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!

Hi 👋

It's the end of week 7 for me and I'm 22lb down.

SW 13.12
CW 12.04

I've one more dose of 5gm and have another 5gm pen to move to. So 5 doses to go and who knows what weight I'll be by then.

The elusive 11 stone is seemingly with reach! My weight has not started with 11 for 14 years.

After a big loss in week 1 my weight loss pattern appears to be 1lb, 1lb then 3 or 4lb.

Still taking senna and sugar free sweets from Aldi to keep me regular. But no other side effects.

End of my fifth week (end of my first week on 5mg) and I’ve now lost 15lb.
Not really had any side effects on the 5mg, it’s definitely suppressing my appetite more.

Checking in for my weigh day. Fourth full week on 2.5 so used 5 for the first time today. Hoping for no side effects!
loss this week- 4lb
total loss in 4 weeks- 20lb! So feeling great!

Congratulations on all these losses!

I want to start injecting on Fridays instead of Thursdays, so next week I'm going to have to go a day longer between jabs. Do you think that will have much of an impact? I tend to get hungrier towards injection day on 2.5, but I'm hoping work will keep me busy enough so I won't notice.

Great to hear the progress everyone is making, well done!

I've been away for this week and it's definitely impacted how much I've wanted to eat. I'd usually pack in the treats on a holiday, but I can't at the moment. I've still had nice things, just in a much more restrained fashion and I've enjoyed them more as a result.

Day one done yesterday and it's the first day in YEARS where I've not snacked or eaten something sweet. Crazy!

@Lunab18
Did you have side effects on 2.5mg? Just curious whether it does settle down over time as it's said to!

gosh there have been like four threads since I last posted!
my update is having not nowhere with Wegovy since October and then lost a stone in Jan (Veganuary) I have lost another ten pounds since switching to Mounjaro in feb.

so it’s so far so good but teeth grinding still an issue. Getting Botox for that and a month guard.

definitely have less appetite but I think I am finding it easier to lose as I’m not eating tiny amounts and I am going mad for hula hoops for some reason

@lurkylurk I’ve been lucky with side effects. Dry mouth which helped me increasing my water intake and I had some sulphur burps & bloating/gas if I ate something too fatty/greasy/heavy but I quickly learnt to eat smaller meals and avoid fatty and greasy food.

Hi, I had my 4th 2.5 dose a day early as I was hungry but have managed to go the extra day this week to get back onto Friday jabs and it hasn't been an issue. It may be because of it building up in me a bit, or it may be because this is the first week I've actually tracked food and ate well which I'm sure reduces cravings and balances blood sugar too.
I'm taking the extra 2.5mg today then will start 5mg early like Weds if I feel I need to, or a day late because I'm working all day next Saturday and can't risk side effects....I'm a marriage celebrant so I can't really nip out of the ceremonies!

Checking in.

I'm definitely eating less on 5mg and not craving as much. I hope to see more weight loss this month.

End of week two for me. I'm an everyday weigher and was 3 pounds down at one point this week but just a pound down this morning. So 7 pounds over the two weeks.
Really going to focus on food and protein and water this week.
Well done everyone on your losses

@JanetSnakeholeMacklin I changed from Wednesdays to Fridays but did it when I was going to up my dose to 5mg. So took my 4th week 2.5 on the Wednesday as normal then took the extra dose with the syringe/needle on the Friday to bump up to 5mg early.
Now I do Fridays and it's so much better as I don't work weekends. I don't really have any side effects but wasn't sure if I would moving up to 5mg so didn't want to risk it as I was travelling and visiting customers that week.

Weekly weigh in today. I bought some fancy scales last night and can't believe they're only a few ounces different to my old scales! I was expecting to find out I was really half a stone heavier 😄.

Starting weight 15st 11lb 8oz
Last week's weight 13st 12lb 4oz
Current weight 13st 9lb 4oz

3lb loss this week but I haven't lost anything for most of the week, just up and down the last few days. I did have a takeaway though 🫢. I still have around 4st to lose to be a health bmi. Mine is currently 33.5 down from 40.

Great losses for people so far and good luck to those still to weigh in today 🎉.

End of week 4 and I’ve definitely reached my first plateau. My weight hasn’t shifted in a week. But, it hasn’t increased - so I need to be okay with it.

I’m a stone down which is no joke!

well done @ObsidianTree on the new thread - the first post is so thorough!

So I am hoping that 5mg is my jam. I don't feel I've changed what I'm eating at all, but the three weeks I was on 2.5mg I lost 2 pounds a week. Fourth week I took the remaining liquid as well and lost 4 pounds, and in two days since then I have lost a further pound. So out of my 11 pound loss, 6 took me 21 days on 2.5mg, and the last 5 pounds took 9 days of 5mg.

Well done for all the weight losses today and any missed yesterday:). Everyone is doing so well :)

@AgathaMystery a stall is ok. It might be down an extra few lbs next week. Also when you start 5mg it might make a difference.

@Buffypaws welcome back! Glad you're doing better on MJ

I had a doctors appointment before I started MJ and he said that they will only prescribe on the NHS after 3 other (tablet) options haven't helped. He also said they were hoping that wegovy, mounjaro etc would be approved for weightloss in the Autumn but they will only be prescribed via tier 3 services so GP's won't be able to do it. Who knows if it will actually happen though!!! I've requested to go on the tier 3 list but I'm hoping that by Autumn I'll know longer meet the criteria 🤞x

@NCfor24

What a lovely job to have!

I used to do it full time but now I do one day a month just because I like it. I work in a totally different role in the council but marrying people will never not be lovely!!

I have a uniform shift dress I have to wear and I've noticed it get tighter and tighter each month so I'm looking forward to using it as a monthly gauge for my losses! Last time I wore it I was an overstuffed sausage and needed my jacket and scarf to hide the rolls 🤣

Checking into the new thread.

Started tracking food on Nutracheck, it's so easy to use. I'm quite shocked though at how little protein I'm managing, when I thought I was having lots.
How does anyone get up to 100g without supplements?
I can't use any of the powder supplements, as any even slightly thickened liquid makes me vom. Even the thought of a milkshake type drink makes me feel nauseous.
No weight loss last week, which is disappointing as I'm not snacking, cut down on bread which is my weight loss nemesis, cut down on alcohol.

I'm planning on a daily weigh (or almost daily, some mornings I'm not at home) and see if there's a pattern.
Well done everyone else on their amazing losses, I WILL join you soon 😥

@pinktransit
I prefer to do things with normal foods but it can be hard while dieting too, especially on Mounjaro as your appetite may not be up to eating lots of meat, cheese, eggs, beans etc.

I bought this (waiting for it to arrive so haven't tried it yet) for those times, it's a clear whey protein drink that's not thick and creamy:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07YG4JJDK

I'm also not getting enough protein and I'm struggling to see how within my 1200 calories.
I've got salmon for lunch and some greek yogurt so that will help, and a high protein ready meal (because Friday is pizza night so I'm opting out). But even that won't come anywhere close to my 115g protein.

I'm the same with shakes, but the clear whey protein is a total game changer. It's not thicker. It's like diluted juice and it just feels like I'm getting my water in, but also helps with hitting protein goals.

I am eating a lot of chicken, fish and occasionally red meat. I prioritise using my appetite for protein foods, add lots of green veg or salad and then fats and carbs. It doesn't take much thinking - for example, if I used to have chicken breast and stir fry veg with noodles before, I'll cut out the noodles and have 2 chicken breasts with the veg instead. That can make about 50-60g of protein in one meal. Try and get 30g protein in another meal (a tuna salad sandwich is about 30-40g protein 40 if you use the whole little tin). If I eat the above 2 meals on MJ, I will not be able to eat a 3rd meal - so the clear whey helps get the protein total above 100g, and doesn't feel like eating.

@lurkylurk thank you for the suggestion I will try those. I don’t have an awful lot of time to cook some days so sometimes the ready made meals is the only option to stay on track.