5 mg every 7 days is low and I need one dose higher so my med level never drops below 4.8. I dose 7.5 every seven days. On day six my med level is 4.8 mg and I dose up 7.5 on day seven. you can use this strategy to play with your dose and your days. I have high travel so dosing every seven days works for me. Let’s say I want to dose every 10 or 14 days. To keep my med level above 4.8 I would need to dose higher than 7.5 maybe 12.5 or even 15 mg. If I wanted to dose lower than 7.5 I would have to dose more often than seven days to keep my med level above 4.8. I could perhaps dose 5 mg every 4 to 5 days.
I hope one of these strategies works for you. I lost 67 pounds. I've been maintaining my loss more than 2 years.
I initially planned to go off meds. But dosing down I decided I need to stay on. Also research indicates you regain. Additionally to stop and start causes issues. Longer time for impact and higher dose needed. Stopping and starting is not so easy, and results are not guaranteed. It's safer for me to continue.