Ozempic: Weight came back. Now what?

Chris_16

Chris_16

Well-known member
I stopped taking Ozempic about a year ago, and almost all the weight I lost returned. Has this happened to anyone else? I'm thinking about starting again. Do you think it will still work? Is this something I'm going to need to take forever? Any advice is much appreciated.
 
Before I started, my doctor showed me research that said like 8 out of 10 people gain it all back, if not more, when they stop taking it. So, yeah, seems like it might be a lifetime thing.

I honestly think the only way to keep the weight off long-term is to make some big changes to how you eat and live. Track your calories and macros, eat better stuff, get some exercise – just change your habits for good.

I'm at a pretty low weight right now, and I can feel the cravings coming back. But I'm eating right, prepping my meals, tracking everything, and hitting the gym like 6 days a week. Hopefully, it'll all stick.

I think I'll always need to keep an eye on things, no matter what. Like, emotions, food, stress, working out, all of it. I can't just relax about it like other people, or I'll end up back where I started.
 
If you could have lost the extra pounds and maintained on your own, you probably would not have needed the medication to begin with. All of u suggesting to just stick with the diet and exercise plans probably should have done so from the beginning if it's such practical advice, lol.
 
Yep, pretty common. Sometimes it doesn't work as well the second time around. Might want to consider Mounjaro. Next time, don't just quit cold turkey. Wean yourself off slowly while keeping an eye on the scale.
 
I was on Ozempic from last September until this August. Got down to 185 at my lowest. Been off it for maybe 8 months now, and I'm at 190. Staying within 5 pounds hasn't been easy. I'm always thinking about food. I have to plan out all my meals so I don't just give in and eat whatever. If I could still afford Ozempic, I'd still be on it. But my insurance doesn't cover it, and it was costing me almost $500 every month.

I'm hoping to go back on it one day. Good luck to you; it's definitely a struggle. The cravings and 'food noise' come roaring back. My advice would be to just try and keep busy. Cleaning the house works for me. Or organizing something.
 
That's usually what happens with any weight loss program. The odds aren't great. Tons of studies show that most people, like 80% or more, gain all the weight back, and sometimes even more, within 5 years or even sooner.

You'll probably lose the weight again, but the real question is, what are you going to do differently this time so you don't end up back where you started?

I'm 66 now and have been fighting my weight since I was 12. I first joined Weight Watchers back then. Hit 200 pounds when I was 18 and peaked at 273 around 35. I did manage to lose 50 pounds with a super strict, medically supervised diet. And I've kept that off.

It's a never-ending battle if you're like me – basically a food addict who hates to cook.

Lots of doctors think it's a lifetime commitment. But like with any 'diet,' you have to put in the work in other areas of your life. We'd all be at our ideal weight if all it took was a pill or a shot. I wish it were that easy.
 
I've probably lost and gained back 50, 60, even 70 pounds multiple times. That's why I don't ever want to stop taking this medication. So many people just repeat the same old thing about how you can just stick with healthy habits. Every time I lost weight, I was doing all the right things. I was at the gym all the time. But the weight always came back. It's a metabolism problem, not a willpower problem.
 
When I went off, my A1c went up to 8.4, so I'm planning to stay on it for good. And yeah, I gained back almost all of the weight I originally lost. I lost about 60 pounds, but I've gained back 40 so far.
 
I think it really depends on how much weight you're talking about and why Ozempic worked for you in the first place. I'm not using it for diabetes or even weight loss, but mostly for IBS issues. I can keep my weight pretty stable on my own, but I needed help slowing down my digestive system to actually lose weight. I've been to Germany, and this might sound weird, but I think our water here is just not good. Even organic food here makes me sick, but I can eat almost anything when I'm overseas. I probably won't be able to lose weight without help unless I'm out of the country. My husband is from Germany, so we're planning to move there in a few years.
 
I had to discontinue using it at one point due to a job situation. I was subsequently bitten by a dog and stacked on 45 pounds from lack of mobility and no medication. As soon as I begin ozempic again, I shed all of it and it wasn't hard !
 
I've been off it for almost 4 months now. I can definitely feel the cravings, but I'm trying to ignore them. I've actually lost another 9 pounds without it. I was getting tired of all the side effects, so I changed my habits, got a fitness tracker, and log everything I eat. I'm also drinking a ton of water, which is a huge change for me. I lost 45 pounds on Ozempic and now I'm down 54! If I can't keep this up, I'm not going back on Ozempic or any similar medication. We don't know enough about the long-term effects besides stomach issues.

Good luck to you! You can do it!
 
Talked to my endocrinologist about this, and she said, "This is likely a lifetime medication. Maybe not Ozempic specifically, but you'll probably be on some kind of GLP-1 drug forever."

I'm looking at it this way: Because of Ozempic, my blood pressure is normal now after needing medication for over 20 years. I don't need insulin anymore, and I might be able to stop taking my statin. My overall health has improved so much since I lost the weight. And I feel better about myself.

If the medication helps you live a healthier life, why not take it forever? People take all kinds of medications for their health long-term.
 
GingerTeaTox said:
I feel like so many people just repeat the same old thing about how you can just stick with healthy habits. Every time I lost weight, I was doing all the right things. I was at the gym all the time. But the weight always came back. It's a metabolism problem, not a willpower problem.
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This is so true! It's not always about willpower. There's a lot more going on under the surface that some folks don't consider.
 
I saw an article that discussed how people who stopped taking weight loss drugs regained their original mass within a year. Appetite suppression is effective, whether it’s Ozempic or older meds. The real question is, why do these people have strange appetites when they aren’t on weight loss meds? There may be something else going on.
 
Happy_Set593 said:
I saw an article that discussed how people who stopped taking weight loss drugs regained their original mass within a year. Appetite suppression is effective, whether it’s Ozempic or older meds. The real question is, why do these people have strange appetites when they aren’t on weight loss meds? There may be something else going on.
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That's a really great point. I never thought about it that way. It's not just about 'being lazy' or whatever. Thanks, Happy_Set593!
 
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