Weight Loss Drugs: What Happens When You Stop Taking Them? Expert Tells

Weight loss medications have become very popular in recent times, giving hope to people who were struggling to lose weight and stay healthy. From the traditional Appetite Suppressants to the Injectable Foods that affect the body’s hunger hormones, weight loss pills can be very effective if used the right way. However, one thing that lingers in many minds is that once you’re done taking weight loss pills, do you put back all the pounds that you lost, and also suffer from any negative side effects?

According to Dr Brunda M S, Senior Consultant - Internal Medicine, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore, weight loss medication is intended to help and not to permanently change the body. “Weight loss drugs may benefit individuals in losing weight by suppressing the appetite or influencing the body to process food in a different way. Many consumers may wonder what the effects of discontinuation of these medications will be. The effects will depend on the specific drug and the lifestyle of the individuals taking the drug,” explained Dr Brunda. Read ahead to know everything he shared with us.

What Happens When You Stop Taking Weight Loss Drugs

According to Dr Brunda, here’s what happens when you stop taking weight loss drugs:

1. Appetite and Weight Regain

The most obvious effect after discontinuing weight loss drugs is the return of their appetite. While taking these drugs, one does not feel much hunger. However, after the discontinuation of them, the appetite is observed to return either normally or maybe more urgently than before.

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“When people quit using weight-loss drugs, appetite usually comes back gradually. This may make a person feel more hungry than he or she was formerly. Therefore, people may eat more food, and consequently, weight may go back,” Dr Brunda noted.

2. Temporary Changes in Body and Emotions

In most cases,individuals who experience some transient effects after quitting the use of slimming medications. These may include low energy, mood changes, or gastrointestinal disturbances such as feeling bloated or experiencing constipation. According to Dr Brunda, such effects are always temporary.

“But some people may experience few side effects like feelings of tiredness, mood swings, or issues with digestion for a short time after stopping the medicine. These symptoms usually improve as the body adjusts.

In individuals who were using these drugs to manage conditions like diabetic, prediabetic, or high cholesterol issues, its discontinuation can impact their metabolism. Blood sugar levels could go high once again because of the controlled manner in which the medication had been working. Similarly, the cholesterol levels in the body could go high.

Why Medical Advice is Important Before Stopping Weight Loss Drugs

Doctors strongly advise against abruptly stopping weight loss drugs, especially for people with underlying health conditions. “I also warn against stopping these medicines suddenly without advice, especially for people with diabetes or other health conditions,” said Dr Brunda.

Gradual dose tapering under medical guidance can help to prevent adverse effects and any weight gain that may result from abrupt cessation. This is also because regular monitoring helps enable metabolic issues to be identified early.

Lifestyle Is the Real Long-Term Solution

According to Dr Brunda, the biggest takeaway is that weight loss pills are not meant to be a long-term remedy by themselves. “While weight loss supplements can be very effective, they cannot be taken as a long-term remedy by themselves because the body can develop a dependence on them, making it difficult to shed those extra kilos once they are gained,” concluded Dr Brunda.

Bottomline

Stopping anti-weight medications may result in increased cravings as well as some weight gain, but of course, this does not necessarily mean that all is lost when it comes to progress. As Dr Brunda puts it, “A planned transition to healthy habits is crucial. If proper help is provided along with regular practice, even after discontinuing anti-weight medications, maintaining your weight is not impossible.”