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

Thank you all for the support, have sent DH to the chemist this morning with a list. I couldn't work like this so hope it's a one off. I've lost 4 pounds in three days but I'd rather have lost them the usual way (and it'll bounce back up anyway)
Haven't had a headache with mj, I did clench teeth at the beginning doses but that feels like it's gone now.
You did make me laugh about the mirena! What a lovely group this is.

Weigh in after 10 weeks. 5 at 2.5mg and 5 at 5mg.
2 stone down!
I think I'm going to adjust the dose from my 7.5mg pen to stay on 5mg as it's still working well. I do feel a bit hungrier but at a absolutely less than normal level rather than the crazy high level suppression I started at. I feel that it's more realistic longer term to manage those feelings as I'd be happy with another stone loss which would put me at my wedding weight (which albeit my heaviest at that point but absolutely a healthy weight).

Bizarrely I've still not really dropped a dress size. My clothes just fit better. Just goes to show I must have been bulging (and that all my clothes are stretchy!)

I have no idea what is going on today. I have bounced up 2lbs and am feeling really lethargic & slow with achy joints & brain fog. I was looking forward to enjoying the sunshine today but I just want to have a nap and perhaps a little cry. It's very peculiar and I can't think why.
I've just had a really nourishing breakfast in the hope that that will shift it. And might go and read in the garden for an hour rather than launch straight into the gardening I'd been planning. What I need to avoid doing is diving into the biscuit tin.

What a woosh @ObsidianTree You are doing great!

Morning Mjers. Well done on all the losses! this is the best club I have ever belonged to by far

@ObsidianTree yay! Progress.

@thehousewiththesagegreensofa good for you not slipping into self-sabotage. It is bloody tough.

so many comments but I’d be scrolling up endlessly to tag.

I love the day after injection. No appetite at all again. Yippee

I'm so behind on this thread and have lots to catch up but I want to share a progress photo because it's really surprised me.
I'm wearing the same clothes. I'm still a size 16 but was definitely pushing into an 18 though my clothes have grown with me I think. The only difference I can see is my face. I've always focused on the scales, never measured. But I can see a difference in these photos and this is only about 16lb loss over 2 months.
Maybe others who haven't yet gone down a dress size (this was mentioned way back in the thread) might do a side by side photo and also be pleasantly surprised!

I love a progress photo @NCfor24 and what a fabulous one that is. Well done!!

I had to a double take there. You body shape, hair colour, skin tone, size ect is EXACTLY the same as mine! Even your hands look like mine! I thought someone had posted my photo as I was wearing jeans and a navy t yesterday. Spooky.

@NCfor24 wow that's really visible progress. Thighs, tummy and boobs all looking smaller - I have lost 15lbs and really notice it on my tummy too. I bet you feel so much more comfortable too now the clothes aren't so tight.

Well done @NCfor24! That's great progress :) it looks like such a big difference

@NCfor24 great progress photo!! I find them more motivating than numbers on a scale. A few pounds versus seeing it is always helpful.

Really not got great appetite suppression this week although not craving crap so still within calories

First 7.5mg from new pen on Friday morning. No side effects and sensationally suppressed .
Last week I struggled to lose the 1lb that came off.
Usually 2.5
/3.0 per week. Fairly peeved. I realised though that I have been taking quite a lot of Lactulose for the first time and am totally convinced it's that. It's the only change in my routine.
No more!

I don't think I realised how tight they were! I don't really do full length mirrors! I've been in denial I guess.

@MrsLeavemealone how weird!! Twin!

You look awesome. Well done!!

I went out for breakfast this morning with the family and struggled to manage a piece of toast! None of them know about the MJ but the kids were with us and while I’m happy to be open about it with them, I won’t do so in front of the kids

@NCfor24 you look fab with your new pic 😀

Cravings are starting to return but it's limited exclusively to chocolate. DH keep bringing back caramel chocolate (my fave) from the stash at work. He can't eat them but they are slowly accumulating and he will wonder what's going on! I might have to ply my children with it to hide the evidence 😅. Bad parenting but maybe they will love me now.

@Cerialkiller could you eat some high % cocoa solid chocolate? Almost okay on keto!

@NCfor24 thanks for posting the photo - you look great. I, too, thought I was looking in a mirror, as jeans and a navy t is my standard weekend wardrobe. I’m a size 18 though.

A NSV from me, it's got so hot I went and dug out my denim shorts and have easily slipped into them. I doubt they'd have fitted 29lbs ago.

Slightly depressing is I am a decent 14, rather than heading towards a 12 (which I thought I would have been after 29lbs tbh).

I must have been way fatter than I had realised 😣

Well done on all the losses and NSVs!

weigh in day for me and I only lost 1lb this week. I know a loss is a loss but it feels a bit rubbish compared to other weeks. Anyway it brings me to 11.8lbs overall on my 2.5mg pen which I am delighted with so I need to focus on the bigger picture and not one week.

I ordered my 5 early from
Medexpress because I was switching from Asda. They’ve messaged me today about ordering my next one even though I haven’t started my 5 yet so I’m unsure whether to go for another 5 or go up to 7.5 as I don’t know how the 5 will affect me yet…has anyone stayed on 5 and kept losing?

Thanks yes I've just had a mini dinner of marinated anchovies followed by a square of dark chocolate with dark roasted peanut butter. Caramel chocolate has been applied to children.

Sausages are in the oven and I'll sautée a load of veggies with cherry tomato garlic and feta to go with them. Nom.