Wegovy isn’t a short-term fix to get rid of some unwanted fat around your waistline. It’s part of a long-term solution to the chronic disease of obesity. And just like medication for other chronic diseases - such as high blood pressure or diabetes - your body could struggle to adapt if you stop taking it.
Before looking at what might happen when you stop taking Wegovy, let’s first take a look at why someone might want to stop taking it.
Why might someone stop taking Wegovy?
Someone might stop taking it for any of the following reasons:
Because you’ve lost weight. If you’ve lost weight through Wegovy, it’s important to talk with your clinician before stopping the medication. That way you can make sure your healthier habits stick - which will reduce the chances of post-Wegovy weight gain.
Cost. Although Wegovy has been proven to be an effective treatment for weight loss, it doesn’t come cheap. And you simply might not be able to afford it any more. That’s normal and understandable.
Side effects. In one clinical trial around 7% of users quit Wegovy because of the side effects of its active ingredient semaglutide, which can include nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, headache, tiredness, dizziness, a bloated or upset stomach, and heartburn. For most people, these side effects subside after a few weeks.
Personal choice. Wegovy isn’t for everyone, and if it’s not working out then there are other options out there. A lot of people simply decide they want to try a different approach - and that’s fine.
What happens when you stop taking Wegovy?
The basic mechanics behind Wegovy mean that it helps to control your appetite and promote feelings of fullness. So it stands to reason that when you stop taking it, you might start to regain a bigger appetite - which may well lead to weight gain. But how true is that?
Well, this clinical study found that on average, Wegovy users regained two-thirds of the weight they lost after they stopped taking it. Another study found that when participants stopped taking semaglutide (the active ingredient in Wegovy), their mean weight gain was +6.9%. Those who kept taking the medication lost -7.9% extra weight on average.
However, it’s worth pointing out that this doesn’t make post-Wegovy weight gain inevitable. Once you stop taking it, it’s important to maintain healthy habits such as a more balanced diet and more active lifestyle. Without adhering to a healthier lifestyle, there’s a good chance you’ll regain weight.
The other thing to be aware of if you stop taking Wegovy is that you’ll no longer experience the treatment’s side effects. The effects of the jab tend to wear off after around a week (hence the need to inject it weekly), so you can expect the side effects to wear off after around the same timeframe too.
How long should you take Wegovy for?
There’s no easy answer to this question. Really, how long you should take Wegovy for depends entirely on your personal situation. A healthcare professional will be able to guide you and let you know when it’s time to stop.
Their decision will depend on a few things. For example, are you confident you’ll be able to incorporate healthier habits into your lifestyle from now on? Have you reframed your relationship with food? To avoid putting the weight back on when you stop taking the medication, you’ll need to make lasting lifestyle changes.
Things like health coaching and a personalised weight loss programme may both help to maintain your weight loss if you stop taking the medication. Rather than just having a Wegovy jab every week, a weight loss programme will also tie it into your long-term health goals. This isn’t a magic jab, and all that hard work you’ve done could soon be undone unless you make incremental improvements to your lifestyle.
The numan take
When you stop taking Wegovy there’s a chance you’ll start putting weight on again. But you can stave off that potential weight gain by adopting healthier habits in your life and concentrating on your long-term health goals. Post-Wegovy weight gain is possible, but not inevitable. Ultimately, it’s in your hands.
