Continuing Mounjaro...part 5

[ObsidianTree]

Please note: Mounjaro can only be taken if your BMI is above 30.

Pointers for newbies:

1 - For taking your first dose you need to twist the pen a lot to get to 1! The instructions say prime each time you take a dose, but actually Eli Lilly have confirmed you only need to prime for the first ever use of a pen. (The video posted says every use, but this isn't true!)

2 - When injecting, hold down the button until the number goes back to 0. Once at 0, keep holding down the button and count to 5 with the needle still in so no medication is lost!

3 - Your first dose may not have an immediate effect. For some people the effects build slowly. It could take 3 or 4 days to notice anything, it could take a few weeks. Some people don't feel the meds working until they get to 5mg. See titration chart which shows how the medication builds up in your system.

4 - 2.5mg isn't a therapeutic dose, meaning you aren’t meant to lose on 2.5mg. You need to start on 2.5mg to get your body used to the drug and gradually introduce it into your system and get used to any side effects.

5 - Not everyone loses a lot in the first few weeks. Don't feel discouraged if you don't lose a lot initially. Again, you might need a higher dose to start losing. Also, inches can be lost without anything showing on the scales. Start your journey by taking measurements and check them as you go along.

6 - If you do lose a lot in the first few weeks, please don't assume you will continue losing at this rate. The first few weeks it is usually water weight that is lost, after than a good weight loss is about 2lbs a week. Some weeks you might not lose anything, but this is ok too…again, taking measurements might show inches lost instead.

7 - Constipation, coldness, nausea, diarrhea, headaches, aches, are side effects. There may be be other side effects also. Read info here :
www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.14201.pdf

8 - Once you take your first dose you can choose to keep your pen in the fridge or somewhere else. It's up to you.

9 - Don't reuse any needles as this could risk infection. If you damage a needle or one isn't working, you can buy a pack of about 100 spares. Ask for suggestions of sites /types to buy.

10 - Protein is important as eating less protein can cause muscle wastage and hair loss. Try to have at least 100g a day. There are protein supplements you can take. Myprotein have a good range. Ask for a referral code if you want to buy some.

11 - Some natural sources of protein:
www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/best-sources-protein
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321522#high-protein-foods

12 - You can use supplements, some that people use are magnesium(for sleep and constipation), protein(to reduce muscle wastage), collagen (skin elasticity), aloe vera(for constipation), electrolytes.

13 - Drink lota of water. Water helps with the weight loss. Drink at least 2ltrs a day. Preferably 3ltrs.

14 - Don't be afraid to feel hungry. It is entirely normal and healthy to feel hungry. Just eat something. Treat it as an opportunity to start good habits around hunger. Eat a nice balanced snack or a meal if it's a meal time. It's ok.

15 - Does it makes any difference where you inject? yes it does! Drugs get absorbed at different rates depending on injection site

In order of fastest absorption, it goes:
• Tummy
• Arms
• Thighs
further reading about injection sites and the effects: www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/316618

16 - Abdominal side-effects are much easier to control with smaller meals. For example, having 4 small meals in the day vs 2 big meals can have an improvement in nausea and burps.

17 - You can track your calories / protein on apps such as My fitnessPal, Carb Manager or Nutracheck. Nutracheck is quite useful and easy to find foods /build recipes.

18 - Some of the places you can order from are:

• MedExpress - £149.99 - Sometimes there are codes that can be used for a discount. Ask for a code on here or do a Google search to try and find one.
• Voy - £114.99 for first month then £229 after. Need a referral code (ask on here for one if needed)
• The Family Chemist -£149
• Simple online pharmacy - £159 2.5mg £179 for 5mg
• Bolt pharmacy 2.5mg £125, 5mg £179. Or starter pack with 2.5mg and 5mg pen £319
• Asda £184
• Boots £219
• Chemist4U £179
• Pharmacy2u
• Superdrug

There other other sellers, we don't have them all listed

19 - If you want to switch suppliers, make sure you have pics of your Mounjaro box with your name and dose. This will come in useful when other suppliers ask for evidence.

1st thread:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5007744-mourjano-starting-soon?page=1

2nd thread:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5028495-continuing-murnjaropart-2?page=1

3rd thread:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5037623-continuing-mounjaropart-3?page=1

4th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5044316-continu
ing-mounjaropart-4?page=1

Good luck everyone!

I went with dp who knows and daughter who is 11 and doesn't know. So I had to make sure she didn't think there was anything weird going on.

I was worried about "missing out" but to be honest I drank when I wanted to so I didn't feel like I wasn't making the most of it. We were in turkey and the standard of all inclusive was exceptional.

I did try to focus on training my brain to think that scoffing everything just because it's free or because you've paid for it, is treating your body like a bin so it's better to let someone else have it!

Where are you travelling to? I think the challenge is if you've travelled with them before and if they are of the "eat everything in sight" mentality, it may be tricky to hide.

@ObsidianTree sorry - forgot to say. Took the pen in my main suitcase (don't know if I shouldn't have) and kept it hidden in my toiletries bag until I took it. I did make sure it was the end of the pen so as I could get rid of it and not risk anything happening to it for having it outside the fridge at a higher temperature than the uk

Welcome back @CiderJabs! glad you had a good time.

Happy Sunday fellow MJ’ers.

FINALLY scale movement. After the gain from period this morning I finally had the whoosh. Down to 12.2.

I have an all inclusive trip coming up too and honestly - I love cocktails - but the thought of one is turning my stomach. I. Ant think of anything worse than something sweet and sugary. Or even tart. This is so weird!!

well done @CiderJabs on maintaining - no mean feat!!

Day 6 of week 3 and I've woken up feeling sick again. I think from some chocolate I ate.

Mounjaro is weird for me I've always been good at eating even when not hungry (obviously not a bad thing) but I notice on mounjaro I stop easier and if I eat when I shouldn't like the white chocolate Easter bunny I had I feel unwell after .

Also @Femeia those are some great NSV’s.

I posted about my Primark haul and I had exactly the same thing thinking it won’t fit and everything did. I have been buying a 16 for years (ok, non stretchy 18 many a time!) and it’s the weirdest feeling. Also, for a long time 16 in a shop was the biggest size. If that didn’t fit there was no option to increase size.

I agree on stepping away from the scales a few days. I have posted how much seeing that period gain messed with my head. The fact I wanted to binge. Sabotage. It is insane how a small number change can do this when the actual trend is loss. Your NSV are brilliant.

@NoImNotCurvyImFat I had bad acid and heartburn from eating late. As MJ slows down digestion I can’t eat for at least 5 hours before bed or it repeats on me endlessly, as my Mum calls it.

Anything spicy is a no go. Even some harissa lentils didn’t settle well.

The blander the better or it has to be lunch not dinner.

I hope you feel better as the day goes on.

I am only week 2 (nearly week 3) and thinking about my next order.

I originally ordered through pharmacy2u. Has anyone else successfully done a reorder on it? It keeps taking me back to the first order weight questionnaire. I am trying to do this on mobile (not the app) so could try the computer. But I wondered if anyone else has had a similar issue?

Cheers.

I am going to Sri Lanka. With a stop over in Dubai. So maybe 2 lots of security checks! So feeling paranoid! Maybe I will try and take the last bit in a pen or save a last bit to take! As don't want to risk taking a full or partial full pen if it's confiscated etc! Or I might end up not taking it and just see what happens!

Thanks for the info 😊

Woop woop! How much lbs down since you last weighed? Glad it's moving down again

Fantastic losses! I also had a surprise when I weighed this morning, after my boozing and eating. 0.5lbs down. And 5mg has gone in so hopefully I can lose the first stone in the coming month.

Am sooo jealous @ObsidianTree, Sri Lanka one of my dream destinations!

Yes I'm looking forward to it @MelissaLouRocks ☺️ should be hot enough that I don't feel cold there 🤣

Unintentionally took my third dose of 2.5mg 2 days early yesterday (don't ask lol) and now feeling sick as a dog. I have several anti emetics due to my illness which usually work really well, but they're not having any effect. I think this may be due to the slowed gastric processes. Tried the peppermint trick, made me feel worse, and can't face food.

Anyone any tips please? Thanks guys!

Honestly no one will be interested in it. I flew with saxenda a few times and no one batted an eyelid. They are absolutely used to the pens.

Thanks @AgathaMystery

I'll probably give it a go in hand luggage with a last dose of a pen!

Yes I just had mine in my hand luggage. I was flying with people who I didn’t want to discuss the meds with which made it a bit tricky.

It's all to do with insulin levels, blood sugars and delayed gastric transport.

What I find really interesting about Mounjaro, is why we have far less side effects than those on Saxenda/Ozempic etc. They only have one hormone, GLP1, which can make people very nauseous. However, Mounjaro also contains gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), which in testing has actually been shown to be an anti emetic in it's own right, therefore offsets many of the effects of the GLP1.

As I suffer from nausea and vomiting anyway, this is the main reason I chose Mounjaro above the others.

These drugs change the way your body metabolises food. They lower insulin resistance (which is why they are used to treat T2 diabetes) which means basically that your body deals with the food better.

All this insulin messing is giving me the fear for when I get to goal and stop taking it.

I don’t want to take this drug forever. But when I stopped Saxenda I ballooned.

@ObsidianTree I have gone from 12.5 yesterday to 12.2 this morning. Which is 2lbs lower than my previous lowest.

It show how much our bodies can retain or bloat. From gaining each day to a sudden drop. I need to remember this for next period. I don’t mind if weight loss slows one bit. In fact, it would probably be a good idea.

Sri Lanka sounds great. 😍

Some people are more sensitive than others, so there's no guarantee you won't be affected. However, most peoples' symptoms seem to be mild unless they've been eating the wrong thing, and seem to improve as they acclimatise to the meds.

@FlappyFish well done on the whoosh! I have been empathising massively with you this week so am really pleased for you. @ObsidianTree I think I read that it's best to keep the pen in hand luggage - firstly so it is less likely to go missing and secondly because of the extreme temperatures in the hold that could affect the medicine.
I'll be away for 2 jabs-worth so am packing pens (may be finishing 5mg and moving to 7.5mg whilst away...) and in the suitcase the needles and sharps box.

Speaking of which, I have no idea how to dispose of the sharps box when it is full - has anyone done so? I seem to remember reading about taking it to a pharmacy but not sure if that is right.