Participants describe staying at lower doses as long as the scale moves or hunger control feels right, only increasing when progress stalls for weeks. Several reached goal weight then dropped to a maintenance level rather than continuing to titrate up. A few combine subjective feelings about energy and appetite with weekly weigh-ins to fine-tune, while others reject the idea of raising dose just to chase faster loss.
What this discussion establishesWhether slow loss (around 1 lb per week) justifies raising the dose or whether that pace is acceptable without change
Still openWhat the ideal long-term maintenance dose range will be once goal weight is reached
Nothing here is advice.
There's this ongoing argument between going by how you feel versus actual results when it comes to raising dosage and hitting plateaus. Share your experiences and the reasons you decide to go up in dose.
I only needed to raise my dose for the final five pounds to reach my goal weight. I went all the way to the maximum just to get there, then started lowering it again once I hit the target for maintenance.
I match the dose to how much I want to eat. I found three levels that work: one that makes a calorie deficit easy without overeating, one for maintenance, and one for days I want to eat above maintenance. Early on I was using more than needed because I followed the usual titration schedule. The key was figuring out what actually matched my goals instead.
I don't agree with raising the dose just because weight loss seems too slow. A pound a week isn't a reason to go higher in my view. I've lost about 135 pounds total, with tirz helping on roughly 80 of those. I started at 2.5 mg and stayed there most of the time, only trying 5 mg for a couple months before dropping back because of side effects.
That's really something. You've done an excellent job.
That's Awesome Progress!
Right now I'm paying more attention to how I look than to the scale or how I feel. If the weight isn't dropping but my waist is getting smaller and I'm leaning out without losing much strength, that tells me the medication is working. Early on I had a target number in mind, but the closer I got the less that number mattered.
I began at 2 mg and stayed on each step for four weeks following the trial schedule. A couple of times I stayed longer because things were still working. I only moved up when the scale stopped moving. I reached 9 mg, hit my goal plus a bit, and just started a maintenance dose last Friday. I'll see how the scale responds and adjust from there.
I began on brand at 2.5 mg then 5 mg the next month and stayed at 5 mg for four months before switching to compound. I got tired of having to force calories so I lowered to 4.5 mg. I still have some days where I push calories, usually right after shot day, but otherwise I eat around 1500 now instead of the earlier average of 1100. Weight loss stayed the same at the higher intake. I don't raise the dose after a week or two without loss; I just wait it out and average 1.6 lb a week anyway.
I've accepted these medications are a lifelong tool for me. That means using the lowest dose that controls food noise while still letting me eat enough of the right foods. During active loss I aimed for one to two pounds a week and took my time rather than rushing.
Your logical thinking and steady endurance really earn my respect.
I followed the four-week schedule at each dose but then stayed longer if the scale kept moving. When it stalled I added a bit more, not in a very scientific way, and it worked. From September 2024 to April 2025 I lost 63 pounds to reach goal. Previous diets never got me past about 20 pounds, so this changed things for me.
I like that point. At 63 I've lost weight on different diets before and sometimes kept it off for years, but old habits always returned. Portion control is my main issue. I didn't want another temporary diet that would end with me back where I started. Six hours after the first shot I realized food felt different, like how normal people experience it. My doctor said this isn't a diet but something I'll stay on long term. Reaching goal is one thing; finding the right maintenance dose for the next thirty-plus years is the harder part.
I began 18 months ago and worked up to 8 mg a week. Around December I stalled at 200 pounds after coming down from 300. Raising the dose caused bad diarrhea so I went back to 8 mg. In late April I added 1 mg of another medication and have since reached 180 with 175 in sight. Once there I plan to stop the add-on and slowly lower the main dose over many months. I expect to stay on it long term, similar to blood-pressure treatment. I've seen improvements in several health markers and now exercise more than I could at 300 pounds.
Similar to what I did, though I'm on a different medication. I started at 2 mg for four weeks, followed the trial schedule, and stayed on 4 mg and 6 mg until the scale stopped moving. I adjusted the dose size myself after that, reached 9 mg, hit my second goal, and began a 6 mg maintenance dose last Friday. Watching the weekly scale reading on the same day is the main guide for me.
I chose Wednesday for my shot so the weekend would feel strong and I wouldn't be bored-eating during the week. That also put peak effect on Friday. I only weighed on Wednesday mornings, one week after the previous dose, to avoid getting discouraged by mid-week ups and downs.
Exactly the same reason I picked Friday from the start. When we went out of town I missed a Friday dose, got home late Sunday, and pinned Monday instead. I just shifted the schedule back a day at a time until I was back on Fridays.
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