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

@MountKilimounjaro Makes a good point about MJ helping you see patterns and reflect.

I think in had been expecting a magic bullet from press and gossip but this thread has really helped me gain some perspective and better understanding.

I’ve done 4th dose of 2.5 2 days early as I’m just not feeling the effects much this past week.
I've went up & down the same 1.2 pounds all week tho official weigh day is tomorrow.
I also feel extreme tiredness on it. I could nap every day if there was time.
So I will reorder. Thought I would be sticking to 2.5 due to great effects in week 1&2. Now not sure if I should go up as the side effects were also very strong in weeks 1&2, but now all effects have mostly worn off.
Disappointed with no loss this week but just need to keep going. My calories have been slightly more this past week but not enough to gain according to MFP. Just going to consider it a maintenance week after a 9lb loss between first 2 weeks and hope for a better result this coming week. Its a bit discouraging after the scales changing every couple of days in weeks 1&2 but just need to keep going.

.

None scale victory. So eg fitting in an old dress.

Started my 5mg pen on Friday and so far have great appetite reduction but absolutely horrendous night time acid indigestion. I actually thought I was going to be sick with it last night. So now I'm taking g a daily nexium and have gaviscon but the side of my bed. Hopefully it wears off. I did have a bit of acid reflux with the 2.5 but nothing as bad as this.

Eaten more high cal things this weekend but am very conscious if not feeling ill so having eg half a croissant.

@MountKilimounjaro thanks. I'm really not fretting about it too much as it's completely unrealistic to expect to never have any issues. It's really about mindset after I think and not letting it continue to sabotage and thinking "what could I do next time to stop this?"

I'm still getting decent appetite suppression thankfully. And I appreciate having the opportunity to work on responses as that's really the only way to make long term changes.

Just placemarking for the new thread. I’m on holiday with the worst diarrhoea ever. Have been up all night for the last two nights and it’s just awful. Trying to decide if I should risk food to make me feel a bit better or if it’ll make me ill again

I’ve ordered 3 times from pharmacy2u. Not told anyone. It comes in a brown plain shoe box. No uploading photos. Come quickly.

Just placemaking doing my first injection Friday Morning.

Thanks for the heads-up @Concernedforthekids ! I order from Asda and, so have just reordered a 5mg pen, as I'll stay on it another month.

The 5mg is kicking my arse today. I feel sick, tired, and have diarrhea. It's 72 hours since my 2nd dose, so that's the peak, right?

Anyone who is further along in their mj journey ... How long did you feel crappy on 5mg for? Does it improve?

V disappointed with Asda’s response to my question about maintenance. They confirmed they will stop prescribing as soon as my BMI gets to 25. They said there is no tapering down- just a hard stop. To get access again I would need to be obese.

There is absolutely no duty of care in this response. Most people will see their appetite explode and weight will go up. They are promoting yo-yo dieting.

I’m now looking to change provider for my next dose …. Any suggestion who I should choose, that sees things less black and white than Asda?

Thats the peak yes. I usually always feel like absolute shit on day 3 and have since 3.5mg (titration dose)

I'm on day 1 of week 7 (3 doses of 5mg) so we'll see how I am on Wednesday 🙈

I think the family chemist said BMI of 23 was a cut off for them. I'm tempted to swap to them at some point. But tbh I have a lot to lose, me being at BMI 25 is about a year away. I'm blindly hopeful that they'll know a bit more by then and a maintenance dose will be available.

Alternatively, you could get a private GP to prescribe it for maintenance maybe?

@BlackFriYay Fingers crossed for you!

I’m just two doses into this journey but I had my first run in with food side effects. I’ve eaten really sensibly this whole time so thought I deserved a treat. I cooked my favourite meal but it was more indulgent than I remembered so my fat intake was double what I have been eating. Oh wow did I pay for it, with the runs! All fine now but it happened within minutes of finishing and I just knew I’d overdone it! I’m now back to plainer clean eating from now on!

I've finally lost a stone! It's only taken nine weeks! So pleased as I haven't been this weight since summer 2021.

I've got almost another two stone to go to get to a BMI of 25 so that must be at least another 18 weeks and possibly more if weight loss gets harder the closer you get to goal. But I'm up for it!

Thanks for the new thread!

I hit a stone loss today 😁😁😁

Hi all.

I've been following these threads for a while but this is my first post on one!

I took my 5th jab today (1st 5mg dose) and have seen some good results so far but it's slowing down a lot now which is understandable.

SW: 15st 6
CW: 14st 0
GW: 10st 6

Total loss in my first 4 weeks: 20lbs/1 stone 6 pounds

Week one: 11 pounds loss
Week two: 5 pounds loss
Week three: 1 pound loss
Week four: 3 pound loss

That 1 pound week threw me off a bit but I know it's normal and I was fortunate enough to have a few big losses before. Hoping 5mg will help me get those good numbers.

@BlackFriYay I usually always feel like absolute shit on day 3 and have since 3.5mg (titration dose)

Sorry if this has been answered on previous threads! Could you please explain how to dose 3.5mg? I'm in week 1 at 2.5mg, having a lovely time so far with good suppression and no side-effects... But cautious of doing another month at 2.5mg as have a LOT to lose (about 8 stone!) and don't want to plateau... If I could buy 5mg pens but dose less that would be great for me. I have sterile syringes ordered for 5th dose prep but can't work out the maths! If you could explain step by step about your 3.5 dose I'd be really grateful 🙏

@WoolyMammoth55 you simply count the clicks:

Newbie. Question: after the first dose does it have to be kept in the fridge? I will be traveling within the U.K. over the time I would need to inject. Thanks

I think we are all getting to the point where we are in the slog of it aren’t we.

The novelty of weight magically disappearing those first few weeks has worn off and we are now using MJ, willpower, healthy food, exercise.

We are reinventing ourselves and trying to rewire our brain chemistry and we don’t want to tel people but we want external validation and it’s knackering!!

3 people IRL have noticed my weight loss. That’s not many! But it’s okay.

Please read the leaflet that came with it, all that information is in there. Unless you haven't started yet?

No, it’s okay for 30 days out of the fridge but make sure you read the leaflet and know plenty about this drug before you embark. Do not take the word of us, internet strangers!

Here is a link to a newbies thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5057475-mounjaro-and-wegovy-newbies-april-2024