Should You Skip Your Weight-Loss Injectable to Enjoy Holiday Dinner? Here’s What an Expert Says 

• As GLP-1 injections for weight loss become more popular, some people wonder if they can skip the drugs – which affect satiety – to enjoy holiday meals
• The drug is not a “magic bullet” — and “will work with you, but not against you,” says Dr. Armando E. Castro-Tié, system vice president, surgery, for Northwell Health
• He suggested people stick to the recommended dose and eat smaller amounts to avoid unpleasant side effects

Pumpkin pie. Charge. And all the appetizers.

The holidays usually mean enjoying your favorite treats — but Thanksgiving can look very different if you’re taking injections of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Mounjaro that, like Ozempic, work in the brain to suppress appetite.

Because drugs make people less hungry, eating can lose its appeal. And if a person were to overeat while on medication, they would likely experience unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects.

So if you know you plan to indulge, should you skip a dose or two of the drug?

“You can do almost anything. But the bigger question is why would they?” Dr. Armando E. Castro-Tié, system vice president, surgery, for Northwell Health, tells PEOPLE.

Stock image of Ozempica.

Steve Christo – Corbis/Corbis via Getty

Many people are overdosing on Ozempic alternatives with DIY injections, the FDA warns

“If someone says to me: ‘Yes, can I leave because I’m enjoying the holidays?’ I’d say, ‘Well, ideally, you’ve worked with your doctor, you’ve worked with your nutritionist, and you’ve incorporated certain things into your lifestyle that would allow you to enjoy it no matter what—even if they’re eating smaller amounts. .’ ”

Castro-Tié says patients worry about eating too much and feeling nauseous or even vomiting.

In that case, he says, “You’re not working with the medication the way you should. Any weight control effort will work for you, but not in spite of you. It’s a huge success that people miss.”

And there are side effects from stopping the drug, Castro-Tié tells PEOPLE.

“Increased appetite and weight regain are probably the biggest — but you want to make sure your insulin doesn’t backfire. Some patients may notice a sudden drop or spike in insulin.”

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Stock image of autumn pies.

Scott Suchman for The Washington Post via Getty

Mounjaro is ‘significantly’ more effective for weight loss than Ozempic, study says

Besides, your body is simply not used to that level of consumption. “You can’t just assume that, ‘Oh, it’s been two weeks since I had it. So I’ll just eat the whole plate of food,’ he says.

“That might not go over well. You may have severe cramps. You may excuse yourself from the table in a hurry.”

And, he adds, “I have heard of cases in which patients [who have] they’ve been on it for a while, they stop it for whatever reason and then they go back on it and suddenly they have side effects they didn’t have before — terrible reflux or terrible cramps or terrible constipation, things like that.”

Ultimately, Castro-Tié says, people should talk to their doctors about any concerns: “You can’t expect what Dr. Google says to apply to you.” Never miss a story – sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay updated on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education