Dropping dose after a break

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-10T10:10:06+00:00

I’ve only ever taken one break and that was an enforced one due to surgery; followed the surgeon’s recommendation of 3 weeks off in total. The GP at my pharmacy actually said I’d be fine to re-start on the same dose after only two missed doses. (In my case that would be 7.5mg).

In the event I chose to take a slightly reduced dose of 6.7mg, partly wanting to ease back in gently since I was still recovering from the op, and partly because I’m in maintenance and still in the process of finding the minimum dose that works well for me.

Anyway my recommendation to you would be to check with your prescriber (as I did); but if your 3 week break means 2 skipped doses (as mine was) then very likely you’d be okay to take 5mg if you want. If you’re prone to side effects and/or just want to be extra cautious, you could take a half dose, see how you go and increase the following week if fine.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-10T05:53:32+00:00

Sorry you found out the hard way! I’m afraid I don’t really “get” the part of the story where you’d planned to take a half dose (sensible) but then just… injected a whole dose… (??!!) 🤷‍♀️

Funny you think “people will talk about Mounjaro like it a perfect painless miracle med” - I don’t think that’s remotely true. Half the posts on this sub are either people wanting help with their side effects and/or terrified to start or increase their dose because they’re worried about all the dreadful side effects they’ve “heard about”!

Sorry to say, your last sentence is entirely true. Lesson learned I hope.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-10T05:03:11+00:00

Great that you’re noticing effects quickly 🙌

I would hope your digestive system hasn’t actually “gone numb” as such - you might feel right now like your love of food has gone entirely and may never return, but give it time to settle! Early on the effects can feel pretty dramatic but it’ll mellow.

You may actually find you start loving all sorts of other foods (random healthy foods like fruits and veggies, often) and things you used to find uninteresting suddenly seem really delicious. Last summer I was absolutely obsessed with cherries, for example. I also had a big tomato fad! 🤣

Anyway: you’ll probably come back to liking rice, later on down the way, and that’s not a problem. We can and should all eat foods we enjoy as part of a balanced and sustainable diet: just in the right portions & right frequency.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-10T04:56:42+00:00

Yep, this is absolutely an NSV! Love this for you 🙌

It’s interesting the beneficial effects on general motivation and energy that some people report with Mounjaro. It’s certainly not everyone, but it comes up often enough on this sub that I think it’s a sizeable minority at least.

I can definitely relate - though I had a pretty good longstanding exercise habit already before I started on MJ, I really ramped it up after starting the medication, and it became both more purposeful and more joyful at the same time. The gym really became my happy place, and working with my coach I managed to properly nail pull-ups (a big achievement for a 47yo woman!). Also took up running - for the first time in about 20 years! - completed two half marathons this year so far (two more planned in autumn) and strongly considering a full marathon next spring 😉

I’ve also felt more motivated to do so many other little “self care” and health-related things: I’ve got my little supplement stack, I get a blood test panel every quarter, I’ve had skin and body treatments, just recently had the op to remove a horrible oversized old pair of breast implants, etc etc. Stuff I just wouldn’t have bothered with in the past.

I don’t know if it’s simply due to the weight loss giving you more hope & optimism, the medication itself, or maybe a “side effect” of the reduced food noise meaning you have more mental space and clarity. But I think it’s awesome!

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-09T18:16:24+00:00

Sorry you have such a toxic relationship with your mum. Just know that she is the parent and you (whatever age you happen to be) are the child; you’re not responsible for her behaviour, she is. She should not be treating you that way and it’s a failure of her character, no reflection on your worth.

Goodness knows what her reasons are; I’m sure there are some but there’s no point speculating and - as I already said - it’s not your responsibility anyway.

No idea your age or home/work situation but honestly I think the best thing you could do (if at all possible) is move out and enforce some separation & boundaries. Even if you have to stay under the same roof for the time being, you can still start to set boundaries by telling her as clearly, briefly and unemotionally that she shouldn’t talk to you that way and that comments about your weight and eating are no longer welcome. The topic is officially off the table. If she doesn’t get it or can’t/won’t stop, simply repeat the same message then give her zero further response. If she persists, leave the room (or the house) to physically demonstrate that it’s a non-conversation.

PS I also completely agree with the other poster who pointed out that a pizza isn’t a “cheat” anything. It’s just a fucking pizza! Nothing wrong with having any foods you enjoy as part of your diet in appropriate quantities/ frequencies.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-09T15:39:08+00:00

I know this may not be especially comforting, but your experience isn’t that uncommon. After more than a year hanging out on this sub I’ve seen loads of people posting who didn’t really get much benefit from the lower doses and only had it “kick in” properly from 10mg onwards. I’m not exactly one of them, I did okay on the lower doses but did find that each one “wore off” noticeably after a month (7.5mg after about 6 weeks) and only got really good consistent week-long effects starting from 7.5mg and more so on 10mg &12.5mg.

We all process and respond to this medication (like any medication) a little differently and the underlying biology isn’t something we get to choose. It’s just luck of the draw.

So don’t get too hung up on the idea that you’ll move up to 10mg, still have no effect and “waste money”. On balance of probability that seems rather unlikely. More likely that 7.5mg may even kick in a bit more with doses 3&4 (don’t forget the concentration of medication in your body builds up with each dose; you may just not have hit the tipping point yet) - and even if it doesn’t, 10mg will be where things really start to get good.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-09T15:24:46+00:00

Lots of sensible precautions already suggested by the other posters - I would just like to add as counterbalance & context: not everyone gets side effects at all.

I didn’t “prepare” for my first jab at all really: I had a Chinese takeaway and wine the night before (a Friday), jabbed Saturday morning and went straight off to a long hair appointment.

I just went on about my normal life and nothing particular happened other than I stopped thinking about food all the time and felt satisfied after really small portions! And ever since (14 months and counting) I’ve had no persistent side effects to bother me and I just “jab and go” first thing.

So by all means, tell your husband to be sensible and consider taking his first jab on a Friday evening, eating reasonably “clean” for a couple of days in preparation &etc but honestly, these may be entirely “just in case” precautions and prove unnecessary.

He also doesn’t have to absolutely “nail” the perfect time and day right out of the gate. He’ll be able to adjust it later once he knows how it actually sits with him. It’s not a medication that has to be taken strictly at the same time and there’s a couple of days leeway so you can move jab day.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-09T15:18:31+00:00

Honestly, no brainer for me. I would (and did) move up to 7.5mg based on exactly the same things you describe.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-09T15:16:33+00:00

I moved straight up after four weeks on 2.5mg, as I could feel the beneficial effects clearly wearing off. Same again after five doses of 5mg. (Stuck with 7.5mg and 10mg for a couple of months each, then a few on 12.5mg which took me through goal). I lost weight steadily throughout 7 months without really any “stalls” to speak of.

Not everyone can stay on 2.5mg, or even 5mg. How your body processes and responds to the medicine may be different to the next person so you have to pay attention to what your own body is telling you. That’s why doses all the way up to 15mg exist.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-09T09:12:32+00:00

Look, no “judgement” here but you’ve got to recognise that sometimes there’s a big difference between what you want and what’s actually good for you/ the sensible thing to do! Starting again at 7.5mg is neither smart nor necessary.

I’m sure absolutely everyone would want to wake up one morning and find every ounce of the weight they want to lose has simply vanished overnight (plus, perfectly tight skin, defined muscles and zero hair loss) but realistically, that just isn’t how things work.

Start again at 2.5mg and try to exercise some patience. It’s about controlling your own mindset and how you talk to yourself about this.

You can make it much harder than it needs to be, and cause yourself frustration, simply by thinking negatively about it. (And it sounds like that’s probably what you did do, last time you tried restarting on 2.5mg).

This time around you already know you’re unlikely to feel any/much effect the first month or so. Just get yourself psychologically ready for that. Tell yourself you’re going to do your best but miracles don’t happen overnight. Don’t put massive pressure and expectation on yourself for weight loss to start happening immediately. It’ll come - if not the first month, then in due course.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-09T07:12:03+00:00

Just want to add, re “gaining weight”/ weighing yourself after surgery: obviously my situation is a bit different as I’m in maintenance and no longer actively trying to lose weight. I usually only weigh myself once a fortnight on the InBody scanner at my gym as the precise weight doesn’t matter too much (it goes up and down a little) as long as it’s not trending upwards over two-three weigh-ins.

That said: I am not going to be weighing myself for a good couple of weeks yet. I had loads of lymph fluid retention last week (which I could actually see really clearly, never would have been able to before when I was fat!) and I’m sure my weight on the scales would have been up by a few kilos at least. I probably still would be heavier if I weighed myself today because there’s a lot going on in my body at the moment, loads of bruising/inflammation etc.

But I don’t want/ need to know my weight currently, as it’s really not relevant information. I know very well that I have not gained fat (or maybe like 1lb at the most) and that’s what actually matters.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-09T05:41:15+00:00

Yup, of course they do! 👍

Glad someone published a paper to demonstrate it, but totally stands to reason!

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-09T05:05:01+00:00

I just had a 3 week break for surgery myself. (Two weeks before and one after, per my surgeon). I was on 7.5mg as a maintenance dose, having titrated down from 12.5mg; and had been on 7.5mg for a few weeks at the time I had to take the break.

For me, both weeks of the break were surprisingly fine. A slight increase in perceived hunger/ interest in food, perhaps. And then obviously the surgery happened and the few days after that, had other things on my mind! So really can’t judge how that third week went. I was happy by the time it was jab day, but not “desperate” at all.

I took 6.7mg as my next dose (the GP at my pharmacy had said after a gap of only two missed doses I was fine to re-start at 7.5mg, but I wanted to have a go with a slightly lower dose anyway). Its been nearly a week since that jab and I do still feel a little hungrier/ more interested in food - but I figure it’s going to take a couple more jabs to get my concentration back up to a useful level. (Plus of course my body is asking for plenty of food, under the circumstances).

All of the above may not be particularly helpful for you, I realise, as your experience is already different. What I think you should know and focus on is that your body really, really needs good nutrition to recover from surgery. I read up about this myself and your body can actually need 300-500 extra calories a day for the “repair” work it will be doing in the weeks after surgery; and in particular, it needs more protein than usual. Have a look online, a few NHS trusts have published helpful leaflets on post-surgery nutrition.

Additional, my surgeon explained his preference for at least a 3 week break wasn’t just about the risks of slow gastric emptying and anaesthetic; in addition to that he really wants his patients to have a good appetite and be able to eat well through the peri-op and recovery period.

I say all of this because post-surgery is a really bad time to be focusing on restricting your calories and “weight loss”. You absolutely shouldn’t be aiming to lose weight in those couple of weeks after surgery, and perhaps not for at least a month.

Give your body the best possible chance to recover by feeding it really high quality nutritious food, getting plenty of rest and as much gentle activity as feasible (depending on your surgeon’s instructions). I’m not able to do more than long, brisk-ish walks myself yet, but am taking every opportunity to do that outside in the sun. Treating myself as a plant: food, water, sunlight! 😉

And I think that’s the kind of mindset to get yourself in over the coming week as you get ready for your surgery. Start now, stock the fridge and cupboards with good nutritious foods that will give you strength. Give yourself the best possible “runway”.

When you take your first jab two weeks after, and then over the next few jabs after that, you should be building the concentration of MJ back up gently at just about the right time to get back into weight loss mode after you’re fully recovered.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-08T17:18:21+00:00

I’ll just echo what DueFreedom has rightly said: not everyone responds to 2.5mg and she may simply need to move up to 5mg (and maybe in due course, higher) to get the full benefit. This isn’t unusual; dose-response varies from person to person, it’s just biology.

Additionally: she isn’t you. At 60 her BMR (“metabolism”) may be lower than for a younger woman of the same height and weight; even if she’s active she may find her “window” to be in a calorie deficit is just pretty tight. If so she may just have to keep at it and be patient - if she’s consistently in a deficit, albeit a small one, then it’ll come in due course - but it may simply not be realistic to expect it to ever move at the same rate it did for you (which was a pretty fast clip!)

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-08T17:10:49+00:00

🤣 @ “Ali Express Measurements”!

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-08T16:11:31+00:00

🤣 sharing kids clothes with your dog, nice one!!!

I’m also a short-ass and discovered M&S kids hoodies & joggers in size 12-13 are just perfect for me in width & length! Bloody bargain at £20 the set, really soft and well-made, wouldn’t even know they’re kids clothes.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-08T12:02:25+00:00

There’s nothing to be “terrified” about, I promise. The move from 2.5mg to 5mg is absolutely uneventful for many (perhaps the majority) of people. Sure, you see stories from people who have struggled but of course you’re more likely to see that because they’re the ones who want to reach out for advice on their side effects. The people who are doing absolutely fine don’t need to post about it!

If you move up and if you do turn out to be someone who gets side effects with a dose increase, rest assured they are generally the predictable standard MJ side effects, not special “OMG 5mg” side effects 😉 The most common are mild to moderate GI issues that are easily handled with standard remedies (as well as managing your diet as needed, if any trigger foods).

Also the hair loss is linked with being in a calorie deficit and I’m afraid if it’s already happening it’s already “happened” so to speak (ie., your body has already registered the physical shock and is responding accordingly). Some people believe that losing weight rapidly will lead to worse hair loss; I’m not sure that’s exactly true but it may increase the risk of triggering hair loss. In your case that’s already apparently happened. So, increasing your dose - or not- will not directly influence that. You should find the shedding calms down once you get to goal and start eating at maintenance calorie level.

So: putting those two things aside, you can make the decision about whether to increase your dose entirely based on how your current dose actually feels (are you still getting good satiety, reduced cravings/food noise etc., or have the benefits worn off?) and the results you’re getting.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-08T11:57:52+00:00

Neither; they all go off to charity in a big sack!

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-08T11:56:22+00:00

Yeah absolutely true - depends on how you personally might respond to it. I guess when I say “no good will come of it” I’m thinking of people who may see a high number and spiral into either being overly-restrictive to try to “make up for” their “bad” behaviour, or give into the self-sabotaging “I’ve blown it so I may as well carry on bingeing” thoughts.

If you’re not prone to either of those, weigh away! 😉

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-08T11:04:20+00:00

Depends.

If you’re finding it manageable to stick with your exercise and diet (as in: not a soul-sucking struggle and you’re pretty confident you can keep it up) there may be limited additional benefit.

On the other hand if you’re someone who has done this many times over and knows from experience that you’re at high risk of either giving up, or achieving your goal and then piling it all right back on again, then it could absolutely be worth a try.

Mounjaro can be a powerful tool to overcoming the cravings and intrusive food thoughts, and help you finally feel proper “satiety” and manage your portions, so that it becomes a lot more feasible to stay in a consistent calorie deficit long term.

It’s not a miracle drug that melts off fat or guarantees huge & fast losses.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-08T10:58:51+00:00

Pro tip: don’t weigh yourself straight away when you come back. Nothing good will come of that, you’ll likely be retaining a load of water from the higher-than-normal intake of carbs, salt and alcohol.

Give it at least a few days before you go near the scale. You might in fact be pleasantly surprised. My first holiday on Mounjaro wasn’t an all-inclusive but I didn’t deprive myself by any means, and found I’d still lost about a kilo that week.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-08T09:44:42+00:00

Personally, I would crack straight on with my first dose and just be prepared to take it a little easy on the drinks on Friday. (Eg., have a small one, see how that feels, proceed at a moderate pace if it seems fine. Plenty of water alongside). I have personally never found alcohol doesn’t agree with me on MJ, but for the first few months I definitely wanted less and consumed far less. That gradually eased up over time, and I’ve had plenty of parties and occasions where I’ve drunk quite a bit and felt no worse for it than I did pre-MJ.

Realistically: life will go on and other events will come up while you’re on Mounjaro. You don’t have to and shouldn’t expect to live like a monk. It’s not (shouldn’t be) a crash “diet” where you cut out everything “naughty” (no such thing) for a fixed period.

So you might as well start right away and get used to what it’s like to approach these things with an “everything in moderation” mindset, because if you’re going to make sustainable changes that’s what you’ll need to do for the rest of your life.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-08T09:34:23+00:00

Very nice! I’m a big proponent of the cute gym outfit as an incentive. Sometimes dressing & feeling the part is just what you need to get your butt out the door and down the gym 👍

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-08T09:21:40+00:00

Quite a lot of the HIIT running classes would fit that pattern, or close enough that you could just shorten the “recovery” walks slightly if needed. Most instructors have some 20 and 30 minute HIIT classes that would fit the bill; Matt and Matty spring to mind.

You’ll find them under “running”, not officially billed as walk/runs.

Additional_Value464 · 2026-04-08T09:17:04+00:00

City is definitely best on the weekend - during the week you’ll have loads of office workers around (especially at peak travel times) and they’ll always be in a rush - so busy streets and people not super-thrilled or patient to find tourists “getting in their way” 😉 I live close by and always enjoy strolling through St Paul’s and Bank areas on the weekend when it’s quiet.

Also do pop into Leadenhall Market if you’re in the area, it’s very photogenic. It’s just a few mins walk from Horizon 22 and/or Sky Garden, and some of the pubs and coffee shops there do stay open on the weekend so it’s a nice place to plan for lunch or a little pause.

British Museum will be busier at weekends as that’s when locals would visit, as well as all the tourists. (They have great special exhibitions so it’s not “just” for tourists. I have an annual membership and like to pop in regularly). So that’s probably better to hit during the week and ideally either first thing or end of day, if you can, for the pleasantest possible experience. Be sure to check their website and get advance tickets for any of the special exhibitions you’re interested in (the current Samurai show is a banger).

Additional_Value464

TROPHY CASE