'I Lost 55 Pounds On Mounjaro—Here's Why I Stopped Taking It'
I had always been a pretty “fit” person until I had my son. I had been on IVF and hormone medications for about three years consistently before he was born, but after his birth in November 2019, my hormones went haywire. I experienced weight gain, loss of muscle mass, massive mood swings, insatiable appetite, cravings that I hadn't had before, and my hair was thinning and falling out.
At first, I thought this might just be "new mom" side effects—but my symptoms were extreme and consistent. And despite doing everything “right” (eating clean, watching my macros, exercising daily), I was not only not losing weight—I was actually gaining weight. After several months without any improvement, I realized it had to be something beyond just adjusting to a new baby.
Physically, I was healthy—but then, my doctor's office checked my body mass index (BMI) and I was labeled as “obese” for the first time in my life. I have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but previously, I had never experienced weight gain as one of the clinical signs. Seeing that label of “obese” on my medical chart really hit me hard, but the hardest part for me was seeing myself in photos.
At the peak of my weight gain, I was over 185 pounds and I weighed more than I did at nine months pregnant.
The photos that hit me the hardest were the ones of my son and I at his first swimming lesson. My mental state and self-esteem at that point were the lowest they had ever been. But luckily, my husband is the most amazing man ever who constantly supported and complimented me. Honestly, if it weren’t for this support, I’d have been in a much worse mental state than I already was.
I spoke with doctor after doctor who kept telling me my weight gain would resolve itself and I would get back to my regular weight eventually. This went on for about two years before I finally saw an endocrinologist who actually listened to me. She was the first to believe me when I told her that I knew my body—and I knew that something wasn’t right.
The endocrinologist did hormone testing and discovered that I had almost no testosterone production (many women don’t realize this, but you need some testosterone!), so she started by giving me that. I took low-dose weekly injections, which I administered myself after training on how to do so properly from my doctor.
After three months, we still didn’t see any significant changes in my weight, so in the fall of 2022, she asked me if I wanted to try Mounjaro. She explained that it was an off-label “experimental” use and gave me all of the details. (FYI: It’s legal for a licensed provider to prescribe off-label for weight loss; your doctor must judge whether off-label use is appropriate for you.) This was back before semaglutide and tirzepatide injections were even talked about publicly.
We both decided that, for me, the benefits outweighed the risks and that Mounjaro was worth a try.
I paid out of pocket for everything. The first month, I was able to use a manufacturer's coupon to get four Mounjaro injection pens (which is typically a full month's worth of medication when used once per week) for $25. However, after that, the manufacturer's coupon ended, and I paid the full price out of pocket. If I remember correctly, it was around $575 for four Mounjaro pens at first. (The price kept going up as the medication got more popular and ended up at about $1,000/month.)
At the time, I had already been consistently gaining weight for over two years. I was desperate for something to move the needle, and Mounjaro was literally a last resort for me. Up until the point of taking my first injection, nothing I was doing—daily exercise, watching my diet, and testosterone treatment—had been working.
Before starting the medication, my doctor and I set a "goal weight," meaning a healthy weight for me to be able to maintain. My personal goal weight was 140 pounds. We agreed that when I reached that weight I would stop taking Mounjaro and transition into a “maintenance stage” as needed.
I started taking Mounjaro at the beginning of November of 2022.
We agreed to start at a 2.5-milligram dose once weekly. This dosage slowly increased throughout my six-month journey on the medication until I reached my maximum dosage of 7.5 milligrams once per week.
My body immediately reacted positively to being on Mounjaro. It was like a switch was flipped in my hormones and I could tell within 48 hours that something was working. My cravings immediately subsided and my portion sizes at each meal decreased by over half.
Before going on the medication, my doctor counseled me on what to expect, so I felt prepared and anticipated the changes that were happening. She told me that it was important to make sure I was eating at regular intervals (even though I wouldn’t necessarily feel hungry). I had prepared for this by getting small, healthy snacks to eat throughout the day to help me maintain a healthy blood glucose level and prevent hypoglycemia.
As for negative side effects, I learned very quickly that my body did not do well eating any sugar or greasy foods. It only took a few times of having some sugary snacks or greasy takeout to learn to steer clear. When I would eat these foods I would get horrendous cramping and stomach pain. I’d liken it to having contractions—it was that bad!
I had already been working out five to six times per week for 45 to 60 minutes per day—a mix of cardio, strength training, and taking Orangetheory classes—so at the time, I maintained my existing exercise regime. I think that was part of what helped me to drop the weight so quickly. I was already doing the “right” things from a traditional weight loss standpoint, but my body just wasn’t responding prior to starting Mounjaro.
I lost over 10 pounds in my first two weeks and consistently kept losing weight—over 55 pounds total.
I felt great—I woke up motivated each day because I was seeing consistent results for the first time in a long time. My self-confidence was finally going up as I started seeing the number on the scale move. Plus, I experienced non-scale victories, such as my clothes fitting better (or even being too big). I truly believe that the mental change I experienced helped me see even better overall results—I pushed myself to lift heavier in the gym and focused on increasing my protein intake to maintain my muscle.
Many people who are on tirzepatide and semaglutide injections experience significant muscle loss while taking the medication, and I was determined not to let that be the case for me. I feel fortunate that my training as a certified personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist gave me the skills and tools to know how to adjust my macros and diet as well as my training style to meet my health goals. While I did inevitably experience some muscle loss, it was minimal compared to the overall fat loss.
After six months on Mounjaro, I hit my goal weight of 140 pounds.
And once I hit my goal weight, I decided to stop taking it. I did a very quick wean-off process—I was at 7.5 milligrams per week and dropped down to 5 milligrams every two weeks. I did that for two months (so I was able to only pay for four injections which lasted me my full two-month “wean off” period). The process was pretty straightforward, and fortunately, I didn’t have any negative side effects. I did see about a three-pound weight gain during this time, but I believe most of that was muscle gain as I continued to challenge myself in the gym.
There were a few factors that contributed to me stopping. One was that I was able to hit my goal weight and maintain it without the use of the medication anymore. This was the main driver for my decision to stop taking Mounjaro. I didn't want to continue losing weight and get into a weight range that wasn't sustainable or healthy for me.
Plus, body dysmorphia is real, and I am no exception to its mental detriment—so it was very important that I chose a weight that I knew was healthy and sustainable for my overall success.
Another factor was, of course, the cost. Luckily I am blessed to be in a financial situation where I could continue to afford the medication short-term to get to my goal weight. I paid out of pocket the entire time I was on Mounjaro–and it was not covered by insurance. However, the sticker shock from going from $25 per month to $1,000 per month was jarring, to say the least. I do think it helped me, though, because it made me want to hit my goal weight faster so I wouldn’t have to keep paying!
Weight loss is a lifelong journey, and you will have ups and downs along the way.
One of the biggest things I learned when weaning off Mounjaro was that it’s important to stick to the habits and portion sizes you developed while on the medication. This has been my key to success as I've gotten off of the injections and afterward.
For instance, it helps me if I immediately portion my food as soon as I sit down to eat. If I'm at a restaurant, I ask for a to-go box at the beginning of my meal, that way I can portion my meal appropriately and not be tempted to overeat. If I'm preparing food at home, I like to pre-portion what I need and pack the rest away for another meal.
Still, I truly believe that life is about balance, and I refuse to deprive myself of certain foods.
Another thing that has absolutely changed is my perspective on using medications alongside traditional weight loss methods. So many people are embarrassed or ashamed to say that they’ve gotten help from medications, but I love that we are living in a world where such things exist. My body feels stronger, and I feel more empowered and more in control of my health than ever before.
I am one thousand percent happy with my choice to pursue this weight loss option.
Now, approximately every six months, if I see my weight creeping up by more than 10 pounds, I take five-milligram maintenance doses for two weeks to keep my body in check. (I've only had to do this twice since ending treatment, in October 2023 and April 2024). This was at the recommendation of my doctor, and since I'm only using two of the Mounjaro pens for the maintenance doses (instead of all four in a monthly pack), it is much more affordable since one pack will last me a year.
I think it is so important to speak to a healthcare professional about what a healthy and maintainable weight is for you personally. Everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for someone else. I am a very muscular person, so my body composition allows me to be around 140 to 145 pounds sustainably and maintain a healthy body fat percentage. (Today I weighed myself and I am happy, healthy, lean, and very strong at 143 pounds!)
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