Ozempic rebound - anyone else?

Shape-Boss

Well-known member
I'm at a loss, honestly.

I discontinued my sema injections about 60 days ago. I felt ready at the time. I thought I'd learned better habits, become more aware of portion sizes and hunger signals. But within a couple of weeks, everything changed.

My hunger returned with a vengeance. The constant thoughts about food that had been quiet for so long came back almost immediately. I started feeling hungry sooner after meals, really craving sugary stuff, and the control I'd had just vanished.

As of this week, I've regained 20 pounds.

Seeing that number was a real blow, not for vanity reasons, but because it feels like I've failed. Like the progress was an illusion, like my body is fighting me again.

I'm trying to remind myself that fluctuations happen and that this doesn't undo the effort I put in, but it's hard to watch the scale climb so fast. Anyone else experience rapid regain after stopping? Does it ever stabilize?
 
I feel you.
Shape-Boss said:
I thought I'd learned better habits, become more aware of portion sizes and hunger signals. But within a couple of weeks, everything changed.

If willpower and habits were enough, nobody would need these drugs.
 
Hey Shape-Boss, I sympathize. After I went off it, the cravings were intense, like a non-stop food commercial in my head. I started using a berberine supplement to sorta mimic the GLP effect naturally, and it helped quiet things down a bit without needing more injections. It helped me get my hunger cues back under control over time.
 
It's like saying, "I stopped my cholesterol meds and my cholesterol went up! I thought my heart had learned to maintain healthy levels!”

It's a chronic condition that needs ongoing treatment. Stop the treatment, and things go back to where they were.
 
Yeah, I've been off for about 2 months and I've gained weight. It's been up and down, like a 7-8 pound swing. It's really discouraging. I can restart my GLP-1 after my procedure at the end of the month, thankfully.
 
First, that really sucks and I think everyone here understands how much it sucks.

I'm not there yet, but my doctor's "exit plan" is a really slow taper before stopping. With close monitoring to see what happens. If I start gaining, we'll talk about maintenance or microdosing.

I have a solid exercise routine and a good amount of muscle. Some of her patients with similar situations come off and are fine. Others are lifers. We'll see where I end up.

It sounds like you're a lifer and I wouldn't waste another minute struggling. 20 pounds isn't just a fluctuation. Call your doctor and get back on something before those 20 turn into 60.
Xo
 
You didn't fail, Shape-Boss. Those of us using GLP-1s to manage obesity are fighting our own bodies. These meds shift the set point down, but they don't permanently fix it. Most people, including me, expect to be on them for life, unless something comes along that actually changes that set point permanently.
 
I think it's more than just appetite. Hormones, metabolism, inflammation... I went off and put on 20+ pounds in a few months. I'm accepting that it's maintenance like blood pressure meds. I pay out of pocket and I'm just going to budget for it. It's worth it.
 
My initial weight loss was huge. I dropped 10-12 lbs every month, from 270 down to 170. About 9 months to lose 100 lbs. I lowered my dose, and maintained for a few months. Felt great.

Then I stopped, thinking I'd let myself eat SOME, but not like before. I was wrong. I barely noticed it happening. It felt so natural to go back to my old habits. Gained 35lb in 3 months. I’m back on it now.

It's coming off fast the second time. 15lb in the first month. Probably mostly water, but still depressing. And a wake-up call. I’ll probably be on this forever, or be miserable craving food.
 
It might be insulin resistance. It's real metabolic dysfunction. Once it's bad enough, it's almost impossible to keep weight down without unhealthy diets or meds. It stops your body from using fat for fuel, piles it on around your middle, and you're always hungry for carbs, crashing after meals, and sluggish because your cells are starving for energy (and what you eat goes straight to fat).

It's a horrible cycle, and I've accepted that I probably can't get off this. I also take Metformin, which didn't do much alone but is great with Zep. And there are supplements that help IR. Ask your doctor for a test. Look up HOMA-IR or other ways to measure insulin resistance. See if the symptoms fit you. I wasn't even pre-diabetic but my IR was significant.
 
Shape-Boss said:
As of this week, I've regained 20 pounds.

Seeing that number was a real blow, not for vanity reasons, but because it feels like I've failed. Like the progress was an illusion, like my body is fighting me again.

Don't feel like you failed. These meds give us back control, but going off them shows how much we need them. Congrats to those who can stop and maintain, but it's not the norm.
 
I saw someone post about pausing Ozempic after losing 55 lbs and getting their A1C down. It's inspiring, but also a reminder that it takes work to maintain, even after the initial loss.
 
I read a post about someone using Ozempic for a skin issue and keeping the weight off even after stopping. It shows how different people's bodies react. For some, it's a temporary fix, for others, it's a lifelong thing.
 
Have you been tested for hormones? PCOS? For women it's complicated because hormones mess with loss. Are you actively tracking or just 'watching'? The med should cut appetite, so you eat less. Might need a different one too.
 
so nice not being hungry all the time. stay at your dose as long as you can—you'll feel food noise creeping back when it's time to go up. side effects can shift to your thigh instead of stomach, less effective but less puking.
 
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