When a Dose Increase Might Make Sense
Sometimes, moving up is exactly what’s needed. Here are some signs to look for:
Your appetite is returning and becoming harder to manage
You’re eating more and feeling less in control
Weight loss has completely stalled for more than a few weeks
You’ve stayed on the same dose for several months and nothing’s happening
Even then, it’s worth checking in with your prescriber to talk it through, not just ticking the next dose box.
Read more about dose adjustments in this article.
Track Before You Climb
Before making any changes, try tracking your hunger, side effects, weight changes, and energy for a few weeks. You might be surprised by how much is already working at your current dose.
Need help with that? The Dose & Side Effect Journal in the Pen Hub shop was designed for exactly that. It’s a digital download available in Blue or Pink, easy to use on your phone, tablet, or computer. Prefer paper? You can print it out each month and track your progress by hand. Simple, flexible, and designed to help you make informed decisions about your dose.
TL;DR - The Right Dose Is the One That Works for You
The real power of these medications isn’t just in how high the dose goes, it’s in how well you learn to work with your body along the way.
You’re allowed to pause. You’re allowed to ask questions. You’re allowed to stay where you are if it’s working for you.
Pen Hub was built for moments exactly like this, when you want real answers, grounded advice, and honest support for life on GLP-1s.
Browse the rest of the site for tools, trackers, and articles to help you tune in and stay on track.
When the Dose Goes Too Far: One User’s Turning Point
We spoke in depth with one GLP-1 user about this exact experience. Things were going smoothly at first. The lower doses had curbed his appetite, quietened the food noise, and helped him see steady progress without too many side effects.
But when he reached 10mg of Mounjaro, everything changed.
Instead of feeling satisfied, he felt completely disconnected from food. He knew he needed to eat but couldn’t bring himself to, not out of fullness, but from a kind of shutdown that felt miserable, not manageable.
“It wasn’t that I was full, it was like I’d lost all connection to food. I knew I had to eat, but I just didn’t want to. It wasn’t sustainable.”
Looking back, he realised that 7.5mg might have been enough. Even 5mg had resulted in weight loss. But because the dose increase came automatically as part of the prescriber’s plan, he didn’t think to question it.
“In hindsight, I probably could’ve stayed on 5mg for a few months. It was working, I just didn’t realise I had a choice in the early days.”
Eventually, the side effects at 10mg became too intense, and he stopped treatment altogether.
His biggest regret? Not pausing to assess how he was feeling before going up again.
New Data Shows Many People Don’t Reach the Max Dose
A major 2025 British Medical Journal study looked at over 24,000 real-world users of semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound). It found that most people didn’t make it to the highest dose, and many still saw benefits.
Here’s what they found:
Only 1 in 3 people using tirzepatide (Mounjaro) reached the full 15mg dose by 12 months.
The most common long-term dose for tirzepatide users was 7.5mg.
For semaglutide (Ozempic), the most common maintained dose was 1.0mg, not the full 2.4mg.
People who stuck with a dose they could tolerate long-term were more likely to stay on treatment overall.
It’s worth noting that participants in the study received their medication at no cost, so affordability didn’t affect how long they stayed on a dose.
In other words, persistence matters more than power. If you’re doing well on a moderate dose, there may be no need to climb higher.
How to Know If Your Dose Is “Enough”
There’s no magic formula, but here’s what to look for:
Are you losing weight steadily, even if it’s slow?
Has your food noise reduced?
Are your side effects manageable?
Can you still eat small, balanced meals without struggle?
If the answer to most of those is yes, your current dose is probably working just fine.
You don’t need to “upgrade” just because the calendar says so. The goal isn’t the highest dose, it’s the right one.
If you’re using a private prescriber, there’s a good chance you’re being moved up the GLP-1 dose ladder automatically, one step every four weeks, straight to the top.
It might seem like the “normal” path. But here’s the thing: not everyone needs the highest dose. In fact, some people do better when they don’t get there at all.
How GLP-1 Dose Increases Usually Work With Private Prescribers
Most private GLP-1 services, especially online ones, follow a standard titration schedule. They start you on the lowest dose and bump you up every month, no questions asked, unless you get in touch to slow things down.
And while that sounds convenient, there’s something worth knowing: higher doses cost more. So for many prescribers, especially those operating on subscriptions or monthly packs, moving you up quickly is simply built into the business model.
That doesn’t mean it’s wrong. But it does mean the default plan might not be the best one for your body.
Quick Explainer: Titration is a word you will hear a lot throughout your journey. It just means gradually increasing your dose over time, to help your body adjust and reduce side effects.
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Nick M
Published:
6 Aug 2025
Updated:
6 Oct 2025
Smaller Doses, Real Results: Why Going Up in GLP-1 Doses Isn’t Always Needed
Starting Out
Helpful Companions For Your Weight Loss Journey
From meal ideas to daily tracking, these digital tools are designed to make life on GLP-1s a little easier.
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