Continuing Mounjaro...part 8

[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

Also there is a 5th dose in each pen. To extract it you can either try a hard twist or use an insulin needle.
https://medbasic.co.uk/bd-micro-fine-30g-1ml-syringes-needles

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
furthet 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

Thread for newbies just starting out:

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weight_loss_chat/5057475-mounjaro-and-wegovy-newbies-april-2024

Ooooh well spotted!! Is there anything in the NICE guidelines that says two years for wegovy? NICE says it about mounjaro, even though the manufacturers say long term! I'm watching this like a hawk!

Hi,

I saw a while back that there is no evidence that it causes thyroid cancer in humans. It caused it in mice, but no evidence of it in humans... But that's so far... In been in US longer than here, but suppose not years and years.

I'll do a search, but no idea about NICE etc

The NICE guidelines say 2 years for Wegovy. That's weird. Unless it's been updated since

@HollieHollieHollie you’re welcome… although I was wrong it’s actually 13 cancers associated with obesity… although that’s still quite a lot!

@MoreThanJustANumber Losing a stone in 9 weeks is a great pace of weight loss- the guidelines say a loss of 1-2lbs per week is a healthy level of weight loss and you’re averaging 1.55lbs per week … so hardly paltry!

I know it’s easy to compare, but it’s about getting to your goal sustainably and not how fast you get there - as they say it’s a marathon not a sprint … and MJ along with peer support here will help you keep going on the track (sticking with the marathon analogy!). And the maintenance dosing guidance should be sorted out by the time you get to the finish line! Silver linings like you say!

I bet you’ll start seeing more health benefits as well as the weight loss, maybe you can measure and track these changes too? Like your BP and hbA1C if that’s higher?

@ObsidianTree thanks for checking. There seems to be a glitch in the matrix! We need to infiltrate the wegover users and find out what's going on. At least we know we can switch to wegovy from Superdrug if all else fails!

A friend of mine began her MJ journey two weeks after I did and she's already talking about getting her (obese) husband to order under his name and photos if she gets cut off before reaching her goal weight.

I can't find it in myself to judge her to be honest, it's so counter productive cutting people off cold turkey when they reach BMI 25. Its bound to lead to rapid rebound weight gain.

I had a look for the NICE for Mounjaro for obesity and it doesn't look like it's finished yet. Unless I'm not finding it.

I had my first dose last week, when I have my second injection do I twist the top to 1 again or does it go down to 2? I have it in my head that each dose will have a different number, but I'm actually thinking each dose is done exactly the same... which is it please?

Each dose is the same. You wind it to one then push down to administer and but resets the pen. You can't go past 1.

Place marking

Half way through week two. I lost 10lbs in week 1

Mainly eating just veg and protein.

The biggest change for me is no alcohol. I was a big wine drinker, not every night but enough to be concerned. So far in nearly two weeks I've had one small glass of red and didn't enjoy it .

Will weight tomorrow

SW 13 stone
CW 12.04
GW who knows

OMG! I just took marine collagen for the first time. I thought it was supposed to be tasteless and it really wasn't. Just a horrible fishy taste. I just had it in some water so perhaps it will be less obvious in another drink. It cost a fortune so I need to get through the entire pack but I am not looking forward to it! I'll try the bovine one tomorrow (she writes nervously!)
All manner of indigestion going on this evening. I am optimistic that this is a sign MJ is finally working.

Evening All
MJ is continuing to work at 5mg for me (second 5mg pen). Bit more appetite today (jabbed on Friday) but only slightly. I've found clear diet whey protein with water to be helpful for feeling fuller for longer and to increase my rather poor water intake (herbal teas also helping with this). Still eating healthy but did have a single biscuit (yes madness, just one biscuit, I put the other one back in the pack. Definitely sorcery going on). Period still full on, yet no cravings or overeating, I've still got chocolate in my bag from 2 weeks ago and haven't felt the urge to eat it yet.
Occasional loose tum in between days of constipation (although tbf bowels have been more sluggish since I hit peri), no other side effects to speak of. I haven't the energy for the gym, not sure if that's MJ or I'm just tired (work is very hectic at the moment). I'm still largely avoiding UPF (apart from protein powder), and focusing on protein and veg with carbs as an afterthought.
Blood pressure appears to be very slightly improved, will see if that lasts. Still haven't gone below 91kg but I'm working on it.
For me to get to a healthy weight I need to lose 4 stone, I started off needing to lose 5 stone so am 20% on my way to target. Can't imagine getting there, but perhaps into the overweight category is achievable

@fucknuggetsandchips

2.5mg isn't a therapeutic dose and people in the trials didn't generally lose much if any weight on it, it's to get your body used to the medicine so you can go up to the higher doses without bad side effects so don't worry if it doesn't seem to be doing much yet.

Oh I never realised I might have a fat forehead but I guess it's probably infiltrated every part of my body 🤣

Just started on 2.5 yesterday and so far I have a headache. Drank lots of water today but need the loo all the time.

Did anyone have to take ibuprofen in their first week for headaches/sore neck?

It probably does mean a little bit less than a normal dose, the plunger might not go right to the end because of the shape of the vial, it may not be totally flat at the end as there is supposed to be some left over. Each pen is 4 doses of 0.6ml, that's 2.4ml, but they put 3 ml in each pen to allow for priming.

Per the instructions you can prime the pen up to 3 times each time (if it didn't seem to work the first time), so having primed it several times uses up a little of the bit left over.

Thank you @ObsidianTree
I kept a little diary mainly to read back and see what I’m doing right and where I can improve and also to keep myself accountable.
Regarding loosing yourself in motherhood, I sometimes wonder if it wasn’t for the lockdowns then I would have been going out to the real world and noticed that I was putting on weight a bit too much.
Anyway, thank you for creating this lovely group! Keep enjoying your holiday in Sri Lanka.

Hello @FlappyFish and thanks for the welcome! :)

@1ittlegreen fat forehead 😅 never heard that one before.
I woke up with a sore neck and shoulders a few days after my first injection. I didn’t take any painkillers and it went away the next day, hope that’s your case too.

On the face of it this sounds insane but on the other hand I do find daily weighing keeps me on track…

Remember with NICE guidelines it is partly about money and value.

Rats have GlP-1 receptors in their thyroid that we don’t have. The research has recently shown that our risk is not increased. Obesity is a risk factor for many cancers. I am more worried about Gastroparesis but hopefully there would be warning signs.

i realise I miscalculated and have actually been on Mounjaro for 10 weeks and lost 9.5 lb, so less than a pound a week. Trying not to be too discouraged - It is so much better than the rapid gaining I was doing during my break between Wegovy and Mounjaro and I have higher doses available to me.

@Buffypaws my husband certainly thought I’d lost it!

@LatinaLondon welcome, and thanks for your diary. I’m impressed at your holiday willpower.

Help! I really have to decide what to order next month. I think I should stay on 5mg as the appetite suppression remains strong but I’ve realised that some of that, along with other things I thought were side effects, is coming from a kidney infection. I am worried about spending the money on a dose that isn’t effective for the next month or unnecessarily stepping up. My overall weight loss is 16lbs in 9 weeks so in line with the 1-2lbs but I’m worried that some of that has come from literally being unable to eat in the last few days.

@Wonkypictureframe I would go up to 7.5mg. If that is too much you can always count clicks and give yourself 5mg doses from that. If you get the 5mg and it's not enough then you will end up using it up faster by doing doses every 5-6 days to get more suppression.

Also @Wonkypictureframe the expiry date hasn't extended for the 5mg yet, so currently expiring end of June. So incase they don't extend it, go with the 7.5mg