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

Thank you! @Letsgoogogo

End of week 6 for me, and my WL to date is4.9 kilos. It has really slowed. I lost 0.4kg this week.
Strangely, although I am still on lowest dose, my daily calorie consumption is dropping. I enjoy my meals, but I can stop & not eat again. There is no urge to eat. Hence yesterday I had around 800 cal. When I first started, I struggled to stay at or below 1200 cal. This dose seems to keep the level of MJ high enough to blunt my appetite. Last week, I took my dose a day early due to hunger, this week I didn’t feel the need to.
Re PP on weight/scale variations, this is why I prefer weekly weighing, as the random variations does my head in!

@Beyondbeliefsometimes I’m probably demonstrating some disordered thinking here, but I own it. I weigh morning and night. After toilet and last thing before bed. I gain three pounds or so over a course of a day. A pint of water - and I drink a lot adds a pound.

@ObsidianTree oh definitely the bread and I’m ok with it. I wanted it. It’s one day. 😊How’s that for progress?

I wish I could reply to everyone all the time but I’d fill the thread and be on MN all day.

How about Zumba? I used to do loads of Zumba and was pretty damn fit, but that's all long gone now! Isubscrived to the Zumba app and it's great fun. They have different levels and the music is great. Very good for a mood boost!

I have an app called Lumowell that I do weights with. Nothing major but it does make a difference.

I am working up to the gym.

These symptoms have now gone. I did query anaphylaxis. MJ is working well for me so I don't want to stop!

Try not to think of this as 'damage', we all need to learn to enjoy and consume food in a usual way.

Once we are at maintenance, we will be going out and having a night with more food and alcohol. That's normal, and perfectly fine in a normal diet.

What needs to change is that these normal occurances don't throw us off track and into to the 'sod it' mindset, whereby we throw it all away because of one meal/drink/holiday etc

I had my 1st 5mg last Monday. Had hardly any appetite all week.
I know what you mean about the ick. It’s eggs for me. Used to love them. My husband is good with his diet and has eggs every morning which is making me want to 🤢

Week 4 for me this week

SW 223.8
CW 213

3lb loss this week and just over 10lbs overall. Happy with that as I’d have had to battle for months to lose 10lbs on my own! Got my bonus dose left to take from my 2.5 pen. Will attempt this if I can do it with the hard turn but definitely don’t feel confident extracting it.

my first goal is to get under 200lbs. Hopefully for an event I have at the end of June and then I’ll see from there. My ideal weight is my wedding weight but I’m not sure how realistic that is after 10 years and kids! So for now I’m just settling small goals and will see how far I can get

Week 9 for me and down 8 kg. I didn't lose this much this week but I'm really glad it's slow. It feels like my metabolism will be more accepting of a slower weight loss plus I want to stay on this a good while. I felt hungry for the first time yesterday on day 6 and the hunger woke me up in the middle of the night. All good though!

I’ve just dropped off all my size 18 clothes at the charity shop. I normally keep some aside just in case but not this time! I refuse to be that size again

That's fantastic - don't look back to size 18 you. That is in the past.

Conversely I have saved many clothes that became too small as my weight slowly increased so I am looking forward to using my own wardrobe as a shop as I shrink. Am already wearing jeans that I had to lie down to fasten up last summer. I was always worried about wearing them out in case I struggled to fasten them after a loo trip! Now they fasten with ease and I might even get into the next size down!

Week 5
1st jab of 5mg.
15lb lost so far....

SW 13.2
CW 12.1
GW 10 stone

Managed to intercept the delivery so the husband didn't see.

Medexpress were amazing.
Ordered yesterday - Approved and delivered today!!!!

Voy also decided to finally deliver the 5mg today as well. So that's next month sorted

@Nooneknowsbutme yay! Glad you got sorted. Twice!

Your weight loss from 1 pen is impressive. That's more than my loss and I have done 2 pens and started 4lbs heavier than you. I am in my 50s and think my metabolism must be slow. Mounjaro is still working for me but slowly.

@Choux I've been upping my walking to 5km 3-4 times a week, and properly getting a March on.
Only eating twice a day with a big fast in between, so that's clearly helping.

What's really bizarre is my husband has lost nearly 2 stone! By proxy!!
So I'm doing him a favour without him realising 🤣

I'm injecting my first Mounjaro shot tomorrow and I'd like to know where people keep their pens? I don't want anybody to know, at this point, because I don't want the negativity that will inevitably follow, so I don't want to keep it in my fridge - I live with my husband and two sons.

I was thinking about in the cellar. It's cool but not a fridge.

I feel very excited about starting it. I've literally been very obese for 25 years. I know exactly what I need to do to lose weight but I think there's something mental that stops me - I'm confident the lack of food noise will help.

@ViolaPlains the pen only needs to be refrigerated until you take the first dose. I think there is a temperature you shouldn’t store it above but keeping it in a regular drawer/cupboard is fine. Hope the first dose goes ok.

Please can anyone recommend a clear whey protein powder? I didn't mind the flavor really but I don't like the milky ones. I stood looking at them in the supermarket today totally bewildered by the choice.

I've not told anyone. Before I start using my pen, I wrap the box in foil and keep it in the bottom of the fridge.
I don't keep it in the fridge once I start using it (it can be kept out of the fridge for 30 days), I keep it in a toiletries bag in my wardrobe, amongst loads of other bags full of toiletries.

@ViolaPlains I'm starting tomorrow as well! Have also decided to keep it in a drawer in my bedroom once started, for the same reason.

Can I ask experienced MJers, whether there's any advantage in injecting in the evening over the morning? A blog I read somewhere suggested it could help you to sleep through the side effects, but that's not my understanding of how it builds.

Also, is it likely that the appetite suppression will start to wear off a couple of days before the next dose is due in the long term? I know that's the pattern for the first couple of weeks. I've has the pen since Friday but want to dose on Sunday nights/Mon mornings. My hope is to get max appetite suppression during the week, to help me switch away from work stress eating and wine and get a lot of my calorie deficit banked Mon-Fri. Then if it's slightly wearing off over the WE I can participate in family and friends meals at a sensible level but without noticeably not eating.

That’s not my experience, it hasn’t made much difference to me. My side effects have been delayed- and there’s no pattern to it! Last week it was due to having a fizzy drink on day 3, I was in agony with stomach cramps and felt so nauseous for a few hours. That’s been my worst reaction (dose 4 of 5mg pen).

I’ve injected morning noon and night and it’s made no difference to me. It feels quite unpredictable but also I think my body has got used to it (as long as I avoid fizzy drinks!)

Technically the dose peaks at 72 post injection… but whether that is the peak for side effects, I don’t know.

Well my pen might be fucked as it’s been outside the fridge in Sri Lanka for 2 days

Thanks! I saw your update a few pages back and winced, and thanked my lucky stars I'm not tempted by a fizzy drink!

Myprotein Clear whey is good, that's what I drink. My favourite flavours are orange and mango and I really like the pineapple one too. If you order from their website it's cheaper and you can get a selection pack with all different flavours to try them.

I think how the appetite suppression works varies from person to person, so you'll be able to see how it affects you and then move your doses to different days accordingly.
I take mine on a weekend - I started on a weekend in case I got bad acute side effects. When I was on 2.5, sometimes the appetite suppression wore off before the next jab, and sometimes it didn't. Now that I'm on 5mg, I haven't had any reduction in appetite suppression at all. I couldn't imagine it being any stronger tbh!

If you're participating in family meals and can't eat much, just tell them you're trying to lose weight (and choose your food carefully!), you don't need to mention mounjaro.