How Weight Loss Treatment Cessation Program Works

Weight Loss Treatment Cessation Support is a structured 12-month program designed to help you maintain your weight loss after you stop taking weight loss medication. Research shows that many people regain weight after stopping treatment if they don’t receive the right support. Our program provides ongoing guidance, regular check-ins, and expert advice to help you sustain the healthy habits you developed during treatment.

This service is provided free of charge to all NowPatient weight loss patients and aligns with NICE Quality Standard QS212, which recommends structured post-cessation support for at least 12 months.

When you stop taking GLP-1 medications like Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Saxenda, your body’s appetite signals gradually return to their pre-treatment levels. Clinical studies show that without support, patients can regain a significant portion of their weight loss within the first year after stopping medication.

Our cessation support program helps you:

• Manage the return of appetite and hunger signals
• Maintain the healthy eating patterns you developed during treatment
• Continue your physical activity routine
• Monitor your weight and identify early warning signs
• Access professional support if you experience significant weight regain
• Restart medication if clinically appropriate

Enrollment is simple. When you receive your medication reorder notification, you’ll see three options:

Option 1: I want to reorder my medication

Option 2: I have stopped taking my weight loss medication

Option 3: I have moved to another provider

If you select Option 2, you will be automatically enrolled in the cessation support program. You’ll be asked to confirm your stop date and current weight, and then you’ll be automatically enrolled in our 12-month support pathway.

The program includes regular check-ins at key intervals throughout the 12 months:

Week 4 – Video Consultation

Your first check-in is a video consultation with a specialist weight loss clinician through the NowPatient app. One of our specialist weight loss clinicians will assess how you’re adjusting, discuss any challenges with appetite or eating patterns, and create a personalised support plan.

Week 8, Week 12, Month 6, Month 9 – Questionnaires

You’ll complete brief questionnaires covering your weight, eating habits, activity levels, and wellbeing. A clinician will review your responses and provide personalised feedback and resources, if required.

Month 12 – Final Review

A comprehensive review of your 12-month journey with a clinician assessment and discussion of next steps, whether that’s discharge, continued monitoring, or restarting medication.

Once enrolled, you will see a Weight Loss Treatment Cessation meter appear on the Prescribed Medication Support section of the account homepage of your NowPatient app.

This Meter displays:

• A Progress Dial: A visual display showing your progress through the 12-month program, with your current position clearly marked
• Notification Icons: Video icon when a consultation is due, clipboard icon when a questionnaire is ready to complete
• Resources: Quick access to diet, activity, and lifestyle support materials
• Support Button: To book a consultation for an ad-hoc consultation at any time if you need extra help

We monitor your progress at every check-in. If you experience significant weight regain (more than 5% of your baseline weight), our clinicians will:

1. Contact you to schedule a video consultation
2. Review what’s happening and identify the causes
3. Provide enhanced support with targeted advice and resources
4. Discuss whether restarting medication might be appropriate
5. Refer you to specialist services if needed (such as a dietitian)

Our goal is to catch any weight regain early and provide support before it becomes significant.

Yes. At any point during the cessation support program, you can discuss restarting medication with our clinicians. This might be appropriate if:

• You’ve regained more than 5% of your weight despite lifestyle efforts
• Weight-related health conditions (like blood pressure or blood sugar) are worsening
• You feel you would benefit from medication support
• Your quality of life is significantly affected

Simply use the ‘Restart Medication’ option in your cessation support dashboard, or mention it in any questionnaire. A clinician will arrange a consultation to assess whether restarting treatment is right for you.

The questionnaires are quick (5-10 minutes) and cover:

• Your current weight
• Hunger and appetite levels
• Eating patterns and any challenges
• Physical activity levels
• Mood and wellbeing (brief screening questions)
• Your confidence in maintaining your weight
• Any support you’d like

We’ll send you a notification when a questionnaire is due, and you can complete it directly in the NowPatient app.

Yes. The Weight Loss Treatment Cessation Support program is provided at no additional cost to NowPatient weight loss patients. This includes all questionnaire reviews, video consultations, and access to support resources throughout the 12-month program.

You don’t have to wait for a scheduled check-in. At any time during the program, you can:

• Use the ‘Request Support’ button in your cessation dashboard to book an ad-hoc consultation
• Access our library of support resources for diet, activity, and stress management
• Contact our support team if you have urgent concerns

At your Month 12 review, your clinician will assess your progress and discuss the best path forward:

• Discharge: If you’ve maintained your weight and feel confident continuing independently
• Continued monitoring: If you’d benefit from ongoing periodic check-ins (every 6 months)
• Restart medication: If medication would help you achieve or maintain your weight goals
• Specialist referral: If you would benefit from a dietitian or other specialist support