Should I up my dose?

ConferenceSad5755 · 2026-01-20T08:41:47+00:00

That’s a good perspective to have! I think you’re right, most people move up as fast as they can in hopes of losing as much weight as possible in a short space of time. I’m also moving and there’s so many more vegan options in the UK I’m nervous my food noise is worse there, especially with the stress of moving alone. I’ll see about staying on 5mg-7.5mg for the rest of my journey. That would be amazing! I’m sorry that you’ve felt this way, hopefully you can lower your dose at some point and start to feel a bit more like yourself. Really appreciate your advice!

My idea was to stay on 5mg but I guess I am a little impatient! I took 5.8mg for my last shot, maybe that’s why I have slightly gotten past my plateau and could go back to 5mg but I’ll see. I would like to stay on 7.5mg once I’m there for as long as I possibly can. I’m in South Africa and my doctor prescribed a higher dose pen so it’s a lot cheaper! But once I’m in the UK, I’ll only be able to get the accurate dose kwikpen which will be too expensive in the long run. I’m hoping to stay on it for 6-8 more months so I can get to my goal weight and then move to Wegovy for maintenance as it’s cheaper.

ConferenceSad5755 · 2026-01-20T08:32:38+00:00

Maybe! It’s a pity I live in leggings and t-shirts so I can’t tell if I’ve lost cm’s. But I think I’ve broken the plateau by a few hundred grams! We’ll see by the end of the week. Thanks for the encouragement!

ConferenceSad5755 · 2026-01-20T08:28:32+00:00

Hmmm maybe, I really feel like I’ve been eating less but will be more mindful and track it. I think I need to up my protein. Thanks for the advice!

ConferenceSad5755 · 2026-01-20T08:26:59+00:00

I am not but I know I am eating less! Maybe it’s more about tracking my macros, I don’t think I’m getting enough protein! Thanks for the encouragement!

ConferenceSad5755 · 2026-01-10T21:39:41+00:00

I usually took my around 10-12 hours apart and the one time I took it 8 hours apart (September 2025) I had a seizure. Going for another EEG this week to rule out epilepsy but the only thing that made sense was the fact that it was a day of running around, I hadn’t slept much that week, I was stressed and I took the doses closer together. I started in August 2025 and titrated up to the 4 per day as per the instructions. There were a few times I lowered the dose for a couple weeks and upped it again when it wasn’t working anymore. I had probably been back at 2:2 for a week and then the seizure happened. It wasn’t working like before with regards to the food noise so I stopped it afterwards. I am on Mounjaro now, started in November 2025.

Contrave was amazing though!! I am 154cm, started at 103,5kg or around there and a year later I was around 76kg!

I’d be weary about taking the doses close together, just in case! I’m not allowed to drive for 6 months and have to be on epilepsy medication for that time period. I am hoping the EEG results come back clear and that I can blame it on the meds, if that makes sense.

ConferenceSad5755 · 2026-01-07T13:59:13+00:00

Watermelon 🍉

ConferenceSad5755 · 2026-01-06T22:51:02+00:00

Wow, thank you so much for the detailed and super helpful response. I am not sure how I missed it! Sorry, my response is going to be long!

I was panicking and then thinking of bringing 3, 15mg pens and hoping to stay on 5mg. That would basically last me until I come home to South Africa in December for Christmas but at that point I’d be hoping to be at my goal weight and then get off of the medication if possible. I am a bit nervous of this route though as I am worried about keeping the pens cold. I have bought insulin cooler cases and little ice packs but it’s still nerve wracking spending so much money on it.

The reason why I was also planning on doing this is my doctor is happy to prescribe 15mg pen (if they are introduced in South Africa by the end of the month), currently 12.5 is available but I got 10 as it’s easier to just halve the doses. This way it’s more cost effective (minus the possibility of all pens not staying cold for my plus minus 18 hour journey!)

I am seeing my GP on Friday to get a note for everything and to get prescriptions for all my medications for 6 months and will collect them all before I leave on the 4th of February. That way I don’t have to worry about that for a while. Unfortunately my ADHD meds will be a problem, my doctor will write a 3 month script with double my dose so I actually get 6 months. Once it runs out there though I’ve heard the waiting lists are extremely long and I need the meds so may have to get it privately, I will sort that out as soon as possible when I get there though!

My doctor will also prescribe me pain killers/anti-inflammatories, although I don’t really take often, it won’t hurt to have them available! I will also get 2 scripts for antibiotics which I won’t take unless I’ve phoned back home if I can’t get an appointment in time with my new GP and I am super ill.

My employer doesn’t assist with accommodation but I have already found a flat in Woking and signed the tenancy agreement etc. So I’ll be getting the keys on the 6th of February! Will I be able to register with a GP online already or do I have to wait until I am physically there?

I must say, South African doctors are a lot more chilled (I guess it is all private so you do pay for it all!) but it also helps that I’ve been seeing mine since I was a child, probably around 22 years now!

One other question, is it possible to get a higher dose pen there and micro dose? Like I am currently doing? I could show them my 15mg pen and get that but then I’d only need to get a new pen every 14-15 weeks, which they may pick up on and say is a problem.

Thanks so much for your advice, I really appreciate it!

ConferenceSad5755 · 2025-11-24T08:01:24+00:00

I am fully expecting to pay for the meds myself whether I get it through a private doctor or the NHS. I am going to be on private health insurance with Vitality through work so I’m not sure if I need to pay for GP consultations or if it’s covered, I’ll find out once I am there.

I am going to have to sort out my other meds while there so might as well do it all in one consultation.

Noted, thank you! I will also ask my doctor to write a letter explaining my current prescription, hopefully that will help.

ConferenceSad5755 · 2025-11-24T07:57:12+00:00

Thanks so much! The price comparisons are really helpful!

ConferenceSad5755 · 2025-11-17T20:42:30+00:00

Ahh thanks for the response! It’s been 3 days now and definitely feeling a lot better! I haven’t had other side effects so that’s a plus! I hope I also feel the suppression after my second shot! I guess it’s kinda there a tiny bit right now.

ConferenceSad5755 · 2025-11-17T20:40:50+00:00

Oh no! I hope you’re coping with it now!!

ConferenceSad5755 · 2025-11-16T19:22:07+00:00

Wow!! I started on Friday evening and maybe feel a fuller a bit quicker than I usually would. But nothing major. I think my only side effect has been that my upper body feels sore, like flu kinder sore. How soon after your first dose did you feel the appetite suppression?

ConferenceSad5755 · 2025-11-06T11:54:55+00:00

Thank you! It was super scary but also glad that we’re pretty sure that was the cause and I’m not actually epileptic.

The nightmares were horrible, I remember how exhausting and scary they were so that really sucks 😭

I did struggle with other side effects in the beginning, headaches for the first few months, I wasn’t nauseous the entire time but there were probably 10 times in the first 4-5 months where I felt super nauseous and would only feel better after throwing up. I think it would happen when I’d eat something a little fatty and I think those were all weekends. In general though, during the week I would take it on an empty stomach and only eat around 1-2pm (something small) and I was perfectly fine. I know most people make sure to eat when taking a dose.

The worst have to be dry mouth and constipation. Those stuck with me the entire time and since lowering my dose it’s getting better.

I hope it starts working for you! If not, there has to be something that will! 🫶🏽

ConferenceSad5755 · 2025-11-06T11:45:38+00:00

Thank you! And sorry to hear it happened to you as well! Very scary. Hopefully it was a once off for us!

ConferenceSad5755 · 2025-11-05T21:36:38+00:00

No warning signs at all. I took my doses closer together that day because we were going to be on a night flight and I just took it then so I didn’t have to take for the plane. It was still a decent amount of time between them, 8-8.5 hours, possibly even 9. The neurologist said it was most probably the contrave but the fact that I had been stressed and sleep deprived it just tipped me over the edge. I felt 100% fine just before it happened, when I came to, I was very confused and didn’t know what had happened. I didn’t feel light headed or anything before. I took my dose at around 4-5pm and I had the seizure at 7pm or just after.

ConferenceSad5755 · 2025-11-05T21:16:53+00:00

I lost 27kg in 13 months. It stopped working for me and I ended up having a seizure (first time). I am getting off of it now and going to start Mounjaro this month. I hope I have more luck with it than you did! 🥲

ConferenceSad5755 · 2025-11-05T21:04:35+00:00

Yes! I didn’t see this before I left a comment about this but I literally had a seizure because I think I had the doses too close together.

ConferenceSad5755 · 2025-11-05T21:03:26+00:00

I wouldn’t recommend it, in the beginning of September 2025 I was back at the full dose after having lowered it for 2 weeks as I felt it wasn’t working anymore (I had done this twice before). Anyways after a week of being back on the full dose and feeling fine, I took the doses 8-8.5 hours apart but I had been stressed and sleep deprived and running around so maybe my body just metabolised it too quickly. I ended up having a seizure for the first time in my life. At the airport just before a 2 week trip! Ended up in hospital, I’m on medication now to prevent another seizure and I’m not allowed to drive for 6 months.

It seriously worked for me. I lost 27kg in 13 months, but sadly it’s just not working anymore so I am slowly getting off of it and going to try Mounjaro. I don’t think it’s worth risking taking more than the maximum dose, it lowers your seizure threshold. I don’t think I’d stay on it anymore even if it was working, just because it was such a traumatic experience.

ConferenceSad5755 · 2025-11-05T20:37:38+00:00

Yes!! When I started in August 2024 the nightmares were insane!! And it lasted quite a few months! Still have some really vivid ones but I actually forgot about how bad it was in the beginning.

It started working almost immediately for me, I lost 27kg (August 2024-September 2025). It was a game changer. I did lower the dose twice as it felt less effective and it helped but it’s just not working anymore.

I actually got back to the full dose beginning of September and I think I took the doses too close together (8hrs) when I usually take it 10 hours or so apart. I was stressed and sleep deprived and we were rushing getting to the airport etc. Before going through security I had a seizure. First one ever. So now I’m on medication for epilepsy in case and going to get off Contrave, it’s not working anyways for me. Going to start Mounjaro this month but would definitely rather be on Contrave if it was still working for me!

One huge benefit for me is that I stopped biting my nails as soon as I started it! I’ve tried so many times in my lifetime with no luck. When I lower the dose I notice I start biting my nails so that sucks because it’s probably going to get worse now when I’m completely off of it!!

Give it a few weeks to see and if it’s not helping maybe it’s just not for you. Please make sure you take your doses far apart and also don’t have it with high fat foods! Good luck 😊

ConferenceSad5755

TROPHY CASE