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

Started MJ yesterday, havent really had any side effects, just keep getting a fluttering feeling in my tummy? Anyone else had this?

SPRING15 worked for me today (existing customer) for MedExpress

@zaffa good lord, I had half a fish from the chip shop for lunch (work bought us all lunch) and been feeling it both ends since 4pm 🤢

Call them. I found it just sat in the inbox and I had to call to get it loaded to my account. Once it was loaded on it was verified very quickly and arrived the next day.

I just think there is not enough admin to process it all.

I’m fully tracking cals max 1200 cals a day which is supposed to put me in 7000 cal deficit a week….hoping it’s just a blip. I have lost a stone.

Fingers crossed 🤞 you feel better soon. Greasy is a no go for me.

This is interesting about the prices

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/british-pharmacies-vie-weight-loss-patients-with-drug-price-cuts-2024-05-02/

The holiday chat is interesting. We're going away for 10 days in August. On one hand, I want to keep taking mj as this is a lifestyle change for me. On the other, I cannot handle spice or any kind of fatty or stodgy food at all on MJ without bad side effects, and I'm going to a country with traditionally spicy food. I want to be able to eat the food there, sensible/small amounts - not go nuts. Maybe titrating down a bit to try and avoid the bad side effects is the way.

Bonus dose done. Fairly easy with a pair of pliers!

Yeah I get that. I'm on injection 8 now and still get the flutters

I’m lucky so far in that I can eat most food without a major reaction to an extent. My appetite suppression though does mean that I gravitate to bland food if I don’t challenge myself. I had a meal deal of sushi and carrot sticks/hummus today which was lovely, and stopped me eating a plain bagel. I’ve no idea what stage I’ll be at by the time of our summer holiday but my big issue all my life has been not to WASTE food (my mother was very clear on this, being a war child) and I’m finding the fact that I have so little appetite I throw things away painful but also liberating, and hopefully means that I’ll have enough of a better mindset by the summer to just eat what I want off a plate of nice food and not cram it all in.

I don't quite know how I feel about it! I mean I don't crave it so I don't really mind I can't eat it, but it makes things tricky when going somewhere and having to rely on restaurant etc. we are going camping this weekend and I am a little worried about how I will manage as we don't have electricity so it will be hard to stick to my chicken and salad

@zaffa I completely understand and empathise with that too. Your food intake sounds very similar to mine. I eat because I know I have to. I do enjoy it when I eat, but it doesn’t give me that dopamine rush it used to.

The most unhealthy, or at least processed food I’ve eaten, was beef chow mein very early on. I’ve had honeycomb. I’ve had cheddar. But on the whole food has lost any source of joy for me. I have been seeing it as fuel.

Is that healthy too? Probably not. Food is, or was, one of the greatest pleasures in life. Now it’s just something else I need to do. Like sleep. Wash.

I used to find it funny when people said they forgot to eat. What even is that? I could be having lunch and thinking about dinner. That food noise is gone.

If I was going on holiday I don’t know how I’d feel. I used to travel a fair bit to India for work and that was amazing food wise.

It would certainly clear the lock bum a lot of us have.

I suppose I’m trying to find other ways to give myself joy. Without sounding trite. Food was my crutch for years. Then alcohol. Then food again.

Ah, the head screw of this.

Re holidays. I’m going to stick to the dosing throughout if I continue to tolerate it and it works. My main concern is that I’d be due a new pen when I return so it’s figuring out when to order so I’d be at home for delivery!

Honestly the other day I came home from work and told DH that I had had a huge salad for lunch and couldn't possibly eat dinner - I can't believe I'm one of those people now! 😂
It does worry me a little, mostly because there are no longer quick options for meals when out and about. I've stuck at 5mg for my second month because I have good suppression but I'm hoping it will ease up the symptoms of only
eating bland food. Surely there is only so much chicken I can eat!
I think it is also a little worrying about what will happen one day when I come off it - I don't ever want to go backwards to the food noise and constant hunger and so I know I have to find a balance.

And @FlappyFish I know what you mean about alternative joy - it is hard when so much centered round food for me

@zaffa I feel like I will start clucking soon with the amount of chicken.

I am scared of coming off. I have a feeling all the food noise will come rushing back and without the appetite suppression I will eat everything I have not touched for the least few months. I don’t want it at the moment. No cravings. Nada. But equally I know at some point I will want to shove half a pizza down me without MJ.

Half? Who am I kidding? I could absolutely eat a massive pizza before. 😂

That concern leads me to think will this lead to me yo-yoing? Lose weight on MJ. Gain BMI back? Go back on MJ? That is not healthy at all, yet I suspect a lot of us here have done gain and lose all our lives. It’s the sustainability.

I know I’m overthinking. This is all in the future. But it is a worry. For now, the suppression and lack of food noise is my way of life. It won’t be forever. Unless guidelines change. Building healthy habits doesn’t mean eating chicken and salad for the rest of our lives. Yet we struggle to tolerate much outside of bland.

Help!

Has anyone found they have completely gone off one of their favourite foods?

I was really struggling to eat today, so I made steak, as high in protein etc etc and one of my favourite dinners!

And I didn't enjoy it 😐 at all. In fact I couldn't finish it and have had a HUGE fruit and spinach smoothie with full fat greek yogurt to get some cals and protein.

Hoping it was just a bad steak

Yes, me!

Steak was my favourite food too, I'd have it atleast once a week, now I've completely gone off it. I tried to push through that as I thought I'd enjoy it once I'd started eating it but nope, had to give it to DD.

Sadly it's the same with berries since going up to 5mg. I absolutely loved strawberries and blackberries with my protein yoghurt for breakfast and now the thought of those make me gip so I've had to switch them for banana and chia seeds.

Thanks for replying!

Guess I'd better not go off pasta in the next week then!

It's making me wonder if I really enjoyed steak at all, the aversion I've had this evening has been quite eye opening. Did I just throw it down thinking I enjoyed it?

I've had frozen berries in smoothies, but not fresh because I've not felt like it, and now I'm wondering if that's an aversion too.

If I go off cheese I will riot 😂

I had steak the other night and enjoyed it, but couldn’t eat all of it

I’ve had chocolate and a dessert, I felt I needed to see how they were on MJ. I basically had one square of chocolate and a few spoonfuls of pud and that was it. Without my “hit” I didn’t feel the compulsion to eat more. I thought god is this how normal people eat?

I am going to be on this for the long haul so the hope is that I’ll take some steps to properly address my food addiction which will stop me going back to old habits when I am off it.

I think I am going to have to find something else to fill my head with without the food noise

I've been thinking about this one, joy coming from food and alcohol (or certainly at least involving them!) I've been trying to think about when neither were the case. I always liked good food but didn't feel the need to overeat when younger and there were many, many years of my life when I neither drank much, nor overate and I've been thinking about what brought joy then.

I think a lot of us had years, whether childhood and teens or in adult life when those were not the case too. Things like reading, hobbies, watching a good film, having a laugh with friends, sports (or just games of any sort whether physical or not), fun activities with others.

The conclusion I've come to is that I need to make more friends (I used to have more) and find more fun activities to do with them, or conversely, find more fun activities and make friends through them!

I actually have lots of nice neighbours that I socialise with but only very occasionally, so think I'm going to make more of an effort in that direction. Going to have a BBQ, once weathers good, and invite them all (I think some of them that don't know each other would actually get on well with each other too!) and see what things we could do, whose schedule is what etc. I think some of them work from home too at times, so there's possibilities of lunch, a walk or just a chat and a cup of tea.

I think there's a lot of merit in the idea of the health factors of the Mediterranean lifestyle, that it's not just diet but the factors of community, joint activity and built-in physical activity that generate good health, happiness and longevity.

Okay, that's my essay for today! 😂

I absolutely agree with this.

Why would I waste weeks of MJ and the £400 odd I’ve spent on it for a week of fairly average food?

We go away in 3 weeks on a cruise. The food is insanely good. I’m not even considering deviating. I cannot do that to myself. It’s self sabotage and financial ruin and dicking about with these complex meds.

The whole point of MJ is food aversion. We all ate ourselves into this.

@Flapearedknave

Don't worry, no-one ever goes off cheese. I have less of it now but a piece of good mature cheddar is still delicious, I just don't want to eat 10 slices of it!