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

Welcome and well done for your progress so far, I’m sure you’ll get past last Autumn’s weight before you know it- I’ve lost 25.5lbs in just under 10 weeks after years of failed diets. Keep the faith!

@MelissaLouRocks 😂😂😂 I absolutely get it

Oh no! I’m sorry to hear this, hope they sort you out quickly. Scales are an essential item I’d say!!

@Investinmyself That’s a good question. The lightest I have been, ever, was 11.3.

I don’t feel slim now. I have reverse body effect. I still see myself as bigger. I’m pretty much going to lose three stone in three months, which is super fast and my head just has not caught up.

I’m going to work out what BMI is at 23. I also need to start exercise. Not just a walk. Maybe I should look at couch to 5k. I actually feel I could run now without holding my boobs. I’ve gone from a 36G to a 36DD. I could probably fit in a 34. This is a head fook.

...

@Investinmyself 10.7 puts me at a BMI of 23.

I can’t even believe it’s achievable now.

I want to be healthy not skinny. This has never been about that. For once in my life anyway. I am going to start researching something I can enjoy exercise wise to get tone. I have none at present.

@FlappyFish would you consider weight training? It's really beneficial for women, especially as we age, and if you build muscle it may help with keeping the weight off. Not crazy powerlifting turning into a muscle goddess. But keeping strong and fit.

Day 2 of 7.5 and only the usual indigestion which I seem to get so easily on mj. Appetite is suppressed but still not as strong as you think it would be. I'm convinced it's because I've tried saxenda before.

I've just ordered my first pen. I have a holiday booked for the middle of July, so I'm hoping I can lose a bit of weight before then.

Also, I have a 50% code for Voy. Can I share it here? Or is that against any rules?

Please note, that is only applicable for the three 2.5mg batches that have already undergone stability testing. It does not apply to all batches, or any pens of another strength.

Gosh this is super inspiring!
Would you mind giving me some details?
Your starting weight, your current weight, the time frame of each weight, for example, and what dose you're on?
I am 5 stone heavier than I was pre-kids and I'd truly love to take Mounjaro but for some reason there's something in my brain that's blocking me from going ahead, and I think it's because I'm 100% convinced it won't work for me because I devoted myself to following slimming world, weight watchers, nutracheck, Atkins, fasting, each of them I followed for about a year and lost no weight at all, even though I followed them to the absolute letter. I even had group leaders at SW and WW telling me they'd never had anyone in group who didn't lose weight before; they used to meticulously study my food diaries and say to me "If this is what you're eating then you're following the programme perfectly so why aren't you losing weight?!?". So I kind of feel if I took Mounjaro I'd yet again be the only person who doesn't lose weight whilst everyone around me does.
I'm 50.
I'm not diabetic.
I've got young primary aged kids.
I'm obese.
My weight stops me from enjoying life with my kids and my obesity is destroying my personality because I'm so, so upset about being 5 stone heavier than I should be whilst devoting years to following diet plans and working so hard at it yet not losing any weight at all.
I think I feel like if I fail at 1 more attempt to lose weight, with Mounjaro, I'll be a certified failure and I will literally break down mentally and emotionally. And that scares me.
Plus, I'm not well off financially, and this is expensive, but I'd pay anything to lose weight if it worked, because I'd be paying to get my life back.

Hi everyone hope you don't mind me joining. I'm on week 2 of my Mounjaro journey. Lost 2.8lb in the first week. Took my second injection last night and I'm dying either way the sulphur burps! Does anyone have anything that helped them?

Thanks to @DDisnotnormal and @MelissaLouRocks for responding to my question about dopamine. I can't believe you've been able to reduce your morphine that much, MLR. That's extraordinary. Sorry to hear you're back on hospital. Fingers crossed for a calmer experience this time.
@FlappyFish it's great to hear from someone who is approaching a healthy BMI, especially after your recent stall. I was thinking earlier how
I'm thinking that, if I lose 1.5 stone,
I'd be OK. I'd need to lose another .5 on top to actually be a healthy BMI but that has been so rare in my adult life that it seems unlikely. Then I got to thinking about whether I could actually get to BMI23 and what life would be like. I have never been that slim as an adult. I was at Uni where I walked everywhere and tended to chose nights out, alcohol and food over eating! It's also a mental thing. Due to the messages we're given about will power, it already feels like cheating to be doing this. I feel I can justify it for my health but would it feel unfair if I used it to actually get slim rather than just a healthy weight?

I took my second 2.5g last night and no
appetite suppression whatsoever. No side effects either though! I did get my period today. I have always suffered with my periods but today's cramping feels different yet familiar. I think that these are more like the ones I had pre-DC. I haven't bloated and, so far, I've kept off the chocolate and carbs.
How are @ObsidianTree and the rest of the 7.5-ers getting on?

Taking my 4th jab tomorrow of 2.5. Hardly any weight loss though barely any appetite anymore.
Best place to buy my next set of injections of 5mg?

Good luck to the new starters

@MelissaLouRocks sorry you have to go back to hospital. Definitely take the scales! Hope the time flies quickly.

@thehousewiththesagegreensofa I have felt the 7.5mg has been fine. Not really much side effects. Just cold and appetite suppression.

MedExpress is pretty good. If you are new I think code MED20P gets 20% off. The 5mg is £149.

Oh no, I'm really sorry to hear that 😞

I read about what happened to you when I was catching up on the threads and it's bloody criminal.

I hope the next couple of days pass quickly for you and you're able to go home soon. 🙏

And no, that is absolutely not weird in the slightest 😉

@KeepingUndercover I would! I need to undo all my thinking that cardio and burning calories is good. I’ve not exercised properly in years.

Thank you, that means a lot.

@thehousewiththesagegreensofa I'm really amazed with my morphine, been on nearly 200mg a day for about 15 years, but I've been trying to find alternatives for a long time, it just doesn't work.

Seems MJ is truly some sort of miracle for me though. Next time I see my rheumatologist and pain consultant, I'm going to ask if they'll consider prescribing off licence to me, as it's improved my life so much in just over 4 weeks. I even took my daughter for lunch today, and that hasn't happened in over 3 years!

As for hospital, that's just a bug to bear as an after effect of the mesh, but am hoping with MJ's help my immune system recovers enough so this doesn't have to be so frequent.

Well done to all the losers today. 🎉
And a huge welcome to all the newcomers. 🤗

@MelissaLouRocks I’m so sorry you’re back in the slammer. Fingers crossed for a very speedy exit.

@GloriaBunniford I want to give you a hug! None of us can guarantee you will lose weight on Mounjaro but certainly several of us have experienced tiny to no weight loss when ‘just eating less and moving more’, or other conventional weight loss methods. So I would say it’s worth a try, given how profoundly miserable your current weight is making you.

Just a quick observation re Med Express.

It appears their codes only seem to last for a calendar month, so anyone needing anything in a hurry, I would order before midnight.

I'm pretty positive they'll introduce new codes for May, but obviously it may take a few days for them to filter through to us.

Hi @GloriaBunniford sure! I’ve been on all these threads and there are so many now it’s hard to keep up! The idea I may be inspiring someone now is insane, but lovely.

I am 41 and 170cm, 5’7.

I started on MJ on 17th February at 14.1.

Today I am 11.11. I’ve gone from a 16 to a 12/14. Jeans with stretch fit at 12. 14 was too big.

At my heaviest I was 18.6, but that was moon’s ago.

I still can’t believe I have done this. In January my Dad had a heart attack and it scared me. I was 31.4 and obese when I started. I’d seen the info round Ozempic and saw Obsidian start this thread. I read up on MJ, ordered, and here we are two and a half months later.

I have had some stalling in the last month. But I am so, so glad I did this. It is not cheap. But you save on food bills after. I don’t have children so I can see that would add an extra layer of trying to manage.

@thehousewiththesagegreensofa that sounds like me at uni and that was also when I was 11.3. There is a part of me that wants to go well, let’s see how thin I can get. But I know that is really messed up thinking and it would be very easy to slide into an ED on MJ. I know being thin won’t fix me. Therapy couldn’t. Sobriety couldn’t. Life won’t be magic if I’m a size 8.

A small part of believes that still. I can’t lie.

@MelissaLouRocks you sound in such an upbeat mood even as you head back in. I love it!!!

I found my original post on thread one. 14.1 on the day I ordered. 14 on the day it arrived and I injected. Indeed two and half months ago. @GloriaBunniford You sound so sad. Honestly I never thought I’d be here this much lighter not long on, but I’m eating for health and the women on this thread are amazing company as we go through the highs, lows, plateaus and stalls together.

😳

Thank you so much for answering me!
That is so awesome inspiring to read.
I'm the same height as you!
15.7 stone though.
Thank you for telling me all that information.
Could you tell me what doses you have been on, and for how long with each dose?
Sorry to have a 2 way exchange on a group forum, apologies everyone. It's just that something about FlappyFish resonated with me.
Gosh this is such a lovely supportive thread!

You've been such a good support and inspiration for lots of us Flappy, I'm so pleased you've done so well and I really admire your mindset 🙂