Patients Experience Weight Gain After Ozempic Discontinuation

Many patients have started to question what will happen after they discontinue Ozempic. Discontinuation can occur for several reasons, but the most common are health care providers dropping coverage of the weight-loss drug or patients having reached their weight-loss goal. Many patients with a GLP-1 prescription will not be prescribed the medication forever as the long-term goal is not to have to take the medication. However, patients who discontinued are finding that the weight they lost on a GLP-1 quickly returns and this may highlight that the drug is not addressing the deeper underlying causes of patient weight gain.  

The companies that manufacture Wegovy and Ozempic found in a study that after a year of discontinuation, patients regained about two-thirds of the weight they lost. Coverage issues only affect patients that are prescribed semaglutide for weight loss, and only 25-30% of patients get approved for coverage for Ozempic because of the drug shortage costs. Approval from a health care insurance company is not a simple task, and many patients investigate other options, such as bariatric surgery for weight loss. Some patients find that after taking semaglutide for a year, their prescription is no longer covered by insurance and they have to stop taking the medication to avoid out-of-pocket costs. On Ozempic, patients typically hit their weight loss goals between 6 to 9 months. A rapid weight gain change after weight loss on semaglutide can have harmful effects on the patients’ mental well-being, body image, eating habits, and physical health.

One patient, who discontinued semaglutide after reaching his weight loss goals, and gained it back after a year, had this to say about the experience, “The regain has taken a psychological toll,” Ken Chinavare said. “It’s disheartening. While on Wegovy, I felt normal. I didn’t have constant food noise in my head.”

Currently, more research is necessary for physicians to learn about the side effects of Ozempic discontinuation to determine the best way to discontinue the drug. Dr Dan Azagury who is the medical director of the Stanford Lifestyle and Weight Management Clinic recommends that the dose should be reduced slowly over a long period of time so the patient can gradually adjust to the returning food cravings. Many patients who are prescribed Ozempic struggle with knowing when to stop eating, and some have an unhealthy relationship with food cravings. Ozempic can help patients see quicker results, but experts recommend patients still exercise, seek out a dietician, and maintain a relationship with a therapist to take back control over their eating habits. The medication is only a helpful tool to assist in weight loss, but not a prescribed drug for patients to take for the rest of their lives.

Reference

Reddy S. There’s no easy way to stop taking Ozempic. WSJ. https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/stop-taking-ozempic-wegovy-weight-loss-c0e11316