Stopping weight loss medication: What to expect & how to do it safely

This article was reviewed by Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, MFOMA.

Stopping Weight Loss Medication: What Happens and How to Do It

Whether you’ve been taking semaglutide (Ozempic® or Wegovy®), tirzepatide (Mounjaro® or Zepbound®), or liraglutide, stopping weight loss medication can feel daunting.

The first thing to know is that you don’t have to stop. These medications are designed with long-term use in mind. You can take them to manage your weight in the long run, even after you’ve hit your weight loss goals.

But if you do want to stop, there are a few things you can do to come off your medication safely and avoid regaining the weight you’ve lost. Keep reading for everything you need to know about stopping weight loss medications.

What Happens If You Stop Taking Weight Loss Medication?

If you stop taking weight loss medication, you may notice the appetite-suppressing effects gradually fade and your hunger levels return to what they were before you started taking the medication. This can lead to weight regain if it’s not accounted for with lifestyle adjustments.

Here’s a more detailed look at what can happen after stopping weight loss drugs: 

• More hunger. You might find that your appetite increases to what it was before you started weight loss treatment. And the feeling of fullness (satiety) might be lower, meaning the same meals might not fill you up as much.
• More cravings. Weight loss drugs like Wegovy® can curb food cravings. Without them, those urges for certain foods, usually the less-nutritious ones, can come back and be harder to ignore.
• More food noise. Food noise is the ongoing mental chatter about food that some people experience. Weight loss drugs like GLP-1s (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) can turn down the volume on those thoughts. When you come off weight loss medication, food noise could increase to pre-medication levels.
• Weight gain. With more hunger, cravings, and food noise — and less fullness — you might find it harder to stick to your new healthy lifestyle habits with nutrition and portion control. This could lead to weight gain over time.
• Potential metabolic shifts. Your metabolism may change as your body adjusts how it processes food for fuel. This could affect your blood sugar levels and weight.

One more important thing to note is that if you ever go back on weight loss medication, you’ll probably have to start on a lower dose and gradually increase it like you did the first time around. You may also experience side effects again, like nausea and diarrhea.

How to Stop Weight Loss Medication Safely

To stop weight loss medication safely, you should first reach out to a healthcare provider. They can advise you on how to best come off your medication and may recommend other interventions or lifestyle changes to help manage your weight.

Here’s what to keep in mind as you go through the process.

Follow a Tapering Plan

You can technically stop weight loss drugs like GLP-1s like Ozempic® or Wegovy® cold turkey, but your provider may recommend following a tapering plan. This involves slowly reducing the amount of medication you take until you stop taking it altogether.

Slowly tapering off can give your body time to adjust to reduced levels of the GLP-1 medication. This may prevent your appetite and cravings from suddenly skyrocketing and help you slowly get used to the increase in hunger.

Overall, this might help you maintain your weight loss as you come off medication.

Check In With Your Body

Monitor how you feel — hunger, cravings, side effects, etc. — and let your healthcare provider know if any significant changes come up. They may want to adjust your tapering plan or suggest other changes to help you feel better and maintain a healthy weight.

Stay Patient and Positive

It’s normal for your appetite to increase when stopping weight loss medication. And it’s normal for this to feel a little worrying, especially if you’ve made positive steps toward improving your health while on a medical weight loss program.

That said, you can maintain your progress without medication. Sticking to healthy habits with nutritious foods and daily movement can help you manage your weight.

Reach out for additional support if you need it, from your healthcare provider, a dietitian, a personal trainer, or friends and family.

How to Not Gain Weight After Stopping Weight Loss Medication

The healthy habits that helped you lose weight can also help you maintain your new body weight after stopping weight loss medication.

Here are steps you can take to help you maintain your weight loss after stopping GLP-1 drugs:

• Eat nutritious, whole foods. Go for fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains. Protein and fiber, in particular, can help keep you full. Meal-prepping and keeping healthy snacks on hand can ensure you always have nutritious options to reach for.
• Move every day. Walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, and strength training can help you maintain your weight and improve your overall fitness. Aim for some form of physical activity every day.
• Practice mindful eating. Check in with yourself before and during meals. Are you actually hungry? Or maybe just stressed? If you’re getting full, could you save leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch? Mindful eating can help you manage cravings and eat only when your body’s truly hungry.
• Stay hydrated. Sip water throughout the day to help regulate your appetite.
• Prioritize sleep. Aim for seven to nine hours a night. This keeps energy and motivation high and appetite in check. Keeping a regular sleep schedule, limiting caffeine in the afternoons, and avoiding large meals before bed can help you get enough rest.

Stopping Weight Loss Medication: Key Takeaways

Here’s the tl;dr on stopping weight loss medication:

• If you’ve seen success with weight loss medication, such as an injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist, it can feel daunting to stop. You want to maintain your new and improved health and wellness, after all.
• But, for any reason, you can stop safely — under the supervision of a medical professional, of course — and there are steps you can take to avoid gaining lost weight back again.
• Eating nutritious foods, moving every day, practicing mindful eating, and getting enough sleep can all help with ongoing weight management.
• Finally, don’t be afraid to reach out for support. Your healthcare provider and other experts can offer personalized advice. Weight management is a life-long journey — it doesn’t end when medical treatment does.

If you’re looking at the end before you’ve started, you can connect with a healthcare provider to see if medical weight loss might work for you — and if so, what medication may suit you best.

• Related: How to Lose Fat and Gain Muscle: Optimizing Body Composition
• Related: Weight Loss Treatment Medication Kits

Like MediaFeed’s content? Be sure to follow us. 

This article originally appeared on Hims.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.