For many people, Christmas is a time of festive feasts and overindulgence. T’is the season to eat, drink and be merry after all.
So it’s not uncommon for patients to want to pause their GLP-1 weight loss injections, like Mounjaro or Wegovy, over the holidays.
But stopping and restarting your medication comes with risks – and some of them can be very serious.
To help you stay safe and enjoy the festive season, this article explains why pausing and restarting GLP-1 weight loss jabs isn’t the best idea – and what we’d recommend you do instead.
Can I Pause GLP-1s Over the Festive Season?
We’d strongly advise against pausing your GLP-1 weight loss treatment over the holidays. This is for two main reasons:
- It can increase your risk of serious side effects when you start taking it again
- It can make the medication less effective
When you use GLP-1s, your body stores the medication in a particular way. If you stop taking it, the amount of medication in your body starts to drop, but remains present for a while. Wegovy stays in your system for up to 40 days and Mounjaro stays in your system for up to 30 days.
So, when you pause and restart GLP-1 weight loss injections, it can disrupt the way the medication is stored in your body.
If you plan to take time off from your medication – for financial reasons, health reasons or travelling – it’s really important you tell your healthcare provider. They’ll be able to guide you through the process in the safest way possible.
Are you a patient with us? Please let our patient care team know.
Pausing GLP-1s Can Be Unsafe
When you stop using GLP-1 weight loss injections, the level of medication in your body drops. So, if you resume the medication at the same dose, it could be too high for your system.
This can be dangerous and increases your risk of serious adverse effects. This includes pancreatitis, which is when the pancreas becomes inflamed over a short period of time. Acute pancreatitis requires urgent medical attention and can cause complications. In some cases, it can be fatal.
If you have stopped taking your GLP-1 weight loss medication, it’s likely you’ll need to resume on a lower dose. So please let us, or your healthcare provider, know if this is the case.
It’s also worth keeping in mind that the pen you’re using might not be safe to use if you pause and restart the treatment. You can use your Mounjaro pen for up to 30 days once you’ve opened it. For Wegovy, it’s six weeks. After that time, you’ll need to discard it.
If you’re using the pen correctly and following the directions of your prescriber, your pen should be safe to use.
Pausing GLP-1s Can Make Them Less Effective
One of the benefits of GLP-1s is that they reduce your appetite and can quieten constant mental chatter about food (sometimes called “food noise”). So you can enjoy favourite treats in moderation and celebrate Christmas and New Year without being preoccupied with food and weight gain.
If you stop taking GLP-1s over Christmas, the effects will start to decrease. Your previous hunger levels will likely return over the festive season and food noise could also get louder again.
This might make it harder to stay on track over the holidays.
What to Do Instead
Instead of pausing your GLP-1 weight loss injections over the festive period, stick to your dosing schedule as normal.
If you’re worried about side effects coinciding with Christmas day or New Year’s Eve, there are ways to manage them. Drink plenty of water, eat smaller portions of your favourite foods and inject your dose in the evening to avoid feeling nausea and discomfort throughout the day.
You can still enjoy Christmas on GLP-1s and preparation will help make it easier.
This article goes into more detail about how you can navigate the festive season on weight loss jabs. Get tips to help you stay on track, including how to manage common side effects and how to balance nutritious food and festive treats.
Limit Alcohol on GLP-1s
If you’re using Wegovy, it’s not recommended you drink alcohol. But research suggests you may be able to drink a moderate amount of alcohol without experiencing significant adverse effects. (Note: this doesn’t apply if you have poor diabetic control.)
So if you do fancy a drink, women should stick to one alcoholic drink each day and men should keep to a maximum of two. Try not to drink alcohol on an empty stomach. And make sure you drink enough water, as alcohol is a diuretic – it causes the body to get rid of excess fluid and salt.
However, we’d recommend you don’t drink alcohol while using Mounjaro because it can make side effects worse. It causes blood sugar to decrease, which may cause diarrhoea and vomiting. This can also impact your ability to eat well and benefit from nutrients from meals.
Mounjaro can also speed up how quickly you get drunk. So don’t drink alcohol on Mounjaro and drive – even if you think you’re below the limit. This will help keep yourself, and others, safe during the festive season.
It might be the case that you don’t want to drink alcohol on Mounjaro in the first place. According to recent research, the drug’s active ingredient, tirzepatide, can reduce the desire to drink. This is a great opportunity to replace an alcoholic drink with something hydrating and lighter on your stomach – leaving you feeling energised for the evening ahead.
Talk to Your Healthcare Provider
Get in touch with your healthcare provider if you have any concerns about how and when to take your dose over the festive season. Please let them know if you plan to take a break from your GLP-1 weight loss jab. They’ll be able to provide you with support specific to your situation.
If you’re a patient with us, remember we’re here to support you every step of the way. So please talk to us if you have any questions about your weight loss medication and when to take it. Call us on 0141 774 5023.
Support will be limited on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. So, for anything urgent, contact out of hours health services like NHS 111. We’d recommend checking the festive opening hours of your local GP practices and healthcare centres ahead of time too.
For more support over the festive period, you can also download our Renu app. You’ll get access to tailored support from our clinical team, with plenty of resources on food, movement and mindset.
Get tailored weight loss advice with our Renu app
Key Takeaways
- Pausing GLP-1 weight loss injections over the holidays can increase the risk of serious side effects, including pancreatitis. It can also make the treatment less effective.
- GLP-1 pens also have a limited shelf life once opened. The manufacturer recommends you don’t use it beyond that, so the pen might not be safe to use if you’ve stopped taking it.
- Pausing GLP-1s can lead to a return of hunger and “food noise,” making it harder to stay on track with weight management during the festive season.
- Stick to your normal dosing schedule. Manage side effects by drinking water, eating smaller portions, and injecting your dose in the evening.
- Limit alcohol while using GLP-1 medications. If you’re using Wegovy, women should stick to one glass a day and men shouldn’t drink more than two. We recommend you do not drink alcohol on Mounjaro.
- If you have any questions or concerns at all, please speak to your healthcare provider. Call us on 0141 774 5023 if you need any support. Download our Renu app for guidance.
References
Alcohol (contained in alcoholic beverages) and Wegovy Interactions. [online] Drugs.com. Available at: https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/alcohol-contained-in-alcoholic-beverages-with-wegovy-1034-14582-3878-19763.html?professional=1 [Accessed 10 Dec. 2024]
National Cancer Institute (2011). https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/diuretic. [online] www.cancer.gov. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/diuretic.
Quddos, F., Hubshman, Z., Tegge, A.N., Sane, D.C., Martı́E., Kablinger, A.S., Gatchalian, K.M., Kelly, A.L., DiFeliceantonio, A.G. and Bickel, W.K. (2023). Semaglutide and Tirzepatide reduce alcohol consumption in individuals with obesity. Scientific Reports, 13(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48267-2.
