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

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Day 2 after bonus dose from 2.5ml pen. Got about 0.75ml from the pen. Today I've been sort of hungry, but not bothered to do anything about it. So I've not eaten nearly enough but have had a bottle of wine. Not a great idea, tomorrow I will do better.
Planning on skyr yogurt with fruit and granola for breakfast.

Thank you @MoreThanJustANumber @Wasitalwaysgoingtobelikethis DH grabbed it and twisted. All worked fine. I was being too gentle!

Sorry to hear it didn't go well either the other extraction though. Frustrating.

I am becoming a bit of a broken record on this, but MJ does not magically cause you to lose weight. What it does is help you maintain a calorie deficit by reducing your appetite. It takes a calorie deficit of 3500-4000 to lose one pound. Do the math

Yes I agree with this, it’s supporting us to eat a healthy and filling diet, with a calorie deficit c. 3500-4000 per week to lose 1lb. If you want to lose weight faster, increase your exercise or calorie deficit (within safe levels).

MJ is not a magic weight loss injection, it does not cause you to lose weight - but you have to do the work by changing your diet and limiting calories. Think of it as liquid willpower which helps you stick to a healthy diet plan.

It's a listed side effect, common in those with diabetes, less common in those just taking for weight management, have a look at the leaflet that came with it.

There are so many headlines about weight loss drugs causing celebrities to suddenly shed stones seemingly overnight. This feeds the idea that you simply take an injection and lose lots of weight while still eating what you want. This in turn seems to drive the 'it's cheating and lazy' nonsense.

In reality weight loss drugs just put people on a level playing field with 'naturally slim' people. Our bodies and minds are finally able to react to food in a normal way. Thus giving us the chance to actually lose weight...but that still takes work and significant lifestyle changes.

There are no short cuts to weight loss. But there are drugs that remove barriers to weight loss.

So if anyone's feeling frustrated that the weight isn't dropping off please don't worry. Time and consistency will deliver results.

On a more lighthearted note...

If anyone buys the Liberty beauty kits I can highly recommend the wash bags for storing all of your injection paraphernalia, they even fit the small size sharps bins (I still keep my pen in the fridge though).

Does anyone else quite enjoy the routine of injection day? I treat it as a mini self care ritual. Does that sound odd??

@MountKilimounjaro Me too! It gets me home from work faster on a Friday because I'm looking forward to getting home, doing my injection, my skin care and then getting into comfy pjs.
It's v weird, when I was on blood thinner injections, I dreaded doing those shots more than anything, but I genuinely can't wait to do the MJ one every week.

@MountKilimounjaro same! I have a Sunday night self-care ritual and MJ is now my prep myself for the weekend ritual on Friday.

I stupidly posted this on the last thread after the new thread message .... so reposting!!!!!

Week 5, loving this magic stuff! I've noticed black circles under my eyes - I mean I had them before but properly mildly- now they are obvious.
What's going on? I'm sleeping well, eating healthy stuff and drinking lots of
Water....

Just a quick note - I've noticed a lot of other benefits that aren't generally known - much better sleep, much calmer, slightly lower heart rate - in fact if I look at the health section on my Apple Watch then everything is improving. I've even been able to break my life long habit of only ever drinking coffee and am happily reaching for the yogi teas that have been languishing in the cupboard.

Weirdly I still have told no one, and no one has commented on my weight loss (a stone) even though it's obvious to me.

@Purpledefector I think the face and hands are the first place you notice weight loss - could the circled under your eyes look more pronounced because your face is thinner? Also, MJ helps you to not hold water weight - if you're drinking plenty of water too, you'll be de-puffing yourself - I've noticed that even when I'm really tired, I don't get puffy eyes in the morning anymore, probably because I've increased the water I drink.

Yesterday I did my first 5mg injection, and I was fully braced for side effects, but so far... Nothing! A bit of a dry mouth, but I've had that since I started MJ anyway, it just makes it easier to drink a lot of water. Very happy with that and hope it continues!

@MrsBurtMacklin and @FlappyFish so glad it's not just me!

Love the idea of incorporating your skin care routine in too. Although I can imagine how psychotic I'd look if my husband were to walk in and see me wearing a sheet mask and wielding a needle. 😂

Has anyone noticed that their fears and phobias (if you have any) have lessened. They are still there but dampened down. ?

So posting first official 1 month MJ weight loss:
SW 85.3kg
CW 80.9 kg
So a loss of 4.4kg in a month, just shy of 10lbs, I’ll take that! I lost the most the first two weeks, then I stalled, not helped by being felled by a virus for a week, so I could barely move. I got in 12,000 steps yesterday so hopefully back in physical action.
Re PP and where you are losing, I am noticing it a lot in feet and ankles, also around the middle (I would say waist but I don’t really have one :) )

@Christmasgirl4 the tiredness is one of my worst side effects (8 weeks in). In the US, it’s listed as a side effect for Zepbound, but not for Mounjaro.

This is so weird! Now that you say it. I'm an arachnophobe. Yesterday I helped my friend load contents of garage into my car to take to the tip today. Lots of spindly 8 legged things languishing on old furniture. I did ask her to get rid of them but she said they'd chill in the car and not go anywhere. And somehow I accepted that. The beasts have slept in my car overnight and I've not thought about it once til reading your comment! This isn't me. And even now I'm able to nonchalantly think, "it'll be ok, they won't have moved".

Also re fears...I'm in a new job role and not settling, feeling super inadequate and not really up to it. I'm taking it one day at a time and will see how it goes. Again, pre MJ I know I'd have been in tears (I did have some last Friday but short-lived), taken out my worries by snapping at the family and just generally been a stress-head. I feel very kind of fatalistic almost. I can only do what I can do. And I have definitely felt previously that MJ is helping my mood and calmness and anxiety massively. I'd take it for this alone. It's like a peri menopause wonder drug for me!

6 weeks in and 17lbs down.

I’ve been struggling to lose any weight at all for 15 years so this feels life changing. I am now the exact weight I was when I was 9 months pregnant with my first child yet it feels great. And I’ve now gone from obese to overweight which feels like a big win.

Nobody has commented on my weight but I’m getting compliments about looking fresh or my hair. I think (as others have said) my facial features are coming back. I have pictures from Christmas and you can barely see my eyes from all the puffiness. I look so swollen and sad.

I hope this encourages others. I don’t have an end goal as such but am just appreciating feeling like a ‘normal’ person around food.

I am also hugely grateful to the support shared on this thread : )

Morning all,

2lbs off for me this week putting me at 14st 8lbs. Not long ago I was happy to be getting into the 14s and already nearly 14 and half stone! It was also my period most of this week so to lose anything is amazing.

Keep forgetting which week i'm on. End of 9th weeks I think.

3rd Jan: SW 17st 6lbs
24th Feb: SW MJ 16st 3lbs

27th Apr: Current weight 14st 8lbs
Total loss MJ: 23lbs!
Total loss since Jan: 41lbs

ObsidianTree that’s incredible!!! Well done!

Thanks - I was just about to ask how you write a post for someone's attention rather than quoting it, as I probably take up a lot of space with that, and as soon as I asked with the @ symbol I found out! I'm so thick 😂

Hello everyone! 👋

I am not checking in. I am just letting you know I have just used the bookmark function for the first time ever!

I am planning a very healthy weekend with more exercise - mainly walking and spring cleaning but possibly some weight training at home too. I have a desk job which is very busy so on my days working from home I am too sedentary. Hopefully lighter nights and better weather will get me more active.

Yesterday I was icy cold all afternoon which was odd as it was Day 5 post my 7th injection. I haven't had the cold feeling for a while so thought my body had acclimatised. And the weather was cold for April yesterday but my hands were like ice so it wasn't just the weather.

Hey, can I join? Have ordered and my own arrives today according to courier message this morning. I got an email from medexpress with code APRIL20 fit discount so bit the bullet and ordered then idiot that I am different to put code on at till!

I have joined 12 week slimming club programme with gentle exercises and food education advice. Thought you'd might help me with will post too implement the advice. Starting weigh in was last week and I was almost 103kg. Not sure if I will start immediately on delivery or after weigh in this week.

Wow @ObsidianTree that's amazing. I love these threads, so inspiring and supportive.

I also feel like it's having an impact on my hormones. My PMDD is barely noticeable so far this month. I started MJ to lose weight which I hoped would make my PMDD less severe so it's a lovely side effect to feel more balanced already.

Great loss OP! Thanks for the new thread.

Due my 4th dose Monday, debating adding half the bonus shot as don't really want a 5th week on 2.5 and might help bridge the gap to 5.

Assume you do it last 2 separate injections so different sites?

Need to order my next pen think might go for a cheaper provider while I'm still over 30 bmi