GLP-1 side effects<\/a> play out dramatically. “I once had a patient who told me she would never go near a GLP-1 medicine again, after having severe diarrhea that lasted several days. It was also distressing because it contributed to missed days off work.”<\/p>\nHowever, side effects aren’t the only reason doctors sometimes recommend stopping. Dr. Oparaji said she actively advises patients to discontinue when “the risks are beginning to outweigh the benefits,” including situations involving severe side effects like pancreatitis, pregnancy, severe loss of lean muscle, excess weight loss, or malnutrition.<\/p>\n
What happens to your body when you stop<\/p>\n
The changes begin quickly. “Soon after GLP-1 is discontinued, the food cravings, hunger, and food noise start to come back,” said Dr. Oparaji. “This is because the body starts losing the signals that suppress appetite.”<\/p>\n
Dr. Odogwu explained the mechanics: “Once the medicine is stopped, we start to see that hunger increases. This is because the medication’s ingredients are no longer available to control the appetite center of the brain. In the stomach, food no longer moves slowly and as a result, people aren’t staying full.”<\/p>\n
Beyond hunger, the health changes extend further than most patients expect. Dr. Oparaji noted that patients often start noticing “rise in blood sugar levels if they had diabetes, increase in blood pressure and cholesterol levels, stronger food cravings, and a decrease in ability to get full after eating.” Dr. Odogwu added that studies showed “within 16 weeks of stopping Tirzepatide, blood sugar increases and diabetes gets worse.”<\/p>\n
The cardiovascular benefits also begin to slip away. Dr. Odogwu said, “We start to see increases in blood pressure at around 16 weeks and other cardiometabolic parameters go back to baseline within 12 months of stopping the medication.” Dr. Oparaji agreed, noting that “within months, the cardiovascular benefits can start to wear off and could be lost by 18 months especially if intentional lifestyle changes are not maintained.”<\/p>\n
Cold turkey vs. tapering: Which is the right way to stop?<\/p>\n
Dr. Oparaji explained that stopping GLP-1 medications cold turkey is medically safe since it is not an addictive medication. However, she leaned toward a gradual taper for practical reasons. “It is better to gradually taper off medication to give patients enough time to optimize lifestyle changes. This helps avoid rapid weight gain that can happen with stopping cold turkey.”<\/p>\n
What you need to have in place before you stop<\/p>\n
Both doctors were emphatic on this point: stopping without a plan is a mistake. Dr. Oparaji put it plainly: “Stopping GLP-1 without a plan in place is like taking off a cast before the bone is healed.” She recommended patients have a high-protein, high-fiber diet established, consistent exercise that incorporates strength training at least twice a week, and regular follow-up with a weight loss clinician.<\/p>\n
Dr. Odogwu echoed this, saying she always recommends that patients “use any time they have on the medication to develop the lifestyle habits that help with maintaining a healthy weight. These lifestyle habits include things like regular exercise and developing a taste for meals that are high in fiber and protein while being low in refined carbohydrates.”<\/p>\n
How to keep the lost weight off after stopping<\/p>\n
According to Dr. Oparaji, it\u2019s important to not make assumptions when you stop the medication. She said, “The biggest mistake is thinking that once the weight comes off with GLP-1, it cannot be regained when the medication is discontinued.”<\/p>\n
The patients who fare best after stopping do a lot of preparation. “These patients have taken the time to establish the healthy lifestyle habits that work for them to maintain a healthy weight,” said Dr. Odogwu. “They approached the medication as a tool and not just a stand-alone savior. They worked with a multidisciplinary team that can include a dietitian, therapist, health coach and doctor, to approach weight loss from not just the body aspect but also the mind.”<\/p>\n
Dr. Oparaji recommended following up with your doctor within four to six weeks of stopping. “This is when changes in appetite start to show up,” she explained.<\/p>\n
Should you stop taking GLP-1 medications at all?<\/p>\n
“If you’re able to stay on the medicine, I strongly recommend doing that because it has benefits for one’s health, beyond weight loss,” said Dr. Odogwu. “If you must get off the medicine, be prepared for the possibility of gaining all the weight lost, back. You may also want to discuss with your doctor as there are alternative medications available that can help.”<\/p>\n
Stopping a GLP-1 medication doesn’t have to mean undoing everything you’ve worked for. The key, both physicians agreed, is that the conversation about stopping should start with your doctor. The plan for what comes next is something no patient should have to figure out on their own.<\/p>\n
For more on health and wellness, follow me<\/a> on Yahoo.<\/p>\nNote: I am a journalist, not a medical professional. This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider regarding any health concerns.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Note: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. ABOUT OUR EXPERTS:…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":620239,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[49,48,232884,84,377,232883,10569,953],"class_list":{"0":"post-620238","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-medication","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-cynthia-odogwu","11":"tag-health","12":"tag-medication","13":"tag-nneoma-oparaji","14":"tag-patients","15":"tag-weight-loss"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/620238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=620238"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/620238\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/620239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=620238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=620238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=620238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}