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

My love is a good stilton, or a baked camembert!

Christmas cheeseboard may last a bit longer this year 😆

I ordered the same evening you did, and had a notification today that it's on the way. I didnt hear anything until then. I didn't have the ID problems you did,so may have saved a day - hopefully you'll be on the move tomorrow but I'd call them if I were you.

Oh yes, stilton, my husband just ate the last of the lump bought last week.

Week 7 for me, 3rd dose of 5mg. Thought I'd escaped nausea or any side affects actually until tonight. Felt so sick after dinner and had to go to bed, felt so light headed nearly fainted putting my pj's on. Flopped into bed and now wide awake at 2.40am with extreme thirst.

Wonder if it was actually the MJ or whether dinner didn't agree with me, or some other body signal. I've eaten pretty well today. Really hope this is a one off.

I did an experiment a few weeks ago, I tried a bite of all my favourite sweet treats.

All tasted repulsive (ended up spitting most out), I could taste the fat in the chocolate and the mouthfeel was all wrong. It's as though I was actually really tasting the flavour for the first time, whereas before a lot of the desire was in my head; it was the need for sugar, the habit of eating, the comfort and many other complex associations.

I guess I hadn't really realised how much of eating wasn't actually about the food. And now those associations have been switched off I can really taste it.

I've now discovered a more genuine love of food. I really appreciate a square of good quality chocolate or a really fresh strawberry. And the best part is I can appreciate it and not then consume ALL of it.

@user1471503652 if I understand it correctly, the third dose is when it's built to it's highest level in your system. So it could be that you're feeling the full effects of the step up to 5mg. Hope you feel better soon.

I'm taking my third 5mg on Sunday, like you so far I've not had any real side effects (other than cold feet)....but that may change.

Morning. Just completed my first full week on 5mg, do my second jab later today. This week I've lost 3.6lbs.

5 weeks in from starting MJ:

SW: 263.6lbs
CW: 248.4
Total lost: 15.2lbs

This is the most weight I have lost in ages!

Well done MrsBurt that's brilliant 👏

Whilst we're talking about how our tastes have changed, does anybody else find that a cup of tea tastes a bit crap now?!

For as long as I can remember I've enjoyed 3 or 4 cups a day of milky tea with stevia, now every time I have one it just tastes like weak sugary water 😑

I struggled yesterday, I was tired and pushed for time so was eating on the go. It didn't help that DD cooked and made pasta with fresh pesto which was delicious but I could have done with protein & a mound of green veg. It was the first time since starting 10 days ago that I felt I ate anything mindlessly as I had a couple of rice cakes in the evening. Until now, whilst I have only had appetite suppression for short periods, I have at least been able to make sensible choices, including in the supermarket yesterday when hungry.
It's interesting what you say about tasting food. My taste buds have never really recovered from Covid. I do think that this has affected my weight gain as I chase the texture more now and really like the smoothness of saturated fats and most UPFs. I am hoping that, by eating lots of well prepared veg, I can remind myself how good they are.
Fingers crossed for a better day today!
Wishing those of you experiencing long stalls some movement today!

@FlappyFish that is one of my biggest worries too - how to build healthy habits. I have a lot to lose do I will be on this for as long as they let me, but I do keep worrying about what will happen at the end - I'd happily stay on this for life - bland food is a small price to pay if I'm healthy and watching my DD grow up! I guess we have to see what happens next, they may bring out yet more things for maintenance.

One thing I am so grateful for is the shift to thinking of my weight as a medical problem, not me being lazy. I didn't want to start MJ as even I thought I'd be 'cheating' and was angry I couldn't do it alone - now I'm embracing it as I would any other medication for a medical condition I have. That's been hugely freeing for me.

Thanks @BlackFriYay 😁

@zaffa I look at mounjaro like a nicotine patch/nicotine therapy for giving up smoking. I quit smoking many many years ago, and no one said I cheated or took the easy way out because I used patches. MJ is a tool to help, but we have to do the actual work. That includes sorting our heads out, as well as making good food choices, moving more or whatever.

@lurkylurk that's an interesting trail to go down - I'm going to spend some time really thinking about that. I miss the me i used to be, I was brave and adventurous and I've lost some of that. Maybe that's also to do with what sort of mindset I had.

@DesparatePragmatist Thank you for that info. If I still haven't had any contact from them by this afternoon then I'll phone them, good idea. Surprised to have got to Friday with no progress, after ordering on Tuesday, even with the extra ID needed.

Absolutely - it just took me a while to adjust my thinking. Now I'm a big advocate - I've been open with all my friends and family and met any comments fully head on because why shouldn't I treat my medical condition either medication 🤷‍♀️

I took my first dose of 7.5 on Wednesday and have been absolutely ravenous since!!! A feeling I haven't had since I started late February, I actually debated wether to move up from the 5mg pen as I had no appetite and had to force myself to eat but my weight loss had stalled so that's why I decided to go up to the 7.5, I'm so confused why the bigger dose hasn't suppressed my appetite in fact it's back with an absolute vengeance and I'm so worried it's going to undo all the hard work x

Week 10 check in, 2lb off. Very pleased as was on second pen of 5mg and had thought I may have needed 7.5mg by now. I have felt hunger but have been able to manage it.

SW 13.12
TW 12.00

Not putting a goal weight on, as technically it's 9.7 but then I'm a size 8/10 which was very hard to maintain. I need to work out what's realistic for me.

Even if they don't prescribe after BMI of 25 (or was it 23?) I'll have to be 9 stone something to reach that.

Weigh day today. 7th full week and lost 2lb this week.
im so annoyed, I’m only 1lb off the two stone, had horrendous diarrhoea for half the week so thought I’d lose the 3lb I needed this week for the 2 stone weight loss. I know it’s going well and I shouldn’t complain, but I stuck to healthy eating, got my steps in, pooped everything I looked at for three days. I deserved that extra 1lb for the full two stone. Oh well! Whinge over

Well done to everyone and their losses / progress today!
Weigh day today, and in the last seven weeks I've lost 27 pounds! It's such a motivator to see the number on the scale going down.

Aggghhhhhh!!
Anyone having issues with Voy?

Decided to stick with them for my 2nd month (5mg) as I thought it would be easier than switching provider.
All approved, fine.
Shipping date 29th April.
This then changed to 2nd May & now 3rd May.
I was meant to start month 2 today.

You can't get through on the phone and they are not responding to messages!
Now starting to panic!

How quickly could I get approved with a new provider for 5mg? And who would you recommend please

Thanks!.

Good news, Next PM!

I am going to try to get below BMI 25. I cannot imagine what I'll look like (it's been DECADES) but, having had the awful thought previously that the only way I would ever reach that weight was if became seriously ill, I'd like to see how it feels.

I am currently packing away my winter clothes and some of them are already too big for me. I am going to make myself give them to charity I think. Feels a bit scary for some reason 🤔

It’s frustrating but 2lb is a fantastic loss well done.
When I lost a large amount of weight before I focused on none food treats and started having beauty treatments like nails or facials.
I’ve also joined a local hobby group where we do crafts and activities.

Did you inject in the same area you previously have? The reason I ask is because I switched to my arm for my last injection (for the first time) and I've felt exactly the same as you all week, ravenous. Obsidian had the same problem.

Different injection points do make a big difference in my experience.

I hope you get your appetite suppression back soon.

@Thebaldprimadonna Thank you.

I'm donating too big clothes aswell, no way am I going to hang onto them.

@Nooneknowsbutme you could possibly get approved with a new supplier today but even if they send it out today it might not arrive till after the long weekend. If you pick a supplier close to you and order this morning it might come tomorrow though. I know MedExpress dispatch from London and Bolt from Lancashire. Those are the on,y two I know.

Do you have the bonus still in your current pen? If you have extra pen needles you could take that.

Week 4 weigh in - 3.5lbs 😀

SW 14.12
CW - 14.1
TW- TBC