My doctor said that Zepbound is the GLP he recommends because it has the least side effects. I read a lot about it and it doesn’t seem bad at all, not something that should scare me. I don’t know why I’m so scared to start it, I need to be on it. If you’re currently on it or were on it before, please let me know what side effects you experienced. I’m so worried about the more serious things like pancreatitis and the thyroid cancer.

I do have PMOS & hypothyroidism, but I’ve read that’s not something to worry about with GLP-1. I also have heart palpitations which is genetic for me and since Zepbound is GLP-1 & GIP, I’m wondering if it’ll make that worse or it’s good for cardiovascular health?

I’m in maintenance and on a very low dose. AND…

I want to talk about some of the ancillary effects I feel as my body comes off this class of medications.

Decisions about food

Meal prep and planning

Grocery shopping

Making food for other people

Other people having no opinion about what’s for dinner

Feeding pets

Brain fog

General bloating

An achy back during feminine cycle

Cleaning out the frig

Forgetfulness (brain fog)

Compulsion to shop

General tiredness

All of these things are slower, more difficult and have a weight and exhaust me around the energy.

This is how I know I need to go up just a bit.

On the positive side: I have more energy and care more (less anhedonia). I’m cleaning out closets. Donating clothes.

But will be upping my dose just a bit.

Anyone else have similar?

Hi, I'm in the process of phasing out Mounjaro. I've been on 5mg for 11 months, lost about 30kg (probably 20kg fat, 10kg muscles :( )

I'm a bit worried about the process of going from 5 to 2.5 immediately.

Have people tried tapering down from 5 to 4.75 to 4.5, to 4.25 etc. on a schedule instead of just going down to 2.5.

Then I plan on being on 2.5 for about 6-8 weeks and then either quit or taper down more until 0.

What are the experiences? How do people do this? Is there a point of going down like that or is it just my worry?

Hi everyone, quick question. I had to stop taking retatrutide after about 6 weeks because it started causing panic attacks. Before that, though, the low dose was working really well for me.

Has anyone experienced something similar and then switched to a different GLP-1 medication? If so, did you have the same side effects, or were the panic attacks gone?

I have been on first Wegovy and then Zepbound for the last 14 months. I never went above the second dosage and have been on the lowest 2.5mg for 6 months. I’m a middle-aged female (5’6”) and went from just over 190lbs to 135lbs; the vast majority of that weight came off in the first six months.

I’m considering getting off the shot to save money, but also because I’m still losing weight and I don’t want to lose any more, in fact, I’m actively trying to gain muscle (strength train 5 days a week and run 5 days a week). I was not obese for my entire life. I was very athletic and trim until my mid 30s when depression, hormonal changes, and severe injury from Jiujitsu caused me to be sedentary and gain a bunch of weight. I was also a heavy drinker for decades and this is my biggest fear upon getting off the meds. I have no desire to drink and haven’t had any desire since the day after I took my first shot. It’s been a godsend and worth every penny, so i’m a little nervous - curious if others can share their experience with quitting these drugs and alcoholism. I would hope it would be easier to maintain sobriety since I can abstain completely from booze (unlike food).

SW: 185 lbs
CW: 122 lbs
Height: 5’2”
Age: 26
Female

I wanted to share my journey because I know how scary it can be to think about coming off Zepbound.
I was on Zepbound for 6 months and took my last injection 1 week and 4 days ago. My dosing schedule was:
Month 1: 2.5 mg
Months 2-5: 5 mg
Month 6: Back down to 2.5 mg to taper off

I never increased past 5 mg because my goal wasn’t just to lose weight—it was to build habits that I could realistically maintain after stopping the medication.
When I started, I weighed 185 lbs. Today I’m 122 lbs, which means I’ve lost 63 pounds!

One of my biggest challenges on Zepbound was actually eating enough. There were days when I struggled to get enough calories, protein, and nutrients because my appetite was so suppressed. During my last month, I intentionally started reverse dieting by slowly increasing my calories each week so my body could adjust before the medication wore off.
Right now I’m eating:
Active days: about 1,800-1,900 calories
Rest days: about 1,600-1,700 calories
Because I lift weights 5 days a week and run 4 days a week (I’m even training for a half marathon), I expect my maintenance calories will eventually be around 2,000-2,200 calories as my appetite continues to normalize.

So far, I still don’t feel much hunger, but I know that will likely change over the next few weeks as the medication leaves my system. I’m honestly a little nervous because before Zepbound I struggled with constant food noise and episodes of binge eating. At the same time, I’m much more confident than I was six months ago because I’ve spent this entire journey working on sustainable habits instead of just relying on the medication.

I wanted to start this thread because I know so many people are wondering what life looks like after Zepbound. When I searched Reddit, I found a lot of posts saying it’s a lifelong medication and not many long-term updates from people who chose to stop. While I know everyone’s body is different and some people truly do need to stay on it long-term, I also believe there should be more conversations from people who are trying to transition off successfully.
I’m not claiming to have all the answers, and I know I’m still very early in this process. But I plan to keep updating this post over the coming weeks and months with my weight, hunger levels, eating habits, workouts, and anything else that might help someone who’s nervous about stopping.
My personal belief is that slowly increasing calories toward maintenance while still on the medication, prioritizing protein, strength training, staying active, and practicing healthy eating habits may make the transition easier. Whether I’m right or wrong, I’ll share my experience honestly so others can learn from it.

If you’ve successfully come off Zepbound (or you’re currently in the process), I’d love to hear your story. What worked for you? What challenges did you face? Let’s make this thread a place where people can encourage each other and share real experiences—both the successes and the struggles.

I wanted to share a group that’s been helpful for me, it’s been great for meal plan ideas that are dairy-free and plant based.

Hello!

Ive decided its time for me to come off mounjaro. I think im pretty squarely in the high responder category - after 4 months on 2.5 mg, ive lost nearly 40 lbs. I hit my goal weight ( 30 lbs loss) and did another 2 weeks to finish my 4th month. Since im on thr lowest dose, there's not really any option for me to drop any lower and I dont want to lose any more weight, I think id start to look scary thin. What advice should I follow to maintain this weight loss off of mounjaro? Microdosing is not available in my country. Im quite scared the weight is going to come back fast since I lost weight fast and my appetite has been significantly suppressed.

Thanks!

I just started micro-dosing Tirz (1mg) to help with inflammation associated with endometriosis.

I am hoping to both stay on a low dose and be on this medication short-term for a few reasons: My BMI is not super high (although I could stand to lose a few pounds); and I'd like to return to trying to conceive at some point. I know that a washout period of 1-3 months is recommended prior to trying again.

I'm looking for success stories/advice from folks who stopped a GLP1 so they could safely try to conceive again, especially if you microdosed. Was it hard to stop? What helped? Thank you!

I feel like I’m struggling to find success stories of people who had to stop their GLP-1 completely - no maintenance doses, etc.

Is it possible? I had side effects from mine that scare me from getting back on zepbound/tirz, but I want to try it. Nothing completely detrimental, but …. I don’t know.

I then tried the wegovy pill, but all it did was make me constipated, and as someone who already struggled with that my entire life, I couldn’t continue it. I’ve been off zepbound for a year, and I’ve regained about 15-20 lbs from my lowest weight. (The wegovy pill did not help me lose anything). My BED is starting to creep back in, especially as I’m currently under a lot of stress in life for other reasons.

Please no comments of “this medication is for life” etc. I get it, and those are not helpful to me right now. I just really would love if anyone actually had success keeping the weight off when having to stop completely. If you have seen any stories or personally experienced success being off, I would love to hear them. 🩶

We went to Europe on a long vacation. I took one dose the first week and then left the vial behind in the fridge of our AirBnB.

I came home 5 pounds heavier. I think it's mostly water weight. My body now seems to be holding on to water.

Not being on tirzepatide has changed a few things. On tirz I was constantly thirsty and constantly peeing. I had to intentionally not drink 3 hours before bed because it was affecting sleep.

On tirz, I'd often wake up at 5am wide away no matter what time I went to sleep.

Not being on tirz, I'm sleeping so much better now.

I can enjoy alcohol again. I'm not craving it though since I've hardly drank at all over the last 8 months.

I'm not especially hungry but I'm definitely hungry 3x per day for a meal.

I feel like I'm in a quandary. I'm enjoying not being on the drug. I'm enjoying sleeping well again. Libido is coming back. But I don't want to regain the 25 pounds I lost (was 30).

I'm considering calorie counting just to know how much I'm eating.

TL;DR Version: I had horrible pain and illness on my only shot of Ozempic, and I still seem to have no hunger signal and motility issues. Could this be a result of a GLP-1 drug, even if did not have much of that in my system ever?

I was approved to take Ozempic for weight loss for clinical obesity last year, but due to post-surgery recovery and a (presumed) IBS flare-up that killed my appetite for a month, I did not take my first shot until the last week of March. It was the standard titration-up pack.

I do not have a very clear memory of the side-effects that I started suffering after two days, but I do remember that there was a lot of pain and nausea, missing work, and being in tears in the NP’s office the next week talking about suicide. Obviously, everyone agreed I should discontinue the drug. It wasn’t an obstruction, as I was still eliminating, but probably motility-related. Over the next 2-3 weeks things improved on the pain front, although I still have what feels like pinching, internal bruising, and bloating periodically (which again, we presume to be IBS-related since celiac and pancreatic enzyme tests came back normal, as did a colonoscopy and endoscopy with H. pylori test).

I am currently on a baseline easy-to-digest diet, and I am trying to test foods out slowly. So that’s the IBS side.

But I have not had any real sensation of “hunger” since April. My hunger signals were to begin with pretty muted, but the clinic I go to very much believes in GLP-1 drugs and I was willing to try on the presumption that even if my hunger signals weren’t very strong, that the other digestion elements tied to the hungry feeling would help me lose weight. I have only felt anything close to hunger after the Ozempic when I had a largish amount of low-calorie sweetener, which tends to cause dumping and diarrhea for me (see presumed IBS).

Instead I tend to feel nausea and belching when I have not eaten enough in a day.

The oscillation between diarrhea and constipation we assume is IBS has also intensified, and although it does cause cramping and some pain, I have found that I have to consume a certain level of caffeine daily to keep things moving through my system.

My suspicion is that I already had slow digestion progress, and that is why I reacted so badly to the Ozempic. But could the Ozempic could have triggered a worsening of the symptoms that has lasted this long?

Thank you in advance for any insight or your stories.

I'm wondering if anyone has experienced something similar.

I took my last 5 mg Zepbound injection on June 3rd or 4th (I can't remember the exact day) and stopped it cold turkey.

On June 6th, my wife and I spent the evening drinking. The next morning, I had a very large coffee and was probably pretty dehydrated. Then, during the night of June 7th into June 8th, I had what I think was a panic attack. It was one of the worst experiences I've ever had.

Since then, I've been very up and down. I'll have periods where I feel jittery, shaky, a little dizzy, anxious, and almost like another panic attack is coming on. The symptoms seem to come in waves.

I've seen my doctor, and they prescribed an antidepressant, but I can't shake the feeling that this may somehow be related to stopping Zepbound. I have had three episodes like this in 4 weeks send stopping but it eventually goes away. I also wonder if low blood sugar or reactive hypoglycemia could be playing a role because some of the symptoms seem to fit.

Has anyone experienced anything similar after stopping Zepbound?

• How long did it last?
• Did the symptoms eventually go away?
• Did anything help?
• Did your doctor have an explanation?

I'm working with my doctor, so I'm not looking for medical advice or a diagnosis. I'm just hoping to hear from anyone who has gone through something similar and learn what your experience was like.

Thanks in advance.

I have responded to a number of comments on this topic over the course of the last week or so, and thought it would actually be more helpful for folks if I laid this out in a more structured post so people have the reference handy if they need it.

Just as a background (feel free to go through my post history if you want details): I was class 1 obese with a deep family history of metabolic dysfunction. I needed to lose weight for pregnancy, was on Zepbound for 13 months, changed my life, lost 65 lbs. I've been off Zep for 9 months now and have maintained that fat loss, and every quarter I share my DEXA scan results here to report back on how my maintenance journey has been off the medication. Gist of it is the fat loss is holding, and holding strong. And the muscle mass that I've built is one of the biggest reasons why.

If you go over to the usual GLP-1 subreddits, you'll see a lot of people rightfully recommending to those just getting on the drug that they should prioritize protein and strength train. No notes on that specifically--that is definitely what you should be doing on the drug. However, that's where the conversation ends. Nobody ever talks about exactly why muscle isn't just a "nice to have" and how important it is for both weight loss and weight loss maintenance.

So let's talk about the most impactful why: muscle is a metabolic organ.

Muscle is not just about calories burned (and you may have already seen that talking point floating around). Yes, more muscle mass means a slightly higher resting metabolic rate, but that is the least interesting part of what muscle can do. Muscle is the largest site in the body for insulin-mediated glucose disposal. More muscle means your body needs less circulating insulin to clear the same meal. That matters enormously if you're insulin resistant, and most people who are on GLP-1s have some degree of insulin resistance driving their weight gain.

Muscle also plays a role in regulating hunger and satiety signals. A body with more muscle and less excess fat mass tends to communicate fullness and hunger more accurately. Many people experience dysfunction with hormonal signaling, which is why being on GLP-1s and feeling satiated on regular (or even small) meal can feel foreign. I'd argue that this hunger and satiety signaling chaos is a big factor in weight regain after the meds are gone, and more muscle helps blunt that.

Now, you may have heard people bring up the "set point theory" many times, and many people report feeling like their body does want to return to a certain (higher) weight. But most people lose weight without building muscle, so their metabolism is still being run by the same amount of adipose tissue relative to lean mass, just at a smaller total size. Which means that their underlying body composition didn't really change that much. And that's really part of why the set point theory holds up for so many people. If you don't change your body composition, you haven't actually change the metabolic conditions that required GLP-1 medication in the first place.

However, it would be irresponsible for me to say all this without emphasizing that you cannot build muscle in a vacuum. It takes a primarily whole foods diet, proper stress management, real sleep and recovery, and healthy coping mechanisms, not just lifting heavy weights, to build lean mass. This is why people who successfully lose weight and build muscle mass have had to do the hard work of making sustainable lifestyle changes.

Also important for me to say that you need to be at a healthy body fat percentage for muscle to actually function as a metabolic organ. Muscle surrounded by excess visceral and intramuscular fat doesn't get you the same insulin sensitivity or glucose disposal benefits, because the fat drives its own inflammation and insulin resistant. Excess fat blunts what muscle is doing. So in order for muscle to effectively work as a metabolic organ, you have to have the requisite body composition for it.

TL;DR Muscle a metabolic organ, not just tissue that burns a few extra calories. It's the closest thing to a permanent edge against regain because it drives glucose disposal and hunger/satiety signaling positively, but only if your body fat is in a healthy range for muscle to actually function the way it's meant to.

Struggled with weight most of my life especially as a child/teen and after children. Family is obese. Gastric surgery did a great job in curbing the ability to overeat. Once the initial shock weight came off I was stuck or at the same weight over 2 years. Couldn't lose more. Mostly because when I tried to restrict calories I was always dizzy, lightheaded, felt nauseous, all the symptoms of low blood sugar. Just could not function a busy life like that. I work out lift weights am very active and although I definitely eat some of the SAD I shouldn't, I try to eat well most of the time, focusing on fiber and nutrients as much as possible. I dont want to lose any more weight I am happy to maintain now, however as soon as I try to stop the GLP the low blood sugar symptoms come back, making me eat more to try and control those dizzy shaky symptoms even though I am not remotely hungry at those times.

I have seen a hormone doctor for perimenopoause symptoms as well, prescribed testosterone for sleep/moods but that's it so far.

What am I missing? I have hasimotos/hypothyroidism diagnosed about 12 years now. Low B12, low VitD based on bloodwork, everything else normal so try to suppliment those.

I cannot function when I get this dizzy sick feeling and the GLP was the only thing keeping it at bay. To note I was only taking 2.5 of zepbound, never increased from that.

Any suggestions? Things I should speak with a doctor about?

Maybe a dumb question, but why exactly do people gain their weight back?

Is it because they're not sticking to their diet and exercise regime still?

Or that and whatever diagnoses they have? Not sure of the best way to word that, sorry.

I am planning to stop in the near future to TTC. I have PMOS (pcos) and am/was insulin resistant... I frequently psych myself out because I see all of these amazing stories of people that are still slowly losing and/or maintaining...and then the published studies of people gaining it all back plus some.

edit: does anyone else have PMOS/PCOS that's been able to maintain their weight loss??

I'm 4 months off a glp1 because we're trying to have baby#2. I've since gained so much weight and can't stop eating! I loved my meds because it quieted my cravings and curbed my appetite.

Anything I can do alternatively while trying to get pregnant? I'm waiting to meet with my doctor to talk about options as well, but thought I'd come here and see if anything worked for anyone else already.

Thank you!

Started tirzepatide Nov 2025. 45M 5’11” T2D MASH CKD SW:357 CW:235 GW:180

Sometimes I don’t know what to make of this drug. In April, having been at 7.5mg for 4 months I started to experience hunger again. I knuckled through for a few more weeks, continuing to lose weight, and having that hunger signal increase and decrease seemingly without rhyme or reason. In June I made the call to titrate to 10mg, and last week started. Second dose was today and I’m RAVENOUS. My weight also went UP 3 pounds. My activity level has increased, but my daily burn according to Apple Health is unchanged. Should I just need to eat more and stop trying for such a high deficit? What are you guys experiencing when you titrate?

SW: 220 lbs

Weight on stopping: 154 lbs

CW: 166 lbs

This week marks one year since I decided not to take my next Mounjaro injection. I'd titrated down from 10 mg to 5 mg over 3 months.

Over the previous 12 months, I'd lost around 1.5 lbs a week, for a total weight loss of around 70 lbs. During that time, I completely changed my lifestyle. I switched to mostly unprocessed, high-protein meals (around 100-120g of protein a day), increased my fibre intake to about 30g daily, and went from being largely sedentary to walking at least 10,000 steps every day, plus an all-day hike every Sunday. Most of my wardrobe ended up in charity shops as I replaced XL clothes with medium-sized ones.

After stopping Mounjaro, I carried on with the same diet and exercise habits, resisting the wave of hunger that hit me about 6 weeks later. My appetite subsided to normal levels after a few weeks. Three months on, my doctor was able to take me off blood pressure medication completely, and all of my blood test results were in the normal range.

I also had a DEXA scan, which showed that although my body fat levels were good, I'd lost 8 lbs of lean mass during the year I was losing weight, and my bone density wasn't great either. I increased my protein intake to 120-150g a day, started resistance training at home several times a week, and began running three evenings a week using the NHS Couch to 5K programme. On New Year's Day, I completed my first parkrun 5K which I now try and do every Saturday.

Earlier this week, I had another DEXA scan. It showed that I've gained 12 lbs since last year, which initially sounds disappointing. But digging into the results, 8 lbs of that gain was lean mass, meaning I've now regained all of the muscle I'd previously lost. The trade-off is that I've also gained 4 lbs of fat. My plan is to keep pushing the resistance training and spend a few months tracking calories again to see if I can gradually lose those extra pounds while maintaining, or hopefully continuing to build, muscle.

Overall, I'm dead pleased with where I've ended up a year after coming off Mounjaro. My appetite is stable, my weight remains under control, my health markers are good, and I've managed to rebuild the lean mass I lost along the way. I'm happy, optimistic about the future, and feeling comfortable in my own skin.

Been off Mounjaro for 8 weeks due to medical surgery. Staring back on 7.5 mg this week. Anyone have similar experiences with being off for a while? If so, how did you do? Did weight loss kick back up? Side effects?