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Several global studies, including the widely cited STEP 1 trial, have shown that discontinuing weight-loss medication often leads to significant weight regain
Mounjaro targets GLP-1 and GIP hormones to aid weight loss.
With the recent launch of Mounjaro (tirzepatide) in India, a new chapter has begun in the medical management of obesity. This injectable drug, developed by Eli Lilly, has already gained widespread attention for its powerful weight-loss effects—helping patients lose up to 20–25% of their body weight. It joins the class of GLP-1-based drugs like semaglutide (marketed internationally as Ozempic and Wegovy), which have redefined how we approach obesity and metabolic diseases.
Dr. Anmol Chugh, Associate Director, Plastics & Aesthetics Centre, CK Birla Hospital
Director, Imperio Clinics, Gurgaon shares all you need to know:
But as more Indian patients begin their journey with medical weight loss, an important question remains largely unaddressed, What happens when you stop taking these drugs?
While these medications have proven effective, they are not permanent cures. As Dr. Domenica Rubino, director of the Washington Center for Weight Management and Research, aptly puts it, “Obesity is not like an infection where you take antibiotics and you’re done. It’s a chronic disease that needs chronic management.”
Several global studies, including the widely cited STEP 1 trial, have shown that discontinuing weight-loss medication often leads to significant weight regain. Patients who lost over 15% of their body weight with semaglutide injections regained roughly two-thirds of that weight within a year of stopping the drug. Similarly, data shows that weight regain can occur more rapidly than the initial weight loss, especially within the first three to six months after discontinuation.
Why does this happen? One major reason is that these drugs suppress appetite by mimicking natural hormones like GLP-1 and GIP, which regulate satiety. Once the medication is stopped, the brain reverts to its previous patterns, often triggering increased hunger and food cravings. Some researchers also suggest that long-term use of high-dose GLP-1 agonists may reduce the body’s own ability to produce these hormones, further complicating withdrawal.
As a plastic surgeon, I often meet patients after this rapid transformation. Many are thrilled with their new bodies but unprepared for the aesthetic challenges that follow—particularly facial volume loss, skin laxity, and changes in body composition. Unfortunately, when weight returns, it is often in the form of increased fat and reduced muscle mass, which can be more harmful metabolically than their original state.
This raises two important considerations:
Patients must view these medications as long-term tools, not short-term fixes. Much like blood pressure or diabetes medications, stopping treatment abruptly can reverse progress. Discussions around “maintenance doses” and long-term use under medical supervision are gaining importance globally and will soon be part of routine care in India as well.
Aesthetic and metabolic outcomes should be managed together. Combining medical weight loss with muscle-preserving fitness regimens, nutritional support, and, when appropriate, non-surgical or surgical body contouring procedures offers patients a more complete transformation. For example, dermal fillers or fat grafting can address facial volume loss, while abdominoplasty or liposuction may help refine results after significant weight reduction.
Mounjaro’s launch in India is undeniably a major step forward, offering a promising solution for individuals with obesity, diabetes, PCOS, and other metabolic conditions. But true success lies in educating patients on how to sustain their results, prepare for the physical and emotional shifts, and receive continued support beyond the medication.
As the cost of these drugs gradually becomes more accessible and generic versions begin entering the market in the coming years, we must develop a more nuanced, long-term strategy to treat obesity—not just as a number on the scale but as a condition that affects nearly every aspect of a person’s health and self-image.