Continuing Mounjaro...part 7

[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. Also below you can plot the effect of your doses.
https://glp1plotter.com/

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.

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
further 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 2.5mg and 5mg. £149.99. 7.5mg £169. Use code STARTNOW. Ask for other codes if that doesn't work.
• The Family Chemist 2.5mg and 5mg -£149. 7.5mg £169.
• Simple online pharmacy - £159 2.5mg £179 5mg
• Bolt pharmacy 2.5mg £125, 5mg £179. 7.5mg £189
• Asda 2.5mg and 5mg £184. 7.5mg £189
• Boots £219 +
• Chemist4U £179 +
• Superdrugs

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

6th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5057916-continuing-mounjaropart-6?page=1

Thread for newbies just starting out:

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

@Oakcupboard I did just choose to share with my GP. I’ve not seen them in years anyway. If they want to call to discuss when it seems it takes 40 mins waiting in a queue to get an appointment they’re welcome to, really.

My recent box was actually left on the doorstep but that could just be my postie not following the rules

I think this is due to it being prescription medication.

Snap!

I'm disabled and live in a quite rural area. I seem to have an unwritten agreement with postie and delivery drivers (they don't seem to vary rounds), as they know I'm often at hospital or can't get to the door, so they knock and leave it behind the fence to the garden. Though I may be buggered reclaiming anything if someone feathers to start nicking them!

@KeepingUndercover I am similar to @Investinmyself - DH knows I have been trying to lose weight for a while. He also knows I lost and gained the same small number of lbs one month, and have lost almost a stone in the subsequent month - he doesn't know I'm on MJ though. I think I'll tell him soon however, once I know I can safely tolerate a therapeutic dose. Also, my doc wants to speak to me next weekend about a "medication review" which I assume means they got the MJ letters from Asda/zava. So I'll tell him after that (he'll be reassured and less likely to worry if the doc is happy).

If someone knows who feathers is, can you let me know...

I’ve been to the gym this afternoon to try and atone for some of yesterdays poor choices. Although said poor choices don’t seem to have hurt my loss as this morning I was nearly 2lb down on Fridays weight, so 🤷‍♀️ I have cleared my wardrobes out of all clothes that are 18 or above, to make room for the 14’s I’ve been buying that fit 😊

I have told two RL people what I’m doing. OH because of side effects and my friend, both of who have been very supportive and know how much I’ve struggled up to now. OH has managed to drop some weight too because he’s been eating the portions I give him and there are no tempting snacks in the house 😂

Sounds similar to me.
I did an online check and it told me my calories should be 1600. I lost nothing. Even with exercise.
I’ve logged 1200 on MFP with MJ and lost with that. I never hit 1200. More like 800-1000.
Can’t remember the last time I wanted chocolate or crisps. I don’t snack as I just don’t fancy anything.

Learned my lesson from Friday and completely avoided alcohol since, I've been away and eaten out a couple of times and have managed fine but haven't really eaten much except for those meals and haven't had puddings either, I've really enjoyed my food as well rather than taking it for granted. Back home now so business as usual hoping to see a bit more come off this week. My end of May goal is to get as close to 90kg as possible!

I'm going to start couch to 5k again when back at work as can do that on my wfh days!

Yes I do,I think it's generic emails sent out to everyone

I've just ordered 5mg from Voy, you can get it for £115 with a referral link. https://joinvoy.com/r/U-NBGHaOoJ0o

I’m aiming for 100g protein a day min so I find I need around 1100/1200 cals to hit that. I’m feeling well on it. I’m in a 1000 deficit so aiming for 2 lb a week off.
I can take or leave most carbs and haven’t had any crisps or biscuits. Chocolate I’ve had a few bits but my consumption is way down.
1600/1700 is what tdee calculators and two PTs put me on to lose but it wasn’t working at all. Only explanation from Gp when I asked for blood tests to check what heck going on was a patronising I was picking - I was weighing everything and scanning on nutracheck.
Whatever was stopping me - insulin resistance/peri hormones seems to have been fixed with the mj injections.

My DH was a bit Ike yours, as he also is of the camp of sticking to a diet and moving more. I told him upfront (he is massively supportive, we talked about it a lot before I did it and we share a joint account so I couldn't really hide the sudden £200 charges to asda pharmacy) and once he read more about it and the science behind it and saw the effect on me (overall, appetite, mood, anxiety) he told me he thinks he gets it more now. I told him about food noise, about the cycle of self loathing for breaking a diet by eating the food I couldn't ignore in the house and about how hard it was to exercise or stick to a balanced diet when my body was screaming for carbs and how different that was for him, who is roughly a normal weight and really just eats when he is hungry, and I think he really gets what it's like for me and understands that it's a medical condition.
That was a big turning point for me, acknowledging that I'm not lazy or stupid for eating too much but that I'm wired differently and why shouldn't I manage my medical condition (obesity) with medicine - there is no shame in taking every helping hand to lose the extra 10stone I've spent twenty years carrying around (minus a couple of periods where I managed to lose for or five stone through blood and tears and just can't replicate that because I'm not 30 anymore).
DH only complaint is that I'm no longer overly hungry and so instead of me already being prepared with the next meal, it's often him hungry first and having to figure out what to make for dinner 😂

After doing my 7th dose this morning I've had an awful headache (both sides at the front, kind of muzzy feeling with pain rising and falling) all day. I'm trying to drink more but I slept half the afternoon as it was the only way to escape it (ibuprofen and paracetamol didn't help) and I also felt really fatigued, so I woke up even more thirsty.
Off for a 2 mile walk shortly (wander the lanes chatting with my neighbour, not very strenuous!), so hopefully I'll feel a bit brighter after that. Maybe I'll take an electrolyte drink with me.

I don't think Voy will start anyone at higher than 2.5mg, I haven't seen anyone here or on Reddit manage it.

@DownWithThisKindOfThing most places seem to deliver within a week and if you're going to use the bonus dose then I'd order when you're due to do your 3rd, or just before.

My order has been approved, I sent photos of my 2.5mg prescription and box from my previous order with simple.

Hi everyone, I’ve been lurking for a while now but haven’t posted yet. I took my “bonus” 5th dose of 2.5 last week and due to take my 1st 5mg jab on Tuesday. I ended up ordering my 5mg pen when I took my 3rd dose of 2.5mg as MedExpress had a really good discount on (I used Voy for my first pen) so I would have had the 5mg pen for 3 weeks before I started using it. I’m thinking I will probably need to order my next pen soon as MedExpress might not like it if I’m leaving a long time between ordering pens, but I’m not sure whether I should order another 5mg or go straight to the 7.5? I probably shouldn’t have ordered the 5mg pen so early but it was only £93. Does anyone know what the expiry dates are like on the 7.5mg at all please? Thank you!

@ObsidianTree may help with this. I know she mentioned an expiry of next year sometimes, but sorry I can't remember the month.

I just went for the fourth dose of my 5mg and the pen only twists a bit. 11 clicks?! Wth has anyone has this?

It seems to be very hit n miss with the "hard twist" method.

The expiry is April 25. So ages away. But if you get the 7.5mg, you might not be able to get the 5mg in time as your MedExpress account will lock after you've ordered it.

Check you have the needle on properly - I had this with dose 3 and I’d somehow managed to cross thread the needle 🤷‍♀️