I never expected that stopping a medication could feel like I’m about to plunge off a cliff.
But here I am, bracing myself for the freefall.
For the past year and a half, two injectable weight loss drugs—Wegovy and Mounjaro—have done what no diet, therapy, or burst of willpower ever could.
They didn’t just quiet the chaos in my mind about food; they erased it.
No more constant bargaining with my appetite, no more cycles of guilt and craving dragging me down.
Now, I’ve lost 4 stone and reached the weight I need—not to fit into a smaller pair of jeans, but to meet the BMI target of 32 set by my IVF clinic.
This number is my ticket to what could be my very last chance at becoming a mother.
The Challenge of Coming Off the Medication
I’m slowly tapering off Mounjaro, and the pressure is on not to regain a single pound. This isn’t about vanity; it’s about my chance at motherhood.
But as I reduce my dose—from 12.5mg down to 2.5mg—hunger is sneaking back in, and with it, anxiety.
It feels like the old me is creeping back—the same old food preoccupations I’d thought were gone for good. It’s a tough mental battle to stay in control.
Experts have even coined a term for this anxiety: “Oz-iety.”
It’s the real fear of regaining weight after coming off drugs like Ozempic. And honestly, I get it.
I can handle the side effects—the Ozempic face, the constipation from Mounjaro—but what I can’t face is gaining back all the weight I fought so hard to lose.
A Complex Journey Towards Pregnancy
My story is complicated. Nearly six years ago, I created five embryos through IVF in West London.
But the clinic requires my BMI to be 32 or below before moving forward.
Plus, I must be off all GLP-1 drugs for two months beforehand because their effects on pregnancy aren’t known.
I’m 47 years old (no judgment, please), and I have type 1 diabetes—an incurable autoimmune disease that means I depend on insulin every day.
Insulin keeps me alive, but it also encourages fat storage, making weight control a constant uphill battle.
Before these medications, managing my weight felt impossible.
But with the help of Wegovy and later Mounjaro, it finally became manageable.
How the Medications Changed Everything
These drugs allowed me to stick to a low-carb, intermittent fasting lifestyle that I’d always wanted but never maintained.
I cut out snacking, stuck to two nutritious meals a day, and finished eating by 6 pm every day.
That was revolutionary for someone who weighed nearly 20 stone at the end of 2023.
Now, at 15 stone 7 pounds and 5ft 8in, I’m still technically obese, but my goal isn’t to be thin—it’s to get pregnant.
For years, weight loss was my full-time hobby and biggest frustration. I’d lose 3 stone and gain it all back, repeatedly.
I tried everything: gastric balloons, therapy, retreats, hypnotherapy—you name it. I even almost had a gastric bypass but pulled out at the last minute.
The Moment Hope Arrived
Then came Wegovy. I first heard about it in late 2023 from Professor Barbara McGowan, who described obesity as a disease with an effective treatment for the first time.
That moment gave me hope.
After consulting with Dr Dipesh Patel, an endocrinologist who agreed to treat me despite my type 1 diabetes, I started on a low dose around Christmas 2023.
By New Year’s, something miraculous happened: the endless mental chatter about food went quiet.
For the first time ever, I felt full after just a small salad.
My insulin needs dropped, my blood sugar stabilized, and the weight began to come off.
There were side effects—constipation, terrible burps, and one nasty episode of vomiting—but I kept going.
Switching to Mounjaro for a Boost
After ten months, Wegovy’s effects plateaued. My doctor suggested switching to Mounjaro, which works on two hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, to suppress appetite even more and improve insulin sensitivity.
I gradually increased my dose until, by December 2024, my appetite was almost gone.
I could go all day with just one nutritious meal, feeling truly satisfied.
With my IVF treatment planned for late summer, I had to start weaning off the medication slowly—no sudden stops allowed.
The Slow Descent Into Hunger
Tapering down has been tricky. Dropping from 12.5mg to 10mg was subtle but unsettling. Food thoughts began creeping back in.
I even caught myself wanting a 10 pm snack for the first time in over a year, though I managed to resist with chamomile tea.
I stayed on 10mg longer than planned because I was scared of losing control.
But eventually, I dropped to 7.5mg, then 5mg, and now 2.5mg.
Each step means hunger returns stronger and I have to work harder to keep cravings at bay.
It’s not just resisting snacks anymore—it’s a full-time mental negotiation.
Old habits are knocking on the door.
Building a Plan for Life After the Jabs
I still hope my body might surprise me, that maybe I’m one of those people who forget to eat or nibble lightly without gaining weight. But I know better.
These medications gave me the headspace to apply everything I’d learned about nutrition and discipline.
Now, as I prepare to stop the jabs completely, I’m gearing up with a plan to keep my weight steady—for my baby’s sake.
Muscle: My Metabolic Ally
Building muscle isn’t just about looking good—it’s about long-term health.
Muscle burns more calories at rest and helps soak up sugar from the bloodstream, stabilizing blood sugar levels.
To help with this, I joined a fitness app called Owning Your Menopause, led by a friend who’s the only person who’s ever gotten me moving consistently.
Embracing Low-Carb Living
Since meeting Dr Ian Lake, the “Keto King,” I’ve leaned into a low-carb, sometimes ketogenic lifestyle.
This way of eating helps shift the body into burning fat for fuel instead of carbs, which is great for someone with type 1 diabetes.
Fewer carbs mean less insulin and less fat storage. Plus, low-carb diets naturally boost appetite-suppressing hormones.
After 16 months of this, I hope it’s become second nature and that I won’t suddenly crave pasta and rice when the meds are gone.
Nature’s Own Appetite Suppressant
During a recent trip to Dubai, I saw endocrinologist Dr Feruza Gafarova, who recommended Calocurb—a natural supplement developed in New Zealand after 15 years of research.
It contains Amarasate, an extract from a hop variety shown to stimulate the body’s own satiety hormones, helping reduce hunger by 30%, curb cravings by 40%, and lower calorie intake naturally.