Most people stop — then restart

These drugs are often treated like a one-way path, but many people stop them — and a large share later try to come back. (npr.org) Glucagon-like peptide-1 drugs, including semaglutide and tirzepatide, work by mimicking a gut hormone that helps control blood sugar, slows stomach emptying, and reduces appetite. They are sold as Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, Mounjaro, and Zepbound for diabetes, obesity, and some related conditions. (jamanetwork.com) In a JAMA Network Open study published in January 2025, researchers tracked 125,474 U.S. adults with overweight or obesity who started one of these drugs between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2023. Within one year, 46.5% of patients with type 2 diabetes and 64.8% without type 2 diabetes had discontinued treatment. (jamanetwork.com) Among those who stopped, 47.3% of patients with type 2 diabetes and 36.3% without type 2 diabetes restarted a glucagon-like peptide-1 drug within a year. The same study found that weight regain was linked to restarting, while weight loss, income, and gastrointestinal side effects were linked to stopping. (jamanetwork.com) A separate Kantar survey cited by National Public Radio found that 74% of people who had lapsed said they were likely or very likely to return to a glucagon-like peptide-1 drug. National Public Radio reported that doctors do not recommend repeated on-and-off use, but many patients do it anyway because cost, insurance changes, and side effects interrupt treatment. (npr.org) Cost keeps showing up in the data. KFF Health News reported in January 2026 that Medicare covers Ozempic for type 2 diabetes but not for weight loss, and one patient faced a list price of more than $1,000 a month when coverage disappeared. (kffhealthnews.org) Researchers still do not know the long-term health effects of cycling on and off these medicines over years. Medical News Today reported on April 15, 2026 that response to these drugs varies widely, with some studies suggesting as many as 20% of patients may not respond, adding another reason some people stop or switch treatment. (medicalnewstoday.com) The stakes have grown as these drugs moved beyond weight loss and diabetes alone. The Food and Drug Administration approved Zepbound in December 2024 for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity, and KFF Health News noted in January 2026 that several glucagon-like peptide-1 drugs are now also approved to treat kidney disease or lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes in some patients. (fda.gov) (kffhealthnews.org) Real-world evidence on what happens after stopping is still mixed. Cleveland Clinic said in March 2026 that, in a study of 7,938 adults, many patients regained less weight than clinical trials had suggested because they restarted the original drug or moved to another obesity treatment. (clevelandclinic.org) That leaves patients and doctors managing a treatment that often behaves less like a short course of medicine and more like long-term care that gets interrupted. The pattern is now clear; the long-range effects of stopping and restarting are not. (npr.org)