Continuing Mounjaro...part 6

[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/product/15481/pil#about-medicine

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. https://www.chemist-4-u.com/carepoint-pen-needles-31g-4mm-pack-of-100?gclid=Cj0KCQjwiYOxBhC5ARIsAIvdH51rLZBVFQxuvS7mDJooegtK8BMiyT0PwREMRHhH_1atfQIo8TEbsmkaAkA0EALw_wcB

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:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/best-sources-protein
https://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
furthet reading about injection sites and the effects: https://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

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-continuing-mounjaropart-4?page=1

5th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5048290-continuing-mounjaropart-5?page=1

Thread for newbies just starting out:

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weight_loss_chat/5057475-mounjaro-and-wegovy-newbies-april-2024

I have seen a lot of companies offer the 7.5mg now. Some I haven't heard of. I think these companies are trying to get customers to join up by enticing them with the 7.5mg that they haven't actually got yet!

It probably will be end of month.

Medexpress emailed telling me to order my next pen or I'll run out! It's been nearly a month since I ordered with them, but waiting for the 7.5mg. Hope they let me order it even ifs gone over 1 months with them!

@Femeia did you say it was 6 weeks order after medexpress will let you order up to?

@Pops1985 I think it's June on the 5mg. But they should get extended too like the 2.5mg I assume.

I think that Eli Lilly are holding back the release of the 7.5mg to maximize sales of the 5mg pens which expire end of June.

They most probably have a sale or return contract with the pharmacies as it was a new product and they don't want to sell say £1m of 7.5mg pens but then have to return and destroy £900k of (slightly cheaper) 5mg pens. They would prefer us all to use another 5mg pen and then move onto the 7.5mg pens to maximize their profits.

If the 5mg batches get given later use by dates like the 2.5mgs did we might suddenly see the 7.5mgs get sent to the pharmacies.

@ObsidianTree yes, 6 weeks. Bolt were fine with me ordering beyond that when I showed proof of my 2 very close together 2.5mg and 5mg prescriptions. Probably MedExpress would have done the same but they annoyed me too much by just cancelling the order and trying to keep the money so I didn't try!

The one I received on Saturday is end of June. If any expiry dates are extended it will be announced by the MHRA, although this can only happen by batch after they've completed stability testing.

The letter setting out expiry extension came from Eli Lilly, not MRHA

Hi All,
Decided to order a second 5mg pen. With the weightloss I've experienced so far there's no need to increase my dose just yet, and I'd rather keep some wriggle room for when I inevitably stall.
Another half kg lost since yesterday, I really didn't have much appetite and now I'm 300g from my first goal after less than 9 weeks. I'm shattered today, getting over being poorly so could be that rather than the jab, or could be that I didn't eat enough yesterday.
I took photos and measurements at the start, and will try to remember to do the same each time I reach a goal. I genuinely can't believe I've found something that works after the disappointment saxenda and wegovy.
Onwards and downwards.

It came from Eli Lilly, but only once the extended dates were approved by MHRA.

I'm going to call Asda now, but I will probably get something vague re ordering 7.5mg

As they extended the use by date of the 2.5mg pens, won't they do the same for the 5mg pens?

Turns out shortages in the US may well be down to shortage of the pens rather than the medicine after all, it’s recently been approved in vials there and Eli Lilly are evaluating options.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-02/zepbound-shortage-patients-push-eli-lilly-to-release-more-obesity-drug-supply?embedded-checkout=true

Probably but I believe they have test them by batch first

Some diabetic medication comes in reusable pens. Where you just replace the vial of medication. They should do this for Mounjaro really. Then the stock problems would probably be solved. Hopefully they are working on that!

I've just taken my first 5mg. I was on the fence whether to go back down to 2.5 after the bonus dose last week made me feel like crap, although I have just been diagnosed with an ear infection which might have been half of the problem after all (dizziness, nausea etc).

Fingers crossed for a reasonable loss this week, I'd be thrilled if I managed to lose 3lbs as then I'd be back in the 11 stone bracket 🤞🏼

The lady at Asda was helpful. I said I started 2.5mg in mid March and ordered 5mg around the 26th and still had a couple of weeks left on 2.5mg then. I asked if it was an issue to wait another week for 7.5mg as I would be 4 weeks past the last order. She said it was fine and I could put a note on the account to say I was only 6/7 weeks into treatment when ordering so there had been no gap. I have until Monday next week and will have to reorder then.

She said it is end of April they expect it come in and there is a shortage of 7.5mg everywhere.

I'm wondering if I should just order the 5mg now though. I'd rather have something than nothing. I have another two weeks of 5mg plus the bonus dose, and then hopefully 5 doses in the next one (so in theory will have another 8 weeks counting the two bonus doses with this pen and another 5mg pen). I could split the two bonus doses to do four 7.5s. That's if the angry twist method still works. It's a bit of a gamble. I'm just over a stone off my goal weight (10lb off my higher goal weight that I'd be happy with), so I as long as it doesn't massively lose its effectiveness or I massively plateau I think this might be enough. Really not sure what to do as I don't know if you really get used to 5mg over time and its not as effective. The pictures of the suggested treatment plan online indicates it does.

Inspired by some of the links on the sinister thread I found a public lecture on weight loss medications . It is long but really interesting about how they work, what obesity is, and the future for the drugs. In the Q&A at the end the lecturer laughs about the two year limit and says that just won’t work - these are long term drugs but he does think the price will come down and they will develop more effective drugs over time.

@RunningAndSinging thanks for those, I'll watch later. I can't afford this long term at current prices, but hopefully in the future there will be more options. I know they're working on an oral one which would be ideal for maintenance. I could probably do a dose or two a month of the injections but I'm not sure they're designed to be used like that with the multi dose pens, in the USA they can because they're single use.

I think prices will come down once drugs are out of patent and the science is more widely known and there’s more competition

I think it would be in the public interest if they are cheaper. The cost of treating obesity related illnesses is surely a greater cost to the public?

I know it's from yesterday @AgathaMystery - but I love this post.

If you have enough of your 5mg for a few more weeks then id give it until next week before ordering. If it's not in stock by Tuesday, the order the 5mg?

Really hope it's true and the UK let us stay on it if we want in the future!

I'll watch the video later. It looks pretty long!

Yes it’s an hour and ten minutes - 😬. But good. Also the podcast and lecture linked on the other thread are really good. The podcast talks about the possible serous side effects and whether they have happened now that people have been taking the drugs for a while - Some good and some bad news there but it is really taking about Wegovy rather than Mounjaro.

@Soukmyfalafel I agree with @ObsidianTree - you have time to wait and see if it comes into stock by the end of the week as Bolt claim and Asda say will be in stock late April which is surely the start of next week.

I checked my 5mg pen prescription date and it says 3rd March as I ordered a starter pack from Bolt so got both pens at the same time. Today is 7 weeks and 1 day from that date so with a week for it to get to me and start on Mounjaro (a Sunday) and 4 weeks of pen 1, my official date of starting pen2 was 7th April and I will take my 4th dose on 28th.

I have the bonus dose but officially I need the new pen in my house to take by Sunday 5th may. Which is a bank holiday weekend so I need to order it by next Monday latest. So I am going to hang fire and decide on Friday if I can get a 7.5mg from Bolt or will try to get the cheapest 5mg out there which I think is Med Express.

@Soukmyfalafel you have more time than me to decide.