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!

Luckily I have a terrible memory so usually forget everything after 2 weeks.

For your jaw clenching, try keeping your tongue slightly between your teeth, it'll stop you clenching. Even just touching the teeth helps a bit.

Yes you can get 10 x 2.5 doses out of a 5mg pen. And the information does NOT say that pens only last 30 days once opened. The pens only last 30 days if unrefrigerated. If kept in the fridge they last until the expiry date on the pen.

For people who are hoping to take 2.5mg as a maintenance dose when they reach a healthy weight this is probably the way to do it. Keep ordering 5mg or higher pens every 4 weeks while eligible for prescriptions and stockpile them. Then use 2.5mg doses from them as needed. Someone posted that some batches had been given new expiry dates months into the future so once supply settles down the pens are likely to have 9-12 months till expiry.

www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.15485.pdf

That's good to know @Choux Thank you ☺️.

Bolt customers - how discreet is the packaging? Mine is due to arrive tomorrow. I may need to ask my neighbour to sign for it…

Very discreet. Big box but no markings at all. Could easily be a pair of shoes or new top.

Brilliant, thank you. They are well used to my Vinted habit so they won’t turn a hair at a plain box!

Hi, can I join you all? Haven’t read the whole thread but the first post is so helpful and wish I’d found this thread before I started as I felt so unprepared!

I’m in my first week - first injection was on Saturday and had dry mouth and nausea for the first 2 days - struggled to eat at all yesterday. But today I feel more normal and have been really hungry tonight. I went for a run earlier so not sure if that’s affected it. I’d hoped it would last longer than 2 days!

I’ve only told my husband I’m doing this, mainly because I’m so ashamed of my current weight, so it’s good to have somewhere to chat about things

Welcome @Ghilliedu 😊

Ugh. The insomnia I've read so much about on the earlier threads has kicked in since I has that extra dose this morning.

Those of you who had it, how long did it take to go away? What (if anything) helped?

• posted too soon.

Also the cold, I'm freezing! I was warm and ready to sleep until about an hour ago and then bam, wide awake and freezing 🥶

Had anyone had cravings

only my third day but all I want to eat is salmon and to drink hot chocolate

odd combination

and I haven’t enjoyed a cup of tea I hope this is temporary as I absolutely love tea it’s my favourite drink

This is not specific to Mounjaro but I suffer from insomnia and have on occasion on Mounjaro, which seems to sometimes create a "buzziness" or awakeness late at night for me, maybe due to it's effect on the hypothalamus.

My normal (pre Mounjaro) insomnia was more about waking up too early rather than trouble falling asleep, but I do sometimes have trouble falling asleep too and when I do I find Passionflower tablets work very well in creating a relaxed, sleepy feeling, but don't cause grogginess when you wake up.

I use these ones, haven't tried any others:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Schwabe-RelaxHerb-Passion-Extract-Tablets/dp/B002NUYTUC

Place marking but only halfway through my first week (I think @WannabeHealthier is my nearest twin!)

SW: 16st 6
GW: 11st

I'm having to sleep in an oodie, fleece pj bottoms, under a duvet with a blanket and a weighted blanket to feel warm enough.

Then wake sweaty and gross 😂

I'm on my fourth 2.5mg dose, due to take 5mg on Thursday.

It worked instantly for me, complete appetite suppression and the silencing of the food noise (I never really realised it was there until it was gone, so bizarre). Symptoms have been very mild.

The added bonus has been that it seems to have given me so much energy. I've never felt so clear headed.

BUT I've lost a mere 2lbs in a month. I eat between 800 and 1,000 calories a day (following the principals of the Blood Sugar Diet). Lots of protein and no heavily processed foods, no sugar, no alcohol. I'm tracking very carefully so know I'm not under estimating.

I have about five stone to lose so it all feels a bit daunting.

I'm going to keep plodding on but it's really disheartening.

I wish that was me. I feel absolutely knackered all of the time. I am probably burnt out generally though. I felt great for a while, despite having a cold in there too, but then very achy and tired. I'm on week 5 and felt this way for two weeks now.

Sounds like you are doing all the right things. Apparently in the trials they did it shows that a lot of people don't loose weight on the 2.5mg as it's simply an introductory dose to acclimatise your body to the meds. The real and consistent weight loss started at the 7.5mg dose. So hang on in there.

I’m not even sure what week I’m on now 😂. It -3lb this week (currently on 5mg dose.

Total of 20lb now.

Like others I’m constantly cold, which is really strange as normally I’m a really hot person!

Hope you find some energy soon @Soukmyfalafel , exhaustion is such a drag.

Thanks for the encouragement @susiedaisy1912

I think my experience demonstrates why the 'it's easy, just eat less, move more' mantra really isn't realistic (or helpful) for many people. At this rate I'd need to eat sub 1k calories a day for 7 months to lose a stone, that's just not maintainable.

But with Mounjaro at least I'm in with a shot at keeping it up, and hopefully when the higher doses kick in I'll see some losses.

Welcome @Ghilliedu ☺️

@BlackFriYay I have noticed I tend to get a bit of insomnia soon after taking my jab. Then it lasts for a day or two then settles down. I think it's down to the faster heart rate.

I felt like last night was especially cold. I keep going to bed early and putting my electric bed warmer on!

@MountKilimounjaro sounds like you are doing What you can. It could be that you need a higher dose. Not sure about your water intake but try and drink 2-3ltrs a day. Also try and make sure your protein is around 100g. Hopefully 5mg will be the key for you. Good luck

Well done on your loss @April88 ☺️

It must feel really unfair seeing people big losses on 2.5mg but promise us you'll keep going - maybe 5mg will be the start of your whooshing! You may just be one of the first of us here who has experienced the 2.5mg as expected so your experience is going to be really important for people coming on here who have the same first month.

Do you low carb? I was always a slow loser on every single diet I ever did until I discovered low carb/Fast 800. I've done that again on MJ, it helps me all round.

Hello 👋 are you tall too? I’m 5’10”

My goal weight should also be around 11 stone according to BMi calculator but I am aiming for 12 stone as I think I’d look too waif like at 11 stone! But will review when I get closer.

Never thought I’d get back to 12 stone but it feels easily achievable on MJ and I’m determined to keep the weight off if I can get there. Exciting stuff!