What happens when you stop taking Ozempic or Wegovy?

01-28-2026

From the Wall Street Journal 1/28/2026

Popular weight-loss drugs are meant to be lifelong treatments for chronic diseases, not lifestyle fixes. Health columnist Sumathi Reddy breaks down the benefits and risks of taking a GLP-1 short term.

While nearly 18% of U.S. adults have taken a GLP-1 for weight loss or to treat a chronic condition, about half of people will stop taking it within a year. Often, they don’t understand what is likely to come next.

Studies show that after stopping the drugs, people typically regain lost weight within about 1.5 years. Any improvements in blood sugar, blood pressure or cholesterol are reversed.

People who take GLP-1s regain weight four times faster than those who lose weight through lifestyle interventions, according to an analysis published in the British Medical Journal.

Doctors largely say the drugs are worth starting even if you can’t stay on them long term but caution the need for proper counseling and lifestyle changes.

The greatest success stories come from combining lifestyle changes with obesity medications, says Dr. Gitanjali Srivastava, medical director of obesity medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Dr. Robert Kushner, an obesity-medicine specialist, recommends GLP-1 users consider a long-term strategy that could involve transitioning to a less-expensive, older-generation weight-loss medication or starting a more intensive lifestyle intervention.

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