As a metabolic research scientist and MD, I've been prescribing these meds for over three years here in the US, and I also take them myself. I'm a bit puzzled by your statement about 'finishing maintenance.'
From all the data we currently have, including follow-up clinical trials after patients reached their target weight, maintaining weight loss requires a continuous dosage of these drugs; they're intended to be a long-term solution, not a quick fix. There isn't even a standard protocol for stopping the medication.
My research suggests that over 90% of people regain lost weight after discontinuing the drug, even those who maintain healthy lifestyle changes. These findings were consistent at the one, three, and five-year marks.
How long did you maintain your weight? Where did you get this idea of ending maintenance? I'm interested in any data supporting the end of maintenance, as I haven't found any in my review of current studies. Some studies are exploring other drugs to help patients maintain weight, but it's too early to draw conclusions. Could you share where you got this information?
