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

I ordered another pen from Medexpress last night and something is bugging me. I entered my current weight and it said my BMI was 28.8 not the 30.6 that the nhs bmi calculator does. Has anyone else noticed this or was I hallucinating?

@ObsidianTree I was tempted by that but then they wanted a video as part of the enquiry form and it put me off. Hope it's a fun experience for you.

I moved to 7.5 last week and have actually put two pounds on. Seems extra harsh as I have gone back up to 12 stone+ and I was enjoying seeing an 11 on the scales.

I had days last week when I had virtually no appetite suppression and also went out a lot and drank more wine than usual as there were lots of events on.

I am making a real effort this week to stay off wine, so hopefully I will soon go back down again, but I could do with some MJ magic too.

Yeah I wasn't too sure about doing videos, but just decided to go for it.

I've just submitted 3 videos for my first week. Was ok actually! Mainly talking about my dieting history and diets I've tried etc. Then talking about experience so far on MJ. So quite enjoyed it!

That's so weird that 7.5mg isn't having the desired effects! And even going backwards!

I'm shocked reading about people's experiences on the 7.5mg. Is there anybody who has lost weight on it yet?

@dmott my other half is using the wool for growing seedlings and home brew beer. I did try and be nice and give one to my dog to sit on but he tore it up and then got it stuck in his teeth and got growly 😂 appreciate none of that is probably helpful.

@guestusername I moved from Bolt to medexpress by doing the consultation form then immediately contacting them via their contact us form and providing my order number plus photos of my Bolt email confirmation of my previous dose and order date. You could also use a photo of the box your previous pen came in with the prescription sticker on it. I also said what my starting weight was, as it was over 30 but had just dropped under by the time I moved over.

I’ve lost 1 kg in 9 days since I started the 7.5mg. That’s pretty good for me.

😭

Actually kinda helpful maybe I could use it to put around my plants this year to deter slugs and help keep things going

@Stickthatupyourdojo I’ve used med express for all my pens but I was confused why their BMI thing was so different

I think MedExpress must have ironed out the glitch about weight for reordering. I just put my weight in, which puts my BMI at 29, and it was fine with me ordering 7.5mg.

I am a staying on 2.5 person. V little appetite still, and I feel as though it has built up in my system (6.5 weeks) Today, for example, I drank black coffee in morning, then had half a protein bar at 3:15. I was hungryIsh/weak, so feeling the need to eat but not ravenous. Now at 5:45 I am not at all hungry. I am planning a dinner of no more than 600 cals, so I will struggle to get in 1200 cals. This is typical.
The downside is that I am losing weight incredibly slowly. 0.4 kg last week, probably the same this (WI day Sat) I feel like my body is holding on to my fat cells like grim death!

@Moanranger do you need to up your calories? If your appetite isn’t up to quantity, can you try and get some calorie dense foods in? Not eating at all until 3.15pm is a long time to go. I’ve found when I’m not feeling up to eating if I just make myself have something it actually helps me feel better.

Boots are a bunch of useless fucking bastards.

After making me wait a month to move from 5mg to 7.5mg as they were out of stock, I have picked up my meds today and only when I got home have a noticed that although my online message says they dispensed 7.5mg (and they've charged me the price for that dose), they've actually given me 5mg according to the box, the pen and the label.

I have sent a message online complaining but frankly I think this is outrageous. They have literally dispensed the wrong dose of a a prescription medication.

If they don't correct this immediately I will be submitting a complaint of a Drug Error using the prescribing doctor's GMC number.

Furious. I pay more because Boots are meant to be a legitimate supplier.

That's dreadful they've given you the wrong dose.

But when you say you had to wait a month do you mean they gave you another 5mg or have to been without a pen in this time?

@FreakInTheSheets that is terrible. Especially as you are paying A LOT for boots! They sound pretty rubbish!

This is the THIRD 5mg pen in a row that I have had.

If they make this mistake then I'm sorry but who's to say they wouldn't make a mistake with a more dangerous medicine?

Totally and utterly unacceptable.

Oh gosh that is dreadful. I think 7.5mg is more expensive too? You should definitely complain.

@BlackFriYay your experience of your 3rd 5mg dose is reassuring. I'm due my 3rd on Friday and I'm dreading it. This week has been horrendous for side effects. I'm okay now, but 2-3 days after my injection was so so rough!

I've reported the Pharmacist online, using her GMC number to the General Pharmaceutical Council. She obviously needs looked at esp if she's done this before. She could be dangerous.

Now to submit a formal complaint to Boots.

Oh dear - people do make mistakes, we are all human, but I agree that Boots isn’t turning out to be much superior for this service. They are able to charge more due to the name but actually some of the others seem to be perfectly competent and supply the needles and swabs more consistently and this the the first dose error I have heard about.

I'd just change suppliers @FreakInTheSheets

It could have been a packing error etc. it's shit but these things happen. Hopefully they send you the 7.5mg and let you keep the 5mg!

@RunningAndSinging yes we all make mistakes. But mistakes when dispensing prescription drugs are unacceptable. There is supposed to be a rigorous procedure for prescribing, checking and dispensing. So it's a "no fuck up zone". I sell houses. If I make a mistake, no-one dies.

What if I were an elderly or vulnerable person relying on some life saving drug and they gave me the wrong drug or the wrong dose and I didn't notice?

They probably won't, the useless fucking gits. Because they won't allow me to have 2 prescriptions so close together. It's not like a perfume or a lipstick where they might just say "keep the extra one".

Anyway, the online form for submitting a Drug Error report to the General Pharmaceutical Council was nice and easy.