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 am also interested to know this as my next jab will be the bonus from my 2.5 pen. If I hard twist it to 1 can I then count clicks to measure how much I’m taking as I don’t want to extract it?

thanks for the new thread!

Thanks for the new thread.

I had a good week initially and was down a couple of lbs, but I'm having strong suppression which then pretty much fades on day 4 suddenly, so have probably been eating at maintenance level today and yesterday. I have put some of it back on, but have been eating carbs and not sure if the water retention ramps up again after a period of low carb. We shall see. I've done my bonus dose tonight.

I've still got sensitive teeth, but have noticed my OH bought whitening toothpaste which we don't normally buy, so could be that.

I have been so knackered lately. Apart from gardening and walking and a run at the start of the week that is it. I'm just so tired. I'm going to try and do more next week.

I got out some summer clothes today as it is supposed to be warm this week. I don't like any of them and just feel a bit sad - made me realise I haven't really cared about myself much for a long time. Being a working mum (and mum to a child with severe SEN) has really knocked everything out of me and made me feel isolated, and i dont feel like myself at all. I'm wondering if I'm having a mid life crisis because I'd really love to be 25 again (although being young is shit these days). I miss being free and not worrying about the next task i need to do. I used to always spend ages shopping and buy nice outfits to go out in, and now I barely have any time for that and just buy shit stuff in a rush.

It was good to get the clothes out though, as despite feeling like I'd lost some weight, it made me realise I've still got a way to go and I need to stay focused.

I've just did the bonus dose on 5mg. I think it was a bit under 5mg as it did not go back to 1 when injecting, but just a couple of clicks under it. That will tide me over to next weekend probably, when I go up to 7.5mg. I have been doing it in the stomach, but will thigh jab the 1st 7.5mg.

Hi all, could you give my head a wobble for me?

I haven't had a good week since I did the injection in my arm. My appetite suppression has been virtually non existent and for almost two whole days I did next to no exercise because I felt like rubbish from day 3 when the medication 'peaked'

I feel like I've fucked up my diet and potentially undone some of my hard work. I've had garlic bread (x2, x3) on more than one occasion and today I had a big roast beef dinner with all the trimmings.. but then some fudge afterwards 😔

I don't want to step on the scales tomorrow and it's weigh in day. This is the opposite of what I've been doing for almost 7 weeks, I was doing so well eating heathily and having all of the right things. I was finally in the 11 stone bracket (only just) and now I dread what it's going to be tomorrow.

Has anybody else fallen off the wagon? I'm going to get back on it from tomorrow, I have ace appetite supression when I do my stomach injection so that's what I'm going back to.

Am I being ridiculous to be kicking myself so much?

I've lost nearly 1.5 stone and nobody has noticed apart from OH. I slowly gained a stone in the first 4 years after my son was born, then this autumn/winter quickly gained another. I'm still wearing much the same as what I normally wear which is baggy and am often under a big coat in the winter, but underneath it all my jeans and tshirts are fitting better. I think as I've been in jumpers and baggy clothes for months nobody noticed the gain or the loss.

I'm glad they haven't noticed as I would need to come clean.

Interesting Mounjaro anecdote for those who suffer the sulphur burps. I spent half of the afternoon today scrubbing the toilet, bath and sinks plus turning the house upside down for a hidden toddler poo until I finally realised that the rotten egg smell was coming from my own digestive system. I even asked DD5 and DD2.5 repeatedly if they were absolutely sure that they hadn’t done a poo somewhere other than the toilet 🤦🏻‍♀️

In my defence, I’m half way through my third pen and haven’t experienced this particular side effect before.

Moral of the story: check own breath before panicking about dodgy plumbing.

@BlackFriYay I feel a bit similar, I was very happy start of the week, but the last couple of days the suppression has gone down. It's been a bit half arsed. I haven't totally pigged out and haven't eaten chocolate or anything, but it's been fairly normal eating, so probably not much of a deficit - just what i'd probably like to eat when i've lost all the weight to maintain. Exercise has been a bit crap too.

Tomorrow is a new day. I've done my bonus 5mg dose tonight, so I'm jumping back on the wagon and I will be going to the gym too. I wouldn't beat yourself up about it. It is a bit of a marathon and it's not what you do on any given day, but what you do over an extended period. I actually think having a bit of carb did me good (although I'm still knackered) I can't put my finger on why, but I feel a bit better for it.

Start again tomorrow.

No more arm jabs - step on the scales tomorrow and just own it. It will be okay. Have a nice healthy breakfast tomorrow. Do not ‘not eat’ no matter what the scales say.

Is tomorrow injection day?

I’m sorry as I’m sure this has been asked before, but has anyone split a 5mg pen into 2 x 2.5mg doses? I was getting good suppression and loss on 2.5mg, but I’ve moved up to 5mg. I’m day 3 post first 5mg injection and the side effects are awful, sulphur burps and sickness. I wish I’d stayed on 2.5mg ☹️ does it get better on 5mg?

2.5 to 5 is a big jump. I couldn’t handle it. I did 3.5, 3.5 & then 4. I will probably to 5 again on Friday.

Where are you injecting? I only get sulphur burps when I inject in my stomach, but I also get the most suppression there. I did my 3rd jab in thigh and didn't get much suppression at all, so have just took the burps as something I have to put up with. I normally only get them day two snd three. It's like burping up a wonderful mixture of egg and lemonade. Lovely.

I’m injecting in the stomach too. I might try my thigh for the next one and see if that helps!

@Fruitini1987 I was fine on 2.5 and found 5 pretty awful. It didn't really get better until my 4th dose and it's made me stick on 5 for my next pen.

Hi All,
DH wanted to go to our favourite local cafe for brunch so I shared a stack of pancakes with my little one (we had one and a half each) covered in a basil mango sauce. Instantly regretted it as I felt stuffed despite it being half a normal portion size, and my bowels were rather irritable later in the day. Visiting family in the afternoon and BIL had ordered curry for us which I was nervous about but it worked out fine - only ate a quarter of a tub of rice, same amount of curry and a 5th of a naan. No sides or other sundries - so very much less than I used to eat when ordering takeaway. Felt fine afterwards, not over stuffed, no tummy issues, it felt good to be able to join in without going overboard.
Today the appetite suppression really kicked in (jab was on Friday, I'm on my 2nd 5mg pen) which is good as my period arrived without warning 12 days early (thanks peri) and usually I'd want to eat everything sugary in sight.
Wonder if I can make it to sub 90kg by the end of the month - I don't have any more trips away planned until the half term so there wont be any more brunches or eating out/ordering in to slowy progress.

I’ve lost 50lb since November and only my netball friends have noticed/said anything.

I think some people may be reluctant to say anything, as some people don’t like it being commented on.

I'm speaking to my GP this week to get it for my type 2 diabetes and hopefully help with my weight loss .. my BMI is well over 30

@BlackFriYay and @Soukmyfalafel same here, had a couple of strange eating days. I didn't go crazy but I felt out of control of food for the first time since starting.

@AgathaMystery good advice, the temptation is to now go in the other direction and not eat to 'make up for it'.

I'm going to treat this as a good learning experience for how to get back to healthy habits.

I’m glad people are posting about challenges. It is a bloody good reminder it’s a tool and not a magic bullet. ❤️

You haven't undone anything, stop beating yourself up! You've still progressed... Your overall trend will still be downwards... Perhaps at a slightly slower rate this week, but we aren't robots and success isn't a straight linear path. There will be weeks like this for everyone. It's the consistency of carrying on anyway that matters much more than some fudge or garlic bread!
Weigh yourself as usual and let's just carry on. Do you weigh daily? I was so against it at the start, but actually, it's taken some of the power away from the scales for me. Instead of a nervous build up to once a week, weighing daily has made the number on the scales be less daunting. Probably because I see the number go up and down a lot, so going up isn't that big a deal anymore. It's just data.

Good lord, I've finally had the sulphur burps you lot have been talking about. Gross 🤢
Yesterday wasn't a great day for eating. I barely had any protein or veg for the first time. Probably the peak of my 2nd 5mg jab, and all I could manage was half a bagel thin at breakfast (couldn't stomach the eggs) and then a bit of pasta and a couple of bites of pizza at dinner. I couldn't even manage any protein drink or anything.

I think I'm going to order my next pen today - another 5mg. Cannot imagine going to a higher dose any time soon.

Could some kind soul post idiot proof instructions for getting the 'bonus' dose out of the pen please? TIA

@MrsBurtMacklin I had my first sulphur burp yesterday too. Absolutely rank. I've escaped them until now. I'm on 0.5 and am going to stay on at least another month.

I finally broke 200lb this morning! I know the scales don't tell everything, but it feels good, that takes me to a 10lb loss in 5 and a bit weeks. I'm on day 6 of my first dose of 5mg and this dose seems to be working better for me.

Which method are you going to use - the hard twist or insulin syringe?

I have only used an insulin syringe. You buy some STERILE 1mm insulin syringes online (mine have an 8mm needle). Then insert the needle into the red rubber end of the pen and withdraw all the liquid. Put the syringe tip in the air, get the air bubbles to the top and (flick the pen) and depress the plunger a bit till they come out of the syringe. Then inject the liquid - as my needle is longer than a pen needle I don't insert the entire needle into my skin to ensure I am still injecting into the fat. It's easier than you think it will be and does not hurt.

Every time I hear someone mention sulphuric burps I thank my lucky stars I haven't had them. I burp a lot but they aren't fowl. But it's worrying that the can start at any time!