To have turned down Munjaro?

[Uberella]

In 2020 I was diagnosed with type two diabetes;I have since then lost 6st in weight to try to help;I was huge at 5ft 4in and a whooping 22st 10lbs.

Roll on now;unfortunately despite my weight loss I’m really struggling with my diabetes at the moment;My blood sugars are really high even when I’m not touched anything sugary.

I’m currently on insulin and statins for high cholesterol.I’ve been told multiple times in the last few months I’m at risk of early death.

which is why I’m wondering if I was right today to have turned down munjaro jabs when offered them during a routine treatment review today.

I know I need to lose more weight;I’ve been doing slimming on and off for a few years but I’m terrified of the munjaro jabs;I know people who have suffered terrible side effects from these jabs plus weight gain after stopping the jabs and I’m not liking the things I’m hearing in the media about it.

I saw another pharmacist at my GP surgery a few months ago that I don’t normally see and he said to me that he doesn’t personally recommend Munjaro as there is evidence it causes hepatitis.

Your decision but it seems a strange decision to me when you’re so at risk if you do nothing,

also it’s MOUNjaro not munjaro

I’m a type 2 and my blood sugar was out of control, at dangerous levels. My weight was just borderline obese.

I was prescribed mounjaro and in 5 months I’ve lost over 3 stone and my blood sugar has returned to normal non diabetic levels. (My latest blood sugar was less than 35)

I’ve been able to stop taking my other diabetes medications.

Its also improved my liver function and my kidney function. I’ve also found my inflammation markers have significantly decreased as well from my latest blood test results. i’ve been having a blood test every 4-6 weeks) and I’ve can see the improvements on the app.

Apart from some slight nausea 24/48 hours after the jab and some constipation I have zero side effects 🤷‍♀️

I would speak to a different doctor/pharmacist and do some research into it, for me it’s been life changing, I’m fitter, healthier than I have been for years.

It’s incredibly hard to get it on the NHS if you’ve been offered it I’d snap their hand off to get it.

Your diabetes is not currently well controlled and you are struggling with various things as a result. You should be applauded for losing 6 stone. That is fantastic

But why would you not want to do everything possible to help yourself? You are the very type of person that WLI’s are designed for AND are being offered it in the NHS.

I suggest that you do some very serious research rather than going by what you’ve heard third hand. Spend some time reading through the WLI board on here and you’ll see so many people who this has been life changing, for the better. So many people who have been able to reverse their T2D. Instead of googling Mounjaro side effects, where you’ll be offered nowt but dramatic horror stories, look up Mounjaro benefits fkr diabetes.

I am on the jabs and other than a bit of fatigue every now and again, I’ve been more or less side effect free

I have been taking it for 6 weeks. I have lost 18lbs and have just tipped into 'overweight' from 'obese' BMI. Mild (burping and farting) and transient (just for one day after inj each week) side effects.

I am 58 and I am taking it to reduce my risk of cancer, dementia, stroke, CVD, diabetes, joint issues and reduced mobility due to a lifetime of yoyo diets (90% of my adult life overweight or obese). I have also been very depressed about my body, deteriorating fitness and health.

For me the side effects of obesity (cancer, dementia, stroke, DVD etc) far out weigh the one day a week burping and farting.

Well done on the loss so far! I’d definitely reconsider Mounjaro though. I started in October and have lost 2.5 stone so far, nice and slowly. But the best thing is my T2 diabetes is in remission, I’ve been able to stop Metformin and my A1c has gone from 52 to 30 - my nurse was amazed and in her words - it has obliterated my diabetes! 😂

As stated by @NeverDropYourMooncup It's a medication designed for diabetes that treats diabetes, obesity, inflammation and high cholesterol.

Read up on some factual information, how it works etc. Yes, a lot of people take it for weight loss but it's only approved on the NHS for diabetes I think. People taking it for weight loss have to pay through a private doctor online.

I'm prediabetic, have lots of inflammation and in the 'overweight' category - I'm taking it.

Congratulations on your big weight loss so far.

I've been on MJ for 11 months now and I've lost just over 8 stone so far. I've had very minimal side effects, really cold, and some hair loss, thats about it.

I don’t know why a few people are finding the hepatitis thing so ridiculous. Many drugs can cause liver failure or renal failure.
Mounjaro can cause serious side effects. We are seeing it in A &E in the hospital I work at. It a new drug and it’s being rolled out far quicker than other drugs because so much of it is being prescribed privately. I prescribe it myself and think it definitely has its place. For the people it works for, it’s amazing. But it doesn’t suit everyone, and if OP thinks the possible side effects would not be worth it, then she shouldn’t disregard that and take it anyway.

I’ve been prescribed it for type two diabetes, my bloods were sky high, and were within normal levels in two months. I’ve lost three stones and continuing to lose on 5mg. Very few side effects.

Don't believe the hype.

Good for you for sticking to your guns.

I did the same when literally every GP wanted to put me on antidepressants. It genuinely felt like they were trying to strong arm me into it ("why dont you go and read up on it some more and come in next week so we can discuss again").
I know literally everybody in the UK is on some sort of MH pill but I'm glad I resisted as I felt a strong sense of capability when I managed to get myself leveled out by other means.

What if you were given Mounjaro as a diabetes medicine, not for weight loss, would you still turn it down because of the potential side effects?

I saw that. Totally ignoring the fact the Mounjaro needle is a 4mm sub-dermal needle. Then again, I presume the person who 'saw' the track marks wouldn't know what sub-dermal meant, anyway?

I used it. 3 stone in 3 months. Stayed on 2.5mg throughout. Came off it once I hit my healthy bmi.

Have been off of it 6 weeks and haven't gained anything. My relationship with food is better and have reset my ideas round food and snacking.

The 1st week off of the jab was hard as hinge hit me. But if you can push through that week, it goes and you just carry on with the healthy habits.

Mounjaro doesn't work without a calorie deficit. Mounjaro suppresses your appetite and also turns off the food noise so you don't have cravings and are then able to do the calorie deficit.

Not going to lie. I didn't feel great on it. I felt sick most of the time, lost my appetite completely and couldn't eat much.

However, I would do it again. And I would work on a plan on getting the right nutrients in.

Speak to your GP again if you do decide to try and see if they offer monitoring and support if you are worried.

I'm 15 weeks in on Mounjaro, 5'3" and 95.9 kg (15st 1) at the start, as of last Saturday which is weigh in day I was 84.4Kg 11.5 kg (25.3 Ilb) loss.

I have had a bit of constipation and nausea as side effects, Bp is down, IBS is no where near is bad sadly the growth spurt I really wanted has failed to materialise!

I'm not counting calories just reducing portion sizes and fasting 16/8, which is suppose could be called counting calories😂

I know that WW, that hypno thing - Slimpod? - and possibly other weight loss companies have seen their profits plummet due to MJ et al, as the diet industry is reshaped by WLI.

I do wonder at the number of posts that crop up trying to cast shade/doubt/dread on MJ.

The 'diet industry' has made billions out of women over the decades. I'm very happy for the ground to shift underneath it.

WLI, with MJ leading the field (imo) is transformative for the health of so many people.

Six stone is an incredible loss, but in your situation I would definitely give Mounjaro a try.

I've been on it since April, so not long - and I was scared of the side effects before that first injection.

So far, just the 2.5g dose has been a miracle drug for me. Overnight, it killed my appetite & all my cravings for sweet & carby foods. Thinking about what to eat without those cravings is just so much easier - it's easy to prioritise proteins & veg, and not overeat. I lost 10lb in the first 2 weeks, & continue to lose. Hopefully I'm getting my body into better habits & shrinking my stomach a bit - get it out of the habit of overeating.

The only side effects I've had are occasional light-headedness & slight queasiness - but not too bad. I'm also sleeping better & longer.

Long term effects of any medication are always a slight concern - but the effects of being so overweight are more of a concern to me. Some people do get bad side effects, but there's no way of telling, some people get none at all.

I think YABU

The risks of your obesity are much greater than the risks mounjaro

in your case I would definitely try it- I did 6 weeks and it’s not for me as I found anything outside of an extremely bland diet gave me heartburn but then again I’m not diabetic and can lose ok at the same rate if I am very focussed . One of the things it’s usually really good for is blood sugars - many people have reported actually reversing diabetes on it . And the jabs are a total non event - don’t remotely hurt . The other thing is not everyone gets significant side effects, mine were just uncomfortable but in all honesty if I had significant health risks I could have easily put up with them - if you are going to be offered it on prescription rather than paying £150 a month OP I would give it a try for a month - if it’s not for you then it’s out your system in 10 days or so

Hepatitis? Is he suggesting you use a dirty needle? Regarding side-effects I do think you need a level of determination with the drug. I've been on it for a year. You will get side-effects if you do things wrong. For example if I eat fatty food in the evening I can get indigestion. So I just don't eat fatty food in the evening! It's no big loss. Try looking at the positives. Losing weight will be the most healthy thing you can ever do. The benefits vastly outweigh the disadvantages. You are running the risk of an early death. You are also running the risk of amputation, cancer, heart disease and a number of other problems. You are focusing on the negatives instead of on the positives.

I was prescribed it for T2 diabetes, at the time I was prescribed I was on 8 x units of insulin twice a day and 4 x 500mg metformin, within 2 weeks of starting MJ I was able to come off the insulin completely. Over the next 4 weeks I reduced the metformin until I wasn’t taking that either, so I went from 2 injections and 4 tablets every day to 1 x injection a week, my blood sugars are perfect, my HbA1C reduced from 11% to 5.7% and my diabetes is now in remission. In addition I have lost 4 and a half stone. All this between September 2024 and now so 7 months.

i have never had any side effects beyond feeling cold which is fixed with a heated blanket and extra layers.

To add, because I’m prescribed it by the GP and under the care of the Diabetes service, I get bloods taken every 3 months to check for kidney and liver function, HbA1C, lipids/cholesterol and all my numbers have improved.

https://archive.is/1KYAY interesting article today in the Telegraph about Mounjaro helping with multiple chronic health conditions.

Most of the scaremongering is tabloid press. The scientific research is showing truly amazing stuff. I'm not saying you need to take it, but you're already on statins and they have their risks as well. They just don't come with tabloid press because the medical issue they address isn't tied to a perception of vanity.

The reason the drug is approved for obese people is because the health risks of being obese far outweigh the risks of taking the drug.

I thought the same. People clearly don’t know what hepatitis is!

Surely the pharmacist meant pancreatitis?

I’ve lost 13% of my body weight since mid-February via MJ. So I’m broadly in favour of trying it, OP. See how it goes.

I have had manageable side effects on day 1-2 after jabbing, which include mild nausea, a tinny taste, and chilliness. But the lack of food noise has been wonderful - I enjoy eating like a thin person.

I am not medically trained (I’m an accountant!) so I can’t comment on hepatitis risk or serious side effects.

If you now decide to take it, I’d recommend joining the May starters thread on the WLI board for support and ideas. I’m on “my” starting month’s threads, and they’ve been so useful to me.