CLIENT STORY | GLP-1 & MENOPAUSE
Coming off a GLP-1 medication is a decision a lot of women reach eventually. But knowing you don't want to stay on it forever isn't the same as knowing what happens when you actually reduce the dose. This is the story of one client who worked through exactly that transition.
If you're considering reducing or stopping a GLP-1 medication, it's worth understanding how appetite, weight and eating patterns can change during that transition. My guide to GLP-1 medication and menopause explores the wider picture.
Where She Started
On Mounjaro, Erica had barely thought about hunger. It had simply stopped being something she had to manage. She knew, though, that she didn't want to be on the medication indefinitely - and she'd always planned to come off it eventually. The plan was straightforward in theory. What she hadn't prepared for was how it would actually feel.
Please note: any decisions about reducing or stopping medication were discussed with her prescribing clinician. Our coaching focused on the nutritional, behavioural and practical support around that transition.
What She Was Worried About
As Erica reduced her dose, she noticed hunger returning and her weight beginning to move upwards. That was the moment the theoretical plan became a real concern. Her fear wasn't really about the scales. It was a bigger question underneath it: what happens when the medication stops doing this for me? If the appetite control she'd relied on was fading, what was actually going to hold the change in place?
What We Explored
We looked at what was changing as Erica's dose reduced: when hunger was returning, what her eating patterns looked like, which habits were holding steady, and where she was finding the transition difficult.
Rather than trying to compensate with a stricter diet, we worked out what she needed to do when those changes showed up - so she had a plan she could actually use in everyday life, not just a set of intentions for when things went wrong.
Understanding nutrition and menopause is part of the wider picture, but the practical application needs to reflect the individual.
The Transition
We put a plan in place before Erica came off the medication, not after - so she already had a sense of what she might experience as her dose reduced and how she wanted to respond, rather than reacting in the moment. That meant she wasn't caught off guard by the change; she was expecting it, and had already agreed with Phillipa what she'd do when it showed up.
The Result
Rather than seeing a steady increase, Erica found her weight moving within a small range of around two pounds - up and down. . For her, that helped change how she interpreted normal fluctuations and reduced the fear that had surrounded the transition. She still checks in regularly through Momentum Plus coaching - not because the transition has gone wrong, but because ongoing support is part of the approach that works for her.
"I thought the medication was holding my progress together, but the transition plan proved I could do it myself. Stepping off Mounjaro without fear comes down to having the right strategy and ongoing support."
Please note that this was Erica's experience, not a prediction of what everyone will experience when reducing or stopping medication.
It Wasn't Another Weight-Loss Plan
Erica wasn't looking for another diet to follow. She wanted to know that the progress she'd made wasn't entirely dependent on a medication doing the work for her.
So the coaching wasn't about creating a stricter set of food rules. It was about understanding what was changing, deciding what she could control, and putting practical habits and responses in place before she needed them.
That's the Menopause Action Gap™: the space between knowing what you want to do and having a practical way to do it when real life - and your body - changes. It's one of the reasons personalised coaching can be valuable: you have someone helping you work out what to do when circumstances change, rather than relying on willpower or another generic plan.
She wasn't looking for more willpower. She was looking for confidence in what came next.
What Can You Take From This?
Your transition won't necessarily look like Erica's. That's the point.
If you're thinking about coming off a GLP-1 medication and you're worried about what happens to your hunger, habits or weight afterwards, personalised coaching can help you work out what you can control and build a plan around your own circumstances.
If you want to understand more about what can happen to appetite and weight after stopping Mounjaro, read my guide to keeping weight off after Mounjaro.
Ready for support that's personal to you?
Erica's experience won't necessarily be yours. Your medication, health history, priorities and circumstances are your own.
But if you're thinking about reducing or stopping a GLP-1 medication and are concerned about what happens next, you don't have to work everything out alone.
My personalised menopause coaching helps you make sense of what's changing, identify what deserves your attention and build realistic habits around your own circumstances.
If you'd like to understand how we could work together, explore the coaching programmes on my Menopause Coaching page.
Not sure whether coaching is right for you? Book a free 30-minute Menopause Clarity Call. It's a chance to talk through what's been happening, what you've already tried and what kind of support might help. There's no obligation.
