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

Morning all,

Sorry you're feeling rubbish @NaturalBlondeYeahRight hopefully it passes soon.

Great NSV @spamm. Glad you are getting on well on 7.5mg

Well done for the losses everyone

Weigh day for me. End of week 12. Had a big woosh this week after a few weeks of losing little.

5lbs! This is the biggest loss for me in one week! So finally hit the 2st loss on MJ!

So current weight 14st 2lbs! Going on holiday on 21st May so would like to get to 13st 13lb by then...I think it could be possible!

My last diet that worked was keto and managed to lose well on that but couldn't sustain it. I feel like MJ is working better than keto did. On keto I had weeks of no loss and weeks of 1-2lbs loss. Never this far in and got 5lb loss in a week! Also keto was hard work! MJ feels Soo much easier and I can eat some carbs without worrying about the scales going up the next day!

SW MJ: 16st 3lbs
CW: 14st 2lbs
Total loss: MJ 29lbs
Total loss since Jan: 49lbs!

Amazing @ObsidianTree you’re doing so well!

@NaturalBlondeYeahRight I had this on the 3rd and 4th 2.5mg doses, then the 1st and 2nd 5mg dose. I’m also a teacher so initially thought it was a bug!

I have IBS-D, so that might me why this particular side effect got me so badly. I did develop a good system for leaving the house though; 2 x Imodium after the first incident, then one more after each further trip to the loo. If it doesn’t stop and you really need to work, take co-codamol (trick a nurse friend taught me). Have regular sips of water and use Dioralyte (Tesco have a great own brand) to keep you from feeling rubbish.

Hope it passes soon!

Hi, I’m on week 4, day 6 and the nausea is so bad this week. I’ve woken at 4am with it. I’m trying to figure out if it’s this or another health change I’ve made this month. At day 6 shouldn’t my side effects be easing?

Amazing start to the weekend - well done 😍
So inspiring to hear these success stories 🥰

Amazing, @ObsidianTree ! Well done you.

Great success stories - well done all! And commiserations to those with side effects. I hope these pass for you.
WI day for me and at the end of five full weeks, I have lost another pound and a half, taking me out of the80kgs and into 79.9kg. Total loss to date is 12lbs. My next number goal is to have lost 1 stone.
using Nutracheck it calculated that on 1200 cal/da I would lose 1-2lb a week & that seems to be what I am doing, although lately I’ve been eating somewhat less.
I go on a weeks holiday in early June and would like to be at 77kg by then- we’ll see…

@NaturalBlondeYeahRight ive had diarrhoea for the first couple of days after injecting for the last month. Then this week it lasted all week. I contacted the online doctor who said it’s a known side effect and to keep drinking water. Ironically, I lose less weight on weeks I’ve had diarrhoea than I was on weeks that I didn’t have it

Is anyone struggling with headaches? Since going up to 5mg I get a crashing headache that lasts all day 2 days after injection. No other side effects, drinking plenty of water. Am also having neck and shoulder physio the day after the injection but after describing the headaches physio doubts it is the cause. Have always injected into the stomach but maybe I should try the leg?

Yay! That's great.

Well done @ObsidianTree
I am very annoyed. And also confused. I stepped on the scales this morning and have re-gained two of the pounds I had lost by Thursday. I was feeling lighter and thought I was looking slimmer around my rib cage but the scales didn't agree.
Right, even more reason to be focussed ahead of official WI day on Monday!

Has anyone started on 10 from Med Express yet? I feel like I need to go up after my 7.5 runs out. I wanted to order yesterday (payday) but it's showing as out of stock.

I've had two 7.5 injections so far.

@Thebaldprimadonna

I think some places were saying it was due in on the 13th or 15th, maybe message them and ask so you can plan accordingly?

@ObsidianTree well done! I’m a few lbs behind you and my holiday is a few weeks later but we share a goal. It’s feeling doable right now! Good luck!

Week 11 weigh in, my first week on 7.5mg and it’s been fine- no side effects

I’ve lost another 1lb so I’m now in the 2 stone loss club- looks like I’m in good company 😁

Well done @ObsidianTree and everyone else who has had losses. Congratulations to @Thebaldprimadonna on reducing your HbA1c - that’s really significant. NHS sit up and take note! This could save the country billions of pounds a year in treating obesity related diseases.

Feeling really positive and confident in some new clothes (via Vinted) - I’ve dropped from a 16 to 14 in some clothes. Although I do still have a bloated stomach- I think I might need to drink more water.

Asda said 7.5mg is a stepping up dose to 10mg and you’re only meant to be on it temporarily. 5mg and 10mg are maintenance doses you can stay on. Has anyone else been given this guidance? I was thinking I could stay on 7.5mg a while but this suggests I need to go up to 10 or down to 5

I guessed my gps name from the drop down list. Haven't seen them in years and didn't recognise any of the names

Same here with donations. Some of them are breaking my heart a bit, but it's a declaration of faith 😀

I've suffered pretty bad headaches but they are improving.

I now drink an electrolyte drink most mornings (two on the days I'm most likely to get headaches) I ensure I drink my full Stanley cup by 4pm. I spray magnesium on my neck and forehead in the evenings they are present. I increase my sugar intake.

Morning losers! And plateau-ers (me)!

Headaches yes. Jesus they are awful and nothing shifts them. It’s the Bruxism I think. So can’t be stopped.

Donations. Yes. I’ve got a massive massive bag to take to the charity shop today and am selling lots on vinted. I could have cried yesterday when I sold my beautiful Hobbs skirt but it was hanging off me and looked ridiculous so it had to go.

Another Hush dress is off to a new home today. Agggghhhhhhhh!!

Anyway. No one has noticed any further weight loss so I will keep on keeping on. Maybe my family will notice in 2 weeks when I see them.

I also had a consult with my tier 3 weight loss person. We discuss NHS prescriptions for our meds. She said that the current guidance is that you must have completed the tier 3 program because you cannot be prescribed these drugs whilst on the program (I am almost at the end of it). Failing to complete it or ending it early does not mean you will be prescribed them. I am going to email my GP and see what he thinks.

Thanks all :)

Well done to all those with weight losses today 😊

@thehousewiththesagegreensofa have you tried moving your scales around a bit? I find my weight changes in different spots in the bathroom!

@Thebaldprimadonna maybe next week MedExpress could get some. They didn't say they were getting 7.5mg and kept saying stay on 5mg when I asked them when it was coming out. But it just appeared one day in stock! I think even got delivered faster than those who went with Bolt! So just keep checking on there from Monday!

@Concernedforthekids I have already ordered my 2nd 7.5mg so will do 2 months on that then get the 10mg i think. Then will try to stay on 10mg for a while!

@ThirdStorm good luck with our shared goal😊 I'm sure you'll do it if your holiday is like a month away

@NaturalBlondeYeahRight I had a random attack of diarrhoea midweek, despite taking my dose Sunday morning and that was my 3rd dose of 3.75mg! Until then I'd only had nausea and mild constipation, so it was quite a surprise. It happened twice Thursday morning (before leaving for work and on arrival!) with awful stomach pains and again Friday but not as bad. I was fine after the first hour on both days though, but it wasn't pleasant.
I'd planned to go up to the 5mg dose this weekend as my weight loss has slowed and not feeling full any more, but decided another week on the lower dose is more sensible plan!

I had an awful headache all day Sunday (took my jab in the morning) but I thought it was hormonal. It was my 8th jab, so I didn't really consider it being that as it didn't happen before. I'll see how this weekends goes as I've just done my 9th a day early.
It was almost like a migraine, nothing touched it. I do get headaches from my jaw clenching pain though, but I got Botox for that last week so hopefully it will help.

I had it fitted for heavy periods which started after the vasectomy.
I obviously knew when filling out the forms that I'd be fine but for a minute utterly forgot 🤣