What Happens When You Stop Taking Wegovy?

Key Takeaways

Some people do not keep all the weight off after stopping semaglutide (Wegovy). It is common to gain some of the weight back after you stop taking the weight loss drug, especially without maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Work with a specialist to develop a plan for weight maintenance after stopping Wegovy, as most patients regain some of the lost weight after stopping new drugs such as Wegovy that reduce hunger levels.

Wegovy (semaglutide) is an FDA-approved, once-weekly, injectable prescription drug for chronic weight management. It can support your weight loss efforts and help you lose excess weight if adequate weight loss is not achievable with diet and exercise alone.

Losing weight on Wegovy can lower your risk of obesity-related chronic conditions. However, just like other weight loss medications, Wegovy is not a quick fix. Maintaining consistent healthy lifestyle changes is highly recommended to maximize the amount of weight loss while improving your overall health.

The good news is that Wegovy is approved for chronic weight management and is intended for long-term use. However, side effects and high costs are some reasons people stop using Wegovy.

Once you stop taking Wegovy, weight regain is common, especially if lifestyle modifications are not maintained. Please continue reading to learn more.

Do you gain weight back after using Wegovy?

The STEP 5 clinical trial showed that Wegovy causes sustained weight loss of 15.2% from baseline at 104 weeks (2 years) with weekly injection of semaglutide 2.4 mg. Participants who received a placebo achieved a 2.6% weight loss from baseline.

In 2022, the Step 1 trial extension was conducted to evaluate the effects on body weight and cardiometabolic risk factors after discontinuation of Wegovy.

Step 1 trial showed that participants who received a weekly injection of semaglutide 2.4 mg had achieved an average of 17.3% weight reduction from baseline after 68 weeks.

Step 1 trial extension evaluated 327 participants who had previously received semaglutide weekly for 68 weeks.

After treatment withdrawal, semaglutide participants ended up with a net weight loss of 5.5% at week 120.

After about a year without treatment with semaglutide, net weight loss was down to 5.5%. In other words, after a year, participants had regained two-thirds of the weight they had lost previously.

Similar to weight reduction, semaglutide’s positive effects on blood pressure, C-reactive protein, HbA1C, and blood lipids were also reversed after a year of treatment withdrawal.

Learn more about Wegovy uses and side effects.

Can you keep weight off after stopping semaglutide?

Most people do not keep all the weight off after stopping semaglutide (Wegovy) and may gain some of the weight back after they stop taking the weight loss drug.

The amount of regained weight may vary among individuals, depending on age, health history, dietary habits, and other environmental factors.

However, based on the Step 1 trial extension results, participants regained two-thirds of their prior weight loss after one year of withdrawal from weekly semaglutide injection and lifestyle interventions.

Cardiometabolic improvements seen from 68-week treatment with semaglutide had also reversed.

The trial, therefore, showed that you need to continue Wegovy treatment to lose more weight and keep it off.

What is the long-term impact of Wegovy?

Wegovy may increase the risk of thyroid C cell tumors. This drug is contraindicated in people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2). Wegovy and other GLP-1 receptor agonists have also been linked to an increased risk of acute pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, acute kidney injury, low blood sugar, diabetic retinopathy complications, increased heart rate, and suicidal thoughts.

How long does it take for Wegovy to get out of your system?

Wegovy has a half-life of 7 days. This means if you take the maximum dose (2.4 mg), there will be 50% (1.2 mg) remaining in your body after 7 days, 0.6 mg after an additional 7 days, and so on. It will, therefore, take 6-7 weeks after the last dose for Wegovy to get out of your system and be completely removed from your body.

How to prevent weight gain after stopping Wegovy?

You should work with an obesity medicine specialist to develop a plan for weight maintenance after stopping Wegovy. As noted, most patients regain some of the lost weight after stopping new drugs such as Wegovy that reduce hunger levels. A restricted calorie diet and a moderate to intense exercise program may help with long-term weight loss without the use of weight loss medications.

How does Wegovy help in losing weight?

Wegovy belongs to a group of drugs called glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. It mimics a naturally occurring hormone in the body called GLP-1, which regulates appetite, food intake, and insulin secretion.

Taking this weight loss drug helps to make you feel full faster, which makes you less hungry, reduces appetite and food intake, and thereby leads to a reduction in body weight.

Check out our blog to learn more about how prescription weight loss medications work.

Can I take Wegovy to lose weight fast?

You have to meet certain eligibility criteria, such as high BMI (body mass index) or other metabolic diseases, to have Wegovy prescribed by a doctor.

Wegovy is not a miracle drug, and the weight loss is not immediate. It works best with healthier lifestyle changes. Participants in clinical trials who experienced significant weight loss associated with semaglutide also stuck to a healthy diet and exercise.

You will need to restrict calories and get regular exercise for the best results. It can take several months to achieve noticeable weight loss on Wegovy. You need to continue taking Wegovy to maintain the weight loss.

How much weight loss is possible on Wegovy?

The STEP 1 clinical trial showed that you can lose weight to the tune of 15% from your initial weight after 68 weeks of Wegovy treatment.

If the initial weight is 232 lbs before starting Wegovy, 15% weight loss is 35 lbs. Each person responds differently to medication. This is the average weight loss on Wegovy. Your results may vary.

How fast do you lose weight on Wegovy?

It can take several months for you to achieve noticeable weight loss on Wegovy. Your healthcare provider will start you on lower doses of the drug and gradually increase the dose over 16-20 weeks to the highest dose (maintenance dose) of 2.4 mg once a week.

The lower doses help your body adjust to the medicine but are not approved to reduce body weight.

Do you lose more weight on Ozempic or Wegovy?

Both Ozempic and Wegovy contain the same drug (active ingredient), semaglutide. However, Ozempic is used to treat diabetes, whereas Wegovy is for weight loss.

You are likely to lose more weight on Wegovy compared to Ozempic. This is because the maintenance dose of Wegovy is 2.4 mg of semaglutide once a week for weight loss, while the maximum dose of Ozempic is 2 mg of semaglutide once a week for blood sugar control. Also, your insurance may not cover Ozempic if you are using this diabetes drug off-label for weight loss.

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